Balatro might seem like a simple game at first glance, but that’s not quite the case upon closer inspection. It operates on a complex system of sophisticated multipliers, a ridiculous number of chips, and esoteric buffs. Trying to navigate through the slog of a complex card game can be challenging, but it can be made easier with the right guidance.
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There are a lot of do and do nots when playing Poker, and a lot of the same principles can be applied to Balatro. However, the game differs significantly from Poker in that it is aroguelike. You’ll need to combine all of your Poker knowledge and apply it whilekeeping roguelike mechanicsin your mind the entire time.
10Don’t Wait For A Straight Flush
Look At The Numbers
At its core, Balatro is a game of Poker. And like Poker, there are certain hands that are better than others. The player has 4 Hands and 4 Discards by default, with eight cards being in your possession at any time. You can play up to 5 cards or discard up to 5 cards each turn.
The math works out so that even if you discard every useless card and play every hand except one, you’ll still only have a one in three chance to get the kind of hand you want. Essentially, don’t try to make the perfect hand, or you might end up losing the entire run. The odds can be swayed by getting face cards and certain jokers, but the message remains the same. Use the resources at your disposal rather than hoping for a miracle.
9Synergize Till The End
Everything Should Come Together
Throughout your gameplay, you’ll want to collect Jokers, Vouchers, and Tarot cards that synergize with one another. While certain Jokers might seem like great options on their own, they might not necessarily fit within your build that well. Similarly, Enhanced cards are great, but they’re only useful as long as you can actually use them reliably. Rather than get a Holographic Queen when your deck has a lot of extra smaller numbers, it would be better to get that normal 2.
Don’t try to do too many things at once. There are a lot of different ways you canbuild your deck upin Balatro. You could try to carry a lot of face cards to increase the chance of getting high-scoring hands. You could try to build an impressive set of Jokers and Tarot Cards. Try to do both, and you won’t be able to survive long enough for it to matter.
8Use Tarot Cards
Don’t Be A Hoarder
When playing any game, it’s tempting to hold on to the consumable items you get along the way. What if you need it against the final boss? What about that really tough enemy that’s going to come later on in the run?
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Don’t wait for the game to ruin your entire run before you use your Tarot Cards. Use them as soon as you may, because their effects are permanent. Furthermore, you can’t keep more than three consumable cards on you at any time, so it’s better to keep the slots open and ready.
7Reroll When Necessary
It’s Not A Waste Of Money
Sometimes, you’ll have a decent amount of cash, but not a good shop to spend it on. It might seemwasteful to spend moneyon rerolling the shop even though it will restock after one more round, but it’s worth it.
The stakes get higher and higher as you progress further and increase the Ante. Every round will start to become a tough battle from start to finish. You won’t have the luxury of waiting another round or two and hoping for a good shop pull. Why save money if you end up losing it all in the end anyway?
6Boosters Packs Aren’t A Scam
Only Because They’re Not Worth Real Money
One of the most important resources you’ll come across in the game is deck cards. These can only be gained by pulling them from Standard Packs. Don’t skimp out on these because they will form the backbone of your build in each run.
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It might seem like a waste to buy a Mega Booster Pack and have five options rather than three, but that extra flexibility is well worth the price. Also, don’t hesitate to skip a Booster Pack if you don’t see anything that fits with your current build. Having an extra number card when you’re trying to saturate your deck with face cards won’t help you.
5Use Your Discards Wisely
You Have A Limited Amount
Barring external factors like deck-types, Jokers, and Vouchers, players will only have 4 discards in each stage. Using these discards wisely is the key to winning the round and moving on with your winnings to the next stage.
Try to calculate the chances of getting the cards you’re trying to get, and use your discards accordingly. It’s almost never worth it to use all the discards at once, since you’ll have a lot of cards to go through. Instead, try to build small hands at first, and build your way up to a better hand that will score with a high multiplier.
4Numbers Are Everything
Math Doesn’t Lie
It might not be evident to new players, but Poker is a game of numbers and statistics. The same holds true for Balatro, and you should always keep that in mind when playing the game. It’s very unlikely you’ll get a Straight Flush, and using your discards trying to get it won’t help.
A Full Hand is much more likely, and can be obtained if you play your options right. You should also keep an eye on the score multipliers on-screen to see if the card you’re trying to get will even win you the game. What’s the point of having a Straight if you’ll only get a measly 400 Chips out of the 1200 you need?
3Keep An Eye On Boss Blinds
They’ll Ruin Your Day
Most of the time, your runs will be ruined by a Boss Blind. These are the third stage for each ante and offer the player a higher reward compared to the Small or Big Blind. However, they also give the player certain challenges that they’ll need to abide by.
For example, The Water removes the discards from the player’s hand. These kind of abilities are particularly tough when they ruin your entire strategy. Knowing what’s coming will help you pivot at the right time and change your strategy before it’s too late.
2Planet Cards Are Great
Get Them Every Time
One of the most important resources in the game are the Planet Cards. They can be obtained from Booster cards or directly from the shop when they appear. These cards increase the level of different Poker hands. Different planets correspond to different poker hands, e.g. Jupiter increases the level of a Flush.
If you see one that you like, you should prioritize it above everything else in the shop, barring a really amazing Joker. Furthermore, Planet cards aren’t any more expensive after you’ve used them once, so you can keep increasing the level of the poker hand you think you’ll use the most. This is very useful when buffing the more common hands like Pair, Two Pair, or even High Card. Though High Card is of limited utility due to the lower chips it will net.
1Buy Jokers
They’re Game Changers
The single most important thing to do if you’re trying to get to a higher Ante without imploding is to buy Jokers. You can only keep 5 Jokers at a time and each Joker provides a certain buff to the player. Some give you an edge if you’re using certain suits, while others change the playing style of the entire game.
Choose the Jokers that you buy wisely, but don’t wait too long for a perfect Joker. If you delay it too much, you won’t be able to survive long enough, but if you buy too early, you’ll waste money and might not be able to afford the better Jokers that come up. You’ll need to strike a careful balance between the two options to succeed.
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