Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot

Illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith · Directed by Arthur Edward Waite · 1909

The deck that changed everything. Pamela Colman Smith illustrated all 78 cards with full narrative scenes — the first tarot to do that for the minor arcana. Every card became readable at a glance.

It's the foundation most modern readers learn on, and for good reason. Once you know this deck, every other deck makes more sense.