🔗 Share this article

A curious piece of trivia: The “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 alludes to the complex nature of the game's menus and systems.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 casts you as a team of glamorous spellcasters, spearheaded by the daring British Daredevil, on a mission to reverse a universal phenomenon that stops people from growing old. It fuses traditional RPG combat with real-time parries reminiscent of Soulslike games, all presented with a unique visual style.

It has proven to be the major games of the season, having sold millions and won Game of the Year praise. The adventure can feel a bit off-putting in the beginning, but when it clicks, you’ll discover a rich and engrossing RPG that differentiates itself from other games. Here are are 10 essential early-game strategies for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Swap Team Members Regularly

In Expedition 33, allies who take part in a encounter receive a sizable bonus to Experience Points compared to those not fighting. Additionally, the campaign will sometimes require you to field certain characters. The most straightforward approach to these mechanics is to rotate your team and try to keep all characters at a comparable level.

The upside is that farming experience is not too tedious. Battles provide a generous amount of XP, sometimes sufficient for a level up after just several. You can refresh an local foes by resting at an save point—these flags are located in each level. If you need to power level, simply engage in combat near a flag, refresh, and repeat.

Swap Accessories Often

There are two main ways to grant constant buffs to your party members: Picto gems and Luminas.

• Pictos are items which grant stat boosts and include a special ability. Every party member can slot a maximum of three Pictos. When equipped, completing four encounters with a Picto will unlock its linked Lumina.
• Luminas are not gear pieces but can be thought of as skill tree nodes. Each character has a number of Lumina Points (which you can raise via consumables). Every Lumina ability has a specific point cost. As long as a character has enough points, you are not restricted can use the same Lumina, allowing you to combine powerful passives across your entire team.

The most efficient approach is to make sure one of your characters is wearing every new Picto and wins four encounters to reveal its Lumina. Doing this you gain access for later builds.

If you don't have new Pictos to unlock, simply equip the Pictos with the highest bonuses for your playstyle.

Blocking Is Not Your Only Option

Expedition 33’s signature mechanic is its marriage of turn-based combat with twitch-based defenses. But, the timing for a perfect block is notoriously tight on all difficulty levels. Instead of breaking controllers trying to hit perfect blocks, prioritize dodging.

While a successful parry grants Action Points and causes a huge damage spike, missing the timing leaves you vulnerable. Luckily there are multiple gear and skills that grant AP on a well-timed evade. If you can't get the block down, focus on those evasion-based abilities instead.

Breaking Enemies Is Your Secret Weapon

Break is a battle-altering condition that can turn the tide. As you whittle down health, a yellow gauge charges under their life bar. Upon maxing out, you can stun the enemy, which lowers their damage resistance by 20% and prevents them from acting for one full turn. It is the top-tier status effect in the game, but only specific skills can trigger it.

Level Up With a Plan

You have the option to reallocate attributes and skills using a scarce resource called a Recoat item. Since they are uncommon, it's wise to consider your path instead of committing your stat investments. Try out a character's playstyle and map out a skill tree path in advance.

Don't Forget to Use the Expedition Flag

Stopping at an save point fully heals your whole team and replenishes your supply of consumables, including HP restoratives and Revive Tints. Develop the routine to use each flag you see!

Expedition flags also function as the primary method to quick traversal in the game. The game lacks a mini-map, compass, or quest indicators. However, each flag has a designation. When you interact with one, you can see a menu of every flag you've found in that area under a teleport list. It's a basic yet helpful way to see how far you've come.

Paint Cages Are Invariably Worth the Effort

These special containers are effectively puzzle caches that require you to find and hit three hidden locks in the immediate vicinity prior to getting the loot. The reward is without fail high-tier, such as rare resources or unique gear. The three locks aren't in plain sight, but they are usually within the same area. If you are stuck, try smashing crates or looking up.

Absolutely, Battle the Merchant

Each shopkeeper has a secret, unique item that isn't listed in their normal inventory. To unlock it, you must pick a champion and beat them in combat in a single combat. This is invariably rewarding, as these pieces of gear are game-changing. The earliest vendor you meet, for instance, offers a special accessory that applies the vulnerability status, which amplifies attacks against the foe by a quarter.

Have Faith in the Automatic Saving

The game lacks {manual saving