First Impressions

I loved this deck straight away. As someone who’s covered in tattoos as soon as I opened it, I knew I was going to love it. What stood out straight away was the artwork. It’s bold, really clean, and everything feels intentional. Nothing looks overworked or cluttered. It just gets straight to the point. And because it follows the structure of the Rider–Waite Tarot deck, it’s instantly familiar.

You’re not trying to figure out what anything means or how the system works. You can pick it up and read with it straight away, it just looks different. That’s probably what I liked most about it at first. It doesn’t try to reinvent tarot or make things more complicated than they need to be. It just takes something that already works… and presents it in a much cleaner, more stripped-back way. And flicking through it, everything felt consistent. No cards felt out of place, no weird style changes, it all just fits.

It gave me that feeling of I could actually use it straight away rather than needing time to adjust to it.

Theme & Overall Feel

The idea behind this deck is simple, but it’s done so well. It’s tarot through the lens of traditional tattoo art, and it really stays true to that You’ve got that classic tattoo look running through everything:

• Bold, confident linework
• A limited colour palette that repeats across the deck
• Strong, central imagery instead of busy scenes

And what I like is that it doesn’t try to mix styles or soften itself to appeal to everyone. It commits to that look fully. Because of that, the deck feels really cohesive when you’re using it. You don’t get pulled out of the reading by a card that feels different or out of place. Everything sits in the same world. It gives the whole deck a kind of identity that a lot of decks don’t quite manage, where you can recognize a card from it instantly without even seeing the name.

The Artwork

The artwork is what pulls you in, again, I absolutely love the artwork, but one important thing to note is that when it moves the Minor Arcana, if you don’t already know what they all mean then it can be confusing. Saying that the major arcana are where it really stands out. They’ve taken the Rider–Waite Tarot deck structure and given it a proper visual upgrade. The cards feel bold, clear, and actually memorable. You can look at them and something sticks.

They’ve got a bit more personality to them. But then you get into the minor arcana, and it drops off a bit. It’s basically:

one coin, two coins, three coins…

and that’s it. No real scene, no interaction, nothing extra to work with visually. And that’s where it starts to feel like it’s just following Rider–Waite without adding much to it. You still know what the card means, because you already know the system, but the image itself isn’t doing much to help you. It’s not giving you anything new to react to.

Reading With It

This deck works best if you already know the Rider–Waite Tarot deck. I’d actually go further than that, I’d say it’s pretty much essential. Because the deck follows that structure closely, but it doesn’t give you much extra to work with visually, especially in the Minor Arcana. So when you pull a card, you’re not really reading the image in the same way you would with Rider–Waite. You’re recognizing the card, then applying what you already know. If you’ve got that foundation, it’s easy. You can pick it up and just read without thinking about it too much.

But if you don’t… there’s not a lot there to guide you. The card isn’t showing you a full situation. It’s not giving you those visual cues like body language, expressions, or interactions. It’s more like:

you should already know what this means.

It doesn’t make the deck worse, it just changes who it’s for. This isn’t a deck that teaches you tarot. It’s a deck you use once you already know tarot. And if you go into it with that expectation, it works a lot better.

What I Like About This Deck

The Major Arcana Actually Feel Worth Using

This is the part of the deck that genuinely stands out. The majors follow the Rider–Waite Tarot deck closely, but they don’t feel like a lazy copy. They’ve taken the structure and made it cleaner and sharper.

You can still recognise every card straight away, but the way it’s presented feels more direct. There’s no excess detail, nothing fighting for your attention. You look at the card and the meaning lands immediately.

It’s Easy to Pick Up and Actually Use

This is one of those decks where you don’t need a warm-up period. If you know Rider–Waite, you can open it and start reading straight away. There’s no moment of “how does this deck interpret this card?” or “what’s different here?”

It just works.

And that’s a big deal, because a lot of decks try to be too clever and end up slowing you down. This doesn’t. It fits straight into how you already read.

The Artwork Is Clean in a Way That Helps, Not Hurts

The simplicity of the artwork actually works in its favour. It’s not simple because it lacks effort, it’s simple because it’s been stripped back properly.

There’s nothing in the image that doesn’t need to be there. So when you’re reading, your attention goes straight to the main idea of the card. You’re not getting pulled into background details or trying to interpret loads of small elements.

It keeps things focused. And that makes readings feel more direct.

The Whole Deck Feels Consistent

This is something you notice more the longer you use it. Every card feels like it belongs. Same linework, same colour palette, same overall style. You don’t get that drop-off where some cards feel stronger than others. And I found with this level of consistency, the deck really helped you feel like you could trust it, like it wasn’t going to throw a curveball in.

You’re not second-guessing what you’re looking at or wondering why something feels off.

It Doesn’t Overcomplicate Anything

This deck doesn’t try to reinvent tarot. It doesn’t add layers that don’t need to be there. It takes a system that already works and presents it in a cleaner way. And because of that, it’s actually easy to keep coming back to. You’re not using it because it’s “interesting” or “different.” You’re using it because you know you can rely on it

It Works Well as a No-Nonsense Reading Deck

This is the kind of deck you reach for when you just want to read without thinking about the deck itself.You’re not analysing the artwork. You’re not trying to interpret something new. You’re just reading. And that’s actually quite rare. A lot of decks demand attention. This one gets out of the way and lets you focus on the reading.

I Actually Really Like the Box It Comes In

This is a small thing, but I do rate the box it comes in.

It looks good, it feels solid, and it actually feels like it’ll keep the cards safe. It’s not flimsy or something that’s going to fall apart after a bit of use. You can tell it’s made to last. And it fits the deck properly as well, so everything just sits how it should.

It just feels like a proper, finished product rather than something they didn’t really think about.

