This guide explains how to use the first free Limited Animus Reset and avoid rebuilding the wrong character because you misunderstood what the reset returns.
Quick answer
The official Etheria: Restart announcement confirms that the SS6 Limited Animus Reset runs from September 2, 2026 at 16:00 to September 16 at 15:59 (UTC+8). It lets you return an owned Animus’s star level, character level, and Potential upgrades to their initial state while refunding the relevant development resources. This event provides 3 rebuild opportunities: the first is free, while the second and third cost Hydra Crystals.
The safest approach is not to reset someone immediately after maintenance. First answer three questions: Did the SS6 balance changes actually make this Animus worse for your main modes? Does the in-game refund preview include every resource you expect to recover? Do you already know which replacement you will build? Confirm the reset only when all three answers are clear.
Step 1: Separate a seasonal reset from a character rebuild
This event does not wipe your account or return your entire roster to its starting state. The official description applies to the Animus you deliberately select. Do not assume that Peak Arena rank, story progress, other inventory resources, or account assets will change merely because the feature is called an Animus Reset.
Inside the event, treat the final confirmation screen as the authority for the selected character, the before-and-after state, and the refund list. If that screen does not match your reading of the announcement, take a screenshot and stop. Do not spend the first free reset as an experiment.
Step 2: Build a candidate list
Review candidates in this order:
- Characters directly affected by SS6 balancing. The official balance post covers characters including Lilith, Water R.C. Cell, R.C. Cell, Puson, and Eroan, as well as broader rules such as Overflow and Hollow. Check whether the change truly affects the team you use.
- Highly invested characters who rarely play. A character with substantial star, level, and Potential resources but no current role in story, PvP, or events is usually a stronger reset candidate than someone still in rotation.
- Characters with a confirmed replacement. Refunded materials have value only when they solve a known gap in a new team. Do not dismantle the old team first and choose a replacement later.
A balance change does not automatically mean a reset is correct. Some changes are buffs and others alter shared rules. Evaluate speed order, control, immunity, and survivability as a complete chain.
Step 3: Verify the refund list
The SS6 notice says that the relevant resources consumed during development will be returned, but it does not name every item in that same passage. An official June 2026 event notice for the same type of feature explicitly listed Lattices, Imprints, Investigation Records, Potential materials, and Etheria Coins. That history helps explain the event format, but it cannot replace the final SS6 client preview.
Before confirming, record the current star level, character level, skills or Potential status; every refund item and quantity shown in the preview; the Hydra Crystal price of the second and third rebuilds; and the resources still needed by your target character. If a scarce material is missing from the preview, treat its refund as unconfirmed. Do not gamble on how an older season behaved.
Low-risk decision table
| Situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| The character remains central to your main team after a small numerical change | Test the team first and do not rush the reset |
| A high-investment character has been benched and a replacement is confirmed | Prioritize the free first rebuild |
| You only want ordinary experience or Etheria Coins | Compare the Hydra Crystal cost; later resets may not be worthwhile |
| The refund scope is unclear or no list appears | Stop and wait for clarification or contact support |
| You hope the reset removes a dungeon-material cap | Do not assume it will; a character reset is not the same as lifting a cap |
Patch-risk note
This guide was verified on September 1, 2026, before the event opened. The official posts confirm the schedule, number of uses, and general refund principle. Recheck the interface, actual price, and itemized refund after the server opens on September 2. Community questions show that players are uncertain about reset limits, but they do not establish official rules.