Been debating the Linestrider Tarot purchase for a week now. The imagery speaks to something deep - maybe it’s how the animals and humans merge together, like different aspects of ourselves coming into harmony.
But I need a deck that delivers clear messages, not just eye candy. Does anyone here use it regularly? How does it handle shadow work or relationship readings? I’m particularly interested in whether it helps with understanding those deeper soul connections and transformations we go through. Budget’s tight, so I want to make sure it’s the right choice.
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I’m a big fan of Linestrider myself, but if you’re considering it… I also have an alternative for you, which is similar, but I personally prefer it and I find it better for clear messages (and not just the eye candy).
Beautiful minimalist cards with the standard Tarot style. Nice and easy to read. To me, it reads like a normal RWS deck with a nice art style. It’s not going to completely change how you use the Tarot, but if you vibe with the art style, it’s a solid choice.
However… I prefer the Otherkin. It’s from the same makers, but it’s their more updated deck and uses the size of the cards a little more. I find it’s a lot cleaner and easier to work with.
Either are great decks. The Otherkin is a little rarer but they’re both on the pricier side of things. If budget is a concern, you could also look over at the popular Tarot cards list. Plenty of great choices for half the price of the Linestrider.
I use the Linestrider mostly for shadow work. The in-between figures keep pointing at feelings I don’t have words for. I don’t expect the deck to be exact anymore; I sit with the uncertainty and write down what surfaces. It helps with tangled relationship readings. Not tidy.
I like the art style, but I do agree… It’s pretty expensive for what you actually get. There’s nothing like Modern Witch or Deviant Moon, which actually changes how you work with the deck.
I love Siolo’s artwork (every card is beautiful). But the cardstock is so frustrating. The cards are way too thick, like construction paper. I get that thick cards feel fancy, but when I’m trying to shuffle and it feels like wrestling with bricks, it ruins the whole experience.
My reading flow just stops dead. So now the Siolo deck sits on my shelf looking pretty while I grab my beat-up RWS because at least I can shuffle it without my hands cramping up. Why do deck creators think we just want to stare at the cards? We need to use them! Give me art AND functionality.
Right now, it’s just an expensive collector’s item.
This deck has been great to work with. It has this way of getting past the obvious stuff and showing what’s really going on. It picks up on things other decks miss. Like, you can see the undercurrents in a situation that you might not even be aware of yourself. Heard similar feedback from other readers too.
The Linestrider helped me get better at reading in about three months. I was pretty lost when I started. The watercolor style works well for relationship readings since the colors kind of blend together like emotions do.
I have swapped to other decks now, though. Just more interesting ones.
Struggled to find decent reviews or card images for this deck online. I’m someone who likes to know what I’m buying, so that was frustrating. Decided to get it anyway, though. The minimalist style forces you to use your intuition more since there’s less visual info to work with.
It’s… alright. Not the deck I normally suggest when people ask.
When it’s a deck like this, which is mostly just artwork (because the system is pretty standard), then it’s entirely subjective personal choice. If you like the art style, go for it.
Ordered mine today. Yeah, people keep mentioning the cardstock issue, but my Modern Spellcaster’s deck is super thin and shuffles nicely.
Don’t have many contemporary decks, so this’ll be a good addition. Nothing groundbreaking but it’s a nice one for the display collection if nothing else.
I’m a bit skeptical about any deck being clear on its own.
Clarity usually comes from whatever framework you’re using. It’s good to resonate with the art style because you’ll enjoy the deck more but you really need a framework you can work with and Linestrider is just RWS.
When you’re comparing minimal vs detailed artwork for relationship readings, they both need about the same break-in period. I’ve found abstract geometric decks need daily pulls for two weeks before their visual language makes sense.
The really detailed decks with lots of symbolism take about the same time before you get their style. Decks with animals tend to show their patterns around week three - doesn’t matter if they’re watercolor or graphic prints. By one month, both simple line-art decks and the ornate ones read equally well.
The first week or so is where they differ, though. Minimal decks communicate through empty space and basic shapes. The elaborate ones have layers of symbols that feel more like mood pieces than clear messages at first.
The Linestrider deck works well for shadow work and personal readings. The guidebook is worth getting, it explains the cards better. What I like about this deck is the animal imagery. A snake shedding means change no matter where you are. The fox shows up as the trickster, the owl represents wisdom. These symbols just make sense. Reading animal energy feels different than human expressions in cards. Animals are what they are.
