Favorite Rider Waite Decks?

[katrinka]

I like some vibrancy. The Albano, and the University Books.
As for RWS-based, any of the Baba decks.

[Raggydoll]

6 hours ago, Scandinavianhermit said:

I haven't understood which decks are reproductions of Pam A, Pam B, Pam C and Pam D, respectively, or how faithful or not each reproduction is to original colouring before the latter began to fade or darken. Any clues?

If you look at the Lovers card, and it seems as if Eve has a chin implant, then it is not a Pam A deck! I really dislike the linework in Pam B decks, it is noticeably inferior. 

 

The Centennial RWS is based on Pam A but I do not love the muted color palette. My personal favorite is (like I said before) the vintage 'blushing fool' version that do not have the copyright logo on the cards, but I do also use the centennial in a tin. 

[DanielJUK]

My fave of the more modern versions is the Pamela Colman Smith RWS by Lo Scarabeo - 

https://www.loscarabeo.com/en/products/tarot-rws-pamela-colman-smith?srsltid=AfmBOorZQ0Lz8bsApVCJRASmZ-v6S2SK_cEyqbyywqq5nCslmPSb5UAW

 

A friend recommended it to me and uses it on her online posted readings all the time, it totally enabled me. It has now colours and beautiful backgrounds. Somehow for me, the colouring is better than the similar Radiant RWS. I need colours, I don't like muted or dark versions.

 

@gregory told me once the first edition run of this deck was even better but it's very OOP now. This is my go to RWS these days

[WizardintheWoods]

I must agree with @katrinka, as she is the person who got me hooked on these decks, Baba Studios RWS style decks are all amazing. The Gothic Bohemian is my favorite. 

[katrinka]

4 hours ago, Raggydoll said:

f you look at the Lovers card, and it seems as if Eve has a chin implant, then it is not a Pam A deck! I really dislike the linework in Pam B decks, it is noticeably inferior. 

 

Yes, you can see it here and compare. In the Pam B, she looks like Dudley Do-Right.

[Raggydoll]

1 hour ago, katrinka said:

Yes, you can see it here and compare. In the Pam B, she looks like Dudley Do-Right.

 

She actually does 😆

[gregory]

7 hours ago, DanielJUK said:

My fave of the more modern versions is the Pamela Colman Smith RWS by Lo Scarabeo - 

https://www.loscarabeo.com/en/products/tarot-rws-pamela-colman-smith?srsltid=AfmBOorZQ0Lz8bsApVCJRASmZ-v6S2SK_cEyqbyywqq5nCslmPSb5UAW

 

A friend recommended it to me and uses it on her online posted readings all the time, it totally enabled me. It has now colours and beautiful backgrounds. Somehow for me, the colouring is better than the similar Radiant RWS. I need colours, I don't like muted or dark versions.

 

@gregory told me once the first edition run of this deck was even better but it's very OOP now. This is my go to RWS these days

 

It was. As far as I know the Italian version - in print, I THINK - is still the good first one. And it has English titles, but the book is in Italian.

 

https://www.loscarabeo.com/en/products/tarocchi-pamela-colman-smith-set

[DanielJUK]

16 hours ago, gregory said:

 

It was. As far as I know the Italian version - in print, I THINK - is still the good first one. And it has English titles, but the book is in Italian.

 

https://www.loscarabeo.com/en/products/tarocchi-pamela-colman-smith-set

 

After we last discussed this, I bought this from their EU website to test what it actually was! I cannot remember if this discussion was on AT or the early days of this site.

I think if I remember, the product page or the ISBN of this product, matches the original version of the Pamela Colman. Anyway it's not the first edition version! lol

 

I got an Italian RWS version, usual card art (not the colour changed one) but it is in a fabulous hinged box. It's good quality but only in Italian language. It's a regular RWS though.

I can never have enough RWS's so kept it! But be warned this isn't what we thought it was, it's oop now 😞 

[gregory]

The good one is the one with blue backs....

[BrunellGrian]

The Gold Foil edition is the deck of the moment for me...

[Chariot]

Regarding the traditional RWS decks (not clones) : In addition to the Centennial edition (in a tin) which I featured in an earlier post on this thread,  I also own both a full-size and a mini version with plaid backs.  I've had them both for so long—the full-sized one is my first ever tarot deck, bought new in the USA in the 1970s!—that I have no idea what editions they are. Their fold-top boxes are long gone and I use my own lidded cardboard boxes for them.

 

I have more or less retired my original full-size version in favour of the Centennial version—to preserve it, not because I've gone off it— but I still use the mini version nearly every day.  It handles well, and fits on a smaller surface, which I use for my own daily readings.  I'm needing to get another mini version, as this one is getting clapped-out.

I love all my other decks, but unless I'm feeling particularly spirited, the RWS decks are my go-to decks for reading.

Edited August 19, 2025 by Chariot

[Saturn Celeste]

I'm a plain Jane and still use the Radiant Rider Waite as my go-to deck.  I love the book that comes with the set, and the light watercolor style art is pleasing to the eye.

