I think I deserve a new deck. Suggestions?

[archimedes]

In honor of returning to Tarot, I think I might treat myself to a new deck. How to choose!? I tend to 'play it safe' so there's a risk I'll end up with something that is almost a clone of one I already own. I love the Touchstone, but would I want the Golden? I bought the Celestial a while back because I love the Spiral by the same artist, but it's not resonating with me. It'd be nice to find one that will be well suited to helping me get back on a more spiritual path. I'd somewhat like something witchy, but the ones I find attractive tend to also be a bit too comicbookish for serious readings.

What would you suggest with the following criteria:

RWS (though, I don't own a Thoth and maybe should?)
Fairly close to standard RWS - i.e. readable without much additional specialist knowledge, and not missing any key symbolism
Not too weird/ugly/surreal/disturbing
In print/affordable

[Charlie Brown]

Pagan Otherworlds?

[litefoot13]

This is gonna perhaps come from out of nowhere, but I'm gonna throw it out there. x3

The Cat Tarot is one I've gotten only recently and haven't spent much time with, but fits a number of things on your list, as far as I can tell.
The art is lighthearted without being straight up cartoony, it follows the RWS cards quite well as far as I've seen so far (perhaps simplified a bit is all), it is most certainly affordable, and what's more witchy than a whole herd of cats dancing around through your deck?

All right, I might be being silly in my writing (which I partly blame on it being past 1AM right now! Good lord, me, you should be asleep by now!), but my recommendation is quite serious, it is a lovely deck.

[archimedes]

Pagan Otherworlds?

Hmm. Maybe? The art is a little static and 18th Century for my taste, but that Seeker card is based on one of my all-time favorite images.

Someone needs to make a custom print app where you can choose each card from a menu.

The Cat Tarot

Look wouldn't be my first choice truth be told but it IS a really lovely deck. I love the way the cats are 'real', with real cat personalities, rather than anthropomorphized, and the art is quite lovely. I think at some point I'll definitely end up with a copy, even if it isn't quite what I need at the minute.

[archimedes]

The Witches' Tarot looks rather nice:

http://www.witchestarot.com/

[Lysergicka]

This one is amazing:

https://trueblacktarot.com/

[archimedes]

This one is amazing:

https://trueblacktarot.com/

It's elegant, but not really me. I'm not comfortable with the floating people. A pity, as I *love* the look of it, the black and the backs are just gorgeous.

One candidate is the Tabula Mundi

It'd be nice to see some representation of older women without having to go for a full goddess deck.

[Charlie Brown]

Tabula Mundi is a great deck. If you get it, it's well worth it to also get the companion book, Liber M.

You understand, though, that it's a full on Thoth deck, yes?

[archimedes]

You understand, though, that it's a full on Thoth deck, yes?

Yes, though you know, I was going to say "I don't own a Thoth' until I realized the Rohrig, which is one of my absolute favorite decks, is Thoth based. So maybe I should actually include this in my options after all. And it looks like a quite warm deck. I'd thought of the Thoth as a bit monolithic and daunting.

I'm a bit torn - I've been looking at a few 'everyday/modern witch' style decks and none of them seem to resonate with 'my' everyday in a way that connects it to the spiritual. Maybe it's the cute cats they insist on. Not every witch wants a feline familiar. So far the most 'everyday' deck that I actually related to is the Housewives, and even then, it's hard to read without the book - though it still gives awesome advice and is brilliantly witty. But it doesn't bridge the sacred and profane in the way I'm looking for.

I'm after the metaphorical unicorn deck, aren't I.

[spider]

Hi
Hope I am not too late to offer suggestions
How about 2012 Tarot of Ascension
Tarot of the 78 Doors
I find both easy to read with and for me they are spiritual - but practical. Often wonder why I never see them mentioned.
Let us know what you decide to buy.
Spider

[Genna]

I love the Tarot of a Moon Garden. It´s playful and wise. It was the first deck I chose for myself .
It was made by a witch. The book is very good with some magik for every card, but the book is hard to come by.

Then there are the wonderful Tarot of Prague and Alice Tarot by Baba, Karen Mahony and her husband Alex, the geniuses
. And I quite like The Witches´Tarot too, I understand that you like it. There are many fabulous cards.

I´ve got the new Tarot Grand Luxe by Ciro Marchetti, and it has many lovely cards too.

