🔗 Share this article

A fun fact: The title term “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 alludes to the initially cryptic nature of the in-game systems and gameplay loops.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 casts you as a band of social media mages, led by the audacious British Daredevil, on a quest to reverse a worldwide curse that prevents aging. It fuses strategic role-playing battles with real-time parries drawn from Soulslike games, all cloaked in a idiosyncratic visual style.

It has proven to be the biggest releases of the year, having garnered a huge player base and secured the premier award accolades. The adventure can feel somewhat dense in the beginning, but once you lock in, you’ll uncover a rich and fascinating experience that stands apart from other games. Listed here are ten crucial early-game strategies for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Swap Characters Frequently

In Expedition 33, characters who take part in a fight earn a sizable bonus to Experience Points versus those not fighting. Additionally, the narrative will sometimes mandate you to field certain characters. The easiest solution to these mechanics is to change your lineup frequently and try to keep everyone at a comparable level.

The positive aspect is that grinding is not too tedious. Encounters grant a generous amount of XP, sometimes enough for a level up after just several. You can reset an area's enemies by resting at an save point—these points are located throughout each zone. If you need to power level, simply fight enemies near a flag, refresh, and repeat.

Swap Gear Regularly

You have two main ways to bestow passive perks to your party members: Picto accessories and Luminas.

• Pictos are accessories that give stat boosts and also feature a special ability. Each character can equip up to three Pictos. Once slotted, completing four battles with a Picto unlocks its linked Lumina.
• Luminas aren’t physical items but are similar to equippable passives. Each character has a pool of skill points (which you can raise via items). A Lumina has a specific point cost. As long as a character has the required amount, there is no limit can use the same skill, allowing you to stack powerful passives across your entire team.

The most efficient strategy is to always one of your characters is wearing any new accessory and fights through four encounters to gain its Lumina. That way the ability will be available for future use.

Should you not have new Pictos to work on, simply use the Pictos with the best stats for your playstyle.

Parrying Isn't Your Only Option

Expedition 33’s signature mechanic is its marriage of turn-based combat with action-oriented blocks. But, the parry window is incredibly short on all difficulty levels. In place of frustrating yourself trying to hit perfect blocks, prioritize dodging.

While a successful parry refunds a resource and deals a huge damage spike, not blocking leaves you vulnerable. The good news is there are several Pictos and Luminas that grant AP on a perfect roll. If you find parrying difficult, focus on those evasion-based perks instead.

Breaking Enemies Is Your Key Tactic

Inflicting Break is a decisive mechanic that can turn the tide. As you damage an enemy, a gold meter charges below their HP bar. Once charged, you can inflict break, which slashes their defense by a significant amount and prevents them from acting for their next action. It is the most impactful condition in the game, but only particular skills can trigger it.

Build Characters With a Plan

You have the option to reallocate stat points and abilities using a limited consumable called a Recoat. Because it's rare, it's wise to consider your path prior to spending your stat investments. Get a feel for a party member's role and map out a build strategy in advance.

Make Sure to Use the Save Flag

Resting at an expedition flag refills the health of your whole team and restocks your supply of potions, including HP restoratives and phoenix down equivalents. Make it a habit to use each flag you see!

Expedition flags also serve as the primary method to fast travel in the game. The game lacks a mini-map, compass, or objective markers. Instead, each flag has a identifier. By resting, you can view a list of every flag you've found in that zone under a teleport list. It's a minimalist way to navigate the world.

Glowing Cages Are Invariably Rewarding

These special containers are effectively sealed loot boxes that demand you to find and hit three scattered mechanisms in the immediate vicinity before getting the loot. The reward is consistently high-tier, such as Recoats or powerful weapons. The three locks aren't in plain sight, but they are almost always within the same area. If you are missing a lock, try smashing crates or checking elevated spots.

Yes, Fight the Shopkeeper

All vendors carries a secret, unique item that won't show up in their regular wares. To unlock it, you must choose one character and defeat the merchant in a single combat. This proves to be a worthwhile endeavor, as these pieces of gear are game-changing. The earliest vendor you meet, for reference, sells a special accessory that inflicts the vulnerability status, which boosts damage against the affected enemy by 25%.

Have Faith in the Auto-Save System

The game lacks {manual saving