FGO Banner Schedule: The Ultimate Guide To Planning Your Saint Quartz For 2024 And 2025

Navigating the complex world of Fate/Grand Order (FGO) requires more than just a strong team of Servants; it requires meticulous financial planning of your Saint Quartz (SQ). For players on the North American (NA) and Global servers, the game provides a unique advantage often referred to as "Foresight EX." Because the Japanese (JP) version of the game runs exactly two years ahead of the Global version, players can look into the future to see exactly which Servants are coming, which banners are worth the investment, and when to skip bait banners to save for the "meta-defining" supports.

Understanding the FGO banner schedule is the difference between a high-functioning roster and a collection of missed opportunities. Whether you are a "Free to Play" (F2P) strategist or a "Whale" looking to optimize your spending, knowing the timeline of upcoming campaigns, seasonal events, and anniversary celebrations is paramount. This guide breaks down the predicted schedule based on the historical JP timeline, providing deep insights into which Servants will redefine the gameplay loop and how you should manage your resources over the next 24 months.

The Two-Year Lag: Leveraging Foresight EX for Strategic Summoning

The most critical component of the FGO banner schedule is the chronological gap between the JP and NA servers. This two-year delay is not merely a waiting period; it is a roadmap for efficiency. While the JP player base must pull for Servants based on aesthetic appeal or initial community testing, NA players have two years of data, tier lists, and gameplay videos to determine a Servant's long-term viability. This allows players to ignore "power creep" traps and focus on units that remain relevant years after their release.

However, relying on the schedule isn't foolproof. Aniplex and Lasengle occasionally shuffle smaller "Download Campaign" banners or "Interlude Campaign" summons to fit the NA calendar, especially around Thanksgiving or US-centric holidays. Despite these minor deviations, the "tentpole" events—such as the New Year’s Campaign, the Anniversary in July, and the Summer Events—remain fixed. Mastering this schedule allows you to calculate exactly how many tickets and SQ you can accumulate between major releases, ensuring you never hit a "must-have" banner with an empty wallet.

Furthermore, the introduction of the "Pity System" (officially known as the Spark system) has changed how players interact with the schedule. To guarantee a 5-star (SSR) Servant on their rate-up banner, a player needs 900 Saint Quartz (or 330 total pulls). By studying the schedule, you can identify which "pity windows" you want to aim for. If you know a high-tier support like Archetype: Earth or Lady Avalon is coming in the summer, you can work backward from that date to ensure you have the 900 SQ safety net ready, mitigating the brutal RNG that FGO is famous for.

High-Priority Targets: Servants That Will Define the Meta

When looking at the FGO banner schedule for the upcoming years, several names stand out as non-negotiable for players looking to clear high-difficulty content or optimize their farming. The "Big Supports" always take priority because they breathe life into your entire roster. Following the "Buster Renaissance" brought on by Koyanskaya of the Light and Oberon, the schedule shifts toward more diverse compositions, including the rise of "Quick" once again and the continued dominance of "Arts" looping.

In the 2024 cycle, players should keep a close eye on the 7th Anniversary. This period traditionally introduces a Servant that fundamentally shifts the game's mechanics. Beyond the Anniversary, the Summer banners are notorious "quartz sinks," offering limited-class versions of popular characters who often possess unique skill sets that cannot be found elsewhere. For example, Summer Ibuki Douji (Berserker) stands as one of the most powerful AOE attackers in the game's history, making her a primary target for anyone who missed out on Space Ishtar or Summer Musashi.

Looking further ahead into 2025, the schedule introduces even more specialized units. Servants like Rasputin (Kirei Kotomine) and the various "Lostbelt 7" releases bring unprecedented power levels. The difficulty of "90++" farming nodes (nodes with massive HP pools that require specific damage calculations) makes these future banners even more essential. Without the right units from the scheduled banners, players may find themselves struggling to clear event shops efficiently, leading to a shortage of materials needed to level up their existing Servants.

Comprehensive FGO Banner Forecast (NA/Global Expected)

The following table outlines the projected major banners for the NA server. Please note that while the sequence is highly reliable, exact dates may shift by 1-2 weeks depending on event durations and maintenance schedules.

Estimated Date Event/Campaign Name Featured SSR Servants Strategic Priority January 2024 New Year's 2024 Rasputin, Miyamoto Musashi, Gilgamesh High (Strong AOE & GSSR) February 2024 Valentine's Day Manannán mac Lir (Bazett) Medium (Unique Counter Mechanic) March 2024 White Day (Chaldea Boys) Takasugi Shinsaku Medium (Quick Support/DPS) May 2024 Arcade Collaboration Sodom's Beast/Draco, Tiamat Ultra High (First Beast Class) July 2024 7th Anniversary Archetype: Earth (Arcueid) Highest (Mooncancer Meta) August 2024 Summer 2024 (Arctic Summer) Lady Avalon, Summer Ibuki Douji Highest (Top Tier Arts Farming) November 2024 GUDAGUDA New Event Sen-no-Rikyu High (Top Tier Quick Farmer) January 2025 New Year's 2025 U-Olga Marie (Expected), Kingprotea High (Story Relevant Power) May 2025 Fate/Samurai Remnant Collab Miyamoto Iori, Yui Shousetsu High (Limited Collaboration) July 2025 8th Anniversary Savior of Tomorrow (Tonelico) Highest (Buster/Cooldown Support)

The GSSR and Destiny Summon: Maximizing Paid Saint Quartz

For players who are willing to spend a small amount of money, the "Guaranteed Super Super Rare" (GSSR) banners are the most important dates on the FGO schedule. Occurring twice a year—during the New Year’s celebration and the Anniversary in July—these banners guarantee at least one 5-star Servant for a reduced price of "Paid" Saint Quartz. Unlike standard banners where the odds are low, the GSSR is a mathematical certainty, making it the most cost-effective way to bolster your roster.

