Cult of the Lamb: What Does Diseased Heart Do?

If you’ve seen someone with Diseased Hearts online or you’ve found them yourself, you may be wondering what these black hearts do. So what does a Diseased Heart do in Cult of the Lamb?

These are rare hearts found as rewards from chests or from tarot cards. The truth is they are one of the three heart types and have a special ability tied to them. Don’t worry, they’re not as bad as they sound.

What Does Diseased Heart Do In Cult of the Lamb?

Diseased Hearts are one of the three heart types in Cult of the Lamb that can be found on a Crusade. They are randomly found in chests or gained from tarot cards. A Diseased Heart appears black and once you get hit while having one it explodes and damages all nearby enemies.

When you take damage, they are taken away first before Blue and Regular hearts. Note that you’ll lose them once a run ends. Furthermore, you can gain Diseased Hearts for a run through the temple crown or fleece upgrades.

They can be a powerful resource in the right situation. For example, they can potentially take out a group of weaker enemies in a crowded room. The fact that you can’t choose exactly when to use them is a bit tricky though. That said, you can sometimes plan to get hit if you see a group of enemies close by but I wouldn’t recommend relying on this strategy all the time. It’s generally better to try and outmaneuver the enemies and save your Diseased Hearts than to use them offensively.

Other Heart Types in Cult of the Lamb

Besides Diseased Hearts, there are also two other heart types:

• Red Hearts: These are your regular hearts that determine your base health. You can restore them by healing and can even gain additional ones through upgrades or loot.
• Blue Hearts: These act as a pseudo shield and are lost permanently upon taking damage similar to Diseased Hearts. In the same vein, they are found through tarot cards and chests.

Now you know what the Diseased Hearts do in Cult of the Lamb. While they may seem like offensive tools due to their damage output, I recommend you don’t charge into enemies recklessly with them. Instead, think of them as regular Blue Hearts with just that extra damage boost should you get hit. You can find more Cult of the Lamb tips like our Follower or Doctrine guides right here.