Projectile
Projectile: Bubble and 3 more
Blows a bubble that damages and slows or roots the enemy it reaches.
4 spells the game runs with the same code.
DamagesSlows or rootsHow is the total effect worked out?
A shot hits a unit when the distance between their centres is under the shot’s hit radius plus the unit’s radius. A piercing shot can hit the same unit again once it has left it.
Total effect: what one unit receives over the whole spell. The real figure depends on who casts and who receives it, so it is worked out for a fixed reference: the caster has magic 30 (Isaac at level 1), the element at level 1–10 and a perfect stroke (quality 1); the receiver has defense and magic defense 0, a neutral element and no weakness or shield; no random factor. “up to” is a maximum that needs every hit to land, or the unit to stay where the spell reaches it; “not confirmed” marks what the code read so far does not settle.
To cast a spell you draw its runes, each in one stroke and each scored on its own: a long stroke with many turns takes longer and gives more chances to slip out of the shape. Each spell shows its runes, drawn from their strokes, with their level (I to III) and how long their strokes are added up, in widths of the rune: the game scales the drawing, so its size on screen does not count. A higher level is usually longer, but not always (Water II is shorter than Wind I).
Best spells · Which spells pay off and why, each with the number behind it. The filters leave only what Isaac already has at hand.
Water · Level I
Total damage
525 · Bubble, 10 s
Higher is stronger.
It adds up every hit or pulse one unit receives during the spell.
- Affects
- Enemies
- Status chance
- 100 %
- Status lasts
- 10 s
Worked out for a caster with magic 30 and a perfect stroke, against defense and magic defense 0, with no random factor.
Per MP
Higher is better: it gives more for each MP you spend.
Total damage for each MP point: 525 ÷ 50 = 10.5. It compares which spell gives more for the MP it costs.
Among the least efficient: it beats 22 % of the 234 damage spells.
A high per MP does not make it the strongest spell: the total says that.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and 2 times with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 1,050 of damage.
MP
What it costs with the element at level 1–10; with the element at level 41–50 it costs 38.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and 2 times with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 1,050 of damage.
In a battle Isaac recovers 5 MP every 0.5 s, and 1 more for each rise in a row without chanting, up to +5. Each mana crystal of his adds 1 more per rise (2 MP/s). After a chant the first rise comes after 3 s, 0.5 s sooner for each crystal, 0.5 s at least.
Lasts 10 s
Water · Level II
Total damage
765 · Bubble, 10 s
Higher is stronger.
It adds up every hit or pulse one unit receives during the spell.
- Affects
- Enemies
- Status chance
- 100 %
- Status lasts
- 10 s
Worked out for a caster with magic 30 and a perfect stroke, against defense and magic defense 0, with no random factor.
Per MP
Higher is better: it gives more for each MP you spend.
Total damage for each MP point: 765 ÷ 70 = 10.9. It compares which spell gives more for the MP it costs.
Among the least efficient: it beats 22 % of the 234 damage spells.
A high per MP does not make it the strongest spell: the total says that.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 765 of damage.
MP
What it costs with the element at level 1–10; with the element at level 41–50 it costs 54.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 765 of damage.
In a battle Isaac recovers 5 MP every 0.5 s, and 1 more for each rise in a row without chanting, up to +5. Each mana crystal of his adds 1 more per rise (2 MP/s). After a chant the first rise comes after 3 s, 0.5 s sooner for each crystal, 0.5 s at least.
Lasts 6.67 s
Water · Level III
Total damage
840 · Bubble, 10 s · one shot of the 3 in the fan
Higher is stronger.
It adds up every hit or pulse one unit receives during the spell.
- Affects
- Enemies
- Status chance
- 100 %
- Status lasts
- 10 s
Worked out for a caster with magic 30 and a perfect stroke, against defense and magic defense 0, with no random factor.
Per MP
Higher is better: it gives more for each MP you spend.
Total damage for each MP point: 840 ÷ 85 = 9.9. It compares which spell gives more for the MP it costs.
Among the least efficient: it beats 20 % of the 234 damage spells.
A high per MP does not make it the strongest spell: the total says that.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 840 of damage.
MP
What it costs with the element at level 1–10; with the element at level 41–50 it costs 65.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 840 of damage.
