All 24 Balatro Skip Tags, Ranked
Balatro has 24 skip tags. You earn one when you skip a Small or Big Blind, giving up that round's cash and shop visit for the tag's reward. This page lists all of them with the exact effect and a tier ranking, so you can decide in a second whether a skip is worth it.
The strongest tags give you jokers. The Negative Tag makes the next base-edition shop joker free and Negative, and the Rare Tag puts a free Rare joker in the shop. The Double Tag copies the next tag you take, so pair it with one of those. Money tags such as the Investment Tag pay $25 after the next Boss Blind, while the Charm Tag opens a free Mega Arcana Pack and the Orbital Tag levels a poker hand three times.
Skipping also means facing the next Boss Blind with fewer shop visits, so check which boss is coming before you skip. For permanent upgrades, see the Vouchers list, and for every joker a tag can give you, see all Balatro jokers.
Exact effects, Ante availability, a tier list, and when skipping is worth it. Effects come from the game files; tiers average 9 player tier lists.
Updated October 2026
Quick answer
Skip Tags are rewards earned by skipping a Small or Big Blind, forfeiting that round's cash payout and shop visit in exchange for an immediate or deferred bonus. Tag offerings are random, though nine tags including Negative, Standard, and Orbital cannot appear in Ante 1. Players rank Negative Tag in S tier because an extra Negative Joker provides unmatched scaling, while Rare Tag and Coupon Tag deliver powerful tempo by granting free shop cards and booster packs.
Skip Tag tier list
Averaged from 9 player tier lists (2024 to 2025). Skipping costs a round reward and a shop, so only high-value tags justify the trade.
S tier
A tier
B tier
C tier
- Buffoon Tag
- Uncommon Tag
- Orbital Tag
- Holographic Tag
- Charm Tag
- Voucher Tag
- Speed Tag
- Foil Tag
- Meteor Tag
- Handy Tag
- Top-up Tag
D tier
Each tag's tier is the average of 9 player tier lists: ZainoTV's skip tag tier list and 8 community lists from TierMaker. S counts 5, A 4, B 3, C 2, D 1, F 0, cut into tiers by average score (S >= 4.5, A >= 3.75, B >= 2.9, C >= 1.85, else D). Patch 1.0.1f made edition and rarity Jokers from tags free ($0) in the shop, significantly boosting Rare Tag and Polychrome Tag. Effects are checked against the game's data files (version 1.0.1).
The tier list can't see your run. BalatroBuddy can.
Tell it your deck, ante, and Jokers to find out if skipping beats playing the blind.
Ante 2, Big Blind offers a Rare Tag and the Boss is The Pillar. I have $14, Gros Michel, Half Joker, and Pair at level 1. Should I skip?
BalatroBuddy: Skip for the Rare Tag. A Pair of Kings, for example, scores (10 + 20) x (2 + 15 + 20) = 1,110 with Gros Michel and Half Joker, so two hands clear the 1,600-chip Boss. Skipping also means fewer cards played this ante for The Pillar to debuff, and the next shop has a free Rare Joker.
All 24 Skip Tags
Grouped by what they do, best first within each group. Tap a tag for full details and synergies.
Free Jokers
Free shop Jokers and edition upgrades
Negative Tag
Next base edition shop Joker is free and becomes Negative.
Best when: You can defeat the ante without this shop and want an extra Joker slot for late-game scaling.
Tier S
Rare Tag
Shop has a free Rare Joker.
Best when: You have an open Joker slot early in a run and can clear the ante without shopping.
Tier A
Polychrome Tag
Next base edition shop Joker is free and becomes Polychrome.
Best when: You have an open Joker slot and need an XMult multiplier to scale into late antes.
Tier B
Buffoon Tag
Gives a free Mega Buffoon Pack.
Best when: You have open Joker slots and need immediate scoring options to stabilize.
Tier C
Uncommon Tag
Shop has a free Uncommon Joker.
Best when: You need solid scoring or utility Jokers and have an available slot.
Tier C
Holographic Tag
Next base edition shop Joker is free and becomes Holographic.
Best when: You need immediate flat Mult to beat upcoming score requirements.
