Joker Tier List

All 150 jokers ranked S-to-D tier with analysis of Blueprint, Brainstorm, Vampire, and every top-tier pick

Intermediate 18 min read

Tier List Criteria

This tier list evaluates jokers based on:

Versatility: Does it work across different decks and hand types?
Scaling: Does it continue to grow stronger as Antes progress?
Synergy density: How much does it amplify other jokers/card enhancements?
Cost efficiency: Is the purchase price justified in the shop ($2–$20)?
Gold Stake viability: Can it carry high-difficulty runs?

Ratings assume a full Ante 1–8 run. Synergy-dependent ratings are noted.

S-Tier — Absolutely Powerful, Consider in Nearly Every Run

Joker	Cost	Effect	Why S-Tier
Blueprint	$10	Copies the effect of the Joker to its right	Doubles any best joker effect. Place XMult sources to the right for exponential gains
Brainstorm	$10	Copies the effect of the leftmost Joker	Same power as Blueprint, with flexible leftmost slot positioning
Vampire	$7	Each played enhanced card consumed gives ×Mult +0.1	Scales exponentially with enhancements. Primary XMult source late-game
Hologram	$7	×Mult +0.25 each time a card is added to the deck	Unlimited scaling in runs with frequent deck additions
Fibonacci	$8	+8 Mult per scored A/2/3/5/8	Core of number-axis builds. Explosive with Even Steven/Odd Todd
Canio	$20	×Mult +1 each time a card is destroyed	Scales exponentially with destruction effects
Triboulet	$20	×Mult 2 for scored K and Q	Essential for face-card-axis builds. Strongest legendary
The Duo	$8	×Mult 2 when hand contains a Pair	Most universal XMult — triggers with the most basic hand type
Joker Stencil	$8	×Mult equal to empty Joker slots	Scales with Joker slot maximization. Combo with Riff-raff

S-Tier Common Traits

Provides XMult or equivalent exponential scaling
"Buy on sight" in most runs
Blueprint/Brainstorm positioning determines the entire run strategy

A-Tier — Very Strong, Actively Pursue

Joker	Cost	Effect	Strength
Juggler	$4	Hand size +1	Going from 5→6 cards dramatically increases hand flexibility and role consistency
Loyalty Card	$5	×Mult 4 every 6 hands	Conditional but ×4 is exceptional. Manage the counter for reliable activation
Bloodstone	$5	1/3 chance ×Mult 2 for scored heart cards	High expected value, essential in heart-axis builds
Cavendish	$4	×Mult 3 every 3rd hand	Requires counter management but provides high multiplier
Baron	$8	Hand Kings give ×Mult 1.5 when scored	Foundation of King-axis builds. Combine with hand-holding mechanics
Midas Mask	$7	All played face cards become Gold cards	Infinite economic scaling in gold card economy builds
Hack	$6	Retriggers 2/3/4/5	Doubles Fibonacci, Even Steven, Odd Todd triggers — massive multiplier
Supernova	$5	+Mult equal to most played hand level	Scales with planet card hand leveling
Space Joker	$10	1/4 chance to level up played hand	Levels hands without planet cards. Powerful in long runs

B-Tier — Situationally Very Strong

Joker	Cost	Effect	Condition
Shoot the Moon	$5	Hand Queens give +13 Mult each	Effectively A-tier in Queen-axis builds
Sly Joker	$2	+50 Chips when hand contains a Pair	Main chip source in pair-heavy decks
Spare Trousers	$6	+2 Mult per Two Pair scored (cumulative)	Escalates rapidly in Two Pair-focused builds
Runner	$5	+15 Chips per Straight scored (cumulative)	Stable chip source in Straight-axis
Delayed Gratification	$7	Gain $3 per unused reroll at end of Blind	Economy-axis resource. Avoid rerolling for profit
Egg	$4	Gains $3 sell value each time a card is sold	High sell-value economy item
Four Fingers	$7	Flushes and Straights count with 4 cards	Unlocks 4-card hands. Essential with Shortcut
Shortcut	$7	Straights can be made with 1 gap	Massively expands Straight viability with Four Fingers
Riff-raff	$6	Creates 2 Common Jokers when Blind starts	Triggers Joker-count-dependent effects

C-Tier — Niche Uses

Joker	Cost	Effect	Use Case
Joker (base)	$2	+4 Mult unconditional	Early filler for 5 hands only
Mystic Summit	$5	+15 Mult when discards remaining is 0	Only useful in no-discard strategies
Abstract Joker	$4	+3 Mult per Joker held	Pairs with slot-filling strategies
Business Card	$4	1/2 chance $2 when face card played	Secondary income in face-heavy decks

D-Tier — Generally Weak

Joker	Reason
Gros Michel	High extinction risk makes it unreliable
Hit the Road	×Mult reduction each discard; self-destructs
Mime	Retrigger-only; weak without specific combos like Baron

How Synergy Changes Ratings

Synergy Setup	Jokers Involved	Rating Shift
XMult stacking	Blueprint + Brainstorm + The Duo	All S-tier amplified further
Number 4-Joker parallel	Fibonacci + Even Steven + Odd Todd + Scholar	Fibonacci becomes top-S
Face card axis	Baron + Triboulet + Shoot the Moon	All three become A+
Enhancement consumption	Vampire + Ceremonial Dagger	Vampire becomes #1 XMult
Deck shrink economy	The Hermit + Crystal Ball	Stabilizes mid-late economy

Rarity-Based Priority

Rarity	Base Cost	Strategy
Common	$2–4	Early-game filler. S/A-tier Commons are high priority
Uncommon	$5–7	Main candidates. Vampire, Fibonacci, Juggler especially
Rare	$7–10	Core jokers — Blueprint, Brainstorm, Canio
Legendary	$20	Canio, Triboulet — highest priority when seen

Key Principles of Joker Selection

XMult sources first: Blueprint, Brainstorm, Vampire, The Duo etc.
Scaling over flat bonuses: Cumulative/exponential jokers beat fixed bonuses late-game
Think in synergies: A B-tier joker becomes top-tier with the right combo
Cost management: Fill early with Commons, transition to Rares mid-game
Gold Stake viability: Some jokers only work in low-difficulty — test for high stakes