Grand Archive TCG Complete Guide | Thorough Explanation from Rules to Rarities and Set Lists
Grand Archive TCG is a trading card game developed by Weebs of the Shore (USA). It combines an art style strongly conscious of Japanese anime and games with high-level strategic depth comparable to Magic: The Gathering and Flesh and Blood. Since the beginning of 2026, attention within the TCG community has been rapidly increasing. On overseas platforms such as Reddit and TCGplayer, it is frequently mentioned as “one of the TCGs to watch in 2026.”
In this article, we will explain all the information needed by everyone from beginners to collectors, including the game overview, how to play, the rarity system, set lists, and purchasing methods for Grand Archive TCG.
What is Grand Archive TCG?
The greatest feature of Grand Archive TCG is that the total number of printed cards is completely disclosed. On the official database called “Index” (index.gatcg.com), the number of printed copies for both regular and foil versions of each card is fully published, making the scarcity visible in numbers. This is a very innovative initiative considering that it is usually kept private in games like Pokémon Cards or Yu-Gi-Oh!.
The main features as a game are as follows:
- A system centered on fighting with a Champion (main character)
- Readability due to clear card text and low stat design
- 8 types of classes (Assassin / Cleric / Guardian / Mage / Ranger / Tamer / Warrior / Spirit)
- A unique system where the Champion levels up and grows
- A highly transparent collection environment due to the disclosure of print counts (Index)
How to Play the Game (Basic Rules)
Objective
Each player controls one Champion card. The victory condition of the game is to defeat the opponent’s Champion. Champions have life stats, and they die when damage counters reach that life value.
Two Decks
In Grand Archive TCG, each player has two types of decks.
| Deck Name | Content | Card Limit |
| Material Deck | Composed of Champion cards and Regalia cards. “Materialized” into play during the game | Max 12 cards (up to 1 of each card) |
| Main Deck | Composed of regular cards like Allies, Actions, Attacks, and Weapons | Min 60 cards (up to 4 of each card) |
Turn Flow (7 Phases)
| Phase | Content |
| 1. Wake Up Phase | Wake up all your units (return them to a vertical position). |
| 2. Materialize Phase | You can materialize one card from the Material Deck. Champion level-ups are also performed here. |
| 3. Recollection Phase | Return all cards in the Memory Zone to your hand. |
| 4. Draw Phase | Draw one card from the deck. |
| 5. Main Phase | Play cards from your hand, declare attacks, etc. |
| 5a. Combat Phase | The battle phase entered after an attack declaration. Returns to the Main Phase after ending. |
| 6. End Phase | Effects lasting “until end of turn” expire. |
Champion Level Up
Champions can level up during the Materialize Phase. The current Champion’s level must be exactly one level lower than the target level, and Lineage requirements must be met. Leveling up costs memory.
Reserve Cost (Using the hand as a cost)
All cards in the Main Deck have a yellow reserve cost. When using a card, you pay by placing the corresponding number of cards from your hand face down into the Memory Zone. Cards in the Memory Zone return to your hand during the Recollection Phase.
※ Beginners who want to try the game for free can download the “Print & Play” (PDF for printing) for free from the official website (gatcg.com).
Grand Archive TCG Rarity Guide
Pack/Box Configuration
| Unit | Content |
| 1 pack | 8–12 cards (varies by set) |
| 1 box | 24 packs |
Rarity List (Low → High)
| Symbol | Name | Summary |
| C | Common | Standard cards with the highest pull rate |
| U | Uncommon | Intermediate rarity with a lower pull rate than Common |
| R | Rare | Basic rare with many practical cards |
| SR | Super Rare | High rarity with special processing. Multiple per box |
| UR | Ultra Rare | High rarity with 1 guaranteed per box |
| CSR | Collector Super Rare | Over-frame art + Artist signature gold stamp |
| CUR | Collector Ultra Rare | Over-frame art + Serial numbered stamp. Only in specific 1st Editions |
| CPR | Collector Promo Rare | Non-sale cards limited to tournaments/special events |
Rarity Details
C (Common) This is the rarity with the highest pull rate. It includes many cards that form the foundation of deck construction.
