Tips for Jacob + Esau?

[MasterForce]

I'm getting trashed with this character, the farthest I got so far was It Lives... boy I can't even imagine how much of a nightmare it will be when I get to the real bullet hell bosses...

[patrol]

well, the basics are keep them together at all times or hold down Ctrl if you need to use only 1 of them, take your time, look for any secret rooms, you can take both pedestal items in the item rooms when the game gives you a choice between 2 (if you line them up correctly) and get a bit lucky.
A lot of times you'll get 1 or the other stuck on something unfortunately and there's not much you can do about that other than choosing more time consuming paths

[Wanderer312]

Hug walls this will help with keeping them together, go for angel deals since they're free and you can grab two items if they're available, go for alt floor for more items, use bombs since you get double bombs and pray for good items.

[SoldierDelta]

I made this comment a while ago, hope it helps:

Originally posted by SoldierDelta:

Okay, I'll give some advice as someone who has beaten almost every boss in the game with J&E, as that's literally the most constructive thing i should do:
J&E is treated as a character, rather than 2. Don't focus on one character, focus on building 2 builds, and abuse the fact they're 2 characters. Abuse the double bombs, the 2 active items, pill/card slots, but most importantly, when given a choice of items, take both.

J&E have a wacky mechanic where they can take both items when presented with a choice. Go to the alt path, line up the characters, and make them take both items at once. You won't be able to tell what that second item will be, but 9/10 times it'll be useful. Additionally, this applies to angel deals, which contain some of the best items in the game currently. Go for angel deals, they're so much better for J&E.

Additionally, focus on survival over damage, keep them together and use defensive items. Items like the soul, slipped rib, psy fly, and many familiars are insanely useful with them. Also, items that give options and extra lives, like More Options, 1up, There's Options, Damocles, they're all great to have for J&E. Preferably, don't take self harm items, especially things like Dr. Fetus, Bob's Brain etc.

Lastly, don't stack items onto one character. That's a common trap for players and will damage your run in the long term. Having both characters get half the normal items is usually better. It's better to have 2 mediocre builds, rather than 1 god build and one god awful build. At least with the mediocre build, you have 2 of them, so double the firerate.

Hope that helps! :D

[MasterForce]

Thanks for all the tips and of course just was I posted this I got a crazy good run with Guppy, Trisiagion, Spirit Sword, Holy Mantle, Blanket, Options (for double item rooms), Holy Light and lots of health for both characters... beat the Lamb and Mega Satan.

[Mantosasto]

I won only one run with them, the only one I stacked every stat item on Jacob.
But I had some good survivability in Dark Bum and the Glowing Hourglass.
I really dislike this character.

[Eprico]

Honestly, all I can say is ♥♥♥♥ this character. There's nothing special or unique about controlling two characters. All you end up with is two boring and weak builds because you barely end up with any items by the end. You can't even take any flight items because it just makes it harder. The second you bump into anything you're just screwed because you're separated and have no way of efficiently moving back together. Your hitbox is twice as big, good luck with any bullet hell bosses. You need to find twice as much health than usual or hope that somehow only one of them gets hit. Explosion immunity, flight, creep immunity and so many movement based mechanics are USELESS because they only affect one of the characters. You barely build up any damage because you have to split it between characters. If i'm just going to stack everything on one of them then why even bother making a character like this? At that point it's just a worse isaac's heart + incubus because both of you can take ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ damage. I can't even get past the depths on greedier because of these little dumb ♥♥♥♥♥. The fact that you can't independently control Esau is horrendous. Hate this character, they're ♥♥♥♥.

[Marceloid]

Originally posted by MasterForce:

Thanks for all the tips and of course just was I posted this I got a crazy good run with Guppy, Trisiagion, Spirit Sword, Holy Mantle, Blanket, Options (for double item rooms), Holy Light and lots of health for both characters... beat the Lamb and Mega Satan.

Good job!!

I did have trouble in my first few runs, but now I can consistenly beat runs with them, which was caused by the following change in my playstyle:


DO NOT SPLIT THE DAMAGE / TEAR EFFECT ITEMS.

You will get your butt handed to you with 2 mediocre DPS-dealers in the womb, if not earlier.

Let Jacob take all the DPS upgrades and fully focus on controlling him, while dragging Esau right behind you.

Another benefit of this strategy is that you can just hold your right trigger (or CTRL on Keyboard, i think), to clear out tight spaces or nasty hosts like you usually would.

Try keeping Esau healthy (He should get the defensive / utility items), and view him as a nuisance, not as one half of your damage AND a nuisance.

EDIT: Go for angel deals, be very very careful with flight, if you can't get it for both, it's super easy to bump into a corner and/or get seperated that way.

[MasterForce]

Originally posted by Marceloid:

Originally posted by MasterForce:

Thanks for all the tips and of course just was I posted this I got a crazy good run with Guppy, Trisiagion, Spirit Sword, Holy Mantle, Blanket, Options (for double item rooms), Holy Light and lots of health for both characters... beat the Lamb and Mega Satan.

Good job!! :reonion:

I did have trouble in my first few runs, but now I can consistenly beat runs with them, which was caused by the following change in my playstyle:


DO NOT SPLIT THE DAMAGE / TEAR EFFECT ITEMS.

You will get your butt handed to you with 2 mediocre DPS-dealers in the womb, if not earlier.

Let Jacob take all the DPS upgrades and fully focus on controlling him, while dragging Esau right behind you.

Another benefit of this strategy is that you can just hold your right trigger (or CTRL on Keyboard, i think), to clear out tight spaces or nasty hosts like you usually would.

Try keeping Esau healthy (He should get the defensive / utility items), and view him as a nuisance, not as one half of your damage AND a nuisance.

EDIT: Go for angel deals, be very very careful with flight, if you can't get it for both, it's super easy to bump into a corner and/or get seperated that way.

Just had ANOTHER great run defeated Blue Baby and got really lucky with a Void portal after the fight and went for Delirium and beat him too with full HP and Percs pill for both characters!

As you said splitting up items is not a good idea except for HP, I just beat two runs in a row like this while up until today I only had failures.

Edit: Just beat the Beast and unlocked Tainted Jacob, I don't know what to say... it must be my lucky day.

[restore]

while i cant even activate item of esau without googling it every single time :D This character is utter pain

[dragoon4]

Originally posted by restore:

while i cant even activate item of esau without googling it every single time :D This character is utter pain

Pain that will eventually be over... and than again with tainted version.

[HeraldOfOpera]

Originally posted by dragoon4:

Originally posted by restore:

while i cant even activate item of esau without googling it every single time :D This character is utter pain

Pain that will eventually be over... and than again with tainted version.

Relax, Tainted Jacob's mechanics are totally different... and much more evil. I sure hope you brought your Gnawed Leaf...

[Miles (Tails) Prower]

Hug the walls, bomb usage preferably offensive (but don't forget you can also bomb to secret room + goods behind obstacles witu repositioning).

If you know, what some enemy pattern shoot cardinal directions, quickly reposition yourself that way, so you both characters make formation that will be easy to dodge. On bullet hells, focus more on yourself, not shooting. Since you shoot both characters, you can still deliver good damage. But safery first.