What's the strongest Joker overall?

For raw versatility, Blueprint and Brainstorm are top-tier — they copy adjacent or end-of-row Jokers, so pairing them with a powerful Xmult Joker effectively doubles its impact. Cavendish also stands out for giving an unconditional x3 Mult that works in any deck.

What's the difference between additive and multiplicative Jokers?

Additive Jokers (+Mult, +Chips) grow your score linearly and are great in the early antes. Multiplicative (Xmult) Jokers multiply your score and only get more valuable as the base numbers climb. From the midgame onward, Xmult takes priority.

How should I choose Jokers?

First, check whether the Joker matches your chosen hand type. A Flush deck wants Flush-supporting Jokers — strong cards that don't fit your build are dead weight. After fit, lean toward unconditional per-turn triggers for stability.

How do I use copy Jokers?

Blueprint copies the Joker to its right, Brainstorm copies the leftmost Joker. Put your strongest Xmult Joker in the copied position to effectively double its effect. Be ready to rearrange your row as new Jokers join.

Balatro Joker Tier List｜Strongest Jokers, Combos, and Selection Rules

Understanding Joker Roles

Jokers are special effect cards that boost your score — you can equip up to five at once. The single most important factor when ranking them is what kind of effect they produce.

Score is Chips × Mult. Jokers can add Chips, add to Mult (+Mult), multiply Mult (Xmult), or copy other Jokers. Of these, Xmult (multiplicative) scales hardest as the base numbers grow, which is why it becomes the centerpiece from the midgame onward.

Joker Tier List

Blueprint / Brainstorm (Copy Effects) Duplicate a powerful Joker — paired with Xmult, your score effectively doubles Cavendish (Unconditional x3 Mult) An unconditional multiplier that fits any deck, never sits dead

Various Xmult Jokers Multiply your score — the scoring engine of the mid-to-late game Economy (Money) Jokers Grow your bankroll early so you can accelerate the rest of your build

Conditional additive Jokers Effective early but get out-scaled by multipliers in the lategame

Additive vs Multiplicative

Type	Effect	Best Phase
Additive (+Chips / +Mult)	Grows score linearly	Early game
Multiplicative (Xmult)	Multiplies score	Mid to late game
Copy (Blueprint, etc.)	Duplicates other Joker effects	All phases (given a strong target)

The classic flow is additive in the early antes, then pivot to Xmult from the midgame. If you draw Blueprint or Brainstorm, arrange your row so your strongest Xmult Joker sits in the copied slot.

Hand Synergy Comes First

No Joker — however highly tiered — is worth a slot if it doesn't match your hand type. A Flush build wants Flush-supporting Jokers; everything else is filler. For overall deck construction, see the Deck Build Guide, and for early-game play see the Beginner Guide.

★Honest Take — The Dopamine Hit of Drawing a Copy Joker

Honestly, the most exciting moment in Balatro is drawing Blueprint or Brainstorm and watching your scoring engine effectively double. The flip side is also real — even stacked Jokers fizzle if they don't match your hand, and you lose quiet runs to that. The "does this fit my hand?" question matters more than any tier ranking on paper.