U (Uncommon) This is the rarity positioned between Common and Rare. It contains many support cards essential for deck building, and multiple copies are included in every pack.
R (Rare) The pull rate is lower than Common or Uncommon, and it contains many practical cards used in decks.
SR (Super Rare) Super Rares are cards with special processing, and multiple copies are included per box. Many are important for gameplay, leading to high demand from competitive players.
UR (Ultra Rare) Ultra Rare is a high rarity with one guaranteed copy per box. A foil version of a UR may also be included (roughly 1 in 8 packs), and it is possible for a regular UR and a foil UR to appear in the same box. This rarity is in high demand for both competitive play and collection.
CSR (Collector Super Rare) Collector Super Rares are characterized by over-frame art (design where the illustration extends beyond the card frame) and a gold stamp of the artist’s signature. The pull rate is extremely low (about 1 in 30 boxes in some sets), and there is high demand from collectors. Some CSRs have variants like “A-CSR” or “B-CSR.”
CUR (Collector Ultra Rare) Collector Ultra Rare is the highest rank of collector rarity. In addition to over-frame art similar to CSR, it features a unique serial number (sequential numbering) engraved on each card. They are only included in specific First Edition sets (such as Dawn of Ashes 1st Edition and Mercurial Heart 1st Edition) and are not included in Alter Editions. For example, only 72 copies of Mercurial Heart’s Tristan Shadowreaver CUR exist in the world.
CPR (Collector Promo Rare) These are non-sale cards distributed as prizes for tournament winners or participation rewards for special events. They are produced with specifications similar to CSR or CUR (over-frame art, signed, etc.). They cannot be obtained from packs or boxes, and their market price in the secondary market can reach anywhere from $80 to tens of thousands of yen or more.
Differences Between First Edition and Alter Edition
The concept of “Editions” exists for Grand Archive TCG cards, which greatly affects their value.
| Edition | Summary | Collection Value |
| First Edition | Cards printed and sold first. Carries the “1st Edition” stamp at the bottom | High |
| Alter Edition | Reprint after First Edition sold out. Same card list but value is very different | Lower |
※ In most cases, First Editions trade at higher prices even for the same rarity. CURs only exist in specific First Edition sets and are not included in Alter Editions.
How to Identify Rarities
Basic: Look at the colored symbol at the bottom left
The rarity of Grand Archive TCG is determined by the colored symbol described in the text area at the bottom left (next to the set code + number).
| Symbol | Symbol Color | Rarity |
| C | White (Plain) | Common |
| U | Green | Uncommon |
| R | Blue | Rare |
| SR | Purple | Super Rare |
| UR | Orange | Ultra Rare |
| CSR | White (Outlined) | Collector Super Rare |
| PR | Light Pink | Promo Rare |
C through UR can be identified instantly just by looking at the color of the symbol.
This card is SR.
Identifying Higher Rarities (CSR, CUR, CPR)
Not just the color, but the appearance of the card itself changes significantly.
Features of CSR (Collector Super Rare)
- Over-frame art: The illustration overflows beyond the card frame.
- Artist’s gold signature: A stamp of a handwritten-style signature on the front of the card.
- Variant notation: Cards exist where an A or B is added before the symbol, such as “A-CSR” or “B-CSR.”
- CSRs included in Alter Editions have the same stamp across all cards.
Features of CUR (Collector Ultra Rare)
- Over-frame art + Artist signature similar to CSR.
- Additionally, a serial number (sequential number) is engraved (e.g., 1/70, 72/72).
- The design of the signature is completely different for each card (while CSR uses the same stamp for all, CUR is unique to each card).
- Cards with lower numbers (especially “1/70”) tend to fetch higher prices in the collector market.
