Tarot Decks: How to Choose Your First Deck

BY NICOLE LAU

Introduction: Your First Deck Matters

Choosing your first tarot deck is more significant than it might seem. This isn't just buying a product—you're selecting a tool you'll handle daily, a visual language you'll learn to speak fluently, and potentially a companion for years of spiritual practice. The right deck accelerates your learning, makes practice enjoyable, and builds a foundation for your entire tarot journey. The wrong deck can frustrate, confuse, and even derail your progress before you've truly begun.

Walk into any metaphysical shop or browse online tarot retailers and you'll face hundreds of options. Traditional Rider-Waite-Smith. Modern minimalist designs. Goddess-themed decks. Animal totems. Pop culture references. Decks with keywords, decks without. Seventy-eight cards of overwhelming choice. How do you know which one is right for you?

This guide cuts through the confusion with practical guidance on choosing your first tarot deck. You'll learn what actually matters (and what doesn't), common beginner mistakes to avoid, and how to trust your intuition while making an informed decision. Whether you're standing in a shop overwhelmed by options or scrolling through endless online listings, you'll know exactly how to choose the deck that's right for you.

The Myth of "The Deck Must Choose You"

Let's address the most common piece of tarot advice immediately: "You don't choose the deck; the deck chooses you."

This sounds mystical and romantic, but it's not particularly helpful for beginners staring at fifty different decks wondering which to buy. Here's the truth:

What This Advice Means: Trust your intuition. Choose a deck you feel drawn to rather than one someone else recommends or one that's "supposed" to be best.

What This Advice Doesn't Mean: Wait passively for a deck to magically call to you. You won't hear voices or see glowing auras. The "choosing" is simply your genuine attraction to a deck's imagery, energy, or aesthetic.

The Practical Version: Choose a deck that resonates with you visually and emotionally. If you love looking at the cards, you'll want to use them. If the imagery speaks to you, learning will be easier. That's the deck "choosing you"—it's your intuitive response to visual and energetic compatibility.

What Actually Matters in Your First Deck

When choosing your first deck, these factors genuinely impact your learning and practice:

1. Imagery You Connect With

Why It Matters: You'll be looking at these cards daily. If the imagery doesn't resonate, you won't want to practice. If it confuses or repels you, learning becomes a chore.

What to Look For:
- Art style you find beautiful or intriguing
- Imagery that evokes emotion or curiosity
- Symbols and scenes you can interpret intuitively
- Colors and aesthetics that appeal to you

Test: Look through sample images online or flip through the deck in a shop. Do you want to keep looking? Do the images draw you in? If yes, that's a good sign.

2. Readable Imagery (Especially for Minor Arcana)

Why It Matters: Some decks have illustrated scenes for all 78 cards (like Rider-Waite-Smith). Others have pip cards—Minor Arcana showing only the number of suit symbols (like playing cards). Illustrated scenes are dramatically easier for beginners to interpret.

What to Look For:
- Fully illustrated Minor Arcana (not just pips)
- Clear, interpretable scenes in the imagery
- Visual storytelling you can read intuitively

Example: Compare the Three of Cups in Rider-Waite-Smith (three women celebrating together) versus a pip deck (just three cups). The illustrated version tells a story; the pip version requires memorized meaning.

Recommendation: For your first deck, choose one with fully illustrated Minor Arcana. You can explore pip decks later once you know the meanings.

3. Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) Foundation

Why It Matters: The vast majority of tarot books, courses, and resources reference Rider-Waite-Smith imagery. If your deck differs significantly from RWS, you'll constantly translate between what you're reading and what you're seeing.

What to Look For:
- Either the classic RWS deck itself
- Or a deck based on RWS imagery (same scenes, different art style)
- Or a deck where you can easily see RWS influence

This Doesn't Mean: You must buy the original 1909 Rider-Waite-Smith. Many modern decks use RWS as foundation while updating the art, diversity, or aesthetic. These work perfectly for learning.

Examples of RWS-Based Decks: Modern Witch Tarot, Everyday Tarot, Radiant Rider-Waite, Smith-Waite Centennial, Tarot of the Divine

4. Guidebook Quality

Why It Matters: Your first deck's guidebook is a crucial learning resource. A good guidebook provides clear meanings, spread instructions, and reading guidance. A poor one leaves you confused.

What to Look For:
- Comprehensive meanings for all 78 cards
- Upright meanings at minimum (reversals optional)
- At least a few spread examples
- Clear, accessible writing
- Enough detail to actually learn from

How to Check: Read reviews mentioning the guidebook. Look for sample pages online. If buying in person, flip through the guidebook before purchasing.

Note: You can always supplement with separate books, but a good included guidebook is valuable for beginners.

5. Card Size and Quality

Why It Matters: Cards you can't shuffle comfortably or that fall apart quickly create frustration. Physical usability matters.

What to Look For:
- Standard tarot size (2.75" x 4.75") or slightly smaller
- Avoid oversized decks for your first (harder to shuffle)
- Decent card stock (not flimsy)
- Finish that allows shuffling (not too slippery or sticky)

Test: If possible, handle the deck before buying. Can you shuffle it comfortably? Do the cards feel good in your hands?

