Jewel of Life: complete guide to item additional options in MU Online
Complete guide to the Jewel of Life (JoL) in MU Online: what the 'additional option' stat is and how it differs from +level upgrades, how JoL increases item options (stages 1-4 on most servers), failure risks and failure types by server configuration, which items benefit most from high options (weapons vs armor), economic value vs JoB/JoS, farming sources (events, monsters, box of Kundun), and when to use JoL vs when to accept lower options.
The Jewel of Life handles the third dimension of item upgrading — the additional option. While Jewel of Bless upgrades the item's +level (safe), and Jewel of Soul pushes it further (risky), the Jewel of Life adds a separate bonus stat that exists alongside the +level entirely. This guide covers how
The Jewel of Life handles the third dimension of item upgrading — the additional option. While Jewel of Bless upgrades the item's +level (safe), and Jewel of Soul pushes it further (risky), the Jewel of Life adds a separate bonus stat that exists alongside the +level entirely. This guide covers how the additional option works, how JoL applies it, and when the risk is worth taking.
What the "additional option" is
Understanding item upgrade layers:
An upgraded item in S6 has THREE separate upgrade dimensions:
Dimension 1: +LEVEL (from Jewel of Bless / Jewel of Soul)
→ Notation: +6, +9, +13
→ Increases weapon damage and armor defense directly
→ Capped at +15 in standard S6
→ Safe to +6 (JoB), risky +7 to +9 (JoS)
Dimension 2: EXCELLENT OPTION (from Excellent item drop)
→ Separate from +level — built into the item when it drops
→ Can have 1-6 options depending on Excellent item quality
→ Examples: "+excellent damage rate", "+attack speed", "+mana after kill"
→ Cannot be changed after drop (you can't add or remove Excellent options)
Dimension 3: ADDITIONAL OPTION (from Jewel of Life)
→ Notation: +4, +8, +16, +28 (example values — vary by item type)
→ THIS is what JoL modifies
→ A bonus stat that adds to weapon damage or armor defense
→ Can be increased from 0 up to max option value through JoL application
→ Separate from +level and Excellent options
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What the additional option actually does:
For weapons:
→ Adds minimum/maximum damage directly
→ Example: "Dragon Sword +9 +16 damage"
→ The "+16" is the additional option (NOT the same as +9)
→ Both bonuses stack
For armor:
→ Adds defense directly
→ Example: "Dragon Armor +9 +16 defense"
→ +9 from Bless/Soul, +16 additional from JoL
The maximum option values vary by item type and item base level
→ Higher-tier items have higher maximum option values
→ A level 7 weapon has a much higher max option than a level 1 weaponHow Jewel of Life works
Application mechanics:
Step 1: Select an item with current option value
→ An item starts at "0" additional option (no option)
→ First JoL application: adds the first option stage
Step 2: Each successful JoL increases the option by 1 stage
→ Stage 0 → Stage 1 (first JoL success)
→ Stage 1 → Stage 2 (second success)
→ Stage 2 → Stage 3 (third success)
→ Stage 3 → Stage 4 (maximum — fourth success)
Stage values example (weapon — varies by server):
Stage 1: +4 additional damage
Stage 2: +8 additional damage
Stage 3: +16 additional damage (significant jump at stage 3)
Stage 4: +28 additional damage (maximum — very powerful)
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Failure mechanics:
JoL has a chance to fail at each application:
Success rate varies by server and current stage:
→ Stage 0 → 1: typically 80-90% success rate
→ Stage 1 → 2: typically 70-80%
→ Stage 2 → 3: typically 60-70%
→ Stage 3 → 4: typically 50-60% (hardest step)
What happens on failure:
Type A (option decrease — most common):
→ Item's option drops by 1 stage
→ Stage 3 item fails → drops to Stage 2
→ Item NOT destroyed, just loses 1 stage
→ Must re-apply JoL to try again
Type B (option reset — some servers):
→ Item's option resets to Stage 0 (no option)
→ Must start from scratch
→ Rare configuration but it exists
Type C (no change — some servers):
→ On failure: nothing happens (option stays the same)
→ Most forgiving failure type
Check your specific server's failure type BEFORE applying JoL to expensive items
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How many JoL attempts to reach max option?
