The most common question I get from newbies is, what deck should I start with?
That really is a good question. Nowadays, there are so many decks. I remember my first deck. I went into the local occult shop and was faced with a choice of about 15 different decks. After standing there for several minutes staring at all the different choices, the owner walked over to help me. We talked for a couple minutes and he suggested the Rider-Waite Pamela Coleman Smith deck. It was a good choice for sure. For the most part, it's still one of my favorite decks and I found the imagery easy to decipher and read.
That was at least 20 years ago and now we have so many decks and so many choices online! On top of that if you go to YouTube or type in the name of the deck you're looking for in a search engine you can usually find someone doing a "flip through" of the deck or showing it off in a blog post. Don't be afraid to shop around online and do some research before you make your decision.
Choice One
If you have the time and energy take your time and shop around. Look for someone doing a flip through of the deck you're thinking about ordering. You can often find these on YouTube or in blog posts. Look at every image and ask yourself if you can read the deck. What are the characters doing? Is the imagery self explanatory? Do you resonate with the images? What do they say to you? How do the images make you feel?
It's important to look for a deck that really "speaks" to you. You're first deck should have imagery that you can relate to and understand. In the greater scheme of things, the keyword book should come secondary but your initial reading should be pretty close to the keyword book. If you find a deck that "speaks to you" GO FOR IT. That's the deck for you.
Choice Two: Old Reliable
If you don't have the time or energy to shop around, or you just find the entire process confusing, I'm going to suggest the Pamela Coleman Smith Rider-Waite deck just like it was suggested to me.
This is my original deck. I think the imagery of the PCS (Pamela Coleman Smith) deck is self explanatory. Most people can look at the images and interpret them fairly easily. There are several decks offering this imagery, the US Games version is still great quality. The cards are thick, glossy and last a really long time. I used this deck close to every day for the first few years I owned them. The cards are still in great shape and I return to this deck often.
What I'd Avoid As A Beginner
Unless you're really versed in hermetic studies and kabbalah I'd stay away from decks with those themes. For some, alchemical symbolism, astrology, and Hebrew lettering speak volumes. If you're not versed in this symbolism avoid those decks at all costs unless you want spend the next several years studying Thelema, Kabbala, or some other form of ritual magick. However, if you are versed in these studies, by all means look at these decks, that might be the proper solution for you.
I'd also avoid minimalist decks with close to no imagery. The images are there to help you, unless you have a vast knowledge of numerology and the cards association to the elements and astrology these decks aren't going to help you much. Twenty years later and I still avoid them at all costs. I like the imagery and if the images don't speak to me, I won't use the deck.
Final Suggestion
I've come to discover many newer decks that depict the basic imagery of the Pamela Coleman Smith art but with a personalized touch. For instance the Witches Tarot by Ellen Dugan is based on the imagery of the PCS deck but with a more pagan / witchey vibe to it. I've also seen decks based on the PCS art but are gender or racial specific.
Final Thoughts
Shopping for your first deck can be overwhelming. Everyone wants to find the perfect deck that speaks to them. Take your time, look at several different decks. Do your own research online and see what you find available. You'll know the right deck as soon as you find it. It will just have a great "feel" to it!
I collect tarot cards too. I generally know right away when a new deck arrives if I'm going to use it often or just shelf it as part of my collection. Some decks you'll pick up and immediately know this is the deck for me, and other decks not so much.
The Witches Tarot was that way for me. The first time I picked those cards up I absolutely loved them. As I laid them out in various spreads I loved the messages I was receiving as well. That's currently my go to deck! Trust me, when you find a deck you resonate with, you'll know it immediately.
Whatever you decide, take your time. The right deck will come to you in the right moment.