What I Didn’t Like About The Deck

The Minor Arcana Are Basically Pip Cards

This is the biggest issue for me. The minors are done in a pip style, more like a Marseille deck than the Rider–Waite Tarot deck. So instead of actual scenes, I’m just looking at repeated symbols.

Cups, coins, swords, wands… however many the number is, that’s what’s on the card. And that’s it. There’s nothing happening in the image for me to work with.

It Feels Like a Step Back from Rider–Waite

Because it follows Rider–Waite meanings, you expect that same level of visual storytelling. But you don’t get it. With Rider–Waite, you can look at a card and immediately see what’s going on. Here, especially in the minors, that layer is gone. So instead of gaining something new, it feels like you’re losing something that was already working.

You’re Not Really Reading the Card, You’re Remembering It

This is where it changes the experience. With a lot of decks, you look at the card and react to what you see. With this, it’s more like:

I know what this card means… and then you apply it. The image itself isn’t doing much.

It’s not giving you anything to build from or bounce off. And that makes the reading feel different, more like recall than interpretation.

It Only Works If You Already Know Tarot

This deck doesn’t teach you anything. It assumes you already know what every card means. Because when the minors are that stripped back, there’s not enough there to guide you. So if you’re newer, you’ll feel a bit lost. It looks simple on the surface, but it actually relies on you knowing more, not less.

It Sits in an Awkward Middle Ground

This is something that started to bother me the more I used it. It follows Rider–Waite… but the minors behave like a pip deck. So I’m not getting the full illustrated scenes I’d expect…

but I’m also not getting the full symbolic freedom of a Marseille deck either. It just sits in between, and for me that doesn’t fully work.

You don’t get:

• the detailed scenes of Rider–Waite
• or the fully symbolic, intuitive freedom of Marseille

The Minors Don’t Add Anything Extra

I know I keep coming back to this, but this is probably the simplest way I can put it. They look fine. But they don’t give me anything extra. No different angle, no added feeling, nothing that changes how I see the card.

I already know what it means, and the image isn’t adding to that.

The Majors Carry the Deck

The difference between majors and minors is really obvious to me. The majors feel strong. I can actually sit with them and get something from them. Then I move into the minors and it drops off. It feels like the deck is relying heavily on the majors to carry the experience.

It Can Start to Feel Repetitive

Because the minors don’t give you much visually, readings can start to feel a bit samey. You’re not discovering anything new in the card. You’re just applying meanings you already know.Some people will be fine with that. But if you like reacting to the image, it can feel like something’s missing.

It Looks Beginner-Friendly… But Isn’t

It looks like a simple, easy deck. But in practice, it’s the opposite. Because the imagery is so stripped back, you don’t get much guidance from the cards themselves. So unless you already know what you’re doing, it’s actually harder to use.

Is This a Good Deck for Beginners?

I wouldn’t recommend this as a first deck It looks beginner-friendly. It’s clean, simple, not overwhelming. But when you actually use it, it expects more from you, not less.

And the big issue with it is the minor Arcana. They’re done in that pip style, so you’re not getting scenes, people, or situations you can read from. You’re just seeing the symbols. And if you don’t already know what the card means, there’s not much there to help you.

When I use this deck, I’m not learning from it, I’m recognizing the card and applying what I already know. And you’ll have to keep going back to the guidebook to get the answers. Which is fine, except the guidebook only applies to this deck, you might as well use an RWS deck which can then be applied to a lot of other decks.

That’s why, for me, this isn’t a beginner deck. It’s a deck you use once you already know tarot. If you’re just starting out, you’re much better off with something that actually shows you what’s going on in the card.

Something like the Rider–Waite Tarot deck… or honestly, a beginner-focused deck like my Star & Strength Beginner Deck, where the meanings are clear on the cards themselves.

That way you’re actually learning as you go, instead of having to memorise everything separately. If I had to sum it up simply:

It looks simple… but it doesn’t teach you. And that’s the difference.

The Guidebook, Spreads & How It Feels to Handle

The guidebook sits somewhere in the middle for me. It’s not bad… but it’s not something I rely on heavily either.

The meanings are quite sparse. You’ll get the general idea of the card, but it doesn’t really go deep or give you much to build from. It feels more like a quick reference than something that’s going to actually teach you or guide a reading.

So if you’re someone who leans on the guidebook a lot, you might find yourself wanting more. Which isn’t great, when the cards need a basic knowledge of the Rider Waite to really understand them. That said, I did like that it includes a few tarot spreads.

That’s a nice touch, especially if you’re the kind of person who sometimes sits there thinking, “what spread should I even do?” It just gives you a starting point without overcomplicating it.

Now, one thing I did notice pretty quickly… The cards themselves are quite stiff.

Shuffling them isn’t the smoothest experience, especially at the start. They don’t have that flexible, worn-in feel straight away. It’s more of a case of having to break them in a bit before they start to feel natural in your hands.

It’s not a dealbreaker, but it is something you notice, especially if you’re used to decks that shuffle easily right out of the box.

Final Thoughts

With all that being said, I really like this deck. It’s one of those decks that just works, as long as you know what you’re doing. The majors are strong, the artwork is clean, and it’s easy to pick up and use without thinking about it too much.

But the trade-off is clear. The minors don’t give you much, and you’re relying on your own knowledge more than the cards themselves.

For me, that’s not a problem. I already know Rider–Waite, so I don’t need the deck to explain anything to me. If anything, I prefer how stripped back this is.And I’d actually use this over the Rider–Waite Tarot deck. Not just in theory, I do.

Because I don’t need the extra detail anymore, and this just feels quicker and easier to read with. But if you’re still learning, or you rely on the imagery to guide your readings, this probably isn’t the right deck for you.