A Lump of Coal

A Lump of Coal is an unlockable passive item.

Effect

 * Tears gain a flat damage bonus based on how far they travel. This starts at +0 and increases to about +6 at a standard room's width (but can go higher).

Synergies

 * Continuum - Combined with a good amount of range or shot speed, tears travel through the room walls back inside and deal even more damage.
 * Hook Worm - The extra distance traveled from zig-zagging increases Coal's damage.
 * The Ludovico Technique: When the tear moves onto an enemy, it deals bonus damage based on how far away the enemy is from the character. Even at close range it will still do about +3.5 damage.  However, the bonus damage will only trigger when the tear moves onto an enemy - if it's sitting on an enemy it will gain no further benefit from Coal.
 * Mom's Perfume - Fear shots cause enemies to run away allowing Coal's damage to increase longer.
 * My Reflection - Coal's bonus is based on total distance traveled so it does benefit (slightly) from Reflection.
 * Tape Worm - The significant range up increases Coal's damage potential, despite the shot height being halved.
 * Tech X - Ring size and damage increases as ring travels further from Isaac.
 * Rubber Cement - It gains more air time with the bouncing, allowing for every bounce to add damage.
 * Soy Milk - Coal's flat damage increase is applied after Soy's reduction, so you'll gain full benefit from Coal.
 * Tiny Planet - This item drastically increases the screen time of tears because it makes them orbit around Isaac for a few seconds. The character's tears gain about +15 damage for a fully orbited tear.

Interactions

 * Anti-Gravity - Poor synergy - Despite the fact tears grow in size, they will still only deal bonus damage based strictly on how far they travel. If the enemy hits the tears by running into them, Coal will add no damage no matter how big the tears are.
 * Athame - Damage of the Athame ring is halved.
 * Brimstone + The Ludovico Technique: Makes the Brimstone circle widen and deal damage based on how far away it is from your character. At very close ranges, damage is reduced to about 73% (unlike normal Coal effects).
 * Brimstone - No benefit though the beam color is darker.
 * Beam will gradually increase in size and damage the farther it travels, on a multiplier that is roughly +20% per tile of distance.
 * Diplopia - No benefit.
 * Dr. Fetus - No benefit though the bombs appear darker.
 * Epic Fetus - No benefit.
 * Ipecac - Benefits exactly like normal tears.
 * Maw of the Void - Damage of the Maw ring is halved.
 * Mom's Knife - No benefit.
 * Proptosis - Proptosis scales with Isaac's damage while the Coal does not. At base damage will approximately break even at any range; with increased damage does more damage up close.
 * Ring Worm, Wiggle Worm: No relevant additional benefit (either very minor or none at all).
 * Technology - No benefit.
 * Damage increases the further away the enemy is, on a multiplier that is roughly +20% per tile of distance.
 * Technology 2 - No benefit.
 * Damage increases the further away the enemy is, on a multiplier that is roughly +20% per tile of distance.
 * Tech X - The laser ring will grow as the ring distances itself from the player, but will shrink as the player approaches it.
 * Damage increases the further away the enemy is.

Trivia

 * In Western culture, children are commonly told that if they behave badly during the year, they will receive a piece of coal for Christmas.
 * This makes A Lump of Coal a fitting item for Krampus to drop, based on his origins.

A Lump of Coal