Which Tarot to Start With? How to Choose Your First Deck

What a good first tarot should offer

A tarot is a deck of 78 cards: 22 major arcana (from The Fool, or Le Mat, up to The World) and 56 minor arcana divided into four suits. To learn, you do not need a rare or expensive deck. You need a deck that makes you want to pick it up again every week. Five criteria will help you choose.

• A recognisable structure. You want to find the 22 major arcana, the four suits (wands, cups, swords, pentacles or coins) and the court cards. The books, courses and videos you come across will assume this structure.
• Images you understand. If a card leaves you without words, you will rarely look at it again. A deck that is too abstract or too busy quickly discourages you.
• A language you can read without effort. The card titles and the booklet matter more than you might think: see cards in French or English.
• A comfortable format. Cards that are too large are awkward to shuffle with small hands; cards that are too small hide the details.
• A clear booklet or book. It gives you a basic vocabulary, which you will then adjust with your own impressions.

Three safe ways to start

None of these paths is “the right one”. For most beginners, a classic Rider-Waite-Smith is a simple starting point, precisely because resources are plentiful; but a Marseille deck chosen with enthusiasm is worth more than an RWS bought out of duty. For a detailed comparison, read Marseille tarot or Rider-Waite-Smith.

Check before you buy

1. The number of cards. A true divinatory tarot has 78. A deck of 40 or 52 cards is something else.
2. The numbering. Look for Roman or Arabic numerals, the names of the major arcana and The Fool (or Le Mat). A deck where the majors are renamed or reordered is harder to match with books.
3. The name of the deck. “Inspired by” or “after” means the images have been redrawn.
4. The language printed on the cards (title, keywords) and in the booklet.
5. The size and thickness. Thin card bends more easily; thick or laminated card resists better but can sometimes slide.
6. Photos of every card, not only the highlights. Look in particular at the cards you find difficult (the Devil, Death...): if they make you uncomfortable, it is better to know before you buy.

In our range, the texts of the decks are often in English; this is always stated on the product page. The tarot decks shelf brings together the 78-card tarots.

The most common pitfalls

• Confusing a divinatory tarot with a tarot card game. The social card game (French tarot) also uses 78 cards, but with French suits (hearts, diamonds, clubs, spades) and numbered trumps: it is for playing, not for drawing cards with symbolic images.
• Taking an oracle for a tarot. An oracle has no imposed structure; see tarot or oracle.
• Starting with a very esoteric deck. Some tarots, such as the Thoth, have their own vocabulary (card names, correspondences): they are often easier to approach after a first classic deck.
• Buying for the look of a single card. A superb card does not make a deck pleasant to read.
• Waiting for the perfect deck. No deck is perfect; over time, you will often own several (see building your collection).

First weeks with your deck

Tarot is a tool for reflection, not a way to predict the future. To learn without pressure, a simple rhythm works well:

1. Days 1 to 3: getting acquainted. Spread the cards out, look at each one without the booklet, and note one sentence of first impression.
2. Week 1: the card of the day. Draw one card in the morning and reread it in the evening (see the one-card daily draw).
3. Week 2: the three-card spread, which suits many questions (see the three-card spread).
4. After that: a notebook. Noting your readings is the best way to progress and to keep an honest view of what you read into them.

For the words you will hear everywhere (arcana, suits, spread, reversed), the tarot glossary gives you simple definitions. Readings never replace a professional's advice on a health, money or legal matter.

What if the deck does not suit you after all?

It happens, and that is not a problem. A deck that does not speak to you is still useful: it teaches you what you like or dislike. Some people move from a Rider-Waite-Smith to a Marseille, others take the reverse path. A gift or a second-hand deck can also become a study deck. Do not throw it away: store it properly (see caring for and storing your cards) and come back to it later.

Frequently asked questions

Also read

The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Choosing your tarot or oracle deck.