Isaac appears in two encounters in Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse, but only the later one is a genuine fight. The earlier encounter is an illusion on the bridge outside Dracula’s castle; it ends with a cutscene and gives you no reward. The true battle takes place afterward in the Heart of the Clock, and that is where the rewards drop.
Quick answer: Beat the bridge illusion by sliding under his spear and jumping his dashes. In the clock-tower rematch, drop to the lower floor to dodge the green cross-beams, then punish him in the gap.
Fight 1: The illusion on the bridge
The battle takes place on a stone bridge outdoors, with spiked railings, a storm-red sky, and giant chains and shipwrecks in the background. The bridge leads toward Dracula’s castle and comes before the Inner Courtyard. An opening cutscene features Isaac and Carmilla; afterward, one red ISAAC gauge appears at the bottom of the screen.
Isaac is a spear fighter who dashes, throws his weapon and teleports. Learn each wind-up and the counter becomes simple.
- Dash thrust. He draws the spear behind him before charging forward, marked by green after-images or an arc. Vault over his charge, or slide past and strike him from behind.
- Low sweep. Thorny darkness circles him before he thrusts horizontally at low height. Slide beneath the attack.
- Spear throw. He winds up, then sends the spinning spear skimming along the floor. Jump over it and launch your cross subweapon back at him while the spear is away.
- Teleport throw. He disappears into an airborne black rune, then hurls the spear downward; a green spinning disc ricochets along the wall and floor. Crouch or slide under its bounces.
- Green wave slash. A wide sweep of his spear sends a green crescent toward you. Jump over the projectile or move back.
- Dive thrust. He hangs in the air with the spear angled down toward the ground. Slide away to evade.
The clearest chance to attack comes after his dash: get behind him and land a combo. Keep a subweapon or defensive Arcana available for the teleport throw. On the final hit, he breaks apart into green light and thorn rings. A cutscene reveals that this was an illusion, so it yields no reward; the real Isaac awaits in the Clock Tower.
How to reach the real Isaac in the Clock Tower
Enter the Clock Tower from the Clock Tower Bridge and work through its rooms in order to reach the Steps of Time.
- Clock Keeper’s Atrium
- Bridge of Haste
- Eastern Runway
- The Gauntlet
- Eastern Summit
- Steps of Time
Take the long flight of stairs up from the Steps of Time to reach an elevated walkway facing a massive clock face. Arriving there triggers a cutscene in which Rose asks how Isaac is still alive; his bar appears afterward.
Fight 2: The real Isaac in the Heart of the Clock
The fight unfolds on an iron-railed bridge suspended before a huge purple clock face bearing Roman numerals. An open lower floor lies underneath; you can drop down and jump back up, and using both levels is key to surviving. Isaac has one red ISAAC bar again.
As his health drops toward the halfway mark, he starts relying more on clones, clock sigils, and a hovering dial. This change builds over time instead of beginning at a set point, so expect the added attacks to become more frequent as the battle goes on.
- Spear dash. A dark green aura signals his windup before he charges along the bridge, leaving green trails; clones sometimes accompany him. Dash past him to reach his back or jump over him, then retaliate.
- Clock-sigil cross beams. A black clock ring bearing Roman numerals fixes on a spot, followed by a descending vertical green beam and a horizontal beam that sweeps across the bridge. Drop to the lower floor as the beam crosses the upper span, or jump over the horizontal beam.
- Tethered spear throw. He sends the spear straight across the bridge, with a fine line or phantom spears trailing behind it. Jump over the line, then counterattack while he pulls the spear back.
- Clones. A black rift appears and green duplicates attack with spear thrusts from either side. Slide through the gap and target Isaac rather than his copies.
- Spear fan. Glowing spears spread outward from a black sphere in a widening fan as a green beam rises from the floor. Slide under the higher spears, or move down to the lower level if the fan is high.
- Clock dial and cocoon. A broad clock face appears around him as dark tendrils enclose him in a sphere. Keep beyond the dial’s reach, leap over the thorny vines, then attack the sphere to make him emerge.
The rhythm that wins this fight is patient. Stay behind Isaac after his spear combos, and watch for the black clock ring that precedes every beam so you can reposition before it fires. Use the lower floor as a safe spot for the beams and the high fans, then keep attacking in the short gap right after a beam goes off.
When clones dash in with Isaac, do not waste hits on the copies. Thread between them and land your damage on the real body, which is the only one worth striking.
Rewards for beating Isaac
Clearing the real fight unlocks the trophy Finish Hector’s work and leaves two pickups on the walkway.
- A golden orb falls at the spot where he goes down. Strike it to unlock the Arcana card The Zealot, which grants Chronomantic Dive: leap up, slam into the ground, and leave a cross of green fire that briefly slows time.
- Isaac delivers his last words and dissolves, leaving his spear planted in the ground. Press INTERACT [R1] to collect Chauve-Souris, a LEGENDARY weapon. When thrown, it pursues up to two targets in succession and pierces any enemies along the way. Hold [Square] to aim, then release to throw.
Once you pick up the spear, the Clock Tower map updates to show HEART OF THE CLOCK, with the Approach to the Master’s Quarters opening to the right. That map change confirms both the fight and the rewards are done.
