Though it’s an excellent choice for brief gaming sessions or for use on your Steam Deck, Balatro has a knack for igniting the urge to pursue higher scores. What begins as a straightforward roguelike experience rapidly morphs into an engaging challenge to achieve desirable exponential score increments, but mastering the game is essential.
The complexity of Balatro comes from its myriad systems and possibilities, making it no easy feat to unveil the game’s most potent combinations or determine which tools suit particular scenarios best.
Having spent countless hours playing and completing the game, I aim to streamline your learning with this curated list of the top ten Uncommon Jokers, expertly ranked to enhance your gameplay.
10 Arrowhead
Perfect for Plasma Decks
Effect
Played cards with Spade suit grant +50 Chips upon scoring
Unlock Requirement
Minimum of 30 Spades in your deck
Among suit-exclusive Jokers, Arrowhead stands out for its reliability and effectiveness. It establishes an excellent chip generation mechanism, particularly advantageous for strategies involving the Plasma Deck.
When employing the Flush strategy, Arrowhead can handle chips seamlessly, potentially yielding up to 300 Chips effortlessly. While its suit exclusivity may limit its overall utility, its efficiency often surpasses some higher-rarity alternatives.
9 Hiker
Versatile Chips
Effect
Every played card permanently gains +5 Chips when scored
Unlock Requirement
Available from the beginning
While accumulating chips through traditional mechanics can be challenging, Hiker circumvents that by boosting chip gains irrespective of hand composition. Its gradual start is offset by immense scaling potential, ensuring limitless growth as long as you maintain a consistent hand-play strategy.
An additional perk is the ability to remove Hiker from your collection whenever desired without losing its enhancements, rendering it highly versatile.
8 Rocket
Earning Money Without Thinking
Effect
Earn $1 at the end of each round, increasing by $2 after defeating Boss Blind
Unlock Requirement
Available from the beginning
In Balatro, the significance of Economy Jokers cannot be overstated; new players often falter by neglecting this aspect. Among these, Rocket is an underappreciated gem capable of amassing wealth with minimal effort.
Although it may take some time to realize its full potential, acquiring Rocket early can guarantee consistent revenue throughout your gameplay, scaling impressively. Soon, you may find your earnings surpassing your initial interest, showcasing Rocket’s formidable capabilities.
7 Spare Trousers
The Best Flat Mult
Effect
This Joker receives +2 Mult if the played hand contains a Two-pair
Unlock Requirement
Available from the start
Although Two Pair hands are not the simplest nor the most popular in Balatro, the potential to leverage Spare Trousers makes them worthwhile. Identifying scalable flat Mult Jokers can be a challenge, but Spare Trousers allows for a smooth transition to various hands after securing sufficient Two Pairs.
Once you’ve established your score, the Multiplier remains intact, enabling more diverse plays without hassle, making it a reliable acquisition whenever available.
6 Dusk
Born for High Scores
Effect
Retrigger all cards played in the final hand of the round
Unlock Requirement
Available from the start
If you’re seeking lofty scores and possess extensive gameplay experience, keep an eye out for Dusk. It allows a powerful retriggering effect, but requires patience as you must await the final hand for activation, delaying economic gains.
However, when utilized correctly, Dusk can yield astronomical score increases, provided your deck is appropriately assembled. Its activation condition may hinder its ranking, but its potential for high scores is undeniably significant.
5 Trading Card
Cash and Consistency
Effect
If the first discard of the round contains only 1 card, destroy it and gain $3
Unlock Requirement
Available from the start
Despite its complexity, Trading Card provides functional versatility and cash flow. Not only does it earn money, but it also enables the removal of suboptimal cards, improving your deck’s synergy and efficiency.
However, investing an entire discard on a single card is most beneficial when you’re ahead. Although it demands a precise approach, its dual functionality places it among the elite Uncommon Jokers.
4 Castle
Taking Advantage of Discards
Effect
This Joker accumulates +3 Chips for each discarded [suit] card, with the suit changing every round
Unlock Requirement
Available from the start
Considering that discarding is integral to gameplay, Castle offers immense chip accumulation potential. Although it requires adapting to varying suits each round, the rewards can be well worth the investment, especially in low-difficulty modes or when leveraging Red Deck strategies.
At times, if you’ve amassed sufficient chips and prefer minimal intervention, relying on discards will naturally elevate your chip count with little effort.
3 Burglar
More Hands, More Money
Effect
When Blind is selected, gain +3 Hands and lose all discards
Unlock Requirement
Available from the start
While discards are pivotal, there are times when leveraging additional hands can prove advantageous. When your scoring hands are easy to assemble, or your deck is optimally configured, Burglar becomes an exceptional option.
This Joker not only enhances your earning potential from remaining hands but also boosts your overall hands count, paving the way for superior scoring opportunities. When utilizing High Card or Pair strategies, or if you’re already in a great position, Burglar’s capabilities are often overlooked yet invaluable.
2 Constellation
The Best Combo for Planet Cards
Effect
This Joker increases its Multiplier by X0.1 each time a Planet card is used
Unlock Requirement
Available from the start
For fans of Planet Cards, few Jokers can compete with the exceptional Constellation. Its scaling Multiplier increases rapidly and consistently, relying less on randomness compared to similar cards. With a wide presence of Planet Cards through various game mechanics, Constellation outshines its peers regarding synergy and effectiveness.
Although its incremental increase of 0.1 might seem modest, the consistency with which it scales enables it to achieve impressive Multipliers, paving the way for significant successes.
1 Mime
A Piece for Every Puzzle
Effect
Retrigger all card abilities held in hand
Unlock Requirement
Available from the start
Constructing builds that effectively utilize held cards can be complex but rewarding.Mime stands as the pinnacle of Uncommon Jokers, offering exceptional versatility and depth. With the ability to synergize with Steel Cards, Blue Seals, Kings, Gold Cards, and Queens, the potential combinations are virtually endless.
Although it may not be effective alone, the substantial advantages Mime offers once synergized with the right cards render it unrivaled in the game, justifying its placement at the top despite the challenges in its optimal use.
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