How To Choose Your First Tarot Deck (Or Your Next)

How to Choose Your First Tarot Deck (Or Your Next One)

One of the most common questions people ask when they’re starting tarot is: “What deck should I buy?”

With so many beautiful decks available, it can feel overwhelming fast. The good news is—choosing a tarot deck doesn’t need to be complicated.

In fact, the more you simplify it, the easier it becomes to find a deck you actually connect with.

In this post, I’m sharing my personal experience with choosing tarot decks, what I’ve learned over time, and how I guide people who are just starting out.

My First Experience With Tarot Decks

I purchased my very first tarot deck in a New Age store, drawn in purely by the imagery. Something about the artwork pulled me in. I still have it, but to be honest, I haven’t used it in quite some time. I can read with it if I have to, but I do have other decks that I connect with a bit better.

My second deck—the one I still use most often for personal readings—was actually a gift from my husband. It’s absolutely beautiful, and the one that I’m most likely to use when I’m reading for myself. But I don’t believe a tarot deck needs to be gifted in order to be meaningful.

Over time, I’ve also had decks I struggled to connect with, even though I genuinely loved certain individual cards or artwork. That’s just part of the process.

My strongest ongoing connection right now is with the Tarot of Dreams by Ciro Marchetti. I’ve used it longer than any other deck, and it just feels easy. The colors, the detail, the imagery—it all speaks clearly and sparks my intuition. It tells a story, which is something I personally connect with deeply when reading.

What Really Matters When Choosing a Deck

For me, the artwork is more important than the guidebook.

While guidebooks can be helpful, the real connection happens through the imagery itself. That’s where intuition kicks in. The images that can bring a certain event, a knowing—or oddly enough, a smell to mind are the ones that I can really feel into.

When I look at a deck, I pay attention to things like:

• What emotional tone the cards carry

• Whether the imagery feels too harsh or too soft

• Whether the deck feels clear enough for reading

• Whether I could comfortably read for someone else with it

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Because the truth is, people respond to what they see in a reading just as much as what is interpreted.

A deck should support the message—not get in the way of it. And if I feel like some people may find the images a bit triggering, I won’t use it for the general public.

When a Deck Feels Right (or Doesn’t)

A good tarot deck is often less about logic and more about feeling.

Sometimes a deck just clicks. The imagery speaks easily, your intuition responds, and the cards feel like they “flow.”

Other times, even a beautiful deck can feel like it’s “not quite it”.

For example, I personally don’t connect well with pip-style decks because I prefer imagery that tells a full story. I like being able to see the narrative within the card itself, and then the connection between the images when they are laid out.

There’s no right or wrong here—just preference and connection.

Rider-Waite vs Other Decks

For beginners, I usually recommend starting with a basic Rider-Waite style deck.

Not because it’s the only option—but because it gives you a strong foundation in the traditional meanings, which makes it easier to transition into other decks later on.

That said, there are many Rider-Waite-inspired decks with modern artwork that can also be a great fit if you’re drawn to something more visually appealing.

And honestly? There are no hard rules.

Feeling Overwhelmed by All the Decks?

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the number of tarot decks out there, my advice is simple: start small.

You don’t need ten decks. You don’t even need two.

Start with one basic deck. Learn it. Sit with it. Get to know it.

Over time, your path naturally expands. You might discover artists you love and follow their work into new decks. Or you might come across other readers whose decks inspire you.

That’s exactly what happened to me.

At first, I kept things simple. Later, I found artists I loved and began collecting their work. Then I naturally expanded into exploring other styles as I was exposed to more readers and decks.

It unfolds organically and can actually be fun.

Do Expensive Decks Matter?

In my experience, price doesn’t determine connection.

Sometimes you might pay more for a deck simply because you deeply admire the artist or the artwork—but that doesn’t automatically make it a better tool for reading.

Connection is what matters, not cost. 

Common Mistake: Overthinking It

One of the biggest mistakes new readers make is overcomplicating the process.

There can be pressure online to find the “perfect” deck, or to follow certain rules—like needing to be gifted a deck (which I don’t believe is necessary at all).

Keep it simple.

Start with a basic deck. Learn the foundation. Then allow yourself to explore from there if tarot becomes something you truly enjoy. 

How to Actually Choose Your Deck

If someone asked me today how to choose their first tarot deck, I would say:

1. Start with a Rider-Waite style deck

2. Learn the basics of tarot

3. If you feel drawn deeper into tarot, explore other readers, artists, and styles

   
   

That’s it. Keep it simple.

After you’ve gotten to know the cards, you’ll also get a feel for what your style and vibe will be as a reader.  At that point, you’ll have more information to work with if you decide to branch out into other decks.

After you’ve gotten a feel for what lights you up, then by all means. If you want to take a peek at new decks, Amazon has plenty of decks that have reviews with photos, as well as reviews from new and experienced readers.

Prefer to put your hands on the deck before buying?  I know of one new age store that keeps a binder— the kind you might use for collecting trading cards — with displays of the individual cards of the decks they sell.

You’re sure to find plenty of beautiful options along the way.

But to start off, stick with the basics.

Final Thought

The tarot deck you use most will usually be the one that feels most like “home” to you.

Some people stay with one deck forever. Others explore many.

Both are completely valid.

Half the joy of tarot is in discovering what resonates with you over time—there is no single correct path, only the one that feels right for you.