Recent updates to the FGO schedule have introduced more granular GSSR categories. Instead of a single pool of all Servants, banners are now often split by class (Saber, Archer, etc.) or by "Era" (Three Knights vs. Four Cavalry). This allows players to target specific holes in their lineup. If you lack a strong Assassin or a specialized Ruler, the GSSR schedule allows you to pick the pool with the highest statistical probability of giving you a "New" Servant rather than a duplicate (NP2+).

In addition to the GSSR, the "Destiny Summon" is a newer mechanic that players must prepare for. This allows you to create a "wishlist" of one Servant from each class and summon from that personalized pool. This feature is a dream for collectors and meta-chasers alike, but it requires careful study of the banner schedule to ensure you aren't putting a Servant on your wishlist who is scheduled for a solo rate-up banner just a few weeks later. Expert players always check the schedule to see if their desired unit has a standalone banner before committing their "Paid SQ" to the GSSR/Destiny pools.

Comparison: Saving for One vs. Splitting for Many

A common dilemma in the FGO community is whether to "dump" all resources into a single meta-defining banner or spread them across multiple "waifu/husbando" banners. Analyzing the pros and cons of these strategies is essential for long-term enjoyment of the game.

The "All-In" Meta Strategy:

Pros: High likelihood of hitting the Pity threshold; maximizes the chance of getting high Noble Phantasm (NP) levels, which is crucial for 90++ farming. Cons: Missing out on seasonal limited Servants; high risk of burnout if the RNG is unfavorable; potential for a boring gameplay experience if you only use the "top" units.

The "Wide Roster" Strategy:

Pros: Higher variety of gameplay styles; better preparation for "Ordeal Call" or "Tower" events where you need many different Servants; emotional satisfaction of getting multiple favorites. Cons: Higher chance of "spooks" (getting non-rate-up units); unlikely to hit Pity on any single banner; roster might lack the raw damage necessary for the hardest content.

As an expert, I recommend a hybrid approach. Use the FGO banner schedule to identify the "Big Three" supports of the year. Save enough to guarantee those via Pity. Any "surplus" Saint Quartz accumulated through logins, bond levels, and story clears can then be safely used on banners for Servants you simply like for their design or lore. This balanced approach ensures you stay competitive in the meta while still enjoying the "waifu/husbando" aspect of the gacha.

Expert Guide: How to Prepare for Upcoming Banners

If you are looking to get started with serious banner planning, follow these steps to ensure you are never caught off guard by a surprise drop.

Audit Your Roster: Look at your current classes. Do you have a "Looper" for every class? Do you have the core supports (Castoria, Koyanskaya, Oberon, Skadi)? Identifying your weaknesses tells you which scheduled banners are "must-pulls." Calculate Your SQ Income: FGO is generous with "dead weeks." On average, a regular player can earn between 60 to 100 SQ per month just through logins, weekly missions, and small events. Factor in "Anniversary Rewards," which often give 300+ SQ, and you can map out your total "pulling power" for the year. Monitor the JP "Early" Schedule: Follow JP news sources. If a Servant receives a massive "Buff" or "Interlude" in Japan today, that buff will arrive in NA in exactly two years. This can turn a "skip" Servant into a "must-have" overnight. Set a "Hard Skip" Rule: The hardest part of following a schedule is discipline. If a banner is not on your pre-planned list, do not "throw a few tickets." Those tickets are 3% of a pity bar. Discipline is the only way to beat the FGO gacha.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the NA server ever skip banners that occurred in JP? It is extremely rare for a banner to be skipped entirely. Usually, if a banner is tied to a specific collaboration (like a movie release in Japan), it is rebranded as a "Singularity Pickup" or "Pre-Campaign" banner in NA. You can generally expect 99% of the JP schedule to manifest in Global eventually.

How much Saint Quartz do I need for a guaranteed SSR? Under the current pity system, you need 900 Saint Quartz or 300 individual summons (which becomes 330 with the "10+1" bonus). Pity does not carry over between banners, so you must use all 900 SQ on a single banner to trigger the guarantee.

Are the Summer Servants better than the New Year Servants? This depends on the year. Historically, Summer Servants are "best-in-class" attackers (like Summer Kama or Summer Ibuki), while New Year Servants are often unique, experimental, or high-damage niche units (like Rasputin or Yang Guifei). Generally, Summer Servants see more frequent use in daily farming.

Should I pull for NP2 (Duplicate) or just NP1? For support Servants (like Castoria), NP1 is usually sufficient. For damage dealers (DPS), NP2 provides a significant 33% increase in Noble Phantasm damage, which is often the threshold required to clear the hardest 90++ nodes in modern FGO. If the schedule allows, aim for NP2 on your primary farmer.

When is the best time to start saving for the next Anniversary? Ideally, you should start saving immediately after the Summer banners end in August. This gives you approximately six months to build a massive stockpile for the New Year and the following July Anniversary.

Optimize Your FGO Experience Today

The FGO banner schedule is your most powerful tool in the fight against the Gacha. By staying informed and planning your resources months in advance, you can build a formidable roster that can handle any challenge the game throws at you. Don't leave your summons to chance—study the upcoming banners, identify your targets, and start saving your Saint Quartz today. Whether you're waiting for the arrival of the Great Beast or the next Summer celebration, a little foresight goes a long way in the world of Fate/Grand Order.