Pros and Cons Thread Enabling+De-enabling

Chronata

I do enjoy both the individual Enabling (lot's of gushing!) and the De-enabling (sarcastic and funny) threads...but I think it helps to have a thread that we can ask for a balanced opinion as well.
I would like this to be the Pros and Cons of a deck in question...what you like about it AND what you don't like about it... all in one place.

You can be silly, but I think it's also good to have some serious opinions as well.

For those of us that want a quick snapshot of a specific deck, without having to read through pages and pages of a popular deck thread, just to get to the meat!
 

Chronata

Prairie tarot and Wizards tarot

There are two that I want to purchase right now...but I am wavering.

Can someone tell me both the pros and cons to working with the Wizard's tarot?

and also the good and the bad and the ugly about the Prairie Tarot?
 

Le Fanu

Wizards (I know nothing about the Prairie)

Wizards I was on the fence for ages and eventually bought it last month.

(hey, great idea for a thread! ;))

Good points; rich colours, bog-standard, rock solid RWS deck you can read with your eyes closed. Nothing to stretch you. I always think it would be useful when you're feeling a bit under the weather and someone asks for a reading and you can't be bothered and this deck is so easy and doesn't require brain power of any sort.

Nice slippery cardstock (which some don't like), great colours, naff Wizard Harry Potter knock-off feel which can actually be overlooked.

It is the first deck that has CGI figures that don't look like glazed over, pouting, blow-up dolls like the Elves deck. I quite like the artwork.

But in short, it's a very readable deck. Veering towards the very empty...

And, just to add; I haven't read with mine once! :D But there is something attractive and magical about it. I like the lapis lazuli coloured borders & backs. Just hide the book and the title when people come round.

(did I enter into the spirit of the thread? :))
 

Laura Borealis

There are two that I want to purchase right now...but I am wavering.

Can someone tell me both the pros and cons to working with the Wizard's tarot?

and also the good and the bad and the ugly about the Prairie Tarot?

I have the Prairie Tarot. I really like it. Beautiful art -- you've seen Robin's scans on Flickr, I assume. If you like those, it's just as attractive in person. The colors are bright and saturated -- there is nothing subtle about the color. The cardstock is fine. Not too flimsy and not too stiff. They're glossy but not overly slippery. The box has a lift-off style lid that fits snugly but not too snugly.

The black borders do chip a bit at the edges. I haven't used mine much, and it already has some white showing. It's not that noticeable yet, and it won't bother me, but it might bother some folks.

It's an interpretation of the RWS, of course. I think some cards are a little... uninspired, maybe? Some seem to just update Pixie's figures with Western outfits. Some of the courts in particular are rather bland. It could be argued that some symbolism is lost, as with any re-imagining of the Waite deck.

But other cards interpret the original in a very interesting way. One of my favorites is Temperance. The angel becomes an apothecary, clad in white, at work in a bright clean pharmacy. The red liquid that he's pouring into a funnel turns blue as it drips into the beaker below. The bottles behind him carry simple visual symbols: a rainbow, a mountain peak with a sun, flowers, a crown. And the window behind him is surmounted with three colored triangles in stained glass. I just love this card!
 

Chronata

Wizards I was on the fence for ages and eventually bought it last month.

(hey, great idea for a thread! ;))

Good points; rich colours, bog-standard, rock solid RWS deck you can read with your eyes closed. Nothing to stretch you. I always think it would be useful when you're feeling a bit under the weather and someone asks for a reading and you can't be bothered and this deck is so easy and doesn't require brain power of any sort.

Nice slippery cardstock (which some don't like), great colours, naff Wizard Harry Potter knock-off feel which can actually be overlooked.

It is the first deck that has CGI figures that don't look like glazed over, pouting, blow-up dolls like the Elves deck. I quite like the artwork.

But in short, it's a very readable deck. Veering towards the very empty...

And, just to add; I haven't read with mine once! :D But there is something attractive and magical about it. I like the lapis lazuli coloured borders & backs. Just hide the book and the title when people come round.

(did I enter into the spirit of the thread? :))

Thanks Le fanu! This is exactly what I needed!
I don't really go much for CGI usually, but I am running a school for wizards at the Ren faire this year, and I thought this might be a nice fun deck to use there. Actually the knock-off Harry potter thing is a plus, since that's what I am doing too! :D
And nice to know that it's heavily RWS, and can be one of those jump right in without study kinda decks!
Thanks!
 

Bhavana

the Prairie tarot may not be for everyone - and it certainly is an "American" deck (North American, anyway, to me)....but I love it. It speaks to my inner cowgirl. I don't have it yet, but do plan on getting it.

Wizard I have passed on many times. Frankly, I am bored with the theme. And I never liked the whole Harry Potter thing. I don't like the photographed look of the people. I don't like the computer art. I don't like decks that change all the names around - one or two changes, fine, but most of the deck? No. I really can't think of anything good to say about it...except that it's easy to find.
 

Chronata

I have the Prairie Tarot. I really like it. Beautiful art -- you've seen Robin's scans on Flickr, I assume. If you like those, it's just as attractive in person. The colors are bright and saturated -- there is nothing subtle about the color. The cardstock is fine. Not too flimsy and not too stiff. They're glossy but not overly slippery. The box has a lift-off style lid that fits snugly but not too snugly.

The black borders do chip a bit at the edges. I haven't used mine much, and it already has some white showing. It's not that noticeable yet, and it won't bother me, but it might bother some folks.

It's an interpretation of the RWS, of course. I think some cards are a little... uninspired, maybe? Some seem to just update Pixie's figures with Western outfits. Some of the courts in particular are rather bland. It could be argued that some symbolism is lost, as with any re-imagining of the Waite deck.

But other cards interpret the original in a very interesting way. One of my favorites is Temperance. The angel becomes an apothecary, clad in white, at work in a bright clean pharmacy. The red liquid that he's pouring into a funnel turns blue as it drips into the beaker below. The bottles behind him carry simple visual symbols: a rainbow, a mountain peak with a sun, flowers, a crown. And the window behind him is surmounted with three colored triangles in stained glass. I just love this card!

Wow...sounds like this may be a winner for me too. Another deck I want to use at events (I do a wild west medicine show in the fall) But for some reason, I keep talking myself out of getting this one.

It's good to hear about some of the possible cons too...although I don't think the black chipping with be bad for me, because the more roughed up, the more authentic it looks!

I really don't have much problem with uninspired RWS stuff either, because like the wizards, I like a deck I don't have to study, and can just start using for the public right away.

Thanks again!
 

vee

William Blake Tarot of the Creative Imagination, anyone?
 

Cassandra022

I'll try this new thread out as well. PCS Commemorative - comments?

(For reference, the closest thing I have to a 'true' RWS right now is like, nusantara or pagan cats lol.)
 

Chiska

William Blake Tarot (revised)

William Blake Tarot of the Creative Imagination, anyone?

Is this the Revised edition? If so...

Pros: The deck is very well thought out and the creator knows Blake. Seriously, this is a huge "pro." Also, Mr Buryn made the book freely available in pdf form.

It is very readable - but one may have to stretch one's intuition a bit. If a reader is "married" to the RWS system, it might be difficult to work with.

Cons: The cards stock is scarey thin - but not strong. Some people mentioned having printing issues (cards off center, etc.). My deck was perfect, but I thought I'd mention it.

The suit names might be a bit confusing at first, but reading the book helps.