Oceanum Arcanae, The Ocean Tarot, A Noob Review

Today’s deck is the Ocean Tarot.

Before I even get to the deck, I like that it comes with a reading cloth. It’s a little thing, but for a new (or any) reader, it’s a nice touch and a great little nudge to help you get started.
The box is really pretty and sturdy with a neat little hinged opening. There’s definitely some curb appeal here – which my lovely wife Lisa talks about in detail on her walkthrough.

Ok, on to the price. Don’t be surprised that I’m looking at the money before I’ve even got to the first card. The cardstock is thin enough for a good shuffle. The cards are edged in gold (not real gold but still shiny). The box is not just a standard tuck box, it’s really nice. My first glance at the artwork makes it pretty clear that a lot of time and effort went into the art. Problem is, I’m not a big fan of spending too much on a first deck, unless the educational value is exceptional. Don’t forget this is a Noob Review and, as such, the price does count against this particular deck.

On to the artwork. I did peek at the art before getting started so, where are we with that now? There’s definite skill here and the cards look nice. I can see how and why someone would love the art on this deck. This really does look like a great deck.

Now for the bad news. Again keep in mind that a deck can fail the beginner friendly test and still be a great deck. I do think it’s a great deck for more experienced readers and definitely something to consider if you’re a collector.

But…..
The guidebook is only slightly better than a standard little white book. They have managed to tuck in short descriptions and keywords so it’s not a deal breaker by itself, but you may want/need to add the cost of a separate guidebook to the already high price point. There are also no keywords on the cards themselves, and we all know I am a sucker for keywords. Not everyone wants or needs keywords, so I’m not going to belabor this particular point, just be aware. But for the record, why don’t you want keywords? They’re awesome!

It’s “pippish” as my wife would say. That means that the 1-10 cards of each suit don’t really have anything in the artwork that helps define the meaning of the card. This is common with a lot of decks and something you WILL encounter sooner or later, but it’s also not an element that helps boost that learning curve for beginners.

Some of the imagery on the cards is confusing. I’m a big fan of “there are no rules in Tarot” but the reality is that there are generally accepted, base meanings for most cards, and in the classic “walk before you run”, this deck seems to jump a little too far ahead. The meanings are accurate but also, thanks to the limitations of the LWB (little white book), could do more to confuse than to educate an inexperienced reader.

While there is a lot to like about this deck for experienced readers and as a collectors deck, I would not consider this to be a beginner friendly deck.