By Willow, Your Guide at Prince and Potter
The tarot has always been a mirror.
When you sit down with your cards, you are not just reading symbols — you are seeing yourself reflected back. The figures on the cards become your guides, your shadows, your teachers. And when none of those figures look like you, something is lost in that reflection.
The good news? The world of tarot has been beautifully transformed in recent years. A new generation of artists and creators has reimagined the classic Rider-Waite-Smith system — the gold standard of tarot — with diverse, inclusive, and breathtakingly beautiful casts of characters. These decks honour the traditional symbolism that makes tarot so powerful while making space for everyone at the table.
Whether you are LGBTQ+, BIPOC, gender-fluid, or simply someone who believes that magic belongs to everyone — these are the decks for you.
Here are five of my absolute favourites, all available in The Emporium. ✦
What is the Rider-Waite-Smith System?
Before we dive in, a quick word for those new to tarot.
The Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) system is the most widely used tarot system in the world. Created in 1909 by artist Pamela Colman Smith under the direction of Arthur Edward Waite, it was revolutionary for its time — the first deck to include fully illustrated scenes on every single card, including the Minor Arcana.
This is why RWS-based decks are so important for learning tarot. Every card tells a story through its imagery, making it far easier to understand and remember the meanings intuitively. Most tarot books, courses, and guides are written with the RWS system in mind.
When a deck is described as “RWS-based,” it means the symbolism, structure, and imagery follow Pamela Colman Smith’s original vision — even if the artistic style is entirely different. This means you can learn tarot with any RWS deck and the knowledge transfers across all of them.
Now — let’s meet some truly magical decks. ✦
1. The Modern Witch Tarot
By Lisa Sterle
If you have been looking for a tarot deck that feels like it was made for the modern age — this is it.
The Modern Witch Tarot is a stunning contemporary reimagining of the classic Rider-Waite-Smith deck, featuring an entirely updated cast of characters on the female spectrum: women, femme, and gender-fluid figures of diverse races, ethnicities, and body types. Lisa Sterle’s illustration style is bold, graphic, and utterly gorgeous — the kind of deck that makes you want to display the cards as art.
Every card follows the RWS symbolism faithfully, making this an excellent choice for beginners and experienced readers alike. The Fool is still stepping off the cliff. The High Priestess still sits between her pillars. The Tower is still falling. But now these archetypal figures look like the real, diverse, beautiful people you see in the world every day.
Who is this deck for? Anyone who wants a beginner-friendly RWS deck with a modern, feminine, and diverse aesthetic. It makes a wonderful first deck or a beautiful addition to any collection.
What makes it special: The faithfulness to RWS symbolism combined with a completely fresh visual language. Every card is immediately recognisable to anyone familiar with traditional tarot, yet feels entirely new.
✦ Find it in The Emporium
2. Star Spinner Tarot
By Trungles
The Star Spinner Tarot is one of the most visually distinctive and joyful decks I have ever held in my hands.
Created by the artist Trungles, this inclusive and diverse deck follows the RWS system while featuring a cast of characters that spans races, body types, gender expressions, and sexual orientations. The art style is soft, dreamy, and painterly — somewhere between a fairy tale illustration and a graphic novel, with a colour palette that feels like sunset and stardust.
The Star Spinner Tarot is particularly beloved in LGBTQ+ tarot communities for its thoughtful and affirming representation. The Lovers card, for example, depicts a same-sex couple with tenderness and beauty. The court cards are gender-fluid and diverse. Every card feels like an invitation rather than a judgement.
This deck comes with a guidebook that includes both upright and reversed meanings, making it accessible for beginners while offering depth for more experienced readers.
Who is this deck for? LGBTQ+ readers, those drawn to soft and dreamy artistic styles, and anyone who wants a deck that feels warm, inclusive, and full of heart.
What makes it special: The emotional warmth of the artwork combined with genuine, thoughtful diversity throughout every single card.
✦ Find it in The Emporium
3. Queer Tarot
By Ash + Chess
If you want a deck that celebrates LGBTQ+ identity with bold, joyful, unapologetic beauty — look no further than Queer Tarot.
Created by queer and trans artist team Ashley Molesso and Chess Needham of Ash + Chess, every single card in this deck is based on a real LGBTQ+ person commissioned specifically for this project. The result is a deck that feels genuinely alive — full of real people, real bodies, real identities, and real joy.
The cast celebrates the full spectrum of the LGBTQ+ community: a wide range of races, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, sizes, and abilities. One of the most moving things about this deck is that it includes representation of disability — something almost unheard of in tarot.
The art style is bold, retro, and vibrant — Ash + Chess’s signature palette of bright, saturated colours makes every card a delight to look at. And the 168-page guidebook is one of the most comprehensive included with any deck at this price point.
Who is this deck for? LGBTQ+ readers and allies, anyone who wants a deck rooted in real community representation, and those drawn to bold, graphic, retro-inspired illustration.
