Mastema

## Starting Stats

###

*0.90*

###

*3.53*

###

*3.30*

###

*6.50*

###

*1.00*

###

*0*

*This is a page about regular Mastema. The page about the tainted version of this character can be found here.*

**Mastema** is a character that comes with the Mastema Mod for the game The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth and requires all DLCs to work. The mod is uploaded to the game's Steam Workshop.

As Mastema, most items you come across will have to be paid for with health, just like items in devil rooms. The character starts with Prayer Card in the pocket active slot, which is his main source of gaining HP ups to spend on items. Mastema also starts with the Devil's Crown trinket smelted by default. Normally, Devil's Crown causes red treasure rooms to always contain items from the devil room pool, however on Mastema, there's only a 25% for items to be from the devil pool. All treasure rooms for Mastema also always contain an extra blind item, similar to the alt path.

## Notes

* Nearly all sources of items will cost HP. This includes treasure rooms, shops, angel rooms, secret rooms, ultra secret rooms, libraries, etc. However, there are some exceptions to this. The following rooms and sources of items will not cost HP:
	+ Items from boss rooms
	+ Planetariums
	+ Boss Challenge Rooms
	+ Items from chests, beggars, and machines
	+ Items spawned from other items

* Pickups sold in the shop will be surrounded by spikes, as if you had A Pound of Flesh.

* The heart cost of items differs from what they normally would be for other characters in the vanilla game, and they will always prioritize costing red HP first. Certain items will have a different cost depending on the item's quality and Mastema's current health:
	+ Quality -: , , or
	+ Quality :  or
	+ Quality -:  or

* Besides his main gimmick, Mastema innately has the Duality effect, causing both Angel and Devil rooms to appear when one of them spawns. The character also has additional benefits in deal rooms:
	+ Paying for an item in angel rooms grants a one-time Holy Mantle shield
	+ The Sanguine Bond spikes spawn in devil rooms by default

* After Depths and during the Ascent, Mastema's Prayer Card will only give half a soul heart on use rather than an eternal heart.

* In Greed Mode, coins spawned from waves have a 15% chance of being replaced with an eternal heart.

## Strategy

* Since items cost HP, you'll need to balance out taking items while making sure you have enough health to survive any hits you would take.
* A good idea is to skip the second floor treasure room to instead spend your health on a devil or angel room item, assuming you were able to keep your deal chance intact. This gives a decent chance to encounter a planetarium in the run, which is one of the few room types where items don't cost HP.
* Always buy items that give back HP if you are on low health, as this won't kill you and is essentially free.
* Taking the blind item in treasure rooms can be risky, but it can be beneficial if the item is a 2 heart deal since you know for sure it'll be a quality  or  item.
* Since shops also cost HP, coins aren't important for Mastema. The best use for them is to spend it all on beggars or machines.
	+ You should still check what shops have to offer. Battery items are extremely valuable for getting more uses out of Prayer Card, allowing you to spend more HP and get more items.

## Interactions

* Birthright: The heart cost of items alternate their price between how many hearts you can currently spend on that item. Buying items gives a random stat up for every heart spent. The possible stat ups are:
	+ +0.5 damage
	+ +0.25 tears
	+ +0.1 speed
	+ +0.4 range
	+ +0.5 luck

## Unlockables

* Mastema's Wrath - Complete Boss Rush as **Mastema**
* Life Savings - Defeat Satan as **Mastema**
* Eternal Card - Defeat Isaac as **Mastema**
* Bloody Harvest - Defeat  The Lamb as **Mastema**
* Book of Jubilees - Defeat ??? as **Mastema**
* Mantled Heart - Defeat Ultra Greed as **Mastema**
* Devil's Bargain - Defeat Ultra Greedier as **Mastema**
* Life Dice - Defeat Hush as **Mastema**
* Twisted Faith - Defeat Mega Satan as **Mastema**
* Torn Wings - Defeat Delirium as **Mastema**
* Raven Beak - Defeat Mother as **Mastema**
* Bloodsplosion - Defeat The Beast as **Mastema**
* Purist's Heart - Earn all  Completion Marks as **Mastema**

## Trivia

* Mastema was a fallen angel from the Book of Jubilees. His job was to tempt humans into sinning, testing their faith to God, which Mastema did under his permission.
* Despite being fallen, which implies that Mastema sinned and was cast out of heaven, it's not described in the Book of Jubilees as to why God still wanted him to carry out duties under his guidance.