As a video game lover who also happens to read Tarot, the recent trend of pop culture Tarot decks has captivated me. That said, a deck that serves both Tarot readers and true fans of a specific game can be hard to come by, and I’ve learned the hard way that not all tie-in decks are created equal.
That said, I’ve come to love Insight Editions for their phenomenal officially licensed cookbooks, and I generally trust them to find the right person to represent a fandom well while still making a truly useful product. The recently released Official World of Warcraft Tarot Deck & Guidebook is their latest tie-in product that balances the original intellectual property with the lore of Tarot itself, and I have to say, I came away pretty impressed with these.
Key Details
- Publisher: Insight Editions / Blizzard
- Author: Ian Flynn
- Illustrator: Joseph Lacroix & Surfside 3D Studio
- Where to Buy: Amazon / Insight Editions
- Price: $27.99
- Release Date: December 10, 2024
- Review Sample Provided: Yes
High-Quality, Stunning Cards
The first thing I notice when unboxing any Tarot is how the cards feel. Reading Tarot involves a lot of time spend shuffling, mulling over, and 0
The artwork draws inspiration from the monsters and characters of World of Warcraft, rendered in beautifully pared-back, watercolor-style illustrations. Each card features just one or two colors, beautifully blended to draw the eye in without too much distraction.
A Blend of Warcraft and Rider-Waite-Smith
This Tarot deck is loosely based on the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith card system, with the typical Major Arcana and Minor Arcana cards represented. This is a nice change from some themed decks, which can mix things up so much that the suits become unrecognizable and difficult for newer Tarot readers who might think a deck based on their favorite TV show will help them learn… until it doesn’t match any of those books they read.
I really appreciate how each card combines the imagery typical in the Rider-Waite-Smith rendentions of the cards with the characters and lore of World of Warcraft. This lets the deck speak to seasoned Tarot readers familiar with the typical archetypes as well as WoW fans stepped in the lore, bringing both together to create a system that will work on many levels.
The Magician, for instance, strikes a similar pose with one hand pointed above, the other below, and has his traditional tools of the trade around him. It’s visibly,obviously The Magician. And the card depicts a fitting character from WoW in this pose – Khadgar, a powerful and accomplished wizard.
Even the Minor Arcana cards, sometimes neglected or left as an afterthought, bring together characters and classes from WoW alongside the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith imagery. I can look at the Three of Cups and clearly see the familiar card, but swapping out dwarves for the circle of dancing women. As someone who relies on imagery to tell the story, I appreciate a deck that stays faithful to each card’s meaning while leaning into the theme, as this one does.
A Solid Guidebook That Gets the Job Done
Like most Tarot decks, The Official World of Warcraft Tarot & Guidebook comes with a guidebook inside the box. These books can often feel like an afterthought if I’m honest, and they’ll rarely teach you to truly read Tarot on their own. That said, I was pleased with the length and legibility of the WoW Tarot guidebook.
The guidebook isn’t so tiny as to be unreadable, which is a common pitfall for many decks. It includes an introduction to help new readers get the tarot basics, as well as a few sample spreads to try out. The spreads use names that fit in nicely with the WoW theme, a great added touch.
From there, each card gets a page or so with a smaller reprint of its image and explanation of the meanings. These explanations tie the typical Tarot card meanings into the chosen characters or examples from WoW, letting readers get a feel for this deck’s unique spin on the system.
It’s a nice, full-color guidebook that serves as an admirable companion to the Tarot deck. The short introduction and setup may not be enough for a truly brand-new Tarot reader to feel confident, but it’s a nice accompaniment to what will likely be a beautiful collector’s item for many WoW fans.
Final Score – 9/10
In all, The Official World of Warcraft Tarot Deck & Guidebook is a beautiful work of art that pays homage to WoW lore while also being a genuinely usable Tarot deck. That’s no small praise coming from someone whose collection has a few too many tie-in Tarot decks that don’t quite play nice in actual readings.
This deck is high quality and comes in a nice deck box that will travel well, making it easy for gifting or heading off to do readings at a party. It would make an excellent gift to a World of Warcraft fan with an interest in Tarot or a completionist attitude to collecting unique and worthwhile tie-in merch.
**Bonus Action was provided with a sample of The Official World of Warcraft Tarot & Guidebook for the purpose of this review**
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