How to safely reach +9/+11/+13 in MU Online

Few moments in MU Online cause as much tension as placing that expensive item in the NPC's hands and clicking upgrade, hoping the number goes up instead of the item turning to dust. Taking a piece from +0 to +9 is relatively calm, but the road from +10 to +13 is where players lose items that took weeks of farming, purely out of haste or lack of method. This guide is for the intermediate player who already understands the basics of the game and now wants to upgrade with a cool head and the lowest possible risk. We'll break down how Jewels work, at what point the risk begins, how to use protection items, the correct order to upgrade, and a concrete plan for each tier: up to +9, from +10 to +11, and the risky territory of +12 and +13.

Before you start

Upgrading without preparation is the recipe for losing items. Before you touch a single Jewel, have this sorted out:

• A spare item for testing: never learn your server's chances on your main item. First upgrade a common or cheap item of the same type to feel the real behavior of the rates.
• Enough Jewel stock: running out of Jewels in the middle of a hot streak is frustrating and sometimes costs you the right moment. Build up a stock before you begin.
• Protection items, if the server offers them: many servers have an item that prevents breaking or dropping a level. Find out whether yours does and keep several on hand before going past +9.
• Zen for the NPC fees: the upgrade charges Zen on top of the Jewel. Keep a buffer.
• A cool head and a calm time slot: upgrading is a decision, not an impulse. Avoid risky streaks when tired or rushed.
• A mental backup of your plan: decide how far you'll try and when you'll stop. Without a limit, "just one more" has already broken plenty of items.

How upgrading works in MU Online

Upgrading raises the item's numeric level (the "+N") and each level adds attributes: more damage on weapons, more defense on armor. You hand a Jewel to the combination NPC and it tries to raise the item. The result depends on the chance tied to the Jewel and the item's current level.

There are two central Jewels in this process, and understanding the difference between them is the heart of upgrading safely:

The general logic: Bless is your safe tool for the base, and Soul is the risky tool for advanced levels. From a certain point on, even Bless gives way to Soul, and that's when the danger of loss enters the picture. The exact ranges and success percentages vary by server, so treat the numbers as a concept and confirm the real rates by testing on a spare item.

Phase 1 — from +0 to +9 with peace of mind

This is the safe phase and you should complete it without anxiety. Here, on most servers, failure does not break the item — at most you "lose" the Jewel you used and try again.

Recommended steps:

1. Start with Bless in the first levels: it has a high chance and, in the early range, doesn't drop the item on failure.
2. Upgrade in sequence without switching items: keep the focus on the same piece until you hit the safe ceiling.
3. Restock Jewels as you fail: failed, try again. In this phase it's just a matter of stock and patience.
4. Confirm the point where the Jewel changes: find out on your server how far Bless goes and where Soul begins. That is the milestone where things get serious.
5. Reach +9 before thinking about protection: up to here there is usually no risk of breaking. Use this stretch to build confidence and Jewels.

When you reach +9, stop, breathe and reorganize your stock. The next phase completely changes the rules.

Phase 2 — from +10 to +11 managing the risk

Here the item can start to drop a level or break on failure, depending on the server. This is where protection items come in and where most mistakes happen.

Strategy to reduce the pain:

1. Use a protection item whenever available: if the server has an item that prevents breaking or dropping, use it on every attempt from here on. It turns a catastrophic failure into just a lost Jewel.
2. Upgrade with Soul aware of the risk: understand that Soul can drop the level. Without protection, a +10 can go back to +9. With protection, it simply doesn't go up.
3. Don't stack attempts on impulse: make one attempt, evaluate the result, and only then decide the next. Automatic streaks are how items vanish.
4. Keep replacement spares: if the item breaks (on servers without full protection), having a second piece ready keeps you from being without gear in the middle of an event.
5. Accept the psychological ceiling: decide whether +10 or +11 is already good enough for your goal. Many builds work perfectly at +11 without needing to risk more.

To understand how much damage or defense each level actually adds to your set and whether it's worth the risk, it helps to cross-reference the content on the sets and items page, which helps gauge the gain per piece.

Phase 3 — the territory of +12 and +13

Reaching +12 and +13 is what separates elite items from common ones, and it's also where cost and risk skyrocket. In this range, without protection items you are literally betting the item.

Mandatory precautions:

1. Never try without maximum protection: if your server offers protection against both breaking and dropping, use both. Going to +13 "bare-chested" is like throwing the item in the trash with extra steps.
2. Gather Jewels before you start: the chance per attempt is low in this range; you'll spend many Jewels. Have a large stock so you don't stop halfway.
3. Upgrade in blocks with breaks: make a few attempts, stop, assess your remaining stock and continue. This avoids bad decisions driven by accumulated frustration.
4. Consider the opportunity cost: the pile of Jewels a +13 consumes could buy another good item. Ask yourself whether the jump in power justifies it.
5. Know when to accept +12: +13 is status and power, but +12 is already an excellent item. Don't let pride burn through your entire stock.

Quick decision table

Use this table as a beacon: if you're on the high-risk row without the protection column sorted out, stop before clicking.

Common errors

Final tips

Upgrading safely is less luck and more discipline. The difference between the player who shows off a +13 and the one who complains about losing the item isn't the Jewel — it's the method. Always test on a spare item, use protection from +10 onward, gather stock before starting and, above all, set a limit and respect it. The urge for "just one more attempt" is the number one enemy of any upgrade.

Remember too that many builds are fully competitive at +11 or +12. The jump to +13 is real, but not always necessary for what you want to do in the game. Weigh your goal: high-level PvP may justify the maximum risk, while farming and general progression rarely demand that much.

Finally, everything here varies by server — the chances, the existence and name of protection items, and even the upgrade ceiling available. Treat this guide as a method roadmap and confirm the details on your server before taking a risk. If you want to keep sharpening your progression with other gameplay content, explore the guides and put together a complete plan for your character before you touch the next Jewel.

Frequently asked questions