Balatro Joker Tier List: Which Cards Are Actually Worth It?

Now we’ve reached the A-tier. But before this turns into an angry Reddit mob, I will give you my reasons for why each of these Jokers deserves a spot here. If you’re a face-card-hoarding, Straight and Flush playing Balatro player, you’ll likely agree with me here. But if you’re not… well, let’s remain open-minded like I did when writing the S-tier. 

Mr. Bones

An insurance policy card. Mr. Bones acts as a lifesaver; if you fail a Blind but manage to score at least 25% of the target, Mr. Bones sacrifices itself and lets you win anyways. I’ve won an entire Run with Mr. Bones help right at the end, when I was faced with the Violet Vessel Finisher Boss Blind (the extra-large blind). This Joker works great in high-stakes runs where one bad draw could end everything. It’s especially handy in the midgame, buying you time to stabilize before your scaling engine kicks in.

Photograph 

While everyone may not agree with this ranking placement, I personally almost always reach for Photograph. It gives you an instant x2 Mult whenever the first card in your played hand scores. It’s simple, consistent, and stacks multiplicatively with other effects. The kicker: if that face card gets retriggered, for example by another Joker effect or Red Seal, Photographs fires it off again, doubling the doubling. If your deck leans on face cards, this is the Joker to add to your squad. 

Smiley Face 

This is another controversial position. But for my playstyle, it works. Smiley Face adds +5 Mult for every face card you score in your hand. It’s another straightforward and reliable joker that naturally scales up if you prioritize adding face cards to your deck. It may not explore like some of the S-tier picks, but there’s nothing wrong with an old reliable. Additionally, it's really easy to harness a synergistic build with this card, and it's nothing to cry about if something better comes along the way. 

Hologram

This Uncommon Joker starts at x1 Mult and permanently gains x0.25 Mult every time you add a new playing card to your decks. It only grows over time, so long as you keep adding cards to your deck. This Joker works best if you pick up cards often in a given run. If you pick up Hologram, don’t hoard your dollars because every card you buy fuels this Joker’s growth. 

Canio

Some may find it controversial to put this Legendary Joker anywhere but S-tier, but it personally does not spark joy (I don’t want to get rid of my Face cards, dang it!). This Joker starts at x1 Mult, gaining another x1 Mult every time you destroy a face card (either by turning them into glass cards or The Hanged Man consumable). 

Scholar 

This Joker gives you +20 Chips and +4 Mult for every scored Ace. Since Aces are flexible (they count as both high and low), Scholar slots nicely into a variety of builds without needing an elaborate setup. Scholar is the perfect filler card, especially if you have a lot of Aces in your deck. 

Hanging Chad 

Hanging Chad is another common card that I, well, commonly reach for. It works by retriggering the first card scored in your hand twice, effectively tripling that card’s chip value along with any modifiers it carries. It’s simple, but it’s versatile. What’s there not to like? If you front-load your hand with a key card in scoring order, it works all the better. If you stack retrigger effects, it snowballs.  

Supernova

Supernova adds Mult based on how many times the scoring hand has been played during the run. I’m currently making my way through every stake on the Checkered Deck (where I heavily lean on Flushes), and I’m a happy camper when I come across this Joker. Keep in mind that the bonus is retroactive, so the moment you pick it up, it counts all the hands you’ve already played.

Constellation

Constellation, similar to Supernova, starts at x1 Mult and permanently gains x0.1 Mult for every Planet Card used. The scaling may be slower than other heavy hitters, but it’s reliable in runs where Planet cards are plentiful. Importantly, Black Hole doesn’t count (it’s Spectral, not Planet). Pair Constellation with card-generating Jokers and duplication effects to steadily build a respectable Mult baseline without needing risky synergies. 

Gros Michel

This heartbreaker of a Joker provides an unconditional +15 Mult to all hands, and instant power spike without needing to be tee’d up. The catch? There's a 1 in 6 chance the card destroys itself at the end of the round. But when that happens, it unlocks the potential of snagging Cavendish in that run too. Gros Michel helps you work through early to mid-game runs where raw Mult can carry you through antes. But don’t count on it sticking around forever. 

Hiker

Hiker permanently buffs every card you play with +5 chips each time it's scored, the effects remaining even if you sell Hiker later. This is a long-term investment, Joker, that strengthens your entire deck over time. I don’t reach for chip bonuses often, but turning my lower-number cards into +20 chips each is an offer I cannot refuse. If you grab Hiker early and let it stack power across your whole deck, by the late game, even your filler cards will punch above their weight. 

