Sometimes you need to take your time to really get to know a tarot deck before you form an opinion on it. I am one of those people that doesn’t like to take a deck right out of the box and declare it perfect. I need time to sit with it….to stew on it. Especially when the deck is a bit different.
Such was the case with the Steele Wizard Tarot by Pamela Steele. I liked it enough to write a rap song about it (Baby Got Deck) shortly after acquiring it. But it took time for me to really get a vibe as to whether or not I could work with the deck. I’m glad I savored this one slowly – my fondness for it grew after many moons of quietly playing around with it.
The Steele Wizard is based on traditional Rider Waite Smith imagery but there are some significant differences in this deck. First of all, there are 88 cards instead of the usual 78. There are 22 Majors, 60 minors and 6 extra cards as well.
The Court cards include a “Maiden” for each suit in addition to the normal King, Queen, Knight and Page. This card can represent a young female, which is a nice addition to the male heavy Courts.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about the extra cards (labeled Weaver, Universe, Truth, Evolution, Soul Twins, I AM) until I actually worked with them. The author says that these cards added clarity but I found they also gave depth to the readings.
Some of the Majors have been renamed: Death is Transition and The Devil is Materialism. I don’t mind this as I do work with the Connolly Deck at times, which also uses the same names. In fact, the new names tends to make the deck less scary to people who may be somewhat tarot-phobic.
The deck is REALLY big which made it a bit hard for me to handle at times. However, the glossy card stock has a bend to it and that seemed to make it a bit easier than some other large decks. The back is black with a reversible dragon image. Each card has a black border and the Minors have braided borders while the Majors have crystals instead.
I enjoyed the elegant and striking art work – Pamela Steele uses bold colors, strong imagery and powerful symbolism. Standouts are the regal looking Hierophant, the ninja like thief in the 7 of Swords and the feisty Queen of Wands (who I feel resembled the artist!). Each image is very expressive, making this deck suitable for all readers, no matter what level.
The deck is packed in a sturdy box and comes with a really useful book. Not only does Steele give meanings for each (including reversals – important to me) but she also offers sage advice on caring for the deck, shuffling, significators and more. She also features some spreads but with a deck this big, I felt the spreads were way too large for my tastes. Instead, I preferred using simple three card layouts which lent to fantastic readings.
Traditionalists may scoff at the extra cards (you can always take them out if you don’t like them) but I think that this deck is worth adding to your collection. Once you get used to the size, the additional court and other cards, you’ll see that this is a beautiful and clear one to read with. And for those who are fans of fantasy art, you’ll be doubly delighted with the characters featured. Overall, this is a win-win and a must have for every collector!
Blessings,
Theresa
© Theresa Reed | The Tarot Lady 2012
I’m Theresa Reed (aka, The Tarot Lady). I’ve been a full-time tarot reader for 30+ years — which, in my industry, makes me pretty badass.
I’m definitely not your average Tarot expert — I drop the F-bomb, I quote rappers, and I’m obsessed with pop culture + reality TV. Folks come to me for straight-talk + tough-love — without the woo-woo fluff. 
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