Balatro introduces a fresh take on the roguelike deck-building card game genre. Unlike titles such as Slay the Spire or The Quest for El Dorado, where fantasy-themed quests or gold-seeking adventures prevail, Balatro revolves around achieving the best poker hand possible.
While players focus on enhancing each hand through various means like score multipliers with Jokers and hand type enhancements with Planets, the significance of Tarot Cards often goes unnoticed. However, leveraging the right Tarot Card can substantially elevate your score and tilt the odds in your favor.
Here’s a comprehensive guide to utilizing Tarot Cards in Balatro.
Using Tarot Cards in Balatro
In Balatro, Tarot Cards are one-time-use cards with immediate effects. Similar to Jokers, you can start a hand with a couple of Tarot Cards on standby. However, unlike Jokers, Tarot Cards wield significant influence over both the deck and the hand itself.
Tarot Cards can alter cards in various ways, from adding multiplier bonuses to increasing ranks or changing suits. They allow you to manipulate your hand and deck to your advantage, granting you the ability to customize them to your preference at any given moment. Additionally, Tarot Cards can enhance your Jokers, provide monetary rewards, or even eliminate cards from your deck, ensuring that you draw only what you need to secure victory.
There are several ways to obtain Tarot Cards in Balatro:
- Obtaining them from Arcana Booster Packs.
- Discarding a card with a Purple Seal.
- Generating them with specific Jokers.
- Purchasing them from the Shop.
Opening Tarot Cards with Arcana Booster Packs
Upon opening an Arcana Pack, you’ll draw cards up to your hand size and have the opportunity to select from a random assortment of Tarot Cards. These chosen Tarot Cards must be used immediately. To do so, simply select the Tarot Card you wish to utilize and click “Use.” If the Tarot Card alters other cards, such as The Sun (which converts three selected cards into Hearts), you’ll need to choose the appropriate number of cards before clicking “Use.”
Tip:
Exercise caution when using Tarot Cards that modify your deck! Converting an Ace of Spades into an Ace of Hearts, for instance, permanently removes the Ace of Spades from your deck. Hopefully, the extra Ace of Hearts proves beneficial!
Using Tarot Cards from your hand
You can hold up to two Tarot Cards in your hand, which you can utilize midway through a Blind if necessary. Suppose you possess two Hearts but require three more to complete a Flush. In that case, you can select any other three cards and use The Sun Tarot Card to instantly convert them into Hearts.
Moreover, other active effects can also be applied: The Death card converts one card into a copy of another, The Empress applies a Multiplier bonus to two cards, and The Wheel of Fortune upgrades the rarity of a random Joker—all during a Blind.
All Tarot Cards in Balatro
Balatro features 22 Tarot Cards. Playing a Tarot Card during an unseeded run unlocks it for your Collection.
| Card | Effect |
| The Fool (0) | Creates a copy of the last Tarot or Planet Card played this run (excluding itself). |
| The Magician (I) | Enhances one selected card into a Lucky Card. |
| The High Priestess (II) | Creates two random Planet Cards (must have space in hand). |
| The Empress (III) | Enhances two selected cards into Mult cards (+4 Mult). |
| The Emperor (IV) | Creates two random Tarot Cards (must have space in hand). |
| The Hierophant (V) | Enhances two selected cards into Bonus cards (+50 Chips). |
| The Lovers (VI) | Enhances one selected card into a Wild Card (can be used as any suit). |
| The Chariot (VII) | Enhances one selected card into a Steel Card (can be held in hand for a bonus 1.5x Mult). |
| Justice (VIII) | Enhances one selected card into a Glass Card (Grants a 2x Mult but has a one in four chance of destroying itself after use). |
| The Hermit (IX) | Doubles your total money (up to $20 maximum). |
| The Wheel of Fortune (X) | One in four chance of upgrading a random Joker to Foil, Holographic, or Polychrome edition. |
| Strength (XI) | Increases the rank (number) on two selected cards by one. |
| The Hanged Man (XII) | Destroys up to two selected cards. |
| Death (XIII) | Select two cards, then convert the left card into a copy of the right card. |
| Temperance (XIV) | Gives money equal to the total sale value of all current Jokers (up to $50). |
| The Devil (XV) | Enhances one selected card into a Gold Card (if the Gold Card is in your hand at the end of a Blind, gain $3). |
| The Tower (XVI) | Enhances one selected card into a Stone Card (loses rank and suit, but when played, adds 50 Chips). |
| The Star (XVII) | Converts three selected cards into Diamonds. |
| The Moon (XVIII) | Converts three selected cards into Clubs. |
| The Sun (XIX) | Converts three selected cards into Hearts. |
| Judgement (XX) | Creates a random Joker card (must have space in your hand). |
| The World (XXI) | Converts three selected cards into Spades. |
