Universal Fantasy Tarot Deck - tarot archetypes in an epic fantasy realm
Not every tarot deck transports you to another universe. This one does. Paolo Martinello draws each card as a scene from a fantasy epic, complete with dragons, knights, mythical creatures and landscapes that exist only in the imagination.
The Universal Fantasy Tarot follows the classic 78-card tarot structure, but dissolves the archetypes into a world reminiscent of old RPG covers and fantasy illustrations from the eighties and nineties. The Magician stands in a mystical landscape, the Fool begins his journey through a surrealistic dimension. Each figure carries the symbolism of traditional tarot, but receives a new context.
What you see on the cards
The imagery is maximalist. No white space, but cards filled with detail: architecture, colours, figures, backgrounds that suggest depth. The style is illustrative and printed with a glossy finish that saturates the colours.
Martinello combines elements from different mythologies and fantasy traditions. You see medieval armour alongside mystical symbols, dragons beside human figures, landscapes that evoke dreams and nightmares at once. The cards contain no text beyond the titles, which leaves room for personal interpretation.
The colours are intense: deep blue, dark red, gold, purple. The cardstock is sturdy and the glossy coating makes shuffling smooth. The size is 66 x 120 mm, standard for Lo Scarabeo tarot cards.
How you work with it
This deck asks for an intuitive approach. The richness of detail means every reading can yield new layers, depending on where your eye falls. The guidebook is multilingual and offers basic interpretations, but the strength of the deck lies in what you read in the images yourself.
It works well for storytelling and for readings where you take the querent into a narrative. The fantasy context makes the symbolism more accessible for people who came to appreciate tarot through fiction. At the same time the traditional structure remains intact, which makes the deck usable for classic spreads.
Lay three cards side by side and look not only at the figures, but at how the backgrounds seem to flow into each other. Martinello draws landscapes that appear to continue one another.
About Paolo Martinello
Paolo Martinello is an Italian illustrator who works primarily within the fantasy and science fiction genres. His style is characterised by detailed compositions and a preference for surrealistic elements within epic settings. For Lo Scarabeo he created several tarot decks, including this Universal Fantasy Tarot.
Specifications
- Number of cards: 78
- Size: 66 x 120 mm
- Finish: glossy
- Card thickness: sturdy cardstock
- Packaging: two-part box
- Guidebook: multilingual (English, Spanish, French, Italian, German)
- Publisher: Lo Scarabeo
- ISBN: 9788883955471
- Weight: 244 g
- Illustrator: Paolo Martinello
Questions we often get
Is this deck suitable for beginners?
That depends on your preference. The structure is classic, but the imagery is complex and requires interpretation. If you already have basic tarot knowledge, or if you came to tarot through fantasy, it works well. Without any prior knowledge the symbolism can be overwhelming.
How thick is the cardstock and does it shuffle easily?
The cardstock is sturdy and the glossy coating makes the cards smooth. They do not feel thin, but are not so thick that shuffling becomes difficult. The size is standard, so in terms of handling comparable to other Lo Scarabeo decks.
