Where is the best place to get a tarot deck and what one should I get??
My
favorite place to buy tarot decks is Amazon :) Sometimes eBay, but make
sure you’re getting a new, unopened deck or that you read the
description so you know the cards are in good condition. You can also
look in bookstores, but I don’t have many around and I suppose the
selection varies greatly
Which one should you get? Well.. that depends on a LOT of things, but here are my basic suggestions if you’re looking for your first deck.
You’re going to want a deck that you’re drawn to, something with art that speaks to you. Pick something you like! BUT..
Not all decks are created beginner-friendly. If you’re not going to go for a Rider-Waite Smith deck or one of its many clones, you’re going to want something that still manages the familiar imagery of one. Unless you’re going after Thoth or Marseilles style decks which have slightly different “systems” to the cards, as a beginner RWS is definitely the imagery you’ll be seeing a lot of as you learn the cards. So it’s important that whatever deck you choose, while it doesn’t have to be a direct clone, at least follows the basic imagery.
So you can see that The RWS and the Aquatic tarot are pretty much exactly the same even thought the art is done in a different style, while there is a marked difference of the Mystic Faerie Tarot, but you can also see the similarities! The Magician is still standing in front of a table that has all of his tools (representing the four suits) laid out on it.
Another thing you’re going to want is a fully illustrated minor arcana. Memorizing definitions is one thing, but using imagery when you’re reading definitely helps you to develop your intuition. Not to mention, it gives you clues when you’re drawing a blank!
The Labyrinth tarot has plain pip cards.. no hints to jog your memory or inspire your intuition.
Aeclectic has literally THOUSANDS of decks to browse through, both tarot and oracle, so take some time to browse around, read reviews (reviews on Amazon are also immensely helpful) and find something you like.
One last thing to keep in mind, especially on Aeclectic, is availability. Some of the decks there are out of print (OOP) or unfinished, or rare and expensive. But there are plenty that are readily available!
As for a personal recommendation? My first deck was the Paulina tarot, but I was really torn between that, a clone, and the Fenestra tarot. And in hindsight and now owning Fenestra, I wish I had bought that one first, but it’s all good. Also, I really, really didn’t want the original RWS. I had zero interest in it, but now I find that it’s really grown on me and I freakin WANT IT lol, so don’t dismiss it!
Have fun shopping!
Which one should you get? Well.. that depends on a LOT of things, but here are my basic suggestions if you’re looking for your first deck.
You’re going to want a deck that you’re drawn to, something with art that speaks to you. Pick something you like! BUT..
Not all decks are created beginner-friendly. If you’re not going to go for a Rider-Waite Smith deck or one of its many clones, you’re going to want something that still manages the familiar imagery of one. Unless you’re going after Thoth or Marseilles style decks which have slightly different “systems” to the cards, as a beginner RWS is definitely the imagery you’ll be seeing a lot of as you learn the cards. So it’s important that whatever deck you choose, while it doesn’t have to be a direct clone, at least follows the basic imagery.
So you can see that The RWS and the Aquatic tarot are pretty much exactly the same even thought the art is done in a different style, while there is a marked difference of the Mystic Faerie Tarot, but you can also see the similarities! The Magician is still standing in front of a table that has all of his tools (representing the four suits) laid out on it.
Another thing you’re going to want is a fully illustrated minor arcana. Memorizing definitions is one thing, but using imagery when you’re reading definitely helps you to develop your intuition. Not to mention, it gives you clues when you’re drawing a blank!
The Labyrinth tarot has plain pip cards.. no hints to jog your memory or inspire your intuition.
Aeclectic has literally THOUSANDS of decks to browse through, both tarot and oracle, so take some time to browse around, read reviews (reviews on Amazon are also immensely helpful) and find something you like.
One last thing to keep in mind, especially on Aeclectic, is availability. Some of the decks there are out of print (OOP) or unfinished, or rare and expensive. But there are plenty that are readily available!
As for a personal recommendation? My first deck was the Paulina tarot, but I was really torn between that, a clone, and the Fenestra tarot. And in hindsight and now owning Fenestra, I wish I had bought that one first, but it’s all good. Also, I really, really didn’t want the original RWS. I had zero interest in it, but now I find that it’s really grown on me and I freakin WANT IT lol, so don’t dismiss it!
Have fun shopping!
