New readers obsess over this: 'What if I pick the wrong deck?' Relax — you can't. But there is one deck we recommend as your starting point, and one honest method for everything else.
Start With Rider-Waite-Smith
The Rider-Waite-Smith deck (usually shortened to RWS) was designed by Arthur Edward Waite with illustrations by Pamela Colman Smith, published in 1909. It's the most influential tarot deck ever printed, and here's why it's the ideal first deck: every one of its 78 cards — including all the minor arcana — is a full illustrated scene. Most modern decks are built on its symbolism, so nearly every guide, course and reference you'll ever read assumes you can picture the RWS images. Learn it first and every other deck becomes easier.
Then, Trust Your Eyes
- Art over hype: You'll read with images, so pick art you genuinely want to look at every day. A deck you love invites practice; a deck you tolerate collects dust.
- Check the little cards: If you're browsing alternatives, make sure the minor arcana have real scenes, not just a few scattered symbols — numbered pips are much harder to learn from.
- Feel the shuffle: Card size, finish and stiffness matter more than you'd think. If you can touch a deck before buying, do a test riffle. Hands remember.
- One deck is enough: A serious learner needs exactly one deck. A collector needs a shelf. Be honest with yourself about which one you are this month.
Later you can wander into decks themed around folklore, gothic romance or cosmic minimalism — the world of tarot art is gloriously weird. But your first deck should be a good teacher, not just a pretty face. RWS is both.
Deck-bonding ritual: When your deck arrives, spend twenty minutes moving through all 78 cards, one by one, letting each image land. No meanings, no notes. Then pick the three cards that hit hardest and sleep with them beside your bed. You now know your deck — and it remembers you.