Which higher degrees of Freemasonry are highly impactful?

The Holy Royal Arch is considered the completion of Craft Masonry and the natural next step for a Master Mason, as the Grand Lodge of India outlines. Within the system defined by the United Grand Lodge of England under the 1813 Act of Union, the Royal Arch constitutes the fourth and final stage of Pure Antient Masonry.

In the Scottish Rite, the Ancient and Accepted Rite (Rose Croix) is structured as a system of 33 degrees and forms the largest Masonic Order after the Craft, according to the United Grand Lodge of England. Ward notes that whereas certain early side degrees were conferred casually in quiet side rooms with brief, simple instruction, degrees like the Rose Croix required elaborate ritual and rich symbolism to convey their teachings 1.

Across different jurisdictions, these side degrees and additional bodies complement the Craft degrees by offering expanded education and spiritual experience, as an article on the Grand Lodge of India's website notes.