What makes it special: Every card features a real LGBTQ+ person. This is not just representation — it is celebration.
✦ Find it in The Emporium
4. Tarot of the Divine
By Yoshi Yoshitani
The Tarot of the Divine is one of the most intellectually rich and visually breathtaking decks I have ever encountered.
Created by the artist Yoshi Yoshitani, this extraordinary deck reimagines each of the 78 tarot cards through the lens of a myth, deity, or folklore figure from a different world culture. The Fool becomes Anansi the spider trickster from West African mythology. The High Priestess becomes Benzaiten, the Japanese goddess of everything that flows. The Moon becomes Chang’e, the Chinese moon goddess.
The result is a deck that is both deeply diverse — drawing from cultures across Asia, Africa, the Americas, the Middle East, Europe, and beyond — and profoundly educational. Reading with this deck is like travelling the world through mythology, encountering wisdom traditions you may never have encountered before.
The art style is lush and painterly, with a richness of detail that rewards close study. Each card includes the name of the mythological figure it depicts, and the accompanying guidebook explains each figure’s story and how it relates to the traditional tarot meaning.
Who is this deck for? Anyone who loves mythology, world cultures, and learning. Intermediate readers who want a deck that deepens their practice and broadens their worldview. Those who want diversity that goes beyond representation into genuine cultural celebration.
What makes it special: No other deck in existence draws on such a wide range of world mythologies. Every reading becomes a journey across cultures and centuries.
✦ Find it in The Emporium
5. The Everyday Witch Tarot
By Deborah Blake & Elisabeth Alba
If there is one deck on this list that I recommend most often to absolute beginners — it is the Everyday Witch Tarot.
Created by author Deborah Blake with illustrations by Elisabeth Alba, this whimsical and warm deck features a modern witch protagonist navigating the full spectrum of human experience through each of the 78 cards. The witch at the centre of the deck is drawn with warmth and humour — she has a cat familiar, lives in a cosy cottage, and approaches the big archetypal moments of life (the Tower, the Death card, the Devil) with a refreshingly down-to-earth, witchy perspective.
The art style is cheerful and accessible without being simplistic, and the RWS symbolism is faithfully maintained throughout. The accompanying guidebook by Deborah Blake is exceptionally well-written — one of the best beginner tarot books available.
What I particularly love about this deck is its sense of joy. Tarot can sometimes feel heavy or intimidating, and the Everyday Witch Tarot reminds us that magic is also meant to be fun.
Who is this deck for? Absolute beginners, witches who want a deck that reflects their practice and sense of humour, and anyone looking for an accessible, warm, and whimsical entry into tarot.
What makes it special: The combination of faithful RWS symbolism, witchy aesthetic, and genuine warmth and humour makes this one of the most approachable decks ever created.
✦ Find it in The Emporium
How to Choose Your First (or Next) Tarot Deck
Choosing a tarot deck is a deeply personal decision, and there is no wrong answer. Here are a few questions to help you find your perfect match:
Are you a complete beginner? Start with the Everyday Witch Tarot or the Modern Witch Tarot — both follow RWS symbolism faithfully and come with excellent guidebooks.
Do you want a deck that represents your identity? The Queer Tarot and Star Spinner Tarot are both extraordinary choices for LGBTQ+ readers. The Tarot of the Divine is a beautiful choice for BIPOC readers who want to see their cultural traditions honoured.
Are you drawn to a particular art style? Let the artwork guide you. You will read better with a deck whose visual language speaks to your soul.
Do you already know tarot? Any of these decks will serve you beautifully. The Tarot of the Divine in particular offers depth and richness for more experienced readers.
One final piece of advice from Willow: trust your gut. When you see the deck that is meant for you, you will know. Something will light up inside you. That light is your intuition, and it is always right.
A Word About the RWS System
All five of the decks above follow the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition — which means that if you learn tarot with any one of them, that knowledge will transfer to all the others.
This is one of the most beautiful things about the RWS system. The Fool’s journey is the same in every deck. The meanings of the Minor Arcana suits — Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles — are consistent. The court cards, the Major Arcana, the numerological patterns — all of this knowledge is portable, transferable, and yours for life once you learn it.
I always recommend starting with an RWS-based deck for exactly this reason. You are not just learning one deck — you are learning the language of tarot.
Find Your Perfect Deck in The Emporium ✦
All five of these beautiful decks are available in The Emporium at Prince and Potter, hand-selected by me with love and intention.
If you are not sure which deck is right for you, feel free to reach out — I am always happy to help a seeker find their perfect cards. You can find me at wizard@princeandpotter.com.
And if you are just beginning your tarot journey, don’t forget to download your free Crystal Properties Guide from The Library — crystals and tarot work beautifully together, and knowing which stones support your readings can deepen your practice immeasurably.
Happy reading, dear seeker. May your cards always speak truth.
With love and moonlight,
Willow ✦
Your Guide, Prince and Potter
Browse all tarot decks and sacred tools in The Emporium. Explore more guides and wisdom in The Library.