Shortcut

Shortcut earns its spot in the A tier because it allows you to expand Straights with gaps of one rank between cards (e.g., 2-4, 5-7, etc.) This makes it easier to hit Straights consistently and build around them as a scoring engine. If your strategy is Straight-focused or you’re gunning for a Straight Flush winning run. Shortcuts can help get you there. 

Baron

Baron is an A-class Joker because it gives you x1.5 Mult for each King in your played hand. Simple and potent, especially in decks that lean on face cards or can duplicate specific ranks. Even a single King adds value, but multiple Kings turn Baron into a scaling powerhouse. This Joker works best in Face Card strategies, especially if you’re able to pair it with Triboulet, Photograph, or Smiley Face for stacked synergy. 

Luchador

Luchador functions like a consumable Joker. If you sell it during a Boss Blind, it disables that Boss’s effect. That enables you to bypass the nastiest of blind effects, like The Psychic or Leaf. While it may not add points, it’s one of those “rather be safe than sorry” kind of Jokers. Luchador works best as an early to mid-game safety net when your build isn’t strong enough. I once got a negative Luchador, and I felt like I’d won the Lottery. 

Baseball Card

This Joker grants a x1.5 Mult for every Uncommon Joker you’re holding. Since the effect is multiplicative and stacks after the Uncommon Joker’s own effect, the right lineup can snowball into serious damage. It only counts Uncommons (not Rare or Legendary), so you’ll want to commit to that rarity. It works well for decks built around stacking multiple Uncommon Jokers — especially those with +Mult effects. My tip? Place your Uncommon Jokers first in your lineup so their effects trigger before Baseball Card multiplies them. Timing and order matter here.

Ancient Joker

Ancient Joker is a Rare Joker that picks a random suit at the end of each round, granting x1.5 Mult for every card of that suit you score. Its power swings wildly, sometimes lining up perfectly with your deck, others whiffing completely. If you have multiple Ancient Jokers, they’ll pick the same suit as a unit. If you're doing a run where you can build or duplicate around a chosen suit, or decks that naturally lean heavy into one suit (like the checkered deck), this is a solid pick for your lineup. 

Sock and Buskin

Sock and Buskin retriggers all face cards that are scored in a hand. That means every face card gets a second chance to apply its chip and Mult bonuses, doubling their value. It doesn’t affect unplayed cards, but for face-heavy builds, this Joker is a run-winner. If you can, pair it with Triboulet, Photograph, and Smiley Face. 

Smeared Joker 

The Smeared Joker makes Diamonds and Hearts count as the same suit, and Clubs and Spades count as the same suit, essentially doubling your odds of hitting suit-based hands and making suit-dependent Jokers far more reliable. Keep in mind that it also applies globally, so Blind or Joker that checks for suits will recognize the merged pairings, which can be a blessing or a curse. Nonetheless, this Joker works best in flush-focused decks or builds relying on suit-specific synergies.

Throwback

Throwback gains x0.25 Mult for every Bling you skip in a run. The effect is retroactive, so Blinds skipped before you grab it still count, which is a great boost if you’re doing a lot of skips. With consistent skips, Throwback scales into a significant multiplier. 

Bloodstone 

Bloodstone is a Hearts-focused Joker with a 50% chance of giving you x1.5 Mult for every Heart card scored. While it’s inconsistent on a per-hand basis, over the course of a run, it can be a reliable scaling method if you lean heavily into Heart cards (like in the Checkered Deck). Combine Bloodstone with the Smeared Joker, and you double the amount of cards that count as Hearts, smooth out consistency, and make the RNG feel less swingy. 

Canio

Canio is another one of the five Legendary Jokers, and it starts at x1 Mult, gaining another x1 Mult every time a face card is destroyed. With the right setup (like The Hanged Man or card-destroying synergies), Canio has the potential to snowball into x10 Mult or more.  

The catch is that Canio requires specific destruction tools to shine (which is why I’ve placed it in the A-tier). Without consumables or Joker synergies that reliably burn face cards, it sits at a modest ×1 and doesn’t carry its weight. Compared to plug-and-play S-tier cards like Blueprint or Triboulet, Canio’s ceiling is enormous, but its floor is too low to guarantee every run.

Balatro Joker Tiers B, C, & D