10 Best Jokers in Balatro

Jokers are an integral feature of the Balatro gameplay. They unlock passive abilities that, more often than not, break the game and turn the tides. There are 150 total Jokers in Balatro. They are categorized into four rarities, depending on how easy they are to find: Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Legendary. Each Joker unlocks a unique ability, and some abilities have more of a positive impact than others. Here is an overview of the ten best Jokers in Balatro.

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10. Chicot

Chicot is a Legendary Joker that disables the effects of every Boss Blind. Some Boss Blinds have effects that directly counter your deck, making them extremely difficult to beat. For example, The Arm Boss Blind permanently lowers the level of every hand you play. This is where Chicot Joker comes in handy. It counters such effects, effectively turning the Boss Blind into a regular Blind with a higher base score. Interestingly, you don’t need the Matador or Luchador Jokers when you have Chicot.

9. Dusk

Dusk is an Uncommon Joker that triggers all already played cards in a round’s final hand. It effectively doubles your scored Chips, turning an average hand into an excellent one. Moreover, it also doubles any potential enhancements, such as Mult, Bonus, Foil, Polychrome, and Holographic. Dusk is especially beneficial when playing five-card hands, as it retriggers more cards, thus earning you a bigger score. Interestingly, you can use Blueprint and Brainstorm Jokers to copy Dusk, doubling or tripling its effects. However, Dusk is not recommended for use with the Green Deck, as it can cost you your earnings.

8. Rocket

Rocket is an Uncommon Joker that rewards you $1 at the end of every round. Moreover, the reward increases by $2 when you beat a Boss Blind. Money is instrumental when playing Balatro, as you need it to purchase items such as Jokers, Planet Cards, and Vouchers. Rocket can help you earn more money over a shorter period. Notably, Rocket doesn’t have any special triggering requirements, unlike other Economy Jokers. Ideally, you should try to get Rocket early in a run to maximize its earning potential.

7. Yorick

Yorick is a Legendary Joker that gives you a X5 Mult bonus after you use 23 Discards. A X5 Mult bonus is a significant boost, as you can win every Boss Blind using virtually any deck. Besides, using 23 Discards to trigger this ability should be easy, considering that you get at least five Discards per hand. Yorick works best when unlocked early in the game, as you may not have enough opportunities to use 23 Discards later in a run.

6. Half Joker

Half Joker is a common Joker that adds a +20 Mult to every hand with three or fewer cards. It is especially beneficial when focusing on the Three of a Kind hand. The Joker is reliable and relatively easy to find, considering it is common. Notably, not all cards in the hand need to score to trigger this ability. However, this is a double-edged sword, as the Joker also limits you from getting rid of unwanted cards by playing them next to scoring cards.

5. Hiker

Hiker is an Uncommon Joker that awards four Chips for every card played when scored. The ability is permanent, meaning that you keep the Chips even after selling the Joker. Moreover, the bonus can stack, enabling a single card to gain more Chips multiple times. As such, Hiker is one of the fastest and most effective ways to boost your deck. Hiker is especially handy when playing decks with fewer cards than normal, such as the Abandoned Deck. It also works best with bigger hands. Notably, you can use Retrigger Jokers to boost Hiker’s abilities, enabling you to score and upgrade cards multiple times.

4. Supernova

Supernova is a Common Joker that adds the number of times you play a hand to its Mult. For example, if you play Three of a Kind five times, Supernova adds a +5 Mult to the hand. As such, the trick is to play the same hand repeatedly. It especially works well with smaller, common hands, such as Pairs and Two Pairs. However, it is also great for bigger hands, such as Straights or Flushes. Interestingly, you can use Supernova alongside Burglar, which replaces Discards with hands.

3. Splash

Splash is a Common Joker that adds all played cards to the score, even if they don’t fit into the current hand. It makes a High Card strategy viable and has the potential to turn a bad hand into a decent one. For example, it can add 20 to 40 extra Chips to the High Card and other low-scoring hands. Interestingly, you can retain awkward cards instead of discarding them, thereby adding them to the score and saving your Discards. This Joker is especially useful late into the game.

2. Smeared Joker

Smeared Joker is an Uncommon Joker that makes Hearts and Diamonds count as the same suit, and Clubs and Spades count as the same suit. It is especially handy when playing Flush hands, as you have more cards to work with and can use two suits instead of one. While the Joker is pure utility and doesn’t add to your score, it makes playing easier and more versatile. It also works well with other Jokers that boost specific cards, such as Lusty Joker, which adds a +3 Mult to every Heart or Diamond card.

1. Blueprint

Blueprint is a Rare Joker that duplicates the abilities of the Joker to its right side. For example, you can place it next to Hiker to double the number of Chips awarded to played cards that score. It is undoubtedly the best Joker in Balatro because you can double the effects of powerful Jokers. However, it is worth noting that it doesn’t work on every Joker. Specifically, it cannot duplicate any passive modifier abilities. Interestingly, you can also get Brainstorm Joker to duplicate the abilities of the left-most Joker. 

So, what’s your take on our picks for the ten best Jokers in Balatro? Let us know on our socials here or in the comments below.