Constricting Chains

Constricting Chains is a relic that modifies how the player aims and fires orbs. When equipped, each orb gains bonus base damage and bonus critical damage, but the player’s aim becomes locked to only four fixed cardinal directions. The relic also applies to navigation aiming, so directional choices for moving between tiles are likewise limited while it is active. Constricting Chains has been reworked since introduction: earlier versions fired a single orb forward and backward, and current behavior (since v1.0.6) fires a three-orb scatter instead of the old pattern.

Constricting Chains fundamentally changes the shot planning of a run. The damage bonuses make every orb hit more valuable, but the four-direction constraint forces reliance on board geometry, peg placement, and effects that alter orb trajectories. It pairs naturally with multiball effects and orb-summoning relics because each summoned orb benefits from the damage bonuses and creates additional independent multiballs; overwhelming the board with many orbs mitigates the loss of fine aiming. Electropegnet-style relics that alter orb flight midflight synergize well because they can redirect the fixed-direction shots after they are fired. Tender Cactus combined with multiball can clear bosses rapidly under Constricting Chains due to amplified orb counts and damage.

Because the aim is restricted, tools that replenish or create pegs become more important. Refresh Pegs or other reliable board-refresh mechanics are recommended to avoid running out of accessible hits when you cannot aim freely. Confusion-style effects override the aiming lock, allowing temporary free-aiming; Cursed Mask can exploit this interaction by granting extra high-damage shots before the aim reverts to the four directions. Note that the fixed directions make some interactions impossible: for example, the available aim vectors under Constricting Chains cannot target Bombs inside a Chest event.

Practical notes:

• Provides +AIM_LIMIT_STR normal damage and +AIM_LIMIT_CRIT critical damage to orbs while limiting aim to four directions.
• Synergizes with multiball and orb-summoning relics to compensate for restricted aiming by increasing orb volume.
• Synergizes with midflight trajectory modifiers (Electropegnet, etc.) that can redirect shots after firing.
• Confusion debuffs remove the forced aiming; pairing with Cursed Mask yields multiple high-damage free-aim shots.
• Bring Refresh Pegs or other peg-generation/refresh sources to avoid board stalls caused by limited aim options.
• The relic affects navigation aiming and prevents hitting some targets (notably Bombs in Chest events) due to its fixed directional set.