[Nemia]

As a lover of muted and murky decks, the only "real" RWS in my collection is the Centennial, and I trimmed mine and edged it in black before the borderless version came out. It's really a lovely deck and reads like a dream. 

 

For many years, the Morgan-Greer was my favourite RSW "clone" (silly word, these decks are not clones but inspired by Colman-Smith's work). 

 

I have a whole subgroup of RWS-inspired decks, and they're all good for readers of all levels. 

 

 

Morgan-Greer and Aquarius translate the RWS scenes into other eras and moods: the Morgan-Greer transports you into a warm, slightly hippy world, and the Aquarius into a melancholy Art Nouveau setting. 

 

The Housewives Tarot gives you a snarky view of domestic troubles, and the Vice Versa tries to show you aspects of the card that Pamela CS didn't include - not always very convincingly, I must add. The little Nova Tarot is surprisingly good, and its size makes it an ideal candidate for a deck you stuff into your workbag and use anywhere. 

 

Probably the best deck for complete beginners who want to learn the RWS system but can't connect to the original art is, imho, the Good Karma Tarot. Its art is upbeat and contemporary, all the people are on the youngish side, but it's inclusive and warm, and it has an excellent guidebook - not only very well-produced, colour-coded and easy to use, but also with very intelligent and insightful texts. I really like this deck, it's so approachable and optimistic. For anyone who's afraid of the tarot, the Good Karma Tarot is reassuring and honest at the same time. 

 

My favourites? Centennial, Morgan-Greer and Good Karma. 

Edited November 12, 2025 by Nemia

[Misterei]

11 hours ago, Nemia said:

As a lover of muted and murky decks, the only "real" RWS in my collection is the Centennial, and I trimmed mine and edged it in black before the borderless version came out. It's really a lovely deck and reads like a dream. ...

I don't like Centennial Borderless. So imo you did the right thing to get the regular Centennial and trim it. For borderless i went w/ Radiant Wise Spirit from Lo Scrabeo and the vintage pam from one of those print on demand places. It's subtle but both those decks look better borderless than centennial. I've considered trimming my full-size centennial -- but I'm just too lazy😉

[zurgles]

The only straight RWS deck I own is the Universal Waite. I used to have a RWS mini but I gave it to someone on reddit. I felt like it was a crochety grumpy old man giving me literal or even sarcastic readings. That was years ago though so maybe it would have changed or I’d have grown to appreciate it. I’ve kinda been tempted to get the centennial but haven’t bit the bullet. For now the Universal Waite is fine. Plus, I love the backs. 
 

My other favorite RWS based decks are the Shadowscapes and Sakki-Sakki. Shadowscapes is a really encouraging reader and I feel like the Sakki-Sakki is a nice inner child deck, and I love the colors. 

[zurgles]

On 11/12/2025 at 7:39 AM, Nemia said:

I really like this deck, it's so approachable and optimistic. For anyone who's afraid of the tarot, the Good Karma Tarot is reassuring and honest at the same time. 

I hadn’t heard of that deck before so I googled and had a look at some pictures. It does seem like a good deck for anyone who isn’t familiar with tarot and might otherwise be spooked. Thanks for mentioning it. 

[Misterei]

17 hours ago, zurgles said:

I hadn’t heard of that deck before so I googled and had a look at some pictures. It does seem like a good deck for anyone who isn’t familiar with tarot and might otherwise be spooked. Thanks for mentioning it. 

You all got me curious so I looked at pix of Good Karma Tarot deck. It's pretty. I like the images and colors.

BUT being the crotchety old woman I am -- I must say that I miss the days when Tarot spooked people. This was a GOOD thing imo. I love the darkness and depth of cards like Death, Devil, Tower. In original RWS they are supposed to spook us a little. At the risk of sounding judgmental [forgive me] if you can't handle the dark cards--stay away from tarot and go buy an angel oracle 😉

Anyway, back to topic this is why i have 3-4 different original style RWS decks. I enjoy having different sizes or color schemes--but treasure the mix of benefic, malefic, and neutral imagery in that deck.

[AtelierCarousel]

A couple of days ago I made a free reading for someone who had this RWS deck: "Adventure Time" by Katherine Hillier. I ended up ordering it immediately afterwards.

 

The cards that were pulled had elements that fit like a glove to the situation, for example the 6 of cups had a figure standing in a cave with shadow figures around, which fit better than the classic "childhood, sentimentality" imagery of the classic RWS. 

 

Haven't gotten it yet, but have the feeling that this deck is onto something.  

[Nemia]

Dear @Misterei, I agree that tearing down the whole mystique of the tarot is not a good idea, and as a grumpy old European, I'm suspicious about optimism and abundant smiles 😄

 

However, after watching Lisa Papez' optimistic and smiling review of the deck, I couldn't resist. I assume it's a great learning deck with interesting insights for more experienced readers, as well. 

 

The picture is bad, but this is a page from the book. Do we have it in the review section? If we don't, maybe I should tackle it.