'Best' starter deck?

I would try to keep the person's personality in mind when selecting a deck for them and also their age. I would definitely give something in the RWS tradition and the companion book if available. I would avoid something too dark for a first deck.

Traditonal Male: Morgan Greer Tarot

Sentimental Woman: Hanson Roberts

Teenage Girl: Tarot of the Magical Forest

Teenage boy: Pictorial Key Tarot

I will note that I like all these decks including the MF and HR--but I have used the Morgan Greer for reading more times than other decks.

Tomsde said:

I would try to keep the person's personality in mind when selecting a deck for them and also their age.

Teenage Girl: Tarot of the Magical Forest

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I just gave the teenage daughter of a friend my copy of the Deviant Moon. She hasn't connected with *any* of the other decks in her mother's, stepfather's or my collection - the DM was an instant hit with her. Having seen her reaction to some of my serious decks, I cannot even imagine the vast contempt she'd hold that one in <grin>. I can imagine her enjoying the Bohemian Gothic, too, but I didn't have a copy of that to give away.

I view the Deviant Moon as more surreal than particularly dark; but I wouldn't give it to someone who was a bit apprehenisve of Tarot. I'm glad that your neice connected to it; it's still basically a RWS derived deck. A good place to start.

I agree totally with Karen0205:

karen0205 said:

I would chose a RWS deck, that is always the one to start with in my opinion.
The meanings are clear and it's easy to learn. There are tons of books using it in the illustrations.
Once you know that deck, you can move on to most any other RWS based deck.

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It's true; so many books are based on this classic deck that while you're learning, it's easier just to work with the actual RWS.

However, I would also show anyone who really got serious all of my decks to see what they liked. I was just at a wedding and gave readings to my family members in the hotel afterwards. I had my Gilded with me and they all loved the colors and the look of it, so I'm thinking that if I were to give any of them a deck I would choose the Gilded for them.

I absolutely love Ciro's decks! But, I passed over suggesting the Gilded because it has 2 versions on regular bookstore shelves . . . even in Small Town USA. When the new friend goes looking for another deck, (s)he might very well be drawn to it there. The contrast is at its most stunning when you have only seen an older/classic deck.

for the sake of learning, i believe the rider waite deck is still the best, but i do agree that they are not very pleasing to the eyes. if i am very good with a friend, and i want to give her a starter deck, i would buy her a regular size illuminated tarot. at 52 dollars plus shipping, it is the best looking rider waite deck anywhere, at least in my opinion.

my very first deck was a da vinci enigma that i picked up from a borders for 3 dollars, and my second deck was the voyager tarot. can you guys imagine what kind of hellish time i had trying to break into those two decks with no prior tarot knowledge? it wasn't until my third deck, which was a bohemian cats that i got something that resembles a normal rider waite clone tarot deck.

The Robin Wood Tarot deck is supposed to be particularly suitable for beginners; not everyone likes the card illustrations, though.

Not everyone likes any deck. This is exactly why a person, especially a beginner, should choose their own - it's hard enough to learn in the first place, without making it doubly difficult by trying to learn off a deck that you don't enjoy looking at.

nisaba said:

Not everyone likes any deck. This is exactly why a person, especially a beginner, should choose their own - it's hard enough to learn in the first place, without making it doubly difficult by trying to learn off a deck that you don't enjoy looking at.

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Thanks for that, says she who finally got there with the BBC.... Horses for courses.

Soothsayer said:

The Robin Wood Tarot deck is supposed to be particularly suitable for beginners; not everyone likes the card illustrations, though.

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one reason i have yet to have a copy of the robin wood is that i hate its magician card.