Following Balatro‘s nomination for the 2024 Game of the Year, new players have flocked to the poker-themed roguelike title. But the deckbuilding game may initially seem overwhelming to newcomers with its vast array of upgrades like Tarot Cards.
Tarot Cards are similar to Jokers or Planets in how they can enhance each round of Balatro you play. Unlike with the power of the latter two upgrade mechanics, however, many players overlook the impact Tarot Cards can have. With the right Tarot Card, you’ll be able to immensely improve your score and stack the deck in your favor.
Here’s everything you need to know about Tarot Cards in Balatro.
What are Tarot cards in Balatro?
Tarot Cards in Balatro are one-time-use cards with an instant effect. Like Jokers, you can start a hand of Balatro with a couple on standby. But where they differ is the power they have over the deck and hand itself.
Tarot Cards can change cards. From adding multiplier bonuses to increasing the rank or changing the suit, you can use Tarot Cards to manipulate your hand and deck into exactly what you want at any given time. Tarot Cards can also buff your Jokers, grant you money, or even destroy cards in your deck to ensure you only draw what you need to win.
There are many ways you can obtain Tarot Cards in Balatro:
- Opening Arcana Booster Packs
- Discarding a card with a Purple Seal
- Generating them with selected Jokers
- Purchasing them from the Shop
Opening Tarot Cards with Arcana Booster Packs
When you open an Arcana Pack, you will draw to your hand size and will be given the option to pick from a random selection of Tarot Cards. You must use the chosen Tarot Card(s) immediately. To do this, select the Tarot Card you wish to purchase and click “Use.” If the Tarot Card manipulates other cards, like The Sun, which converts three selected cards into Hearts, you must pick a number of cards before hitting Use.
Be careful when using Tarot Cards that manipulate your deck! If you convert an Ace of Spades into an Ace of Hearts, that Ace of Spades is gone forever. There are also some Boss Blinds that negate cards of a particular suit entirely, so plan accordingly.
Using Tarot Cards from your hand
You can hold up to two Tarot Cards in your hand (or three, if you have the Crystal Ball voucher), and you can use a Tarot Card in the middle of a Blind if needed. Do you have two Hearts and need three more to complete a Flush? Select any other three cards and use The Sun Tarot Card to convert them into Hearts immediately.
Other active effects can be applied too; The Death card, converts one card to 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 in the middle of a Blind.
All Tarot Cards in Balatro
There are 22 Tarot Cards in Balatro. After playing a Tarot Card during an unseeded run, you’ll unlock the Tarot Card for your Collection.
