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What do you mean by standard? The Rider-Waite deck is usually what comes to mind, and just about all tarot decks follow that format of suits and arcanas, though the art varies widely. Decks with different suits and such are usually sold as Oracle decks or something of the sort, without the T-word attached.

My go-to deck for general inquiries is the Victoria Regina by Sarah Ovenall and Georg Patterson, because it's very good at being blunt and telling me exactly what I need to hear. I'm looking for another, more gentle deck for different kinds of questions, and I'm thinking about going for a non-standard deck since I want it for non-standard purposes.

I love the idea of making one's own deck. As a witch, I love to personalize or make my tools whenever I can, because I think when you alter or make something you influence more than its physical nature. A deck that's made to answer your questions, if you make it well and willfully, will "try harder" or be more "powerful" than a store-bought deck, even if just because it means more to you.

edit: link added

I just saw this one and decided that I must have it.

I don't like my Rider-Waite deck. It doesn't fit in my hands well. I"m using it as a started deck as the books I'm using as refrence use that deck. I hope to make my own or at least find a deck that suites me better.

Hmm, I may have to look into that. I really do need a generaly smaller deck. Mine hurts my hands to shuffel crying

Tarot is a divination tool not a 'toy' despite the use of simple playing cards at times instead of one of the more elaborate decks.

To Learn how to use a Tarot deck and and the picture meanings within can be done with many books out there (you can usually find a deck that has it's own book) but as I mentioned above it isn't a toy and if used as such will not work properly you would at best get confused results and or simply a neat party trick to play on your friends.

Tarot takes time and patience and an open mind in order to use the standard interpretations in the book and your own "intuition" to elaborate on the cards arranged before you. Otherwise you'll be telling your best friend "She'll be running off with a dark haired man tomorrow and swimming in tomato soup that weekend."

It can't be both?