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Overview

Field Value
Name (EN) Sock and Buskin
Name (JP) ソックスとバスキン
Rarity Uncommon
Cost $6
Effect All played Face cards retrigger
Unlock Available from the start (no unlock required)
Trigger Type On score (face card retrigger)
Overall Tier S

Rating & Analysis

Sock and Buskin is a top-tier face-card retrigger Joker. Every scored Face card (J/Q/K) fires twice, doubling +Chips / +Mult effects on faces. Retriggers are one of Balatro's strongest mechanics — combined with enhanced cards / sealed cards / face-Joker effects, scores explode exponentially.

The dream pairing is Photograph + Sock and Buskin. Photograph (first face x2 Mult) retriggers → effective x4 Mult. Adding Mime / Hanging Chad chains further retriggers, scaling xMult exponentially. Hanging Chad (first scored card fires 3×) combined with Sock pushes the first face card to 6 total fires.

Pareidolia (all cards = Face) is another huge synergy — every scored card becomes a Sock target. Enhancement effects (Bonus, Mult, Glass, Steel, Gold) all fire twice. Tier lists rate Sock S in face-axis builds. The $6 cost is a steal; buy on sight.

Good Joker Synergies

Joker Why
Photograph First face x2 fires twice = x4 effective Mult.
Pareidolia All cards = Face — Sock targets all 5 cards.
Mime Held-card retrigger — Sock + Mime = all-around retriggers.
Hanging Chad First scored card fires 3× — face combo explodes.
Red Seal Card self-retrigger — Sock + Red Seal = 4 fires per card.
Blueprint / Brainstorm Copy Sock's retrigger for chained effect.

Recommended Builds

Build Core Loop Target Consumables
Face retrigger explosion Photograph + Sock + Mime + Hanging Chad Enhancement Tarots
Pareidolia axis All cards Face + Sock = all 5 retriggered Pareidolia
Enhanced face + Sock Polychrome / Steel K + Sock for double effect Polychrome-granting Tarots
Blueprint stacking Sock + Blueprint for retrigger chain Black Hole / The Soul

Tips & Usage

  • Buy on sight — $6 is trivial for the retrigger ceiling.
  • Photograph pairing yields x4 Mult — collect both as standard play.
  • Pareidolia + Sock fires all 5 scored cards twice — explosive damage.
  • Enhanced face cards (Polychrome K, Steel K, Gold K) compound dramatically.
  • Hanging Chad + Sock = 6× total fires on the first face card.

Caveats

  • Scored face cards only — held faces aren't affected (that's Mime's job).
  • Abandoned Deck (no faces) makes Sock useless.
  • Perishable Sock and Buskin is risky — retrigger stops on expiry.
  • Stone-card-converted faces lose rank and don't trigger.
  • Hands without face cards don't benefit.