Muscle Up

Muscle Up is a Gem in Xenoblade Chronicles that increases Physical Defence. Because Muscle Up makes a character harder to hit, it is most useful for characters who draw a lot of Aggro.

Gem Stats

Muscle Up
Element	Earth (Brown)
Category	Attribute
Equips On	Armour, Weapons
Max Increase	100
Value	150

	Muscle Increase
Rank I	5-10
Rank II	15-20
Rank III	25-30
Rank IV	35-40
Rank V	45-50
Rank VI	75-100

Gem Locations

Ways to obtain Muscle Up Gems, including completing Quests, trading with NPCs, and completing categories in the Collectopaedia.

Rank I	Trade Kenny Rohan (Colony 9, 2*) Shura (Colony 9, 4*) Suzanna (Colony 9, 2*)
Rank II	Collectopaedia Ether Mine - Strange category complete Quest The Broken Watch Trade Kenny Rohan (Colony 9, 2*) Shura (Colony 9, 4*) Suzanna (Colony 9, 2*)
Rank III	Collectopaedia Alcamoth - Flower category complete Quest Preparing for Adventure 2
Rank IV	Collectopaedia Fallen Arm - Veg category complete Fallen Arm - Parts category complete
Rank V	Quest Getting to Know Minnie
Rank VI	None

Crystal and Cylinder Locations

Places to mine for Muscle Up crystals, and enemies which drop Muscle Up Crystals and Cylinders.

Rank I	Monsters Itinerant Dorothea Cellar Bugworm Solid Konev Speedy Ramshyde Mining Patrichev Colony Krabble Baby Armu Common Caterpile Cute Brog Junk Bunnit Singing Brog
Rank II	Mining Ether Mines GF (map) - W of Drainage Control Room Ether Mines B2F (map) - N-most crystal deposit Satorl Marsh (map) - On a cliff E of Poison Swamp and SW of the Altar of Fate Monsters Cautious Balteid
Rank III	Mining Ether Mines GF (map) - W of Drainage Control Room (Requires Colony 6 Nature Level 3) Makna Forest (map) - WNW of Bridge Two Galahad Fortress GF (map) - Main Maintenance Bay Monsters Impenetrable Redrob Fate Labolas Solid Krabble M54 Attack Unit Oros Krabble Dogmatic Gogol
Rank IV	Mining Ether Mines GF (map) - W of Drainage Control Room (Requires Colony 6 Nature Level 4) Fallen Arm Lower Level (map) - Ether Exhaust System Fallen Arm Lower Level (map) - E of Silver Wreckage Mechonis Field 3F (map) - Ether Gear Store Monsters Soothed Aglovale Synchronised Gaheris Meditative Varla Defensive/SHAME Offensive/BRAVE
Rank V	Mining Tephra Cave 1F (map) - NNE of Vilia Lake Ether Mines GF (map) - W of Drainage Control Room (Requires Colony 6 Nature Level 5) Bionis' Interior Lower Level (map) - Terminal Vein Monsters Dazzling Tolosnia Ageless Moabit Sanjibal Behemoth Demon Pavlovsk Satisfied Gogol Randa Nebula

Unique Armour and Weapons

Unique Armour and Weapons with Muscle Up Gems permanently attached to them.

Rank I	None
Rank II	None
Rank III	None
Rank IV	None
Rank V	None
Rank VI	None

Strategy

Muscle Up is a good early-game gem for Reyn, since taking a hit is part of his role as the quintessential tank, and the gem increases Physical Defense. However, this gem becomes obsolete fast, especially when facing enemies that inflict Pierce, which treats your defenses like they are at 0. Furthermore, in spite of Muscle Up's permanent effect, Physical Protect gems, which, at their max, reduce physical damage by 50% for the start of a battle, are much more effective while they are active. The same relationship exists between Ether Def Up gems and Ether Protect gems.