The four Heresy items are a set of Lunar items that each replace one of your survivor's skills with a Heretic ability. Used individually, each is a strong standalone item. Hold all four simultaneously and your survivor transforms into Kur-skan the Heretic - a secret survivor with 440 HP and negative regeneration.
Kill 15 bosses in a single run. This includes Teleporter bosses, Shrine of the Mountain bonus bosses, and any other boss-tier enemies. All four Heresy items unlock simultaneously on completion.
Fire a flurry of 12 tracking shards (+12/stack) that detonate after a delay, dealing 120% base damage each. Both the initial hit and the detonation trigger on-hit items independently - effectively doubling proc opportunities per shard. Attack speed increases fire rate but NOT the reload cooldown.
Charge up a spinning projectile that deals 875% damage per second (175% x5 hits) to nearby enemies. After 3 seconds it explodes for 700% damage and roots all enemies hit for 3 seconds (+3s/stack). 5 second cooldown (+5s/stack). Charging speed scales with attack speed.
Become intangible and invulnerable for 3 seconds (+3s/stack). Gain +30% movement speed during the duration. Heal for 18.2% (+18.2%/stack) of maximum HP on use. The only Heresy item with no cooldown penalty per stack - each stack is a pure upgrade.
Each direct damage hit inflicts a Ruin stack lasting 10 seconds (+10s/stack). Proc chance is multiplied by the attack's proc coefficient. Activating the skill detonates all Ruin stacks at unlimited range, dealing 300% damage + 120% per Ruin stack. 8 second cooldown (+8s/stack). DoT damage does NOT apply Ruin.
The Heretic has the highest HP of any survivor but negative base regeneration - she bleeds health constantly. This is offset by Shadowfade (Strides) which heals 18.2%+ HP per use. If any Heresy item is removed mid-run, the corresponding skill becomes the useless "Nevermore" skill.
Brainstalks (resets Heresy skill cooldowns on elite kill), Alien Head (reduces all skill cooldowns including Shadowfade), Hardlight Afterburner (adds extra Shadowfade charges), Rejuvenation Rack (doubles Shadowfade healing). Avoid items that rely on HP regen interaction since Heretic's negative regen is not considered damage.
Free invulnerability + healing on demand, with no cooldown penalty for stacking. It replaces utility skills - evaluate whether your survivor's utility is worth more than 18.2% HP heal and 3s invincibility. The initial shard hit and the detonation both trigger on-hit items. On a build loaded with AtG, Ukulele, and Sticky Bombs, every shard fires two rounds of item procs. Build Ruin stacks over 10 seconds then detonate at unlimited range for massive burst. Best in situations where you can stay aggressive before a cooldown window. The 3-second root on explosion locks entire groups in place. Pair with AoE damage items to capitalize on enemies unable to dodge.Visions of Heresy replaces your survivor's Primary skill with Hungering Gaze - a volley of 12 tracking shards (+12 per stack) that detonate after a delay for 120% base damage each. The initial hit and the detonation explosion both trigger on-hit items independently, effectively doubling proc opportunities. Holding all four Heresy items transforms you into the Heretic survivor.
All four Heresy items (Visions, Hooks, Strides, Essence) are unlocked simultaneously by completing the Blockade Breaker challenge - kill 15 bosses in a single run. Once unlocked, they appear in Lunar Pods and the Bazaar Between Time like other lunar items.
Hold all four Heresy items at the same time: Visions of Heresy (Primary), Hooks of Heresy (Secondary), Strides of Heresy (Utility), and Essence of Heresy (Special). The moment you pick up the fourth, your survivor transforms into Kur-skan the Heretic. Heretic has 440 HP and negative HP regeneration - she loses health over time and must use Shadowfade to heal.
Yes. Each Heresy item works independently on its own. Strides of Heresy is commonly used solo on any survivor for the free Shadowfade heal and invulnerability. Visions of Heresy is strong on survivors with weak primaries. You only transform into the Heretic if all four are held simultaneously.
If any Heresy item is removed from Heretic's inventory (via Cleansing Pool, 3D Printer, or other means), the corresponding skill slot becomes "Nevermore" - a completely useless placeholder. This can be intentional if you want to exit Heretic form, but it is usually catastrophic mid-run.
Yes - each additional stack of a Heresy item improves its skill. Visions adds 12 more charges but also +2s reload time. Hooks adds +3s root duration and +5s cooldown. Strides adds +18.2% more healing and +3s more invulnerability. Essence adds +10s Ruin duration and +8s cooldown. Strides is the only one with no cooldown penalty per stack.