Dark Crystal Tarot and Diablo (??) Tarot

[Niobium]

Tomas Hijo is making another Jim Henson property tarot deck, this time it's Dark Crystal. Sadly this is also for Insight Additions so it's likely to be a pips deck.

 

What I wouldn't *give* for a fully illustrated deck by him.

 

The 'Diablo: the Sanctuary' Tarot Deck caught be by complete surprise. (Spouse is going to get it for me for Christmas, since we're both gamers. Perfect gift!) It's a fully illustrated deck, dark and gothic in red, white, black, and some gray. It looks pretty fantastic if the game is at all of interest.

 

For those new to it, Diablo is a game made by Blizzard, a classic roguelike where your character is largely defined by randomly generated gear which you find in the game. It's got a dark fantasy gothic setting, complete with angels and demons and heaven and hell. The newest versions are quite detailed visually. (The old ones are, well, old, and look as one would expect.)

 

I'm really surprised they made a deck, much less one that looks this good. They even got Barbara Moore!

[Niobium]

Received the Diablo deck for Christmas, finally had a moment to open it today. It's   H U G E.

 

 

(Ellis Deck 5th Ed. Plastic for comparison.) 

 

When I opened the box and took out the book I just stared. I was expecting the usual, you know, a standard or small deck in a cardstock platform. No! The deck is the size of the box itself.

 

 

Matching the Game theme to the cards is very hit and miss. Some are really good, others are a bit :squint: worthy.

 

Pictured here are some of the really good meaning/character matches: Tyrael, the Angel of Justice, as Justice, and his office is a theme in the story; Imperius as Judgment, who is in fact the Angel of , and his game theme is a nice match. The Lovers are Inarius and Lilith, a demon and an angel whose love causes the creation of an entire race. They create a world, Sanctuary, in which to be safe from their respective sides (which is depicted in the World card, and Inarius is the Emperor while Lilith is the Empress).

 

Barbara Moore did the book, which is well written though as one night expect plenty of the images don't match the meanings. A shame, as the product is otherwise so well made I feel it wouldn't have been an extra step to find better matches for, example, the King of Pentacles, etc. 

 

IMO, like the Mage the Ascension deck, a very good Game Deck but maybe not for tarot proper. Much better quality than many of the other, recent run of IP decks. Illustrated Minors, anyone?

 

 

All the cards are red foiled and the back is a spot UV design. It's available with the book for about $40US and without the book for $20US.