🔗 Share this article

A curious piece of trivia: The name “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 references the somewhat obscure nature of the in-game systems and systems.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has you leading a team of glamorous spellcasters, led by the daring British Daredevil, on a quest to reverse a worldwide curse that prevents aging. It blends strategic role-playing combat with action-game reflexes drawn from action RPGs, all cloaked in a unique artistic lexicon.

It has become one of the biggest releases of the season, having garnered a huge player base and earned Game of the Year recognition. The adventure can feel slightly intimidating in the beginning, but once you lock in, you’ll discover a deep and engrossing experience that is quite unique from contemporary titles. Here are are 10 essential early-game strategies for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Swap Team Members Frequently

In Expedition 33, characters who take part in a fight receive a significant 50% bonus to Experience Points relative to those not fighting. Additionally, the narrative will sometimes force you to include particular characters. The simplest method to these challenges is to change your lineup frequently and aim to keep everyone at a similar strength.

The good news is that grinding is fairly fast. Fights award a sizable amount of XP, often sufficient for a character progression after just two or three. You can reset an zone's monsters by taking a break at an expedition flag—these markers are located in each level. If you need to power level, simply battle monsters near a flag, refresh, and repeat.

Swap Gear Often

There are a couple of key ways to provide constant buffs to your party members: Pictos and Luminas.

• Pictos function as gear that provide attribute increases and come with a constant effect. A character can equip a maximum of three Pictos. Once slotted, finishing four battles with a Picto grants access to its corresponding Lumina.
• Luminas are not gear pieces but can be thought of as unlocked abilities. Each character has a pool of Lumina Points (which you can raise via level-ups). A Lumina has a set cost. If a character has the required amount, there is no limit can benefit from the same Lumina, allowing you to layer useful effects across your entire team.

The most efficient strategy is to always one of your characters is wearing each fresh Picto you find and completes four battles to reveal its Lumina. That way the ability will be available for later builds.

When you aren't have new Pictos to unlock, simply use the Pictos with the highest bonuses for your needs.

Parrying Isn't Your Single Choice

Expedition 33’s key feature is its marriage of RPG systems with twitch-based defenses. However, the opportunity to deflect is incredibly short on any mode. Rather than frustrating yourself trying to master the timing, focus on evading.

Even though a well-timed block restores Action Points and causes a huge damage spike, failing to parry gives you nothing. The good news is there are several accessories and abilities that restore Action Points on a successful dodge. If you struggle with the timing, equip those dodge-focused perks instead.

Breaking Enemies Is Your Key Tactic

Inflicting Break is a game-changing condition that can secure victory. As you attack a foe, a gold meter fills up below their HP bar. When full, you can inflict break, which lowers their armor by a fifth and prevents them from acting for one full turn. It is the single most powerful debuff in the game, but only particular attacks can trigger it.

Level Up Intentionally

You have the option to reallocate stat points and abilities using a limited consumable called a Recoat item. Given its scarcity, it's wise to plan your build prior to committing your attribute points. Try out a character's playstyle and plan a build strategy first.

Make Sure to Rest At the Checkpoint Flag

Using your tent at an checkpoint completely restores your whole team and refreshes your supply of consumables, including Chroma Elixirs and phoenix down equivalents. Remember to stop and heal up!

Expedition flags also serve as the primary method to fast travel in the game. There is no overworld map, waypoint system, or floating icons. But, each flag has a identifier. When you interact with one, you can view a list of your progress in that level under a navigation option. It's a basic yet helpful way to track your progress.

Glowing Cages Are Consistently Worth It

Paint Cages are essentially locked treasure chests that demand you to discover and activate three concealed seals in the immediate vicinity to getting the loot. The contents is consistently high-tier, such as respec items or unique gear. The three locks aren't in plain sight, but they are usually near the cage. If you can't find one, try exploring thoroughly or scanning the environment vertically.

Go Ahead and, Battle the Merchant

All vendors has a one-of-a-kind piece of gear that won't show up in their standard shop. To get them to sell it, you must pick a champion and win a duel in a single combat. This is invariably rewarding, as these items are game-changing. The first merchant you meet, for reference, provides a special accessory that applies the vulnerability status, which increases damage dealt against the target by a significant margin.

Rely On the Automatic Saving

You cannot perform {manual saving