How to Choose Your First Tarot Deck (And Why It Doesn't Have to Be Gifted to You)
Let's kill this myth right now: you do not need to be "gifted" your first tarot deck. Buy one. Buy five. The tarot police will not come for you.
This is one of those persistent bits of tarot folklore that sounds romantic but mostly just keeps people from getting started. The best tarot deck for you is the one you're actually drawn to — pun intended.
What to Look For
Imagery you connect with. You're going to be staring at these cards a lot. If the art doesn't speak to you, you'll lose interest. Some people love the classic Rider-Waite-Smith symbolism. Others want something modern, diverse, or abstract. There's no wrong answer.
Illustrated Minor Arcana. This matters for beginners. Some decks show illustrated scenes on every card (like the Rider-Waite-Smith), while others just show, say, five cups sitting there. Scenes give you more to work with when you're learning to read intuitively.
A guidebook that doesn't suck. Most decks come with a little white book (LWB) that gives basic card meanings. Some are genuinely helpful. Others read like they were written by a chatbot in 2019. If the LWB falls short, there are excellent tarot books and online resources to supplement.
Size and feel. This sounds minor, but if the cards are too big for your hands or printed on flimsy card stock, you won't enjoy using them. Some people prefer standard-sized cards; others like oversized or mini decks. If you can, handle a deck before you buy it.
Popular Starter Decks
Rider-Waite-Smith: The classic. Most tarot books and courses reference this deck, so it's a practical choice.
The Modern Witch Tarot: Updated, diverse imagery with the same traditional structure. Feels fresh without reinventing the wheel.
The Wild Unknown: Stunning, nature-based artwork. Less traditional symbolism, which works great for intuitive readers.
Light Seer's Tarot: Beautiful, inclusive illustrations with a modern spiritual vibe. Great for visual learners.
How Many Decks Do You Need?
One is plenty to start. Collecting decks is fun (and addictive), but you'll learn faster by getting deeply familiar with a single deck before branching out. Think of it like learning a language — fluency comes from immersion, not from buying every textbook.
Trust Your Gut
The most important thing about choosing a tarot deck is that it feels right to you. Not what a blog told you to buy (ironic, I know), not what your favourite reader uses, not what's trending on social media. Pick the deck that makes you want to pick it up.
You can learn everything you need to know about tarot, from the history to how to ask the perfect question, with my HarperCollins instant bestseller, Big Deck Energy.