DECK REVIEW: Vampire Tarot

The Vampire Tarot Deck is one of those theme decks that will definitely appeal to a certain crowd. Is it a deck for all? Probably not because of the very nature of the theme. But those who love gothic decks with a sense of humor, will love this deck.

I can hear the murmuring out there. How can a deck about vampires have a sense of humor, right? It’s definitely a twisted, macabre sense of humor but it’s there. Take the card that often stands for generosity in the Tarot–the 6 of Coins. Here a lovely woman sits quietly brushing all of her hair to one side while a very Count Dracula looking vampire approaches her from behind. Her generosity is leaving her neck so vulnerable and open to his thirst.

Or the Fool who gleefully licks a bloody blade. He gazes out at the viewer as if daring them to take the same chance. He seems poised for movement to me as if we’ve simply caught him in the act of his next step. Now like I said, this deck isn’t for everyone because there is blood and violence in this deck.

One card that stands out of me is the Moon. I can’t decide if this is a man or a woman. The very nature of the Moon is deception on some level so perhaps we are not meant to know who the real Moon is. Maybe the message of the Moon is to trust our intuition.

You also have an interesting card in the Star where a woman stands in a river of blood nearly to her waist. All the common elements are there tying the Star to insight and brilliance.

The four suits are discs, swords, cups and batons. If you examine the batons though, you will see they are sharpened stakes. The art of this deck is not cartoonish although there is a hint of manga in this artwork for me.

One thing that bothered me was that the LWB (Little White Book) that comes with the deck constantly referred to the vampires as bat people. On one hand I can see where it was a good choice in that it makes the tie between bat shifters and vampires, but then again I wonder if Hertz wasn’t shying away from the fact that this deck is about the very creature that stars in so many horror novels and films–the Vampire.

Overall I’d give this Vampire Tarot two thumbs up while holding a garland of garlic, some Holy water and a crucifix. A girl can’t be too careful these days. Even if the Queen of Cups has daisies in her hair, I think she wants my blood.

Purchase your own copy of the Vampire Tarot Deck. Artist and author is Nathalie Hertz. Publisher is US Games. This deck first came out in 2000 and still enjoys quite a bit of popularity. If you get this deck (or already have it), let me know what you think.