Features of CPR (Collector Promo Rare)
- Specifications similar to CSR or CUR (over-frame art, signed).
- “CPR” is described at the bottom left of the card.
- The design differs depending on the acquisition method (tournament, event).
Regarding Foil (Shiny) Cards
In Grand Archive TCG, a foil version (Parallel Foil) exists for cards of any rarity. The pull rate is very low at about 1 in every 8 packs, and combinations such as Foil UR or Foil CSR exist. Since being foil is on a different axis from rarity, it is most accurate to judge rarity based on the color of the symbol + the presence of over-frame art.
Identification Flow
When you have a card in hand, check in the following order:
- Illustration overflows from the card frame → One of CSR / CUR / CPR.
- Serial number is engraved → CUR (Highest rarity).
- No serial number → CSR or CPR.
- Contained within the frame → Check the color of the symbol at the bottom left.
- Orange → UR
- Purple → SR
- Blue → R
- Green → U
- White/Plain → C
- Entire card is shiny → Foil version (separate from rarity).
Set List (Release Order)
Grand Archive TCG releases Standard Sets and Expansion Sets alternately. Standard Sets are large sets that introduce new stages and Champions, while Expansion Sets are small-to-medium sets that expand those worlds.
| Set Name | Type | Release Date |
| Dawn of Ashes | Standard Set (1st) | April 28, 2023 |
| Fractured Crown | Expansion Set | August 25, 2023 |
| Alchemical Revolution | Standard Set | January 26, 2024 |
| Mercurial Heart | Expansion Set | 2024 |
| Mortal Ambition | Standard Set | 2024 |
| Abyssal Heaven | Expansion Set | 2025 |
| Distorted Reflections | Standard Set | July 25, 2025 |
| Phantom Monarchs | Expansion Set | December 5, 2025 |
| Radiant Origins | Capstone Set | April 3, 2026 (Planned) |
※ Radiant Origins is positioned as a Capstone Set (culmination set) that concludes the series.
High-Value Card Examples
Cards that tend to get high prices in the secondary market:
- CUR (Collector Ultra Rare) First Edition: Serial numbered and only tens to hundreds exist in the world. Trading examples exist from tens of thousands to over a hundred thousand yen.
- CPR (Collector Promo Rare): Non-sale cards limited to tournaments and events. $80 to tens of thousands of yen or more.
- CSR (Collector Super Rare): Featuring over-frame art and creator signatures. Thousands to tens of thousands of yen.
- UR First Edition: Price differences tend to appear more easily compared to Alter Edition.
※ Note: “UR (Ultra Rare)” is a formal rarity of Grand Archive TCG. Please be careful not to confuse it with rarities of other TCGs when searching for “UR.” Also, CUR is not included in all First Editions but exists only in specific sets.
Community & Information Gathering
- Official Website: gatcg.com
- Official Card Database Index: index.gatcg.com (Print counts and foil counts for each card can be confirmed)
- Reddit: r/grandarchivetcg (Over 5,000 members)
- Discord: Official community server (Over 14,000 members)
How to Buy Cards
Grand Archive TCG is mainly distributed in English-speaking regions. While there are cases where cards are traded in Japanese domestic marketplaces, purchasing from overseas involves language barriers and issues with shipping support.
- There are few stores handling Grand Archive TCG on platforms that support Japanese.
- Rare cards listed only within Japan may circulate on Yahoo! Auctions or Mercari.
- Direct access to English sites or personal imports can be time-consuming.
→ This can be solved by using Neokyo.
By using Neokyo, for Grand Archive TCG cards listed in the Japanese domestic marketplace, you can:
- Search: Search Japanese sites with an English interface.
- Proxy Purchase: Proxy bidding and direct purchase.
- Inspection: Check the condition after purchase.
- Packing/Shipping: International shipping worldwide with safe packing.
Obtain rare cards such as CUR, CPR, and CSR from anywhere in the world with peace of mind.
