On units
On units: Fire Dance and 5 more
Isaac dances next to an enemy and hits it with his steps.
6 spells the game runs with the same code.
DamagesHow is the total effect worked out?
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.
Fire · Level I
Most damage, if every hit lands
1,680 · 80 × 21 · Isaac’s attack, if the target stays next to him
Higher is stronger.
A maximum: every hit added up, as if all of them landed; in a battle it is often less. «Total» is what a unit always receives.
- Affects
- Enemies
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.
Most damage for each MP point: 1,680 ÷ 140 = 12. It compares which spell gives more for the MP it costs.
Among the least efficient: it beats 24 % 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 not once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 0 of damage.
MP
What it costs with the element at level 1–10; with the element at level 41–50 it costs 108.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and not once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 0 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.
Range 75 px · Lasts 5 s
Water · Level I
Most damage, if every hit lands
1,680 · 80 × 21 · Isaac’s attack, if the target stays next to him
Higher is stronger.
A maximum: every hit added up, as if all of them landed; in a battle it is often less. «Total» is what a unit always receives.
- Affects
- Enemies
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.
Most damage for each MP point: 1,680 ÷ 140 = 12. It compares which spell gives more for the MP it costs.
Among the least efficient: it beats 24 % 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 not once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 0 of damage.
MP
What it costs with the element at level 1–10; with the element at level 41–50 it costs 108.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and not once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 0 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.
Range 75 px · Lasts 5 s
Wind · Level I
Most damage, if every hit lands
1,680 · 80 × 21 · Isaac’s attack, if the target stays next to him
Higher is stronger.
A maximum: every hit added up, as if all of them landed; in a battle it is often less. «Total» is what a unit always receives.
- Affects
- Enemies
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.
Most damage for each MP point: 1,680 ÷ 140 = 12. It compares which spell gives more for the MP it costs.
Among the least efficient: it beats 24 % 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 not once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 0 of damage.
MP
What it costs with the element at level 1–10; with the element at level 41–50 it costs 108.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and not once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 0 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.
Range 75 px · Lasts 5 s
Earth · Level I
Most damage, if every hit lands
1,680 · 80 × 21 · Isaac’s attack, if the target stays next to him
Higher is stronger.
A maximum: every hit added up, as if all of them landed; in a battle it is often less. «Total» is what a unit always receives.
- Affects
- Enemies
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.
Most damage for each MP point: 1,680 ÷ 140 = 12. It compares which spell gives more for the MP it costs.
Among the least efficient: it beats 24 % 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 not once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 0 of damage.
MP
What it costs with the element at level 1–10; with the element at level 41–50 it costs 108.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and not once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 0 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.
Range 75 px · Lasts 5 s
Light · Level I
Most damage, if every hit lands
1,680 · 80 × 21 · Isaac’s attack, if the target stays next to him
Higher is stronger.
A maximum: every hit added up, as if all of them landed; in a battle it is often less. «Total» is what a unit always receives.
- Affects
- Enemies
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.
Most damage for each MP point: 1,680 ÷ 140 = 12. It compares which spell gives more for the MP it costs.
Among the least efficient: it beats 24 % 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 not once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 0 of damage.
MP
What it costs with the element at level 1–10; with the element at level 41–50 it costs 108.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and not once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 0 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.
Range 75 px · Lasts 5 s
Dark · Level I
Most damage, if every hit lands
1,680 · 80 × 21 · Isaac’s attack, if the target stays next to him
Higher is stronger.
A maximum: every hit added up, as if all of them landed; in a battle it is often less. «Total» is what a unit always receives.
- Affects
- Enemies
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.
Most damage for each MP point: 1,680 ÷ 140 = 12. It compares which spell gives more for the MP it costs.
Among the least efficient: it beats 24 % 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 not once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 0 of damage.
MP
What it costs with the element at level 1–10; with the element at level 41–50 it costs 108.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and not once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 0 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.
Range 75 px · Lasts 5 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?
Fire Dance
Fire · Level I
Most damage, if every hit lands
1,680
MP
140
12 per MP
80 × 21 · Isaac’s attack, if the target stays next to him
DamagesCost
- MP (level 1–10)
- 140
- Runes
- IIIIIIIII
- Stroke (rune widths)
- 11.0
Ice Dance
Water · Level I
Most damage, if every hit lands
1,680
MP
140
12 per MP
80 × 21 · Isaac’s attack, if the target stays next to him
DamagesCost
- MP (level 1–10)
- 140
- Runes
- IIIIIIIII
- Stroke (rune widths)
- 11.4
Wind Dance
Wind · Level I
Most damage, if every hit lands
1,680
MP
140
12 per MP
80 × 21 · Isaac’s attack, if the target stays next to him
DamagesCost
- MP (level 1–10)
- 140
- Runes
- IIIIIIIII
- Stroke (rune widths)
- 9.6
Earth Dance
Earth · Level I
Most damage, if every hit lands
1,680
MP
140
12 per MP
80 × 21 · Isaac’s attack, if the target stays next to him
DamagesCost
- MP (level 1–10)
- 140
- Runes
- IIIIIIIII
- Stroke (rune widths)
- 10.8
Light Dance
Light · Level I
Most damage, if every hit lands
1,680
MP
140
12 per MP
80 × 21 · Isaac’s attack, if the target stays next to him
DamagesCost
- MP (level 1–10)
- 140
- Runes
- IIIIIIIII
- Stroke (rune widths)
- 14.2
Dark Dance
Dark · Level I
Most damage, if every hit lands
1,680
MP
140
12 per MP
80 × 21 · Isaac’s attack, if the target stays next to him
DamagesCost
- MP (level 1–10)
- 140
- Runes
- IIIIIIIII
- Stroke (rune widths)
- 13.1
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.