Plan C
One flash. One silence. Then nothing.
via Wikipedia: Binding of Ishmael · see source
Plan C is a grim, single-use active item in *The Binding of Isaac* that embodies pure, self-destructive finality. When activated, it instantly kills every enemy in the current room—including bosses—but then immediately kills the player, typically ending the run. This pyrrhic victory is a last-resort tool of immense power, offering a desperate trade: total annihilation of your foes in exchange for your own life. Its utility is almost entirely limited to characters with resurrection abilities (like Lazarus's Rags or the Ankh) or niche scenarios where a controlled death can be exploited.
- Type
- Active item (single use)
- Effect
- Kills all enemies in the room, then kills the player
- First appears
- The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
- Item pool
- Secret Room, Greed Mode item room
Lore & Background
Deep in the warped annals of Isaac's basement, veterans whisper of Plan C—a myth of a final, desperate gambit that guarantees no enemy survives, but demands a price no one can afford. It is said to be a fragment of a forgotten angel's dying prayer, a plea so ferocious it could scour a room of all evil, yet so reckless it consumed the one who spoke it. The item manifests as a small, ticking device or a glowing red pill, pulsing with unstable light—a tangible promise of mutual destruction, humming with the certainty of an ending.
In Their Own Story
Isaac stood before the gaping maw of the beast, his tears long spent, his body a tapestry of wounds. In his trembling hand, he clutched the red pill—Plan C. He had heard the stories: a flash, silence, then nothing. But the beast's laughter echoed, wet and mocking, and Isaac knew there was no other way. He swallowed. The world went white, a searing light that erased shadow and sound. The laughter stopped. Then, Isaac was nowhere at all.
Reader's Guide
Plan C is a nuclear button: instant room-clear with zero damage or tear modifiers, but followed by your own death. It shines only when you're about to die anyway, or when you have a resurrection item (Lazarus's Rags, Ankh, Guppy's Collar, or a Dead Cat in a pinch). Use it to bypass a brutal boss or a room that's already drained your health. In Greed Mode, it can clear the final wave—but the fatal consequence still applies. Save it for the most critical moment; its single-use nature and Secret Room pool rarity make it an ominous find. In co-op, only the activating player dies, turning it into a strategic sacrifice for the team.
Did You Know?
- Plan C is a reference to the concept of a 'Plan C' as a last resort, after Plans A and B have failed.
- The item's effect can be negated by using it in a room with a respawn mechanic, such as the Mom's Heart or Hush fights if the player has a revival item.
- In co-op mode, only the player who activates Plan C dies, while other players survive, making it a strategic sacrifice option.
- Plan C was introduced in The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth and has remained largely unchanged in its function across subsequent updates.
More in Powers & Artifacts
Elsewhere in the The Binding of Isaac universe
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