Overview
DNA is a rare Effect Joker in Balatro available from the start, allowing players to permanently duplicate a card when only one is played as the first hand of a round. Its effectiveness depends on deck, hand, synergy with other Jokers, and playstyle.
DNA Joker Details
- Effect activates if the first hand of a round has only one card, permanently adding a copy to the deck and drawing it immediately.
- Rarity: Rare; Type: Effect Joker; Activation: On Played.
- Available from the start; buy price $8, sell price $4.
- Compatible with Copyable, Perishable, and Eternal stickers.
- Best used with strategies focused on duplicating high-value cards.
Synergies
Deck Synergies
- Blue Deck: Extra hand allocation favors DNA’s single-card copy effect.
- Red Deck: Additional discards increase odds to find desirable cards for copying.
- Black Deck: Fewer hands discourage suboptimal DNA use.
- Erratic Deck: Enables easy creation of Flush House or Flush Five hands via DNA.
Poker Hands
- DNA works best with High Card and strong duplicate-heavy hands (Four of a Kind, Five of a Kind, Flush Five, Flush House).
- DNA is less effective for Straights and Straight Flushes due to difficulty in duplicating run cards.
Joker Synergies
- Hologram, Blue Joker, Blueprint, Brainstorm, and Trading Card offer direct or indirect benefits from DNA’s duplication.
- DNA supports Jokers that require specific cards (Steel Joker, Vampire, Baron, Stone Joker, Shoot the Moon, Driver’s License, Glass Joker, Lucky Cat).
- DNA has anti-synergy with Erosion, as additional deck cards lower Erosion’s benefit.
Blind Interactions
- The Needle and The Mouth restrict DNA use due to hand limits or hand-type restrictions.
- The Psychic disables DNA by requiring five cards to play.
- The Pillar debuffs DNA-created copies, negating card enhancements.
- Blinds disabling cards in deck do not prevent DNA from creating duplicates.
Trivia
- DNA is one of only three Jokers that add cards to the deck (with Marble Joker and Certificate).
- Card art references real-life DNA’s double-helix structure.
Localization
- Known as "DNA" in most languages; "ADN" in French and Spanish.