## Why Your First Deck Matters
The tarot deck you begin with shapes your entire early relationship with the practice. A deck whose imagery resonates with you will make learning feel effortless and inspiring. A deck that feels cold, confusing, or misaligned with your aesthetic sensibility will create friction at every step — not insurmountable, but unnecessary.
The good news: there is no universally "correct" first deck. There are, however, principles that will guide you toward the deck that is right for you specifically.
This guide covers everything you need to know — from the practical (what features to look for) to the philosophical (should you buy your own deck or wait to receive one as a gift?).
## The Myth You Can Ignore: "You Must Receive a Deck as a Gift"
Let's begin by clearing away the most persistent piece of tarot mythology: the idea that you cannot buy your own deck — that it must be given to you.
This is a charming tradition with no genuine esoteric basis. It emerged, most likely, as a way of marking tarot as sacred rather than commercial. The underlying intention is beautiful: treat your deck as a significant object, not a casual purchase.
But waiting for someone to gift you a deck you may not connect with is counterproductive. Your first deck should be a conscious, intentional choice. Buy it yourself. Choose something that genuinely calls to you. Honor the purchase by approaching it with care and intention.
## Essential Features to Look For in a First Deck
### 1. Fully Illustrated Minor Arcana
This is the single most important criterion for beginners: every card in the deck should have a distinct, narrative scene depicted on it — including the Minor Arcana (Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles).
Some historical decks (particularly those based on the Tarot de Marseille tradition) use pip-only cards for the Minor Arcana: the Four of Cups shows four cups arranged in a pattern, with no human figures or story scene. These decks are beautiful and have their own depth — but they require memorizing meanings without visual cues, which makes them significantly harder for beginners.
Fully illustrated Minor Arcana (pioneered by the Rider-Waite-Smith deck in 1909) give you a visual story on every card, making intuitive reading far more accessible.
### 2. Imagery That Speaks to You
This sounds obvious but is easily overlooked: do you actually like looking at these cards?
You will spend dozens, possibly hundreds, of hours gazing at your deck's imagery. The art style should feel welcoming, not alienating. The color palette should feel harmonious to your eye. The figures and symbols should suggest meaning when you look at them, not leave you cold.
Browse deck images carefully before purchasing. Most reputable tarot deck sellers provide full card scans for every deck they carry.
### 3. Card Stock and Size
Card stock: You want cards that are sturdy enough to shuffle repeatedly without bending or creasing, but flexible enough to riffle or overhand shuffle easily. Very thick, laminated card stock can feel satisfying to hold but difficult to shuffle. Very thin card stock may develop creases quickly.
Card size: Standard tarot cards measure approximately 2.75" × 4.75". Some decks come in "mini" versions (easier to shuffle and carry) or "grand" versions (larger, allowing more detail but harder to handle). For your first deck, standard size is generally most practical.
### 4. An Included Guidebook
Almost every tarot deck includes a small booklet (Little White Book, or LWB) with basic card meanings. A good first deck will either come with a substantial guidebook or have an independently published companion book available.
The Rider-Waite-Smith deck, for example, has hundreds of associated books. The Modern Witch Tarot has its own beautifully produced companion guide. Having written guidance available as you learn is genuinely helpful.
## The Best Tarot Decks for Beginners
### 1. Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) — The Classic Standard
Creator: Arthur Edward Waite (concept) and Pamela Colman Smith (art), 1909.
Why it's excellent for beginners: The RWS deck is the foundation of modern English-language tarot. Its symbolism has become the reference point for virtually all contemporary decks and guidebooks. Learning on RWS means that 90% of tarot instruction material — books, websites, courses, apps — will speak directly to the imagery you're working with.
The art style is somewhat dated (Edwardian watercolor illustration), and the depictions of people have been criticized for lack of diversity. For some learners, this creates genuine distance; for others, the historical aesthetic is part of the appeal.
Best for: Those who want a "textbook" foundation and plan to use mainstream tarot resources extensively.
### 2. Modern Witch Tarot — RWS Redesigned
Why it's excellent for beginners: This deck takes the Rider-Waite-Smith compositions and imagery almost exactly — maintaining all the symbolic elements that make RWS so useful for learning — but redraws every figure as a modern, diverse, contemporary woman. The result is an RWS deck that feels current and inclusive.
If the original RWS art style creates distance for you but you want the symbolic foundation it offers, the Modern Witch Tarot is the ideal bridge.
### 3. Light Seer's Tarot — Inclusive and Intuitive
Creator: Chris-Anne.
Why it's excellent for beginners: Fully illustrated, diverse, and using a loose-but-consistent relationship to traditional Waite-Smith symbolism. The Light Seer's Tarot is widely beloved for its warmth — the figures feel genuinely human, in all their complexity and variety. The companion book is excellent.
Best for: Those who want modern imagery and emotional warmth from day one.
### 4. Everyday Tarot — Small, Accessible, Minimalist
Creator: Brigit Esselmont (of Biddy Tarot).
Why it's excellent for beginners: Compact, illustrated, clean-lined. Designed explicitly with beginners in mind. Comes with a highly practical companion guide written from a modern, practical perspective.
Best for: Those who want a portable, no-frills starting point.
### 5. Wild Unknown Tarot — For the Nature-Inclined
Creator: Kim Krans.
Why it works: This deck uses animals and natural imagery rather than human figures. Some purists argue it is "harder" for beginners — and in the sense that it diverges from traditional symbolism, this is true. But for people who deeply resonate with nature imagery and find human-figure decks alienating, the Wild Unknown can actually be more intuitive.
Best for: People who feel a strong pull toward animal and nature symbolism.
## Decks to Avoid for Your Very First Deck
While no deck is "wrong," some are better suited to experienced readers:
- Thoth Tarot: Aleister Crowley's deeply esoteric system. Powerful but requires significant background in Kabbalah and Golden Dawn tradition. Not beginner-friendly. - Tarot de Marseille: The pip-based Minor Arcana makes it harder for beginners. Better as a second or third deck. - Art decks with minimal symbolism: Beautiful to look at, difficult to read without substantial prior knowledge.
## How to Build a Relationship With Your New Deck
### The Unpacking Ritual
When your deck arrives, take a few minutes to handle it intentionally before you begin any readings. Sit quietly, shuffle through the cards slowly, and look at each image. Let the deck "meet" you. This is not superstition — it is simply slowing down enough to begin forming a genuine connection with the imagery.
### The Daily Pull
The single best way to learn your first deck is to draw one card every morning. Study the image. Write a few sentences in a journal about what you notice. At the end of the day, note how the card's energy showed up in your experience.
After three months of this practice, you will know your deck far more intimately than any memorization exercise could achieve. Try our [daily card of the day feature](/reading/card-of-day) to support your practice and see interpretations that deepen your understanding.
### Give It Time
Do not rush to read for others until you have spent significant time reading for yourself. Self-readings are where you build confidence and develop your interpretive voice. The natural pressure of reading for others too soon can make you doubt your instincts before they have had time to mature.
## One Last Thought
Your first tarot deck does not have to be your forever deck. Many readers cycle through multiple decks throughout their lives, finding different allies for different seasons of their journey. The deck you begin with is a teacher — respect it, learn from it, and know that when the time comes for a new teacher, the transition is natural.
Browse our [tarot card encyclopedia](/cards) to see how different decks interpret the same cards — a powerful way to deepen your understanding of the imagery regardless of which deck you choose. Your tarot practice begins with a single card. The rest will follow.