Balatro Guides

BalatroBuddy is an unofficial fan site, not affiliated with LocalThunk or Playstack. All guides cover Balatro 1.0.1. Rankings and strategy are our opinion.

These guides take you from a first run to a Gold Stake win. Each one is free and links into our databases of jokers, decks, stakes and seeds, so you can look up any card as you read.

Start here

Balatro Beginner's Guide: how a run works, how scoring is calculated, how to spend money in the shop, and the habits that get you a first win.

Tier lists

  • Joker Tier List: all 150 jokers ranked from S to D, with a one-line reason for each and an explanation of how we rank.
  • Best Decks: all 15 decks ranked, with what each one does, how it plays and how to unlock it.

Progression and unlocks

  • How to Unlock Every Joker: the 45 locked jokers, grouped by the kind of task, with tips for the hard ones.
  • Gold Stake Guide: what each stake adds, the score you need at every ante, and a plan for winning on the hardest difficulty.

Look things up

BalatroBuddy's optional AI coach (paid) can review a run; everything in this guide is free.

Questions

Are BalatroBuddy guides free?

Yes. Every guide on BalatroBuddy is free to read in full.

Which Balatro version do these guides cover?

They cover Balatro 1.0.1. The announced 1.1 update will add new jokers and change some rules, and we'll update the guides once it's released.

Where should a new player start?

Start with the beginner's guide to learn how runs, blinds and scoring work. Then use the joker tier list to make better shop picks.

Are the tier lists official?

No. BalatroBuddy is an unofficial fan site, and our tier lists are opinion rankings. Game facts such as effects and unlock conditions are checked against version 1.0.1.

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