Overview
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Name (EN) | Merry Andy |
| Name (JP) | メリーアンディ |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Cost | $7 |
| Effect | +3 Discards per round, -1 Hand |
| Unlock | Available from the start (no unlock required) |
| Trigger Type | Passive (every round) |
| Overall Tier | A+ |
Rating & Analysis
Merry Andy is a sharp trade-off Joker — +3 discards / -1 hand per round. Standard 4 discards becomes 7, dramatically lifting the ceiling of discard-axis builds. The -1 hand penalty is real, but discard-rich play means you can craft strong hands in fewer plays.
The dream pairing is discard-axis scalers — Yorick (+1 Mult per 5+ discards), Hit the Road (+x0.5 per Jack discarded), Burnt Joker (level the discarded hand), DNA (single-play duplication). +3 discards reliably enables "build the perfect hand" strategies.
Red Deck (+1 discard) stacks for 8 total discards per round — turning every round into a discard-spam plan. Blue Deck (+1 hand) cancels out Merry Andy's hand penalty, enabling hybrid plays. Tier lists rate Merry Andy A+. The $7 cost is fair.
Good Joker Synergies
| Joker | Why |
|---|---|
| Yorick | +1 Mult per 5+ discards — Merry Andy makes the trigger trivial. |
| Hit the Road | +x0.5 Mult per Jack discarded — more discards = more triggers. |
| Burnt Joker | Levels the first-discard hand — wider hand selection. |
| DNA | Single-card play with discards reshaping the hand reliably. |
| Green Joker | +Mult per remaining discard — caution: spending reduces it. |
| Banner | +30 Chips per remaining discard — caution: opposite incentive. |
Recommended Builds
| Build | Core Loop | Target Consumables |
|---|---|---|
| Discard scaling | Yorick + Burnt Joker + Merry Andy | Enhancement Tarots |
| DNA + Merry Andy | Same-rank duplication + extra discards reshape hands | DNA-supporting hands |
| Hit the Road Jack axis | Discard Jacks aggressively for +Mult | Pareidolia |
| Red Deck + Merry Andy | 8 total discards = aggressive discard plays | Enhancement Tarots |
Tips & Usage
- Use +3 discards as compensation for -1 hand: build a strong 1-hand kill.
- Red Deck stacks to 8 discards/round — supports discard-spam play.
- Banner (rewards saved discards) conflicts with Merry Andy — don't combine.
- Green Joker pairs cautiously: spending discards reduces its bonus.
- Mr. Bones can absorb the occasional 1-hand-short round from -1 hand.
Caveats
- -1 hand is a real drawback — 1-hand clears or strong hands are essential.
- Builds that avoid discards waste Merry Andy.
- Banner / Green Joker (remaining-discard incentive) conflict — avoid pairing.
- Perishable Merry Andy is risky — losing the discard buff hurts.
- Hand-count Jokers (Banner, Burglar, Green Joker) lose efficiency due to -1 hand.