Pros and Cons Thread #2 - Enabling and De-Enabling

Sophia77 said:

If you can spring for the Gilded Royale - totally do it! I have a thing with Llewellyn cardstock - I severely dislike it - but loved the imagery in Gilded. The Royale is amazing - great cardstock, images and larger sized cards.

I found Legacy cold and gave my deck away.

Click to expand...

That was also my experience with Legacy - especially the court cards - so I don't use it for anything but a "spacer" in one of my tarot chests (not intentionally, I just thought that one up). Oracle of Visions doesn't do much for me either, but Ciro's Gilded Reverie Lenormand is another matter entirely, and I hope his Kipper deck will have the same impact. Artists evolve and improve over time like any other craftsmen.

Thanks!

Thanks for the input everyone! I also searched and read a lot of older threads, as well as a bit of the Gilded Tarot Study Group.

I think I may save up for the Tarot Royale!

Nyx-Knits said:

Thanks for the input everyone! I also searched and read a lot of older threads, as well as a bit of the Gilded Tarot Study Group.

I think I may save up for the Tarot Royale!

Click to expand...

I seem to recall reading something by Ciro - either a post here or on his website - that the current version of that isn't gilded (if that matters to you). But I could be wrong there.

Paulina Tarot

Paulina Tarot? Yes/No?

Romantic Tarot

Romantic Tarot? Yes/No?

G6 said:

Paulina Tarot? Yes/No?

Click to expand...

I had it and really tried to like it. I finally gave up and passed it on. Just too busy for me.

G6 said:

Paulina Tarot? Yes/No?

Click to expand...

I have it and I love looking at it sometimes, lovely art IMO, but I would say that (for me) it’s not a good reading deck. Some of the images lack ”action” (just a figure standing in front of some trees) and some of them similar. In a big spread it all looks just like a swirly, busy, brown umm mess… I like it, but it is too busy as someone else mentioned. :/ I wish it was less ”blurry”. I’ve seen a lot of people prefer her Joie de Vivre deck, and I am thinking of buying it or swapping the Paulina for it.

Nyx-Knits said:

I'm looking at the two Ciro Marchetti tarot decks that are currently easy to obtain. Could someone enable me toward either the Gilded Tarot (with the Barbara Moore book) or the Legacy of the Divine Tarot?

At this stage I am looking for a deck that is very intuitive and chatty, and/or cards in the RWS style with "upgraded" art. Ideally I would like both! If I had to choose though, intuitive is more important than a RWS upgrade.

The art is very different in both decks, and I like them both for different reasons.

And if the Oracle of Visions is better than the tarot decks, I'd like to hear about that as well!

ETA: Card stock quality is very important as well, thanks!

Click to expand...

I have all three: Legacy, Gilded and Oracle of Visions (huge Ciro fan!). Now, to the practical stuff: for readability, I prefer the Legacy. For starters it does not have borders which is a huge plus for me. Also, it tells stories more than the Gilded. There are more symbols and "atmosphere" to it. The downside ? The stock is "ok" but after constant shuffling, the paint starts fading (the general background is black so you get the picture...)
As to the Oracle of Visions, imo, it's a masterpiece in terms of art. The cards are bigger than usual and symbols abound. However, it does take A LOT of intuitive work and it is NOT for readers who like to follow a certain, say, pattern.
If money is tight, go for the Legacy. It's not expensive and has given me wonderful readings for many years.

G6 said:

Paulina Tarot? Yes/No?

Click to expand...

Yes, but with hesitancy. It's certainly dreamy, and very human yet very "fey" at the same time. However, I will agree with others that it's just not the most conducive reading deck. Can get a bit muddy for sure. For two- to three-card draws, it's lovely enough, though.

I do think that if you have the Shadowscapes, and can read with its "auras" (the frequently occurring swirls and circles of color in the background of most cards), you have a good chance of liking the Paulina more. I have to be in the mood for this type of reading.

G6 said:

Romantic Tarot? Yes/No?

Click to expand...

An emphatic YES. This deck was a complete sleeper hit for me. I bought it because it really suited the personality, aesthetic tastes, and habitual romantic queries of my most frequent sitter. But boy, this turned out to be a deck with which I feel a connection!

I definitely read with an intuitive, storytelling style unless I am using the Thoth or M.M. Meleen's decks. This deck is perfect for that style of reading. The characters interact effortlessly, and each picture really captures life as it happens. Contrary to what I expected, it's not schmaltzy; just ornate in dress.

If what I have to say appeals to you, and you can only afford one, get the Romantic Tarot over the Paulina, hands down.

The Lo Scarabeo flagship deck? It looks gorgeous. But perhaps a bit gimmicky?

What are your thoughts, AT? Thank you.