Ten Starter Strategies to Know Prior to Starting Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

A curious piece of trivia: The “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hints at the somewhat obscure nature of the game's menus and gameplay loops.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has you leading a group of magical influencers, fronted by the daring British Daredevil, on a journey to reverse a worldwide curse that halts the natural aging process. It blends strategic role-playing combat with action-game reflexes reminiscent of Soulslike games, all presented with a idiosyncratic visual style.

It has proven to be the major releases of the period, having garnered a huge player base and earned Game of the Year recognition. The experience can feel a bit off-putting at first, but after you grasp its systems, you’ll uncover a layered and fascinating RPG that stands apart from many others. Below are 10 essential beginner's tips for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Swap Characters Regularly

In Expedition 33, allies who take part in a fight gain a sizable bonus to Experience Points compared to those in reserve. What's more, the narrative will sometimes require you to use specific characters. The most straightforward solution to both issues is to switch members often and strive to keep everyone at a similar level.

The good news is that farming experience is relatively quick. Encounters provide a generous amount of XP, often enough for a character progression after just two or three. You can refresh an local foes by taking a break at an save point—these points are scattered across each zone. If you need to gain levels quickly, simply battle monsters near a flag, rest, and continue the cycle.

Rotate Accessories Often

There are two primary ways to grant bonus effects to your characters: Picto gems and Lumina skills.

• Pictos are items which grant attribute increases and come with a unique passive skill. Each character can slot a maximum of three Pictos. Once slotted, completing four battles with a Picto grants access to its corresponding Lumina.
• Luminas aren’t physical items but can be thought of as equippable passives. A party member has a amount of Lumina Points (which grows via consumables). Each Lumina has a set cost. As long as a character has the required amount, multiple characters can equip the same skill, allowing you to combine useful effects across your entire team.

The most efficient approach is to make sure one of your characters has equipped each fresh Picto you find and fights through the required fights to unlock its Lumina. Doing this you’ll have it for when needed.

Should you not have unleveled accessories to unlock, simply slot the Pictos with the highest bonuses for your playstyle.

Blocking Is Not Your Sole Defense

Expedition 33’s signature mechanic is its fusion of strategic battles with twitch-based defenses. However, the timing for a perfect block is notoriously tight on all difficulty levels. Instead of frustrating yourself trying to land parries, concentrate on evading.

While a perfect guard refunds a resource and inflicts significant bonus damage, failing to parry yields no benefit. The good news is there are a number of accessories and abilities that provide resources on a well-timed evade. If you struggle with the timing, equip those dodge-focused perks instead.

The Break Status Is Your Key Tactic

The Break status effect is a game-changing mechanic that can turn the tide. As you damage an enemy, a gold meter charges below their health bar. When full, you can inflict break, which slashes their armor by a significant amount and prevents them from acting for an entire round. It is the top-tier status effect in the game, but only certain skills can trigger it.

Level Up Intentionally

You can reset attributes and skills using a scarce resource called a Recoat. Because it's rare, it's wise to think ahead before using your stat investments. Experiment with a hero's kit and chart a build strategy beforehand.

Make Sure to Use the Save Flag

Resting at an expedition flag completely restores your whole team and restocks every potions, including Chroma Elixirs and phoenix down equivalents. Remember to stop and heal up!

These flags also serve as the primary method to navigation in the game. The game lacks a mini-map, waypoint system, or floating icons. But, each flag has a name and number. By resting, you can access a log of your progress in that area under a navigation option. It's a minimalist way to navigate the world.

Locked Chests Are Consistently Rewarding

These special containers are effectively puzzle caches that require you to discover and activate three scattered mechanisms in the nearby environment prior to getting the loot. The contents is without fail high-tier, such as rare resources or unique gear. The three locks aren't always obvious, but they are typically within the same area. If you are stuck, try exploring thoroughly or scanning the environment vertically.

Go Ahead and, Fight the Shopkeeper

Every merchant carries a one-of-a-kind piece of gear that doesn't appear in their regular wares. To get them to sell it, you must select a party member and win a duel in a one-on-one fight. This is always worth doing, as these items are truly unique. The initial shopkeeper you meet, for instance, provides a Picto that applies the vulnerability status, which amplifies attacks against the target by a significant margin.

Have Faith in the Autosave

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