The 7 Most Popular Tarot Decks Every Beginner Should Know
It’s an incredibly exciting moment when you decide to buy your first Tarot or Oracle deck, you're ready to tap into your intuition! But visiting the vibrant store DecksMarket can quickly turn that excitement into overwhelm. With hundreds of beautifully unique decks, how do you choose the right starting point? Do you go traditional, or modern? We've simplified the process by curating a list of the 7 best decks that provide the clearest, most supportive, and most accessible entry points to divination today. This selection is designed to minimize beginner confusion by covering classic foundations and practical, modern wisdom. For beginners, the fundamental distinction is key: Tarot always uses a fixed 78-card structure (Major and Minor Arcana), based on the universal RWS system. Learning this structure allows you to read any Tarot deck. Oracle decks, conversely, are flexible, focused on specific themes (like career or love), and deliver concise, direct messages. These seven decks offer the best of both worlds for a comprehensive start to your practice.
The Foundational Tarot Decks (RWS Core Adaptations)
The Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) system is the bedrock of nearly all modern Tarot. Learning it is crucial for long-term practice. These decks use the essential 78-card structure of the RWS system, which is vital for learning the core symbolism, but they elevate the imagery with unique, accessible aesthetics for easier visual connection. These foundational decks are among the most popular tarot decks for new readers, making it incredibly easy to find supportive learning resources, guidebooks, and community discussions online.
Deck 1: Black Gold Tarot Deck Set
This deck is the perfect compromise between honoring tradition and embracing modern luxury. Because it strictly follows the RWS traditional symbolism and card names, you can confidently use any classic RWS guidebook, blog, or course for accurate interpretation. The key difference lies in its stunning presentation: it is rendered in dramatic, high-contrast black and metallic gold foil. This finish doesn't just look expensive; it functionally highlights critical RWS details, such as the number of pentacles, the position of swords, and the robes worn by figures, making the classic symbols stand out clearly. The card material often has a unique, durable texture that feels substantial in the hand, making the deck ideal for frequent, daily shuffles. This stylish approach to the classic system ensures it remains one of the most popular tarot decks on the market, appealing to beginners who appreciate both structure and durability.
Deck 2: Colorful Neon Tarot Cards Deck
For the visual learner who is drawn to bold, electric energy, this deck is a vibrant gateway. It takes the established RWS scenes and uses simplified, high-impact neon colors and clean lines. This deliberate simplification removes the often-cluttered background details found in older decks, allowing the eye to focus instantly on the primary action and meaning of the card. This process of visual distillation turns the RWS visual mnemonics into instantly recognizable icons, making them incredibly easy to memorize and interpret without getting bogged down in complex or dated artistry. It’s an excellent choice for younger readers, those who are already accustomed to modern graphic design, or anyone who wants their readings to feel dynamic, high-energy, and modern rather than solemn or traditional. It’s also fantastic for creating engaging social media posts because the colors pop instantly on screen.
Themed and Modern Tarot (Ethereal & Self-Care Focus)
Not all great Tarot decks need to stick to the original coloring or heavy shading. This modern approach layers the RWS structure with new aesthetics, focusing heavily on emotional resonance and gentleness. This ethereal style is one of the trendiest popular tarot decks available today, reflecting a shift toward using divination primarily for self-care and mental wellness.
Deck 3: Daydream Tarot Cards Deck
The Daydream Tarot is known for its ethereal, gentle, and profoundly emotionally expressive style. While it maintains the entire 78-card RWS structure, the artwork typically features soft, almost mystical elements, characterized by muted pastels and subtle color gradients. This specific aesthetic has a powerful effect: it encourages an empathetic and nurturing approach to interpretation. By giving even the most challenging cards—like the Tower, the Ten of Swords, or Death—a dreamy, soft feel, the deck makes intimidating messages feel significantly less harsh. This encourages the reader to face difficult truths with compassion and promotes gentler self-analysis and profound self-reflection. It’s ideal for intuitive readers focused on using the cards for soothing self-care, inner child work, and deep emotional healing, all while securely learning the framework of the core RWS meanings.
