Hi Hexi!
CARD STOCK
I don't riffle shuffle so I prefer thicker card stock
Compared to your 2nd ed this is thinner but all the improvements especially the resolution and lack of lamination for me far outweigh the initial jolt of finding the cards are thinner compared to the 2nd ed. But, in a perfect world, for me the cards would be thicker (please don't throw stones at me).
In any case you can't make everyone happy as everyone has a different way around the cards that makes either this way or that way around the various card stock attributes better or not so much. I prefer thick and matt
A few of my favourite card-stock on self published decks appeared to have all been printed / produced in Hong Kong. Judging from the comments in the forum I am not the only one liking those
But I am not familiar with deck production so I can only imagine that Game Crafter just makes things easier with being a one shop stop for creators.
BOOKLET/S
Personally, I could not tell immediately the differences between "Complete Wisdom" and "Pearl of Wisdom" booklet. I am still trying to understand the difference at the moment. I can only see that they are formatted differently. Maybe the wordings differ slightly?
If I recall correctly from the 2nd ed booklet (which I seem to have misplaced at the moment so I can't double check) the previous booklet not only explained meaning of each cards but also gave some form of reflection. So I initially thought that the "Complete Wisdom" included these reflections, and the "Pearls of wisdom" booklet only list meanings of cards.
If I recall correctly the previous edition booklet also included a list of symbols used in each majors and the meanings of each of these symbols. These includes (if I recall correctly) stones, flowers, animals, fruit, etc. These are listed per card as they occurred in each. I personally found this to be extremely helpful.
The way the current 3rd ed booklets are titled, I couldn't immediately tell where these symbols are listed. I made an educated guess and found them in the "Alphabetical Listings" booklet.
So as I beginner I have to go back and forth between the two booklets.
If I am not wrong, in the previous booklet, the symbology was explained card by card throughout the major arcana so that by the time we arrived at the minors, we are already familiar with all the Pearls of Wisdom symbology.
Also, with the symbols being listed alphabetically in the current booklet, I have to already know what items constitute a symbol for something else, before I go looking for its meaning.
Having a list of symbols which each card was great when I first started last year, because I came from the position of knowing nothing of whether something is a symbol and what those things could possibly mean. The list of symbols and its meaning per card drew me to look for those things in the card, realised that those are in fact symbols, and understand in greater detail what is conveyed there.
Now some of you may find this level ignorance laughable and that this deck is NOT for a beginner or anyone who may need too much hand holding. In which case fair enough.
But those have been my experience nevertheless.
Having said all that I LOVE my deck
