You’re playing The Binding of Isaac: Repentance. You’ve got a decent run going. Maybe you’ve even reached the Chest. But then you remember that one trinket you still haven’t unlocked because the requirements are, frankly, a massive pain in the neck. I'm talking about the Ace of Spades in The Binding of Isaac. Most players see that silhouette in their collection grid and just sigh. It’s not that the trinket itself is the single most powerful item in the game—it’s not a Crickets Head or a Sacred Heart—but the journey to get it is a masterclass in frustration and micro-management.
Honestly, the Ace of Spades is a badge of honor. It tells the world you have the patience of a saint and the mechanical discipline of a pro.
How Do You Actually Unlock This Thing?
The unlock condition is simple to state but incredibly difficult to execute. You have to defeat The Lamb without ever picking up a single coin, heart, or bomb during the entire run. Read that again. No coins. No bombs. No hearts. It’s called the Zip! achievement’s meaner cousin, often referred to by the community as the "no pickups" run.
Wait. Let me clarify.
You can pick up keys. Keys are your best friends here. You can also pick up items from pedestals, obviously. But if you accidentally touch a penny? Run over. If you instinctively grab a half-red heart after a boss fight? Run over. It is a psychological test as much as a skill test. You’ll find yourself standing in a corner of a room, staring at a nickel that dropped right in front of the door, terrified that your hitbox will graze it as you try to leave.
It’s stressful. It really is.
The Strategy: Who Should You Play?
Most people will tell you to play The Lost. It makes sense. Since you can’t pick up hearts anyway, playing a character who dies in one (or two) hits regardless of health removes the temptation to "refill" your containers. Plus, The Lost has free devil deals and flight, which is essential for maneuvering around the sea of forbidden pickups that will inevitably litter the floor.
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But there is a dark horse candidate: The Forgotten.
The Forgotten is tanky in his bone form, and you can hide in the Soul form if things get hairy. However, Tainted Lost is the true "pro" pick if you’re feeling masochistic. If you want the easiest path, though, most veterans suggest using a seed—except you can't unlock achievements with seeds. So, you’re doing this raw.
Why the Gulp! Pill is a Secret Weapon
If you happen to find a Gulp! pill or the Smelter, you can swallow other trinkets you find along the way to power up without "picking up" consumables. But really, the run comes down to your active item. You need something that generates damage or protection since you can't rely on bombs to clear rooms or coins to buy your way out of trouble in the shop.
What Does the Ace of Spades Actually Do?
So, you’ve suffered. You’ve killed The Lamb. You didn't touch a single coin. What's the reward?
The Ace of Spades in The Binding of Isaac is a trinket that gives you a significantly higher chance of finding tarot cards and suited cards (like the 2 of Diamonds or Joker) when you open chests or clear rooms. It basically skews the drop pool. Instead of getting a random pill or a heart, you’re much more likely to see a card.
Is it worth it?
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In a vacuum, maybe not. But think about the synergies. If you have Blank Card? You’ve won. If you have Echo Chamber? You’re a god. If you’re playing as Tainted Lost and need Holy Cards? This trinket becomes one of the most valuable items in the entire game. It shifts the economy of your run from "finding stuff on the ground" to "manipulating the deck."
Common Pitfalls (And How to Avoid Them)
The biggest run-killer isn't a boss. It’s your own muscle memory. We have spent hundreds of hours training our brains to run toward the "shiny." When a bomb drops, we grab it.
- Check your eggs. If you have the "Gone Squish" or "Ace of Spades" related Easter egg seeds active, it won't count. Play it clean.
- The "Call to Arms" issue. Be wary of items that auto-collect things. Bum Friend is your absolute worst enemy here. Dark Bum? He’s a traitor. They will grab things, and while they are the ones grabbing them, sometimes the game's logic gets fuzzy, or they drop a "forbidden" pickup right on your head.
- Magnetism. If you pick up Magneto or anything with a magnetic effect, just restart. You will pull a coin into your face from across the room and feel your soul leave your body.
The "Lamb" Requirement is Strict
Remember, this isn't just a "don't pick stuff up" challenge. You have to specifically go the Negative route. You have to beat Mom, grab the Negative (which is an item, so it’s safe to pick up), beat It Lives, go to Sheol, beat Satan, and then finally take down The Lamb in the Dark Room.
If you accidentally go to the Cathedral? Run over.
If you go to the Beast? Doesn't count.
It has to be The Lamb. This adds a layer of difficulty because the Dark Room is objectively more annoying than The Chest. The enemies are tankier, the rooms are darker, and the boss fights are more erratic.
Nuance: What "Pickup" Really Means
Newer players often get confused about what constitutes a "pickup."
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Items that are "fixed" to the room don't count. You can grab the item from a Golden Chest (once you open it with a key). You can grab the boss reward. You can grab things from the Shop if you somehow have money (though you shouldn't have money because you aren't picking up coins).
What you cannot touch are the "entities" that bounce on the floor.
- Red/Blue/Black/Eternal Hearts
- Pennies/Nickels/Dimes
- Standard/1+1/Troll Bombs (Note: Don't let a Troll Bomb touch you, obviously, but even normal bombs are off-limits).
Interestingly, you can pick up batteries. This is a huge tip. If you have an active item like Book of Shadows or Satanic Bible, you can fuel them with batteries to stay alive. Batteries do not count against the Ace of Spades unlock. Neither do Poops (the item), or sacks. Sacks are safe to touch, but be incredibly careful when they explode into their contents.
Final Verdict on the Ace of Spades
The Ace of Spades in The Binding of Isaac represents the peak of "challenge" unlocks. It’s not about having the highest DPS; it’s about having the highest focus. Once you have it, your chances of breaking a run with cards like Chaos Card or Era Walk skyrocket.
To secure this unlock efficiently, stick to The Lost for the flight and spectral tears. Don't rush. Walk through doors slowly so you don't accidentally collide with a spawned penny. Use the "Easter Egg" menu to turn on high-contrast overlays if you have trouble seeing pickups against the dark floor textures of the Necropolis or Sheol. Once the Lamb dies and that achievement pops, you never have to play that way again. You can go back to being a greedy little Isaac, vacuuming up every coin in sight.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Run:
- Start a run with The Lost or Tainted Lost to bypass the need for health pickups entirely.
- Prioritize shops only if you have a way to generate money that doesn't involve floor pickups (like the Quarter or Blood Bag).
- Focus heavily on finding "The Battery" or "9-Volt" to keep your active item charged for the Lamb fight.
- If a pickup is blocking a narrow hallway, use a bomb (that you started with or got from an item) to blast it out of the way rather than trying to squeeze past it.