Tarot of the Unexplained by Davezilla

A paranormal reimagining of tarot. Cryptids, ghosts, UFOs, and Fortean oddities take the place of traditional imagery, giving the deck a fun, distinctive personality.

Built on Rider-Waite-Smith. Beneath the weirdness, the deck keeps the familiar 78-card structure, so standard tarot meanings still apply and it reads clearly out of the box.

Clever reworked suits and courts. Wands, Swords, Cups, and Pentacles become Sasquatch knocking sticks, Ghosts, Portals, and Flying Saucers, while the courts become Fans, Hunters, Advocates, and Skeptics.

The Tarot of the Unexplained was conceived and designed by Davezilla to represent the most commonly experienced unexplained phenomena: apparitions, Fortean phenomena, and cryptids. It leans into our modern fascination with the strange, from ghost-hunting shows to UFO headlines, and turns that fascination into a working tarot deck. It incorporates these concerns as its suits, with Wands, Swords, Cups, and Pentacles becoming Sasquatch knocking sticks, Ghosts, Portals, and Flying Saucers. The court cards follow suit: Pages become Fans, Knights become Hunters, Queens become Advocates, and Kings become Skeptics, whose role is to take a hard look and make sure you are not letting your imagination run away with you.

Davezilla is a longtime illustrator and tarot reader with decades of experience in occult and new age practice. The deck is published by Red Wheel/Weiser and comes with a 96-page full-color booklet. It is a 78-card deck that leans into the diversity and weirdness of the twenty-first century.

• 78-card tarot deck based on the Rider-Waite-Smith structure
• 96-page full-color booklet
• Creator: Davezilla
• Publisher: Red Wheel/Weiser
• Theme: cryptids, ghosts, UFOs, and Fortean phenomena
• Suits reimagined as Sasquatch knocking sticks, Ghosts, Portals, and Flying Saucers
• Courts reimagined as Fans, Hunters, Advocates, and Skeptics
• ISBN: 9781578638345
• SKU: DTARUNE

Tarot has always been a way of giving shape to the unknown, of taking what is hidden or hard to name and setting it in front of us as an image we can work with. The Tarot of the Unexplained takes that impulse and runs with it, using the cultural language of cryptids, ghosts, and the paranormal to talk about mystery itself. There is real wit in the choice: the things we cannot quite explain make a fitting mirror for the questions we bring to a reading.

Beneath the fun, this is a genuine tarot. The deck keeps the 78-card Rider-Waite-Smith structure, so the Fool still sets out on the journey and the suits still trace their familiar arcs. That grounding is what lets the novelty work; you can read it as seriously or as lightly as you like, and the meanings hold.

The playful skeptic built into the deck is a nice touch, too. Where the Kings have become Skeptics, the deck gently reminds you to keep your feet on the ground even as you explore the strange, a balance any thoughtful reader can appreciate.

1. When the deck is new, clear it in whatever way suits you: passing it through cleansing smoke, resting it under the moon, or simply shuffling while you set your intention for your work together.
2. Take a little time with the artwork and the reworked suits. Because the deck follows Rider-Waite-Smith, you can lean on familiar meanings while enjoying the paranormal twist.
3. Choose a spread, whether a single daily card, a three-card line, or a fuller layout, and shuffle while holding your question in mind.
4. Read the cards with the booklet close at hand, letting the imagery spark your intuition while the Skeptics keep you grounded.
5. Close your reading with a moment of thanks or reflection, and store the cards somewhere that feels right, wrapped in cloth or kept in their box.

• Ultimate Guide to the Rider Waite Tarot: because this deck follows Rider-Waite-Smith, this guide helps you read every card with confidence.
• Crow Tarot Deck: another characterful, slightly uncanny deck for readers who love a deck with atmosphere.
• White Sage Smudge Sticks, Set of 6: cleanse your deck and reading space with sacred smoke before you begin.
• Soul Connection Frankincense Resin: burn a little frankincense as you read to settle the mind and mark the space as sacred.
• Lapis Rune Set: add another voice to your practice; runes offer a complementary path into intuitive questions.

Is the Tarot of the Unexplained a real, readable tarot deck?

Yes. Beneath the cryptids and UFOs it follows the standard 78-card Rider-Waite-Smith structure, so traditional card meanings apply and it reads like any full tarot deck. The paranormal theme is a fresh visual layer, not a change to how the cards work.

How are the suits and court cards different?

The four suits become Sasquatch knocking sticks, Ghosts, Portals, and Flying Saucers, standing in for Wands, Swords, Cups, and Pentacles. The court cards become Fans, Hunters, Advocates, and Skeptics, with the Skeptics there to keep a reading grounded and balanced.

How many cards are included, and what comes with it?

The deck has 78 cards and comes with a 96-page full-color booklet that explains the card meanings and the deck's playful paranormal theme, so you have everything you need to start reading.

Who created the Tarot of the Unexplained?

It was created by Davezilla, a longtime illustrator and tarot reader with decades of experience in occult and new age practice. The deck is published by Red Wheel/Weiser.

How do I cleanse or care for a tarot deck?

Many readers cleanse a new deck before first use by passing it through cleansing smoke, setting it under the moon, or knocking and reshuffling to reset its energy. Store the cards in their box or wrapped in cloth, keep them dry, and handle them with clean hands to protect the art.