The Four Horsemen

Lore & Background

In the twisted world of Isaac's imagination, the Four Horsemen embody the nightmares of a child raised on fire-and-brimstone scripture. They are not just monsters but manifestations of the end times, drawn from the Book of Revelation. Each horseman represents a plague upon humanity: Conquest (often called Pestilence) spreads sickness, War brings conflict, Famine starves the land, and Death claims all souls. In the game's lore, they are part of the corrupted basement's ecosystem, serving as gatekeepers to deeper horrors.

In Their Own Story

The basement shuddered as a distant hoofbeat grew louder, a rhythmic thunder that shook dust from the rafters. Isaac pressed himself against a cold wall, clutching a single tear like a prayer. The first rider emerged from the shadows—a pale figure on a skeletal horse, its eyes hollow pits of nothing. It charged, a blur of bone and malice, and Isaac dove aside, feeling the wind of its passing scrape his cheek. Behind it, three more shapes loomed, each more terrible than the last: one crackling with explosive fury, one gaunt and starving, one shrouded in a buzzing cloud of flies. The boy knew this was no ordinary nightmare; it was a prophecy made flesh, and he had to survive.

Reader's Guide

The Four Horsemen are a quartet of mini-bosses that primarily gallop into battle in the Depths and Womb chapters, though they can also crash other floors through special rooms or item effects like the Book of Revelations. Each rider fights with a signature style: Conquest/Pestilence fires a spread of tears that can catch you off guard at mid-range; War lobs explosive projectiles that demand you keep moving; Famine charges straight at you, punishing hesitation; and Death summons a relentless swarm of flies that can box you in. They appear in a random order, so you can't rely on a set sequence. Defeating one drops a boss item, turning each encounter into a gamble for a power-up that might tip the scales against later horrors like Isaac or Satan. As a faction, they signal the escalating danger of the deeper floors, each horseman a distinct flavor of apocalypse that prepares you for the chaos ahead.

Did You Know?

• The Four Horsemen are based on the biblical figures from the Book of Revelation, but the game replaces the first horseman, traditionally Conquest, with Pestilence in some interpretations.
• Death is often considered the most dangerous horseman due to his fly-summoning ability, which can overwhelm players quickly.
• In the original game, the Horsemen could only appear in the Depths, but later expansions added them to other chapters like the Womb.
• The horsemen's designs have subtle differences across versions, such as color changes or weapon variations, but their core mechanics remain consistent.