Tier C
Foil Tag
Next base edition shop Joker is free and becomes Foil.
Best when: Your early build is starved for flat Chips to reach the blind target.
Tier C
Money
Cash payouts and free shop purchases
Coupon Tag
Initial cards and booster packs in the next shop are free.
Best when: Entering a shop where you plan to buy multiple cards or booster packs.
Tier B
Investment Tag
After defeating the Boss Blind, gain $25.
Best when: Your scoring build can defeat the Boss Blind safely without visiting a shop first.
Tier B
Economy Tag
Doubles your money, gaining at most $40.
Best when: You have close to $40, the most it can pay out.
Tier B
Speed Tag
Gives $5 per skipped Blind this run.
Best when: You have already skipped several blinds this run to build up the payout.
Tier C
Handy Tag
Gives $1 per played hand this run.
Best when: You are in late antes and frequently play multiple hands per blind.
Tier C
Garbage Tag
Gives $1 per unused discard this run.
Best when: You have ended many rounds this run with discards unused.
Tier D
Booster packs
Free Mega Packs and Spectral Packs
Ethereal Tag
Gives a free Spectral Pack.
Best when: You want powerful card modifications or a shot at The Soul and Black Hole.
Tier B
Charm Tag
Gives a free Mega Arcana Pack.
Best when: You need immediate deck manipulation or economic Tarots like The Hermit.
Tier C
Meteor Tag
Gives a free Mega Celestial Pack.
Best when: You want free hand level upgrades without spending shop money.
Tier C
Standard Tag
Gives a free Mega Standard Pack.
Best when: Your build relies on specific suits, ranks, enhancements, or seals.
Tier D
Utility
Tag duplication, vouchers, hand levels, and rerolls
Double Tag
Gives a copy of the next selected Tag (Double Tag excluded).
Best when: You can save it to duplicate a high-value tag like Negative, Investment, or Coupon.
Tier B
Orbital Tag
Upgrades a specified poker hand by 3 levels.
Best when: The displayed poker hand matches the primary hand your build plays.
Tier C
Voucher Tag
Adds one Voucher to the next shop.
Best when: You have at least $10 banked and want access to more vouchers in the shop.
Tier C
Top-up Tag
Creates up to 2 Common Jokers (must have room).
Best when: You have empty Joker slots in early antes and need instant scoring support or sell value.
Tier C
Boss Tag
Rerolls the Boss Blind.
Best when: The upcoming Boss Blind hard-counters your deck and you do not have Director's Cut.
Tier D
Juggle Tag
+3 hand size next round.
Best when: Facing a high-requirement boss where extra cards in hand ensure finding your winning hand.
Tier D
D6 Tag
Rerolls in the next shop start at $0.
Best when: You have banked savings and want to roll heavily for specific Jokers or consumables.
Tier D
Not sure whether skipping is worth it?
Describe your current ante, money, and Jokers. BalatroBuddy calculates whether skipping beats playing the round.
Skip Tag questions
What is the best Skip Tag in Balatro?
Players rank Negative Tag highest: the next base edition Joker in the shop is free and Negative, so it does not use up a Joker slot. Rare Tag and Coupon Tag also rank near the top by providing immediate build direction or high shop value.
Is it worth skipping blinds in Balatro?
It depends on the tag and your economy. Skipping gives up the blind cash reward and a shop visit, so it pays when the tag is worth more than that: Negative, Rare, or a Double Tag stack, or an early Investment Tag. Strong players often skip early Small Blinds; skip less when your build still needs shop Jokers.
Which Skip Tags cannot appear in Ante 1?
Nine tags are excluded from Ante 1: Negative, Standard, Meteor, Buffoon, Handy, Garbage, Ethereal, Top-up, and Orbital. The other 15 tags can appear in any ante.
Do Skip Tags stack in Balatro?
Yes, you can collect multiple tags across blinds and they will stack until their trigger conditions are met. Tags resolve in the order they were acquired, with the oldest tag triggering first.
- Boss Blinds: See which boss abilities you face after skipping.
- Vouchers: Permanent run upgrades to pair with your tags.
- Booster Packs: Compare tag pack rewards against shop booster prices.