What Doesn't Matter (As Much As You Think)

These factors are often emphasized but are less important than beginners believe:

1. Whether It's "Gifted" vs. Bought

The Myth: Your first deck must be gifted to you, not purchased by yourself.

The Truth: This is superstition with no basis in tarot tradition. Buying your own deck is perfectly fine and often preferable—you choose exactly what resonates with you.

The Origin: This myth likely arose to prevent people from buying decks impulsively without genuine interest. But it's not a rule.

Bottom Line: Buy your own deck with confidence. If someone wants to gift you one, lovely. But don't wait for a gift that may never come.

2. Deck "Purity" or Tradition

The Myth: You must start with the "original" Rider-Waite-Smith or another "pure" traditional deck.

The Truth: While RWS-based imagery is helpful for learning, you don't need the 1909 original. Modern interpretations with updated art, diverse representation, or contemporary aesthetics work beautifully if they're based on RWS structure.

Bottom Line: Choose a deck that speaks to you, even if it's modern or non-traditional, as long as it has RWS foundation and readable imagery.

3. Price

The Myth: Expensive decks are better quality or more "powerful."

The Truth: Price reflects production costs, artist reputation, and publisher pricing—not spiritual power or learning value. A $20 mass-market deck can serve you as well as a $60 indie deck.

Bottom Line: Choose based on imagery and usability, not price. Don't overspend on your first deck, but don't cheap out on something you hate just to save money.

4. Matching Your "Aesthetic" Perfectly

The Myth: Your deck must match your personal style, spiritual path, or identity perfectly.

The Truth: While connection matters, you don't need a witch-themed deck to be a witch or a goddess deck to honor the divine feminine. The imagery should resonate, but it doesn't need to mirror your identity exactly.

Bottom Line: Choose a deck whose imagery speaks to you, regardless of whether it "matches" your aesthetic or spiritual identity.

Common Beginner Mistakes

Avoid these pitfalls when choosing your first deck:

Mistake 1: Choosing Based on Popularity Alone

The Error: Buying whatever deck is trending on social media or recommended most often without considering your personal connection.

Why It's Problematic: A deck everyone loves might not resonate with you. Popularity doesn't equal personal compatibility.

The Fix: Use recommendations as a starting point, but choose based on your response to the imagery, not others' opinions.

Mistake 2: Choosing a Deck That's Too Abstract or Artistic

The Error: Selecting a deck with beautiful but highly abstract, minimalist, or artistic imagery that's hard to interpret.

Why It's Problematic: Abstract decks require you to already know card meanings. As a beginner, you need imagery that teaches you through visual storytelling.

The Fix: Save abstract or artistic decks for later. Start with clear, narrative imagery.

Mistake 3: Buying Multiple Decks Before Learning One

The Error: Purchasing several decks at once, thinking variety will help learning.

Why It's Problematic: Switching between decks prevents you from building deep familiarity with any single deck. You need consistency to learn.

The Fix: Buy one deck. Commit to it for at least 6 months before acquiring others.

Mistake 4: Choosing a Deck You Don't Actually Like

The Error: Buying a deck because it's "supposed" to be good for beginners, even though you don't connect with the imagery.

Why It's Problematic: If you don't enjoy looking at your cards, you won't practice. Enjoyment matters more than "correctness."

The Fix: Choose a deck you genuinely love, even if it's not the most recommended beginner deck.

Mistake 5: Overthinking the Decision

The Error: Spending weeks or months researching, comparing, and agonizing over which deck is "perfect."

Why It's Problematic: Analysis paralysis delays your actual learning. No deck is perfect, and you'll likely own multiple decks eventually.

The Fix: Do reasonable research (reading this guide counts!), then choose and commit. You can always get another deck later.

Recommended First Decks

These decks consistently serve beginners well:

Classic Choice: Rider-Waite-Smith (Various Editions)

Why It Works: The foundation of modern tarot. Every resource references it. Clear, narrative imagery.

Best Editions:
- Radiant Rider-Waite (brighter colors, easier to see)
- Smith-Waite Centennial (honors original artist Pamela Colman Smith)
- Original Rider-Waite (if you like vintage aesthetic)

Best For: Traditionalists, people who love classic imagery, those wanting maximum resource compatibility.

Modern Update: Modern Witch Tarot

Why It Works: RWS-based with diverse, contemporary characters. Beautiful art, clear imagery, modern aesthetic.

Best For: People wanting diversity and modern representation while maintaining RWS foundation.

Minimalist Beauty: Everyday Tarot

Why It Works: Clean, simple, RWS-based. Minimalist without being abstract. Includes excellent guidebook.

Best For: Minimalist aesthetic lovers, people who find traditional decks too busy.

Gentle Introduction: The Wild Unknown Tarot

Why It Works: Stunning black and white imagery. Animal symbolism. Intuitive and accessible.

Caveat: Not strictly RWS-based, so some learning resources won't match perfectly. But the imagery is so clear and evocative that many beginners succeed with it.

