Alabaster Box

Alabaster Box
Item Type
Activated Collectible
Item ID
1032
Pickup Quote
A sacred offering
Recharge Time
One time use, 12 charges to use
Item Pool
Shop
Unlock Method
Defeat The Lamb as Bethany.
Collection Grid
(Page 4, Column 4, Row 8)

Alabaster Box is a single-use active item.

Effects

• Gains charges through soul hearts, black hearts, and immortal hearts.
• After 6 full hearts are absorbed, using it will provide two possible rewards:
  • If no devil deals were taken: two Angel Room items and 4 soul hearts or 3 soul hearts and an eternal heart.
  • If at least one devil deal was taken: one Angel Room item and 3 soul hearts or 2 soul hearts and an eternal heart.
• Charges gained from half a soul heart from the blessed penny will count as 2 charges.

Notes

• Upon clearing a room with half an immortal heart, the immortal heart will charge Alabaster Box instead of regenerating. This means Alabaster Box can gain charges identically to normal active items by simply clearing rooms, but also makes it easier to lose the immortal heart.
• It takes a bit of time for rewards to spawn after item usage.
• If a devil deal is taken with the Alabaster Box in hand, the charge resets back to zero. If either Esau or Jacob take a devil deal neither of them can get "no devil deals were taken" reward.
• If unlocking the door to enter the Mausoleum and there are soul hearts in the box, the door will accept hearts from the box before taking Isaac's hearts.
• Standard methods of recharging active items such as little batteries, Habit, and Sharp Plug create no effect.
• Charge Machines will not charge Alabaster Box, instead it always harmlessly shocks Isaac.

Trivia

• This is possibly a reference to a bible story. Mary of Bethany, sister of Lazarus, comes to Jesus carrying an alabaster box with perfume/ointment to anoint him.

Bugs

Bug! Taking damage with Paschal Candle resets the item's charge.

Bug! Soul hearts picked up sometimes vanish, neither adding a charge nor adding to the character's health.

Bug! When respawning with a character that only has Soul Hearts (using Judas' Shadow), the Alabaster Box takes the character's hearts. This may instantly kill the player if the box is not charged enough.