I got the This Might Hurt deck yesterday and I’m still processing how much it resonates with me. The artwork is unlike anything in my other decks. There’s something raw about it that keeps catching me off guard.
Did a three-card spread this morning and spent ages just looking at the images, taking in all the details. The deck really makes you face difficult truths. It’s supportive but doesn’t sugarcoat anything. For those who like a real truth telling deck, this might be the one for you.
Deepen Your Tarot Practice Beyond the Cards
Finding meaningful tarot discussions and authentic guidance can be surprisingly difficult. Discover a space where your questions are welcomed and your intuitive growth is celebrated: Start Your Journey
There have been some… less than reputable sellers copying this deck, so (for anyone who doesn’t already know) this is the original deck.
It took a while to come out, but it’s a great deck for beginners who are serious about learning the Tarot or for seasoned vets who want to be clear with querents that the cards don’t just come to tell them what they want to hear.
The artwork isn’t ethereal and happy the whole time (just look at the 10 of wands), but honestly that’s great if you want to do a real reading with the original card meanings. The booklet is solid, and honestly, it’s one of the most truthful decks in that sense. It isn’t trying to be a dark tarot deck… just an honest one.
I love this one! Originally, I just liked the artwork, but if I want to do a reading where I don’t need to get too deeply into the books or metaphysical stuff, the imagery makes the meaning so clear.
So I’ve been trying this thing where I use the deck’s bluntness for shadow work.
When a card hits hard, I sit with whatever emotions come up and kind of have a conversation with them. It’s been pretty intense. Sometimes when the cards catch you off guard, that’s actually when the real work happens.
Just got the This Might Hurt Tarot Deck by Isabella Rotman 3 days ago. Already doing readings at weird times (like during lunch).
I buy way too many decks (so I’m told anyway), had this one on my wishlist forever.
Funny story: bought a different deck that turned out to be perfect for my friend instead of me. We ended up trading and I got this one. The magnetic box is solid and the cardstock feels good. Not too thin, not too thick. Matte finish which I like because shiny cards slip out of my hands too much. Oh, and the edges are holographic.
Kept getting distracted by the rainbow effect when I should’ve been shuffling. The art sticks close to RWS’s meanings but adds new details. Like the 8 of Wands has animals running from what looks like a storm. There’s a snake in the 6 of Swords that caught me off guard. Been using it non-stop.
My other decks are probably feeling abandoned 
Our Tuesday group started using this as our challenge deck. We pull a card at the end of each meeting and then sit with it during the week.
The thing about this deck is that it shows real people.
I noticed all kinds of body types and ages throughout the cards, which connects to that raw honesty you talked about. It’s nice seeing people who actually look like me and folks I know instead of the typical perfect figures in most decks.
When the cards show regular human experiences, the messages feel more genuine.
Having that background in classic tarot definitely makes a difference with decks like This Might Hurt. you can see exactly where they’re departing from tradition. I noticed i connected more with the artistic choices once i understood the original symbolism they were working from. The deck keeps some traditional elements but goes in a completely different direction with others, which is what makes it work.
The imagery is pretty intense. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by it, maybe try oracle cards first.
They tend to be gentler and give you more room to sit with the messages. I started with those before moving to This Might Hurt. It’s kind of like starting with prayer beads before diving into deeper meditation stuff.
Oracle cards let you ease into it at your own pace.
I keep thinking about how this deck is like the Sola Busca from 1491. Renaissance artists back then weren’t shy about showing the ugly parts of life in their tarot art. I like how Rotman handles the court cards. Same willingness to show people as they are, power trips, flaws, all of it.
No romanticizing anything.
Great deck. Brilliant quality.
These gold-edged cards surprised me when I got them. The first shuffle felt weirdly satisfying… probably just because of how thick they are. They’re balanced just right, so even holding them feels nice. Definitely not your average deck.
Am I an island on this one? It’s not my kind of deck.
The imagery is pretty harsh and the messages hit hard when you’re still learning to trust your gut. I get why experienced readers like it - the deck doesn’t sugarcoat anything. But yeah, wish I’d started with something else. Still sitting on my shelf while I practice with my Rider-Waite.
Been using this deck quite a lot recently. It’s pretty direct, sometimes uncomfortably so, which might be a good or bad thing depending on your querent.
Last weekend, someone pulled the Tower at a birthday party. They just laughed and went ‘yeah, I needed to hear that.’ The deck doesn’t really pull punches, which some people seem to appreciate.
I think you just neeed to know what kind of reading they’re looking for before you use it, but if you’re serious about Tarot then you might love this deck.
So I gave my best friend a reading with this deck for fun. It’s always amusing to watch people’s reactions. The deck seemed a lot softer on them than it is with me. Maybe it thinks I can take the tough love more than my friends can.
Used to think fancy decks were pointless. The matte ones handle better though, you can see the jumpers way easier when shuffling.
Appreciate the review, I checked out their Etsy but couldn’t really tell much from the previews they had up. Your breakdown helped since you can actually see what makes this deck different from standard RWS. The artistic style and modern approach look good. Think I’m gonna grab one.
This deck is brutally honest and I love that about it. Maybe because I have zero chill myself.
But oh man, trying to use it with my more whimsical decks… it doesn’t work. At all. It’s like mixing a documentary filmmaker with Disney princesses at dinner, awkward and nobody’s happy. The poor fairy decks don’t stand a chance. There I am trying to weave together some kind of balanced narrative and this deck is basically yelling ‘BUT ACTUALLY’ every time a mystical card shows up.
My attempts at harmonious combined readings have been thoroughly crushed. Turns out my deck-matching skills are trash.
The modern imagery in this deck works well for me since I’m in the city all the time.
I like seeing coffee shops and subways in the cards instead of the usual medieval stuff. But yeah, it’s not for everyone. My friend who lives in a rural area tried it and said it felt too disconnected from her surroundings. She pointed out that she’s literally surrounded by nature and wildflowers, so urban-themed cards don’t resonate. Fair point, honestly.
This deck caught my attention because of how it reworks the classic Rider-Waite Smith images. There’s so much diversity and queer representation in the cards. Even though the art style is pretty unconventional, it’s still easy to read if you’re new to tarot.
The traditional meanings are there, just presented in a way that includes more people. Isabella Rotman did a good job balancing respect for tarot tradition with making something fresh.
My tarot teacher keeps joking about my collection - says I have more decks than a cruise ship.
Doesn’t stop me from checking the This Might Hurt site though. Every few days I’m there, adding it to cart, then remembering my shelf is already overflowing and closing the tab. It’s been weeks of this. Your review is making it worse. That little voice is back saying I need this deck. And yep, I’m hovering over the add to cart button again.