[Charlie Brown]

Baba Decks are nice. I think there might be a few copies of the Victorian Romantic still in stock. That's a winner, for sure.

[archimedes]

I love the Tarot of a Moon Garden. ..
Then there are the wonderful Tarot of Prague...
. And I quite like The Witches´Tarot too,
I´ve got the new Tarot Grand Luxe by Ciro Marchetti,..

Baba Decks are nice. I think there might be a few copies of the Victorian Romantic still in stock. That's a winner, for sure.

Tarot of Prague is lovely... I'm quite drawn to the Gothic, too.

The Moon Garden is a little loud and exuberant for my taste, though I can see why you might like it. I do have a Ciro deck - unfortunately not one I really connect to. Maybe it's just too perfect?

Currently on my shortlist is the Next World Tarot - a little cartoony, but I love the diversity of the characters, and the queer, anarchist, (extra)ordinariness of the people.

I had been coveting the Gaian tarot, as it's gorgeous and the people are wonderful, but it's a little too idyllic, and centers on cultures around America, South America & Hawaii that are quite removed from my experience. All those watery images make me envious. Mind you if I'm realistic that's probably true of European centered decks, while I grew up with British culture, its landscape is a long way from here. maybe that's a deck I should reconsider, the elders are lovely.

Just came across the Wizard's Tarot - rather lovely characters. I think I'd get it just for this wonderful Hanged Man: https://thegreenmanpsychics.com/wp-cont ... -tarot.jpg

[archimedes]

How about 2012 Tarot of Ascension
Tarot of the 78 Doors

Dang, 78 Doors looked promising, but the World card is a hard "no". Ascension has me intrigued... not sure, but it's a maybe.....

[Genna]

Just came across the Wizard's Tarot - rather lovely characters. I think I'd get it just for this wonderful Hanged Man: https://thegreenmanpsychics.com/wp-cont ... -tarot.jpg

It really IS a most wonderful Hanged man, I´m going to look at this Wizards deck!
Love and Light, Genna.

[archimedes]

Still loving the Wizards, in part due to the marvelous Bubble Chamber photograph backs (I mean, who doesn't love particle physics?) though I've also discovered the Connolly, which is just gorgeous. The people are so lovely.

[fire cat pickles]

The Connolly is one deck I wish I had. As a Connolly acolyte, I'm surprised I never got around to buying one!

[archimedes]

I think at one time I'd have considered the art too saccharine, it has an almost children's-book feel (well, like the books I had as a child, anyway). It seems a nice antidote to the digital trend. I was trying to find the publication date - 2011, but I'm sure it's older than that - but anyway. Yeah it has a nice vibe. I read a thread where someone commented that a lot of professionals use it, as people like the traditional Christian imagery - and it has no full nudity, so a little more safe for a range of clientele.

The Connolly is one deck I wish I had. As a Connolly acolyte, I'm surprised I never got around to buying one!

[fire cat pickles]

A lot of people have a problem with the Devil-Jesus card:

[archimedes]

Pretty sure that's a reference to Luke 4:1-11, where the devil tempts Jesus with food, wealth and power. But yeah it's a bit problematic.

A lot of people have a problem with the Devil-Jesus card:

[fire cat pickles]

The older I get, the more I don't care.

I just ordered the Connolly Tarot after 30+ years of waiting. I think that's waiting long enough.

[PamelaSteele]

I think the Steele Wizard Tarot is on-site somewhere. If you're familiar with the RWS protocol you won't need the guidebook. The single-deck does come with a pdf download from the website where the set has a companion book.
The link is to an Amazon page that ships internationally. I had to move my distribution to the US when shipping from Canada became almost as expensive as the deck.
Anyway, if you follow the link, you can see the entire deck on the View the Deck page.
https://www.steelewizard.com/shopping.html

[AstralPasta]

There's always the Rosetta. Apparently the Book of Seshet is a marvelous and relatable book to learn Thoth from.

Or the Joe Sparrow deck ;D

Hehehe. I've been eyeing it but I worry the cards are too large I wish they were on the smaller side.

Ooh, or the new Mary El? The more disturbing cards have been replaced IMO and the new 3 of Swords is glorious. There is nudity though.

edit: I couldn't see your criteria in the preview bit and I've just realized I went against all of them I'll think on it some more anyhoo haha