In a battle Isaac recovers 5 MP every 0.5 s, and 1 more for each rise in a row without chanting, up to +5. Each mana crystal of his adds 1 more per rise (2 MP/s). After a chant the first rise comes after 3 s, 0.5 s sooner for each crystal, 0.5 s at least.
Lasts 6.67 s
Water · Level IV
Total damage
645 · Bubble, 10 s · one shot of the 7 in the fan
Higher is stronger.
It adds up every hit or pulse one unit receives during the spell.
- Affects
- Enemies
- Status chance
- 100 %
- Status lasts
- 10 s
Worked out for a caster with magic 30 and a perfect stroke, against defense and magic defense 0, with no random factor.
Per MP
Higher is better: it gives more for each MP you spend.
Total damage for each MP point: 645 ÷ 100 = 6.5. It compares which spell gives more for the MP it costs.
Among the least efficient: it beats 13 % of the 234 damage spells.
A high per MP does not make it the strongest spell: the total says that.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 645 of damage.
MP
What it costs with the element at level 1–10; with the element at level 41–50 it costs 78.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 645 of damage.
In a battle Isaac recovers 5 MP every 0.5 s, and 1 more for each rise in a row without chanting, up to +5. Each mana crystal of his adds 1 more per rise (2 MP/s). After a chant the first rise comes after 3 s, 0.5 s sooner for each crystal, 0.5 s at least.
Lasts 2 s
Worked out for a caster with magic 30 and a perfect stroke, against defense and magic defense 0, with no random factor. How is it worked out?
Bubble
Water · Level I
Total damage
525
MP
50
10.5 per MP
Bubble, 10 s
DamagesSlows or rootsCost
- MP (level 1–10)
- 50
- Runes
- IIII
- Stroke (rune widths)
- 6.5
Range and area
- Homing radius
- 50 px
- Hit radius
- 14 px
- Shot range
- 600 px
Time and damage
- Duration
- 10 s (600 ticks)
- Spread angle
- —
- Homing turn
- 5.62°
- Shot speed
- 1 px per tick
- Shots
- 1
- Power
- 320
Status
- Status strength
- 35
Other
- Traits
- Homing
Bubble Up
Water · Level II
Total damage
765
MP
70
10.9 per MP
Bubble, 10 s
DamagesSlows or rootsCost
- MP (level 1–10)
- 70
- Runes
- IIIII
- Stroke (rune widths)
- 6.5
Range and area
- Homing radius
- 50 px
- Hit radius
- 14 px
- Shot range
- 600 px
Time and damage
- Duration
- 6.67 s (400 ticks)
- Spread angle
- —
- Homing turn
- 5.62°
- Shot speed
- 1.5 px per tick
- Shots
- 1
- Power
- 480
Status
- Status strength
- 35
Other
- Traits
- Homing
Bubbles!!
Water · Level III
Total damage
840
MP
85
9.9 per MP
Bubble, 10 s · one shot of the 3 in the fan
DamagesSlows or rootsCost
- MP (level 1–10)
- 85
- Runes
- IIIIII
- Stroke (rune widths)
- 7.8
Range and area
- Homing radius
- 50 px
- Hit radius
- 14 px
- Shot range
- 600 px
Time and damage
- Duration
- 6.67 s (400 ticks)
- Spread angle
- 45°
- Homing turn
- 5.62°
- Shot speed
- 1.5 px per tick
- Shots
- 3
- Power
- 530
Status
- Status strength
- 35
Other
- Traits
- Homing, Spread
Water Lord
Water · Level IV
Total damage
645
MP
100
6.5 per MP
Bubble, 10 s · one shot of the 7 in the fan
Not worth itDamagesSlows or rootsCost
- MP (level 1–10)
- 100
- Runes
- IIIIII
- Stroke (rune widths)
- 9.5
Range and area
- Homing radius
- —
- Hit radius
- 8 px
- Shot range
- 240 px
Time and damage
- Duration
- 2 s (120 ticks)
- Spread angle
- 45°
- Homing turn
- —
- Shot speed
- 2 px per tick
- Shots
- 7
- Power
- 400
Status
- Status strength
- 0
Other
- Traits
- Spread
Grouped by the effect class and subkind of each spell in the game’s data, as the research did; the notes come from reading the code, not from playing.