Focused Oracle Decks (Direct & Practical Guidance)
If the initial commitment to learning 78 complex Tarot cards feels overwhelming, or if you simply need specific answers, Oracle cards are indispensable. They offer clear, specific messages without a fixed structure, serving as excellent standalone tools or complements to add clarity to your Tarot readings.
Card 4: Career Oracle Cards Deck
This set is a highly focused tool, dedicated exclusively to practical professional life, career direction, business purpose, and financial goal setting. Unlike the broad, often psychological advice given by the Tarot, this deck provides immediate, practical, and actionable guidance specifically for work-related questions. It helps the reader avoid the complex interpretation needed to relate a general Tarot card (like the Six of Swords) to a modern career dilemma. It focuses on specific career archetypes, business phases (launch, promotion, restructuring), and financial insights. It’s an easy, efficient go-to for setting a professional intention each morning or for getting quick clarity during a job search.
Card 5: OH HELL NAH Love Oracle Cards
Sometimes, in the chaos of a complicated relationship, you just need the cold, hard truth without any fluff, euphemisms, or ambiguity. This deck is dedicated to providing brutally honest, clear, and direct insight into confusing love and partnership situations. It intentionally uses straightforward, no-nonsense, and often humorous language ("Run!", "Ghosting," "Not Your Person") to instantly cut through emotional ambiguity. This pragmatic approach appeals strongly to readers who are tired of vague, traditional love messages and want direct, actionable instructions or a necessary, humorous wake-up call in matters of the heart. It’s perfect for readers seeking grounded clarity and a dose of reality.
Card 6: Higher Self Messages Oracle Deck
This deck is specifically designed for deep meditative and spiritual work, focusing on your soul’s growth and highest potential. It helps you connect directly with your innate inner wisdom, bypassing the ego's interference. The messages provide concise guidance on spiritual blockages, alignment, and discovering your personal mission and soul paths. It is an invaluable tool for dedicated self-discovery, helping to illuminate areas requiring shadow work, promoting vibrational ascension, and providing clarity on your overarching purpose beyond the immediate concerns of daily life.
Card 7: Angel's Wisdom Oracle Cards Deck
For those seeking profound comfort, reassurance, and guidance from a place of high vibration, this deck is a beautiful entry point. It appeals to readers looking for supportive, protective, and spiritually uplifting messages derived from angel guidance or universal benevolence. Each card offers clear, positive affirmation and a sense of divine assistance, making it a gentle and comforting tool. This deck is particularly helpful for managing anxiety, calming decision fatigue, and providing a sense of persistent, gentle support throughout the potentially overwhelming learning journey of divination.
Choosing Your Deck & Next Steps
Ultimately, remember that the most popular deck isn't always your best deck. The one that draws you in visually, the one whose box you keep picking up, and the one that feels good in your hands, is the right choice. Trusting your intuition when buying a deck is the first, most important step in learning how to trust it during a reading. However, starting with a well-regarded tool makes the initial learning curve much smoother.
Tip 1: Prioritize the Guidebook. Always choose a deck (Tarot or Oracle) that comes with a detailed, printed guidebook to aid immediate understanding. This book often includes the artist's intent, specific keywords, suggested spreads, and unique meanings that aren't available in standard RWS resources. This is crucial whether you are selecting from the most popular tarot decks or specialized Oracle cards.
Tip 2: Build a Bond. Your deck is an energetic tool. Practice simple connection rituals to build a bond. This includes shuffling the cards daily, storing them near something meaningful to you, or holding the deck in your hands while meditating to infuse them with your energy. You may also cleanse the deck periodically using smoke (incense or palo santo), sound (a bell or singing bowl), or simply tapping the deck three times to clear any stagnant energy.
Tip 3: Start Simple. Commit to a simple one-card daily pull for practice. For an Oracle deck, ask a direct question like, "What is my professional focus today?" For a Tarot deck, focus on understanding the RWS meaning of the card you draw and observe how that theme (e.g., the challenge of the Five of Swords) plays out in your day. This consistent practice is the fastest way to build intuitive muscle memory.
🔗 More Tutorials: