Lost Ark Advanced Honing: September 2026 Changes Explained

Lost Ark Advanced Honing has been eased as part of the Dimensions Unbound progression overhaul, but it has not been removed. The September update changes the material requirements around Stage 2 and Stage 4 Tempering and increases the amount of Ancestor’s Grace obtained while attempting Advanced Honing, giving characters a smoother route through a system that still matters on the road to endgame.

Lost Ark Advanced Honing also sits beside a much larger Tier 3 cleanup, so returning players need to separate normal honing changes from Advanced Honing changes. Normal honing now starts in Tier 4, while Tier 3 upper honing materials remain relevant specifically for Advanced Honing of Akkan gear. Throwing away everything marked Tier 3 without checking the new purpose would therefore be a mistake.

Lost Ark Advanced Honing changes Stage 2 and Stage 4 Tempering

Lost Ark Advanced Honing uses different materials for Stage 2 and Stage 4 Tempering after the September patch. Amazon has not simply disabled older tempering items, though. Eye of Alcaone and Thunder Globe already in your possession can still be used as alternative materials when Tempering, which gives existing inventories a clear route into the revised system.

The useful part of that rule is that older stock is not instantly dead currency. If you have been sitting on those materials, check the Tempering interface before exchanging or dismantling anything elsewhere. The new requirements apply going forward, but the patch notes explicitly preserve Eye of Alcaone and Thunder Globe as alternatives.

Lost Ark Advanced Honing: ancestor’s Grace builds faster across Stages 1 to 40

Lost Ark Advanced Honing also increases the acquisition amount of Ancestor’s Grace orbs when you attempt Stages 1 through 40. Amazon does not publish one universal percentage in the western release notes, so there is no reason to invent a neat numerical buff. What is confirmed is the direction of travel: the pity-like progress represented by Ancestor’s Grace accumulates more quickly across the full 1 to 40 range.

That matters because Advanced Honing can feel punishing when repeated attempts fail without enough visible forward motion. Faster orb acquisition does not make every attempt succeed, but it reduces the amount of time a character can remain stuck between milestones while consuming materials.

Lost Ark Advanced Honing: tier 3 materials now have a narrower job

Lost Ark Advanced Honing is now the main reason Tier 3 upper honing materials remain relevant. Dimensions Unbound removes normal honing from upper Ancient Akkan gear and allows existing Tier 3 upper materials to be exchanged for Tier 4 honing materials through the Honing Material Exchange NPC. Before converting a large stockpile, decide whether the character still needs those materials for Advanced Honing.

The patch also removes Tier 3 materials from many old reward sources, so replacing a converted stockpile will not work the same way it did before September 16. This is another reason to treat the inventory decision as part of your progression plan rather than a cleanup chore.

What the easing means for returning players

Lost Ark Advanced Honing now fits a progression route that is trying to move players into current content faster. South Rimeria II can take a character to item level 1660, while Jump-Up Boost and Rapid Growth support the climb toward 1720. Easing Advanced Honing alongside those systems prevents one older progression mechanic from becoming the awkward bottleneck in an otherwise faster catch-up path.

The safest approach is to inspect the character’s current gear and Advanced Honing stage before spending or exchanging old materials. Use preserved tempering items where they still have value, take advantage of the faster Ancestor’s Grace progress and only then convert the surplus you no longer need. That keeps the September improvements working for you instead of accidentally deleting flexibility from your roster.

Because the western notes do not publish every revised material quantity, the live honing interface remains the correct place to check the exact cost of the next attempt. The important confirmed changes are the altered Stage 2 and Stage 4 Tempering materials and faster Ancestor’s Grace accumulation across the complete 1 to 40 range.