If you think you know tarot, think again. Before the well-known Rider-Waite deck, there was Le Tarot de Marseille. Before there was complex cartomancy, a single card was pulled and considered by the reader on their own behalf. And before card-based divination, in 15th Century Europe, tarot cards were used to play a variety of games that endure to this day. That's where TPC Games comes in.

     We found the Marseille tarot while doing research for one of our graphic novels, and were immediately intrigued. Not only is it an amazing oracle, it offers a glimpse at history and into modern cultures around the world through its connection to gameplay. We knew right away that we had to make this fascinating, versatile deck more widely visible, and make our mark on it, too. Marseille Sophistiqué was born.

     For Gaming: The original French tarot decks were developed primarily for playing a card game of the same name, and evolved alongside gaming decks across Europe, not all of which have vanished from modern use. This means that, either by using the full 78 cards or by modifying the deck, Marseille Sophistiqué can be used to play dozens of unique, historic games from all across the globe—not to mention modern ones. We've updated our cards to increase legibility, improving player experience, while preserving the classic elegance of the Conver designs.

     French tarot is the basis for a group of point-trick taking games. It is still played throughout France, and its variants are played the world-over, including in pockets of America that have larger immigrant communities. It is for four players, though it can be played with three to six, and its variations range from 2- to 8-player games, for a variety of skill levels. With luck, we'll be able to include rules for a number of the colorful variants, introducing betting and other quirks of play.

     For Divination: Marseille Sophistiqué has a serious side, too. Whether you're cutting the deck to reflect on a personal decision or reading an elaborate spread for someone else, the stylish illustrations offer a beautiful and inspiring oracle. Unlike the familiar, heavily-standardized symbols of the Rider-Waite tarot, the vintage designs we've drawn from encourage more varied, intimate readings, making it one of the most advanced and versatile cartomancy decks.

The 78-card Marseille Sophistiqué deck, offset-printed on linen coated, 400gsm artboard cardstock

A durable land-and-top box to protect each beautiful deck
A gracefully designed, printable PDF of rules for several tarot games
An illustrated, printed booklet of rules for French Tarot, Baronetti and poker games for a five-suited deck
A limited edition of custom-dyed carrying bags for the deck, handmade in Seattle, WA