Cards to judge a deck by

[Guest Night Shade]

https://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=184131

by Cindy Jacket

 

Hi from a new poster

 

Does anyone have particular cards by which the deck is judged entirely? When I look up a new deck online, I notice I check the images of The High Priestess, Death, The Tower/Star/Moon sequence, 3 and 6 Swords, and 8 Cups if available; this habit's evolved over time and I was wondering if anyone does a similar quick-check. Cheers

[Guest Night Shade]

I don't exactly judge a deck by certain cards, but I do like to see how it portrays my favorite cards.  If The Devil, The Star, The Moon, Queen of Cups, and 9 of Pentacles don't resonate with me, then I'll have reservations about the deck, but it's not necessarily a deal breaker.  If I find the deck attractive overall, and I think I'll be able to connect with it despite my favorites not being represented as well as I would like, then I may give it a go.

[Madame Squee]

The wrong sort of Moon, Star or Sun can spoil a deck for me.

[Saturn Celeste]

I look at the Knights and Aces.  If the deck has cool knights and aces that's often a deal clincher for me!

[GreatDane]

ALL of them.  If a card is REALLY just off, if I just don't like it, that can keep me from getting a deck.  I don't have to like all cards equally, but there have been decks where just a card or two was so off, it was a deal breaker.

 

There is no card or cards I REALLY have to love to get a deck, more important to me to at least be ok with them all.

[River]

The Fool, the Hierophant, the Devil, the Star, the Moon. I think I'm more picky when it comes to those 5 cards. Also the way the court cards are depicted, in general.

[bookshop]

Lol if you wuss out on the 10 of Swords yours usually isn't the deck for me. ;D

[queenofwans]

I like to look at my favorite cards -- High Priestess, Empress, Justice, Nine of Pentacles, and Queen of Pentacles -- as well as the cards I fear the most -- Three of Swords and Ten of Swords -- to see how they're depicted before I buy the deck.

 

A Queen of Pentacles that I don't resonate with will probably turn me off the deck, although that has never happened yet, and an extra-heartbreaking Three of Swords and Ten of Swords might make me reconsider, although that too has never happened.

[Raggydoll]

ALL of them.  If a card is REALLY just off, if I just don't like it, that can keep me from getting a deck.  I don't have to like all cards equally, but there have been decks where just a card or two was so off, it was a deal breaker.

 

There is no card or cards I REALLY have to love to get a deck, more important to me to at least be ok with them all.

 

This. I will not buy a deck if really dislike a card in it. If some are “ok” or tolerable, then I still might go ahead. But I will not waste my time and money on a deck that does not feel right. Not at this point in my journey. Especially considering how many great decks I already own. So I can afford to be picky. Or perhaps I should say that I really can’t afford to not be picky?! Both statements are true to me  :)