Dragon Age Tarot

Shade

There have been a few video games of late that have come with Tarot or Oracle decks as a part of a collectors edition. Fable had its Fate cards, the steampunk assassin game Dishonored had its own deck: http://bit.ly/155FDYs and now the high fantasy Dragon Age series has one as a part of the recent Dragon Age: Inquisition.

A few images of the cards: http://i61.tinypic.com/1jkuti.jpg

First off: all listings of this deck say that it contains 72 cards. I couldn't find anything to let me know which cards were missing and when I opened my copy I was relieved to discover that, lo and behold, there were 78 cards in the deck. I was thrilled because that's a LOT of money to shell out for an "incomplete" deck.

The cards depict the characters and plotline of the game (I have yet to play it, though I played the first two in the series). What if you haven't played the games? Can you read with them?

Aside from the Major Arcana, most of the art is completely non-traditional and is likely composed of concept art from the game. The suit of cups is mostly warriors in red and black, the suit of staves depicts beings from the spirit world known as The Fade. This is not a Rider Waite amalgam. can you just read them "as you see them?" Yes but you will probably need to adjust for the dark and conflicted mood of the deck's universe.

In keeping with the world of the game series, the art The art is dark and visceral. This trailer from the first game will give you an idea. http://bit.ly/1J9PN7Y

How many decks get trailers? Here is one for the installment this deck is based on: http://bit.ly/1BBBH0t

As a fan of the series, I had to have one and I have no buyers remorse. The artwork reminds me of the Frank Frazetta art used for the old Conan covers. The cardstock is thick and slick.

My favorite cards:

The Queen of Staves (The sultry Witch of the Wilds, Morrigan): http://bit.ly/1C5G9mx

The Page of Cups (the dashing gay mage, Dorian): http://bit.ly/1yFjc7j

The High Priestess (courtly Enchantress, Vivienne): http://bit.ly/1KYW6yO

What do others think of this offering?
 

rwcarter

The cards are borderless and without titles? I'm guessing the deck isn't available separately (at least until folks start dumping them on eBay), so one has to buy the video game to acquire one?
 

Shade

The cards are borderless and without titles? I'm guessing the deck isn't available separately (at least until folks start dumping them on eBay), so one has to buy the video game to acquire one?

Actually they do have titles, sorry I didn't realize all the images I shared were title-free. majors are titled at the bottom and minors have a title at the bottom along witha number or letter in an outline of teh suit icon (a Q in a white cup for the queen of cups) here is an image that shows the titles: http://bit.ly/1Cyu0V8

Unfortunately, I don't think it will be created as a separate deck, at least not for a while. However, a 52 card playing card deck is being created using, what looks like teh suit images from the tarot: http://www.darkhorse.com/Products/27-884/Dragon-Age-Inquisition-Playing-Cards

If you read playing cards, that is an option.
 

daphne

Where can we order this deck, I like the cards here shown.
 

Laura Borealis

Wait, so it's a physical deck? I'd seen cards but assumed, from context, that they were in-game art.


Edited - Answered my own question, yes there is an actual deck (AND they are in-game art too). Saw some on eBay. Too high for me :)

Here's a gallery with more cards: http://imgur.com/a/oI1W8
 

daphne

Wait, so it's a physical deck? I'd seen cards but assumed, from context, that they were in-game art.


Edited - Answered my own question, yes there is an actual deck (AND they are in-game art too). Saw some on eBay. Too high for me :)

Here's a gallery with more cards: http://imgur.com/a/oI1W8

Thanks! Good I saw more cards, there are some I really dont like them. Not for me, after all.
 

adrilem

I am a huge fan of the Dragon Age games. I missed purchasing the Inquisitor's Edition of the latest game which is the set that the tarot cards came in, so unfortunately I had to find a marked up deck on Ebay. I was finally able to find a reasonably priced one this past weekend!

All of the artwork I have seen so far is amazing and the characters do seem to 'make sense' for the chosen cards. My deck will be shipping from Australia so I probably won't have it until around Labor Day but I am so eager to mess around with it. I have a feeling it will be readable without too much reaching for meaning.

Since this thread is from January, I wonder if any other users have obtained the deck recently or if Shade is still enjoying it. Hope to be able to share my excitement with some of y'all! :D
 

Shade

I really like the deck; I am about 45 hours into the game (that is not a typo) and there is a lot of Tarot-like imagery in it.

I would say it has a really great Major Arcana, very nice courts, and the minors aren't really readable. Sure you can have one of those stretch-your-mind tarot out-of-the-box experiences and just do your very best to inhabit the world of Thedas to read with them but if you have techniques that only make use of the majors and courts I would use it for those.
 

Tigerangel

I really love Dragon age, have played the Dragon age from the first ever release, I had no idea they brought out a tarot deck!! I'm a bit confused about if this deck is available to buy? or if it's a one off thing?