Best For: Animal lovers, people drawn to nature symbolism, those who find traditional imagery off-putting.

Diverse Representation: The Spacious Tarot

Why It Works: RWS-based with body-positive, diverse representation. Clear imagery, inclusive, beautiful.

Best For: People wanting representation of diverse bodies, identities, and experiences.

Beginner-Friendly: Easy Tarot

Why It Works: Designed specifically for beginners. Keywords on cards, clear imagery, comprehensive guidebook.

Best For: People who want maximum support and hand-holding in early learning.

How to Choose: A Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Browse and Notice

Look at deck images online (Instagram, Pinterest, deck review sites) or browse in a metaphysical shop. Don't analyze—just notice which decks make you want to keep looking.

Step 2: Narrow to 3-5 Options

From your browsing, identify 3-5 decks that genuinely attract you. These are your finalists.

Step 3: Check the Criteria

For each finalist, verify:
- Is the Minor Arcana fully illustrated?
- Is it RWS-based or at least has clear, readable imagery?
- Does it come with a decent guidebook?
- Is it a size you can handle comfortably?
- Can you afford it?

Step 4: Read Reviews

Look for reviews from beginners (not just experienced readers). What do they say about learning with this deck? Is the guidebook helpful? Are the cards good quality?

Step 5: Trust Your Gut

Of your finalists that meet the criteria, which one do you keep coming back to? Which imagery do you want to spend time with? That's your deck.

Step 6: Commit and Buy

Make the decision and purchase. Don't second-guess. You've done your research; now trust your choice.

Where to Buy Your First Deck

Local Metaphysical Shops

Pros: Handle decks before buying, support local business, often knowledgeable staff, immediate gratification
Cons: Limited selection, potentially higher prices, may feel pressured

Online Retailers (Amazon, Book Depository, etc.)

Pros: Huge selection, competitive prices, reviews, convenience
Cons: Can't handle before buying, shipping wait, overwhelming options

Specialty Tarot Retailers (Little Red Tarot, Tarot Arts, etc.)

Pros: Curated selection, expert descriptions, support small businesses, often indie decks
Cons: Potentially higher prices, shipping costs, smaller selection than Amazon

Recommendation: If possible, browse in person to handle decks, then buy wherever offers the best price and selection for your chosen deck.

After You Choose: Building Relationship with Your Deck

Once you've purchased your first deck:

Day 1: Unbox slowly. Handle each card. Notice your responses. Don't rush to "use" it—just get acquainted.

Week 1: Look through the entire deck daily. Separate Major and Minor Arcana. Notice patterns and themes.

Week 2: Begin daily card pulls. Start simple—one card each morning.

Month 1: Study 2-3 cards per day in depth. Journal about them. Build familiarity gradually.

Ongoing: Use this deck exclusively for at least 6 months. Resist the urge to buy others until you know this one intimately.

When to Get a Second Deck

You're ready for additional decks when:

- You can identify all 78 cards in your first deck without hesitation
- You've been practicing consistently for 6+ months
- You can perform readings confidently with your first deck
- You have a specific reason for wanting another deck (different aesthetic, specialized purpose, etc.)
- You're genuinely drawn to another deck, not just collecting

Note: Many readers eventually own multiple decks for different purposes (one for daily practice, one for deep work, one for reading for others, etc.). But master one first.

What If You Choose "Wrong"?

What if you buy a deck and realize it's not right for you?

Give It Time: Use the deck for at least a month before deciding. Initial discomfort often transforms into familiarity.

Identify the Issue: What specifically isn't working? Imagery? Size? Guidebook? Sometimes the problem is solvable (buy a better guidebook, practice shuffling technique).

It's Okay to Switch: If after genuine effort the deck truly doesn't work, it's okay to choose another. Better to switch early than force yourself to use a deck you hate.

Learn from It: What didn't work? This information helps you choose better next time.

Don't See It as Failure: Choosing a deck that doesn't work out is part of learning what you need. It's not failure—it's information.

Conclusion: Trust Yourself

Choosing your first tarot deck is simpler than the overwhelming options make it seem. You need a deck with clear, illustrated imagery that you find beautiful or intriguing, preferably based on Rider-Waite-Smith structure, with a decent guidebook, at a size you can handle comfortably. That's it.

Beyond those practical criteria, trust your attraction. The deck that keeps drawing your attention, that you want to keep looking at, that evokes curiosity or emotion—that's your deck. You don't need to hear mystical voices or wait for cosmic signs. Your genuine interest is the sign.

Don't overthink it. Don't agonize for months. Do reasonable research (you've done that by reading this guide), identify a deck that meets the criteria and attracts you, and commit. You can always get another deck later, but you can't learn tarot without starting somewhere.

Your first deck is waiting for you. It might be a classic Rider-Waite-Smith. It might be a modern interpretation with diverse characters. It might be minimalist or maximalist, traditional or contemporary. What matters is that it's yours—chosen by you, for you, to begin your tarot journey.

The cards are ready to teach you. Choose your deck, bring it home, and begin. Your tarot journey starts the moment you hold your first deck in your hands. Welcome home.