Ascent Osaka wrapped up on Sunday, November 1 at the Asia Pacific Trade Center. 618 players played 14 rounds of Swiss and a Top 8 cut. It was one of the biggest Grand Archive events in Asia this season. Here is what matters for players in Olongapo.
The winner: Water Fractals Diao Chan
PokerKT from Hong Kong won the event on Water Fractal Diao Chan. He went 11-1-2 in Swiss, then beat RubyXillia (Malaysia, Fire Suzaku Guo Jia burn) in the final. His list ran 4 Fracturize plus Crystalline Mirror, the Category 2 watchlist card.
Top 8: | Place | Player | Deck | |---|---|---| | 1st | PokerKT (HK) | Water Fractal Diao Chan | | 2nd | RubyXillia (MY) | Fire Suzaku Guo Jia Burn | | Top 4 | Noel (US) | Fractal Diao Chan | | Top 4 | Yadon (TW) | Fire Luxem Lightweaver Zander | | Top 8 | Nosmas (HK) | Fire Umbra Coup Ciel (1st after Swiss) | | Top 8 | DuDu (PL) | Fire Crucible Burn Arisanna | | Top 8 | Sano (US) | Wind Crux Lorraine | | Top 8 | Tress (DE) | Water Exia Mill Jin |
Fractals Diao Chan was also the most played deck, with 68 of 618 decks (11%). Next came Wind Crux Lorraine (58), Fire Coup Ciel (42), then Fire Suzaku and Water Allies Ciel (32 each).
The Philippine story: 12 players, two in Day 2, one heartbreaker
Twelve players representing the Philippines made the trip. Two of them reached Day 2:
- elothere went 10-3-1 on Water Fractal Diao Chan and finished 18th of 618. He tied on 31 points with the players in 15th, 16th and 17th, and missed the Top 16 on tiebreakers. That is one tiebreaker away from the Top 16 at a 600-player Ascent.
- IvanKlaric went 8-2-4 on Wind Crux Lorraine and finished 40th.
Shout-out to the rest of the PH crew too: GamingSiopao, Whizzery, Nine, TrueSightFugative, Panrad, Mashiro, Gondonar, TheDon, MoonMiyo and Otoro. Know any of them? Tag them below.
Why this matters at our counter: the Ciel starter was everywhere
You don't need a chase pack to play what Osaka played. Look at the cards inside the Ciel Starter Deck (Ciel, Mirage's Grave) and count how many of the 618 decklists ran them:
- Tariff Ring: 251 decks (about 4 in 10)
- Ciel, Loyal Valet: 76 decks
- Manxome Armoire: 76 decks
- Umbra Sight: 66 decks
- Nocturne's Oblivion: 46 decks
- Ciel, Mirage's Grave: 43 decks
- Heavy Swing: 40 decks
- Grande Sonnerie: 36 decks
Nosmas topped the Swiss rounds on a Fire Coup Ciel build. If you want to try the Ciel side of the format, the starter is the cheapest way in.
The Diana Starter Deck has a harder story. Water Aetherwing Diana showed up in only 15 decks and won about 34.5% of its matches. Diana, Aether Dilettante was still played in 29 lists. Buy it to learn the game, not to win Osaka.
Booster staples from Distorted Reflections were also all over the event: Resolute Stand (194 decks), Regal Inquisition (191), Liminal Guide (165), Fluffy Shopkeep (146) and Frostbind (116).
What's next for the format
- No ban list changes. Grand Archive's November 2 Banned and Restricted update changed nothing. The next one is Friday, December 11. Baleful Oblation, Fabled Azurite Fatestone and Spirit Blade: Ascension stay banned, and Chalice of Blood and Crystalline Mirror stay on Category 2.
- .asphodel/cantabile releases December 11, 2026. Grand Archive held a developer stream after the Osaka awards with more reveals.
- Champions are now visible from Round 1 in Omnidex. The change went live two days before Osaka, so expect more people to play around your champion from the first round.
Rift Vault take: Start with Ciel
Our take: If you're starting Grand Archive, start with the Ciel Starter Deck (₱1,100). It holds Tariff Ring, the card that showed up in 251 of the 618 Osaka decklists, roughly 4 in 10. It also gives you a champion line that reached the top tables. Build from the starter, then add Distorted Reflections singles as you go. You don't need a stack of boosters to play at the level that put a Filipino player one tiebreaker from the Top 16.
Your turn
If you had to play Osaka tomorrow, would you pick Fractals Diao Chan, Crux Lorraine or Coup Ciel? Comment your champion.
Results and decklist counts come from Grand Archive's official Omnidex data (618 decklists). Player countries are as listed on each player's profile.