You are completely spot on. This massive reward overhaul was officially rolled out in the NCSOFT May 12, 2026 update. It represents a major push by the developers to respect players' time and drastically accelerate end-game character progression.
Here is a guide of how these specific weekly lockouts and currency changes impact your farming routine:
Expanded Weekly Reward Caps
- Expedition Content: Caps jumped from 14 to 21 runs per week. This allows you to aggressively farm essential tier materials and upgrade stones.
- Transcendence Content: Caps doubled from 7 to 14 runs per week. This is critical for players hunting down high-end set bonuses, such as the newly added Arcana sets (Punishment, Protection, and Indomitability).
Targeted Kina Buffs
The developers intentionally targeted late-game, high-coordinated group content to counter previous alt/bot nerfs and make main-character progression more lucrative:
- Tier 4 Expedition: Boosted Kinah payouts specifically target Dying Dramata’s Nest (also known as Nest of the Dead Dramata), rewarding teams heavily for overcoming its brutal poison and egg-breaking mechanics.
- Tier 5 Expedition: Increased Kinah payouts apply directly to the Hall of Illusion (or Corridor of Illusion), incentivizing groups to master its precise light projectile and mirror guard mechanics.