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To master the roguelike card game Balatro, which combines poker with strategic deck-building mechanics, tactics tips can be helpful.
Useful tips for your first few games of Balatro
To play well at Balatro, you need to understand that the Jokers are the centerpiece of the game and will determine whether you succeed or fail.
- An Epic or Legendary joker might be tempting, but sometimes a Rare or even a Common joker is a better strategic fit for your current deck. So think carefully about which effects you can really use.
- Some Wild Cards only reach their full potential when combined with others – for example, the Sleight of Hand Wild Card, which becomes really strong after the first use upgrade. It’s best to wait to buy expensive cards until you know exactly what you’re betting on.
- Many beginners make the mistake of becoming too attached to their first jokers too early on. However, it pays off to replace weaker cards with better synergies later on. The second shop slot is a huge help here.
- Some wild cards that initially seem insignificant can suddenly be game-changers when upgraded. Be sure to check whether an investment in a seemingly weak wild card is worthwhile.
- Jokers that increase your bonus chip generation can give you an enormous advantage in the long run. Especially during longer runs, they are often more valuable than pure point boosters.
The perfect deck: Sometimes less is more
If you want to be successful at Balatro, you should not only rely on strong Jokers, but also make sure that your deck stays efficient. A deck that is too big and has too many different cards can quickly lead to you not drawing the cards you actually want to play. Therefore, quality is much more important than quantity: Which cards really help you and which ones just cause chaos?
- A big problem for many beginners is building a deck that is too broad. Decide early on whether you want to focus on Full House, Straight or Flush, for example, and invest in upgrades that fit that strategy.
- Use tarot or planet cards to selectively remove weak or unnecessary cards from your deck. A slim and strong deck increases the probability that you will draw your best hands.
- Pure point amplifiers bring less in the long run than cards that push your multipliers. Cards that increase the points of your best hands are especially valuable.
- Use your chips not only to buy cards, but also for upgrades in the shop or for strategic changes. An early purchased joker can later prove to be a bad purchase.
- Booster packs are tempting, but not always useful. Sometimes it’s better to save chips for upgrades or better jokers than to shuffle unnecessary cards into your deck.
