One-Card Tarot Readings for Character Creation

The Fool from Dali's tarot deck

When using tarot to generate character ideas, I recommend limiting yourself to the 22 Major Arcana cards rather than using the entire deck. The Major Arcana focus more on figures than conceptual objects compared to the Minor Arcana, which makes them easier to apply to characters. For the examples in this post, I drew The Fool.

The Fool symbolizes the querent, or the one who seeks answers in the cards, with the Major Arcana representing the Fool’s journey through life. It’s fitting, then, that the Fool stands for our protagonist in this reading, as it’s the card of the naïve adventurer searching for their purpose.

Below you will find various ways of reading a single card and applying it to one of your characters, or creating a new one from scratch. For more advanced spreads involving multiple cards for character creation, click here. 

Archetype

This is the easiest reading for a character, because it borrows directly from the card’s archetype. Archetypes are “universal” concepts of the human experience that reoccur over and over in various mediums. Tarot’s use of archetypes is what makes their meanings feel so specific and personalized—the cards draw from a well of common experiences and symbols we have absorbed through artifacts of Western culture.

For example, the fool is an archetypal figure in myth, literature, film, and art who often represents the trickster, like Loki or Coyote, or the medieval jester—seemingly foolish, but surprisingly clever. In tarot, the Fool card symbolizes innocence, new beginnings, and unlimited potential, while the upside-down card, called the reversal, signifies rash decisions.

Writers: Use this one-card reading to create an archetypal character—one who plays a mythical or legendary role, or functions as a literary device. I don't recommend basing your character entirely off of an archetype or trying to make them fit into one, as this can produce a flat, unrealistic effect. But archetypes can be useful when first formulating a character's general purpose and behavior in reaction to plot events or other characters.

Examples

• The Fool as the traditional hero/heroine
• The Fool (Reversed) as the Byronic hero, the character’s doppelgänger or foil
• The Hermit as the spiritual mentor 
• The High Priestess/Priest as the guardian or parental figure
• The Empress as the evil queen or jealous stepmother

Protagonist/Antagonist

This reading uses the same card twice by turning it upside down. Since I’ve drawn the Fool, I would use the right-sided meaning for my protagonist, and the reversed meaning for my antagonist. With this card as my model, my protagonist is selfless and open-minded, while the villain is arrogant and views things in extremes or absolutes. 

But they are two sides of the same card—both have new opportunities ahead of them, and strive to understand their purpose or fate. Both Fools must make important decisions that will ultimately change their lives, but lack the experience or knowledge to choose wisely—yet. 

But perhaps you draw an upside-down Fool first. In that case, explore what a reversal could mean for your protagonist. Are they an anti-hero? Is your main character really the villain? Are they their own worst enemy? Read into the deeper meaning of the card you pull, and use your creative license to interpret it in different ways. 

Appearance

This one is a shallow reading meant to get your ideas flowing. This works best if you don’t have a clear image of what your character looks like. In this exercise, we’ll use freeform association to get a clearer picture.

The Fool symbolizes new beginnings

Simply draw a card and examine the artwork. Do not read its meaning in the tarot booklet or look up its symbolism. Pay attention to how the image makes you feel and what memories or associations it evokes. Apply your own meaning to the symbols represented on the card. Now place your character in the middle of the card. Do they become the figure, or part of the background? Are they a symbol? Write what you see.

For the Fool example, my character could become the fool and adopt many of the figure’s traits, or they could look completely different from the artist’s drawing. Depending on what deck you use, your fool could have very different features than mine. 

Example

In Dali's vision, the fool is covered in butterflies, which I associate with transformation and fragility, and followed by a figure in red, who reminds me of the devil. This leads me to think that my character will soon lose her innocence and become an entirely different person, perhaps to fight evil, or perhaps through embracing temptation. I don't see my character adopting the gender or appearance of this fool, but I can see her covered in these symbolic butterflies with a menacing figure behind her.