LEGO Fortnite Odyssey adds a new crafting loop with its NINJAGO: Rise of the Ninja update. The mode drops you onto Ninjago Island and asks you to build strength through new resources and new stations. One of those new resources that players want to discover more about is the Honed Bamboo. In this guide, we go over what Honed Bamboo is, how to complete the recipe, and even recipes for higher item tiers!

What is Honed Bamboo in LEGO Fortnite?

Honed Bamboo is a refined crafting material that comes from basic Bamboo in LEGO Fortnite. The game treats Bamboo as a NINJAGO-specific wood resource, so it fills the same role that regular wood fills in other biomes, but it supports ninja-focused crafting. 

You craft Honed Bamboo at the Ritual Altar, then you spend it at the Ninja Workbench for key NINJAGO gear. Epic describes the Ritual Altar as the station that turns Bamboo into its perfected form, and it frames the Ninja Workbench as the place where you craft ninja weapons, scrolls, charms, and totems with the materials you gather or refine.

As per the NINJAGO update, don’t forget to check out our guide on how to get Ink in LEGO Fortnite!

Where to find Bamboo on Ninjago Island and how to harvest it

Bamboo spawns naturally on Ninjago Island, and you can collect it by chopping Bamboo plants like you chop trees. The Bamboo codex entry also points you to a basic Wooden Axe, and it notes that higher-quality axes speed up the harvest.

Use this quick routine to fill your inventory fast:

1. Land near green Bamboo clusters and clear one pocket at a time.
2. Upgrade your axe as soon as you can, because faster swings cut your farming time.
3. Bank Bamboo in short runs, then switch to combat content to hunt your refining ingredient.

This approach matters because Honed Bamboo costs Ritual Oil each time you craft it, and you do not want Bamboo to stack up without the oil to convert it.

What is Ritual Oil?

Ritual Oil acts as the catalyst for NINJAGO refinement. LEGO’s official NINJAGO guide states that you collect Ritual Oil after you defeat tough enemies, and you then use it at a Ritual Altar to refine ninja resources.

Epic’s own NINJAGO guide in the Epic Games Store repeats the same core idea. It links Ritual Oil to stronger enemies and calls out Bamboo + Ritual Oil as the simple example for creating perfected Bamboo.

In practice, plan your session around two tracks:

• Gather track: Bamboo runs on Ninjago Island.
• Combat track: tougher fights for Ritual Oil.

When you balance both, you keep your crafting loop stable and you avoid dead time at the altar.

How to craft Honed Bamboo at the Ritual Altar

Once you hold Bamboo and Ritual Oil, craft Honed Bamboo at the Ritual Altar. Then move to the Ninja Workbench for your next upgrades.

The game supports multiple Honed Bamboo tiers, and each tier increases the Bamboo input while keeping Ritual Oil as the constant requirement. Here are the recipes:

• Honed Bamboo (Uncommon): 3 Bamboo + 1 Ritual Oil
• Honed Bamboo (Rare): 5 Bamboo + 1 Ritual Oil
• Honed Bamboo (Epic): 7 Bamboo + 1 Ritual Oil
• Honed Bamboo (Legendary): 9 Bamboo + 1 Ritual Oil + 3 Unknowable Energy

If you want a clean path, start with Uncommon or Rare, craft what you need, and scale up when your combat loop starts to produce Ritual Oil more often.

Use these habits to keep your inventory and crafting steady:

• Farm Bamboo first, then spend your next block of time on tougher enemies for Ritual Oil.
• Craft Honed Bamboo in small batches, so you keep room for other NINJAGO materials.
• Save Legendary crafting for later, because it adds extra inputs beyond Bamboo and Ritual Oil.

Why is Honed Bamboo important in LEGO Fortnite?

Honed Bamboo lets you craft better items as per the NINJAGO update. Bamboo itself already supports several recipes, but the honed tiers push you into the stronger side.

You see the biggest impact in these areas:

• Ninja weapon progress: NINJAGO adds new weapons such as Nunchucks and Shurikens, and the system expects you to improve your gear over time through resource upgrades and crafting.
• Build flexibility: the Ninja Workbench lets you craft a wider set of NINJAGO items than a normal bench, and honed materials expand those options.
• Longer-term progression: Epic positions Rise of the Ninja as a story that continues in 2026, so early mastery of the resource loop helps your future update readiness.

More about the NINJAGO update in LEGO Fortnite

NINJAGO: Rise of the Ninja went live on December 11, 2025, and it places the new system on Ninjago Island with elemental combat, Spinjitzu tools, and a campaign structure.

This update also introduces new stations that shape the entire crafting flow:

• Ritual Altar: converts base resources into honed versions like perfected Bamboo.
• Ninja Workbench: crafts ninja weapons, scrolls, charms, and totems from gathered and honed materials.