Why go beyond a classic tarot deck like the Smith-Rider-Waite, the Marseilles or Thoth? What makes you buy a tarot deck? Talk to folks who have been reading tarot for a while, and they’ll all talk about the desire to find a deck that speaks to them. What makes a deck speak to a reader? It could be that they are not cis, white, thin or able-bodied and long for a deck that represents them (Asali Earthwork maintains a wonderful list of inclusive decks at Tarot of the QTPOC). They could want a deck around a certain theme, like crows or cats or Halloween. Or, they could just find That One Card, and that’s it.
The Hierophant (Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress) from the Fifth Spirit Tarot
The last is how I’ve purchased quite a few tarot decks over the years. When Charlie Claire Burgess first showed pictures of their Fifth Spirit Tarot a few years ago, one of the teaser cards was The Hierophant featuring Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress. As a librarian myself, I loved this positive reimagining of the Hierophant and knew that no matter what the other cards looked like, I would buy this deck.
Knight of Swords, Vindur Deck
The Vindur Deck is another deck I bought because of That One Card: the Knight of Swords. My style is definitely not monochrome, art deco, or minimalist, but when I saw the Knight of Swords and the strong “I’m outta here can’t stop got important stuff to do” energy of this card, it was another instant purchase. Never before have I seen such a powerful, yet simple representation of the Knight of Swords. I learned so much, and have such a different and deeper understanding of this card, because of this deck.
Knight of Pentacles, Tarot of the Magical Forest
I love the slightly panicked expression on the boar, and the frightened yet determined look of the fox in the Knight of Pentacles in the Tarot of the Magical Forest. This deck is an RWS clone that has sweet, cartoon big-eyed animals wearing quasi-Renaissance garb, living in the titular Magical Forest. The eyes drew me into this “novelty” deck.
Page of Cups, Dreaming Way Tarot
My final That One Card comes from the Dreaming Way tarot. Everything you need to know about this soft dreamlike deck by Kwon Shina and Rome Choi you can find by looking at the Page of Cups. The pastel background, the dress that looks like it was made from grandma’s old sheets, the teacup precariously tied to her head - perfection! Until this card, I’ve never had the desire to cosplay a tarot card before.
What has been That One Card for you? What decks have you instantly purchased after seeing just one image? What have you learned from those decks?