A modern take on tarot by YouTube tarot reader Gregory Scott, these cards could be a welcome addition to your collection. Check out my review below to see how they compare to the Universal Waite tarot and what they can add to your readings.
I have had the Gregory Scott Tarot deck for a few months now and am thoroughly enjoying what the cards add to my tarot readings.
Comparison to Universal Waite
I always start my tarot deck reviews by comparing them to the Universal Waite deck. It is the first tarot deck I received as a gift more than 25 years ago and is still my go-to deck.
Example 1, Rider-Waite Deck, U.S. Game Systems, 1971. U.S. Games is the only authorized publisher by author Arthur Edward Waite’s estate, though the cards are officially in the public domain as of Dec. 31, 2021.
Example 2, Smith-Waite Deck, Publisher: U.S. Game Systems, 2009
Example 3, Universal Waite Deck, Publisher: U.S. Games System, 1992
The Universal Waite deck is a modernized version of the classic Rider-Waite/Smith-Waite tarot decks.
As you can see from the image at the left, the colors in the classic Rider-Waite deck are more vibrant than the original Smith-Waite deck. The Universal Waite deck is even brighter.
What all of these decks have in common, though, is the author. Arthur Edward Waite commissioned the deck in 1909. He wrote the script for the deck and was heavily involved in shaping the illustrations using occult and Khabbalic symbols as well as regional symbols from Ancient Greece and Medieval Europe.
Published in 2009, the Smith-Waite deck was a Centennial commemoration of the original Rider-Waite deck, using the original colors artist Pamela Coleman Smith chose. Smith created the art for the deck but did not receive credit initially. Rider was the publisher. Pamela chose muted colors that I think are romantic. I use these often in readings about romance.
The Universal Waite deck was published in 1992 with even more vibrant colors, but the images, you can see, are pretty much the same in all three decks.
The Rider-Waite deck tarot is, by far, the most popular deck in the world. It is the deck that all decks before and since have been judged by and compared to, so I am not alone in using this deck as the litmus test for other tarot decks.
To me, a tarot deck can have some differences in meanings and illustrations and still be considered a tarot deck. If the card meanings stray too far from the original imagery, symbolism and messages, however, they are not tarot cards, but rather oracle cards in a tarot deck format.
There’s nothing wrong with that. I have many such decks and like them, but they are not tarot cards, in my opinion.
In this regard, the Gregory Scott tarot deck is borderline. He does follow the classic 22 major arcana and 56 minor arcana tarot format. His interpretations, both visually and in the writing that comes with the deck, are fairly close to the original meanings, but he does have some significant differences.
Notable Examples:
The 9 of Wands in the traditional tarot deck is a card of being battle worn and exhausted. In the Gregory Scott tarot deck, it is a card of victory and overcoming challenges.
The Ace of Swords in traditional tarot represents a victorious new beginning that comes from adversity or clarity. In the Gregory Scott tarot, it represents intellectual abundance that comes from intense study.
The Empress in traditional tarot represents motherhood, creativity and abundance. In the Gregory Scott Tarot, it represents being larger than life or taking the stage because it suits you.
Because there are several of these differences, I use the Gregory Scott tarot as a tarot deck, however, I most often use them as a companion to the Universal Waite tarot cards or other tarot decks with traditional tarot meanings. They add to the messages in some pretty fun and interesting ways but do not take the place of the traditional tarot messages.
See the link below to a rare Sandy Toe Tarot YouTube tarot reading where I use the Gregory Scott Tarot Deck for the main tarot messages.
Card Stock
The card stock on the Gregory Scott tarot deck is slightly thinner than the Universal Waite card stock.
They shuffle brilliantly! These cards are easily my favorites for shuffling because the card stock is the slightest bit thinner and the cards are slightly smaller — more the size of regular Hoyle playing cards. They may not last as long, but overall, I really like the feel of the cards. They just seem to flow in my hands.
Images
The imagery is one of the things I love most about these cards. The pictures are more modern, and in many cases, they are different from the original Universal Waite images. Because of this, the cards add meanings that you cannot get with traditional tarot cards.
The Verdict
Overall, I enjoy the Gregory Scott tarot cards in my YouTube readings. They are fun and provide a modern take on the complexities of life.
I haven’t yet busted them out in my in-person, one-on-one readings, but who knows? Maybe, I will do that soon.
Check out this YouTube reading using the Gregory Scott Tarot Deck!
Sandy Toe Tarot 