5 Best Joker Combos in Balatro

In Balatro, some Jokers just get each other like peanut butter and jelly. If you’re chasing Mult or simply trying to make your deck feel like a well-oiled point-scoring machine, the right combo can turn a solid run into a certified banger. We’re talking about those pairings that snowball, retrigger, or explode with synergy so satisfying, it feels borderline illegal.

So if you’re tired of playing it safe with solo Jokers and want to start building like a brainy gremlin with a plan, you’re in the right place. Here are five dynamic duos that don’t just play nice, they break the game wide open. Let’s dive in.

Midas Mask + Vampire

This pair may appear to be luxury horror, but it’s a match made in multiplier-loving heaven. Midas Mask transforms your face cards into Gold Cards. Meanwhile, Vampire gobbles up the Enhancements on scored cards and rewards you by permanently increasing its own multiplier. 

So, every time a Gold Card gets scored and Vampire consumes its shine, you’re stacking a snowballing Mult that climbs way faster than most builds allow. If you want to blast through early rounds with huge scaling potential, this duo is the way to go. Midas makes them gold, Vampire makes them gone. You just make Mult bank.

Fortune Teller + Steel Joker

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This combo shines if you’re into deckbuilding with a side of mysticism. Fortune Teller adds +1 Mult each time you use a Tarot card, which means if you’re playing a Tarot-heavy build, you’ll rack up multiplier fast. The real kicker is pairing it with Steel Joker, which gives X0.2 Mult per Steel Card in your full deck. 

Just be sure to regularly purchase The Chariot, a Tarot card that turns a regular card into a Steel Card. Boom. Not only are you using more Tarots to fuel Fortune Teller, but you’re also building up a field of Steel Cards that buff your Mult even further. It’s smooth, synergistic scaling that rewards planning and Tarot luck.

Hanging Chad + Photograph

This one’s a face-card fiend’s dream. Photograph gives a powerful X2 Mult bonus when the first played face card is scored, meaning Jacks, Queens, or Kings can get real high-scoring real quick. Now toss in Hanging Chad, which retriggers the first scored card twice. You’re now looking at triple the value for that card, and Photograph will retrigger every time. 

Combine that with potential Red Seals or other retrigger mechanics, and you’re dealing some serious multiplicative madness. It’s reliable and easy to build around. So if you’re rolling with a deck full of royalty, this combo turns one good face card into your ticket to ridiculous scores. Chad’s hanging out, and your score’s hanging way up.

Spare Trousers + Square Joker

This oddball combo might look lowkey, but the synergy is real. Spare Trousers loves Two Pairs. Every time you play a hand with one, it adds +2 permanent Mult for the rest of the run. Meanwhile, Square Joker gives you bonus chips whenever you play a four-card hand, adding +4 Chips each time. 

Together, you can build a run around playing stripped-down hands that still meet the Two Pair condition, scoring bonuses from both ends. This combo rewards minimalist plays with max value, and if you lean into it with the right deck structure, you’ll be watching those smaller hands deal big damage in no time. Keep it square, keep it spare, keep it scoring.

Mime + Baron

If you’re building a King-centric deck, this is the combo. Baron gives a X1.5 Mult for every King held in hand at the end of a play. Stack a few Kings, and it’s already great. But Mime is where things really take off. This Joker retriggers all held-in-hand effects, so Baron goes off again for each King, effectively doubling its output. 

Got Gold or Steel Kings? Even better. Mime will also retrigger their in-hand bonuses. It’s a compact combo that scales hard with just a few cards, and it’s especially great if you’re going for consistency. Just don’t forget to actually hold those Kings instead of playing them. Mime and Baron are watching. Baron talks the talk, Mime walks the score.