Statistical calculation (Type A failure — drops 1 stage):
To reach Stage 4 from Stage 0:
→ Average attempts: approximately 6-12 JoL depending on rates
→ Best case: 4 successes in a row
→ Worst case: multiple failures and resets add up
To reach Stage 4 from Stage 3 (hardest step):
→ Average attempts: 2-3 JoL at 50-60% rate
→ High variance: can take 6-8 tries before this last step succeeds
Cost estimate (if 1 JoL = 5-10 JoB market value):
→ Getting to Stage 4: expected cost of 30-80 JoB in JoL
→ On high-value items (Wing L3 weapon): worth the investment
→ On low-tier items: may not be worth the JoL costWhich items benefit most from additional option
Priority items for JoL application:
High-value weapon options:
Dragon Sword / Elite Long Sword (DK weapons):
→ Max option: +28 damage
→ Difference between Stage 0 and Stage 4: significant DPS increase
→ Stage 4 on a DK weapon = noticeably more damage per Twisting Slash hit
Staff (DW/Summoner):
→ Max option: +X magic damage bonus
→ For Grand Master: higher option → stronger Nova
Bows (Elf):
→ Max option: +X min/max damage
→ AGI Elf: higher weapon option = more arrow damage
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Armor items and option value:
Dragon Armor (DK):
→ Option type: DEF bonus
→ Stage 4: significant defense increase
→ Worth applying JoL if farming Kanturu (high damage map)
Any armor for PvP:
→ More DEF from option = harder to kill
→ Stage 4 armor: PvP survivability improvement
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Items NOT worth prioritizing for JoL:
Low-level base items:
→ Max option value is low on early-game gear
→ Don't waste JoL on items you'll replace soon
Items you plan to replace:
→ If moving to a better item tier next week: save the JoL for the new item
Shields (low-value option effect):
→ Shield's additional option is typically lower priority than weapon/armorEconomy and market value of high-option items
How option affects item price:
Same item, different option values:
Item | Option Stage | Approximate Value
-----------------|--------------|-------------------
Dragon Sword +9 | Stage 0 (no option) | 5-15 JoB
Dragon Sword +9 | Stage 1 (basic) | 8-20 JoB
Dragon Sword +9 | Stage 2 | 15-35 JoB
Dragon Sword +9 | Stage 3 | 30-60 JoB
Dragon Sword +9 | Stage 4 (max) | 60-150 JoB
→ Max option can be 5-10x more valuable than no option
→ This price difference is real in active S6 economies
Why max option items trade for premium:
→ Stage 4 option is genuinely powerful (not cosmetic)
→ Requires significant JoL investment to reach
→ Some players prefer buying a Stage 4 item rather than risking the process
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JoL economic value:
1 JoL market price on typical S6 server: 5-15 JoB equivalent
Expected JoL to max a weapon: 6-12 JoL on average
Break-even analysis:
→ If JoL costs 8 JoB equivalent and you use 8 JoL: cost = 64 JoB
→ If max option item sells for 100+ JoB: profitable to invest
→ If the item isn't valuable enough: not worth the JoL investment
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When to invest JoL vs accept lower option:
Worth the investment:
→ Your primary weapon (use for months)
→ High-tier items (Wing L2 set, Dragon set with full upgrades)
→ Items you'll trade for maximum price
Skip the investment:
→ Leveling gear (replace in weeks)
→ Items that already have Excellent options (those options may outweigh JoL value)
→ High-rate servers where items are plentiful (JoL still scarce)See also the Jewel of Bless guide (the +level upgrade foundation), the Jewel of Soul guide (the +7/+8/+9 risky upgrade), and the item options system guide (how Excellent options, Ancient options, and JoL options all stack together).
Frequently asked questions
What does the Jewel of Life do?
The Jewel of Life adds or increases the 'additional option' on an item — a bonus stat separate from the +level upgrade. For example: a weapon's 'additional option' might be +16 minimum attack or +16 bonus damage. Applying JoL attempts to increase this option value. Most items have options in 4 stages: the first stage is basic, the 4th is maximum.
Can the Jewel of Life fail?
Yes. JoL has a failure risk. On failure: the item's additional option can decrease by 1 stage (down to the previous level) or in some server configurations, the option resets to 0 (the original unoptioned state). The item itself is NOT destroyed by JoL failure — only the option level drops. This makes JoL less dangerous than JoS but still risky on high-value options.
What is the value of the additional option?
The additional option is a significant power multiplier. A weapon with max additional option can deal 20-40% more damage than the same weapon with no option. For armor: max option adds significant DEF or HP. Items with high additional options (especially weapons) are worth substantially more than same-type items with low or no options.
Where does the Jewel of Life drop?
JoL drops from most monsters in the game (lower rate than JoB/JoS). Better rates from: Box of Kundun (Golden Invasion boxes), Blood Castle and Devil Square rewards, Excellent/Ancient monster drops in high-level maps (Kanturu, Raklion), and event rewards generally. JoL is less common than JoB but more common than JoCreation.