diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index b205c3d..581bf68 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -62,8 +62,15 @@ Three-layer split; `JCA` is the single global namespace:
 - `main.lua` — engine + game integration:
   - Scoring: `JCA.score(a, b)` = explicit pair bonus (+4) + 2 per give→want tag
     match in each direction + 1 for the generic "+Mult/+Chips source with an
-    ×Mult joker" complement. `JCA.partners_for(card)` aggregates over
-    `G.jokers.cards`; total ≥ `JCA.config.threshold` ⇒ recommended.
+    ×Mult joker" complement (second return value flags when that +1 applied).
+    `JCA.partners_for(card)` aggregates over `G.jokers.cards`; total ≥
+    `JCA.config.threshold` ⇒ recommended. The generic +1 counts toward the
+    total once per candidate, not per owned joker — since tag/pair scores are
+    even and the threshold is 4, the generic bonus alone can never trigger a
+    recommendation, so a pulsing card always has a nameable partner. Jokers
+    whose multiplier the generic rule misreads opt out with
+    `{no_generic = true}` in `synergies.lua` (Joker Stencil: its ×Mult grows
+    with *empty* slots, so "+Mult jokers feed it" is backwards).
   - UI hooks: wraps `Card:generate_UIBox_ability_table` to append a tooltip entry
     to `aut.info` (format: array of rows-of-UIT-nodes plus a `.name` string —
     must match what vanilla `info_tip_from_rows` expects), and wraps
diff --git a/main.lua b/main.lua
index 5e75050..07b4afb 100644
--- a/main.lua
+++ b/main.lua
@@ -39,8 +39,10 @@ end
 -- Scoring -------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 -- Synergy score between two joker center keys. 0 = no known synergy.
+-- Second return marks scores whose +1 came from the generic engine
+-- complement, so partners_for can count that bonus once per candidate.
 function JCA.score(a, b)
-    local s = 0
+    local s, generic = 0, false
     if JCA.pair_bonus[pair_key(a, b)] then s = s + 4 end
     local A, B = JCA.db[a], JCA.db[b]
     if A and B then
@@ -51,14 +53,18 @@ function JCA.score(a, b)
             if A.wants[t] then s = s + 2 end
         end
         -- Generic engine complement: a +Mult/+Chips source and an xMult
-        -- multiplier always help each other a little.
-        local a_scaler = A.gives.mult or A.gives.chips
-        local b_scaler = B.gives.mult or B.gives.chips
-        if (A.gives.xmult and b_scaler) or (B.gives.xmult and a_scaler) then
-            s = s + 1
+        -- multiplier usually help each other a little. no_generic opts out
+        -- jokers whose multiplier this reasoning misreads (Joker Stencil).
+        if not (A.no_generic or B.no_generic) then
+            local a_scaler = A.gives.mult or A.gives.chips
+            local b_scaler = B.gives.mult or B.gives.chips
+            if (A.gives.xmult and b_scaler) or (B.gives.xmult and a_scaler) then
+                s = s + 1
+                generic = true
+            end
         end
     end
-    return s
+    return s, generic
 end
 
 -- One short reason why `partner` works with `hovered`, phrased from the
@@ -83,10 +89,12 @@ function JCA.explain(hovered, partner)
             end
         end
     end
-    if B.gives.xmult and (A.gives.mult or A.gives.chips) then
-        return 'multiplies what this adds'
-    elseif A.gives.xmult and (B.gives.mult or B.gives.chips) then
-        return 'feeds this multiplier'
+    if not (A.no_generic or B.no_generic) then
+        if B.gives.xmult and (A.gives.mult or A.gives.chips) then
+            return 'multiplies what this adds'
+        elseif A.gives.xmult and (B.gives.mult or B.gives.chips) then
+            return 'feeds this multiplier'
+        end
     end
     return nil
 end
@@ -102,14 +110,21 @@ end
 
 -- Owned jokers with synergy score >= 2 against `card`, strongest first.
 -- Returns the partner list and the total score across all owned jokers.
+-- The generic mult/xmult complement counts toward the total once per
+-- candidate, not once per owned joker — otherwise any xMult card would
+-- pulse "recommended" on a board of four unrelated +Mult jokers.
 function JCA.partners_for(card)
-    local partners, total = {}, 0
+    local partners, total, generic_seen = {}, 0, false
     if not (G.jokers and G.jokers.cards) then return partners, 0 end
     local key = card.config.center.key
     for _, owned in ipairs(G.jokers.cards) do
         if owned ~= card and owned.config.center.set == 'Joker' then
-            local s = JCA.score(key, owned.config.center.key)
+            local s, generic = JCA.score(key, owned.config.center.key)
             total = total + s
+            if generic then
+                if generic_seen then total = total - 1 end
+                generic_seen = true
+            end
             if s >= 2 then
                 partners[#partners + 1] = {
                     key = owned.config.center.key,
diff --git a/synergies.lua b/synergies.lua
index c584fe1..95d731d 100644
--- a/synergies.lua
+++ b/synergies.lua
@@ -24,8 +24,9 @@
 --- Jokers not in this table (e.g. from other mods) simply score 0.
 
 local J = {}
-local function j(key, gives, wants)
-    J[key] = { gives = gives or {}, wants = wants or {} }
+local function j(key, gives, wants, opts)
+    J[key] = { gives = gives or {}, wants = wants or {},
+               no_generic = opts and opts.no_generic or nil }
 end
 
 -- Common jokers ------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -100,7 +101,9 @@ j('j_hanging_chad',     {'retrig_scoring'})
 j('j_shoot_the_moon',   {'mult'},                     {'retrig_held','hand_size'})
 
 -- Uncommon jokers ----------------------------------------------------------
-j('j_stencil',          {'xmult'})
+-- Stencil's xMult shrinks as slots fill, so the generic "+Mult feeds the
+-- multiplier" rule is backwards for it; its real synergy is being copied.
+j('j_stencil',          {'xmult','copy_target'},      nil, {no_generic = true})
 j('j_four_fingers',     {'straight','flush'})
 j('j_mime',             {'retrig_held','copy_target'})
 j('j_ceremonial',       {'mult'})