10 Newcomer Pointers to Learn Before Diving Into Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

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

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 casts you as a team of social media mages, fronted by the daring British Daredevil, on a quest to halt a worldwide curse that stops people from growing old. It fuses traditional RPG combat with action-game reflexes reminiscent of Soulslike games, all wrapped in a distinctive artistic lexicon.

It has become one of the biggest games of the year, having garnered a huge player base and won the premier award recognition. The adventure can feel slightly intimidating at first, but when it clicks, you’ll uncover a layered and captivating role-playing game that differentiates itself from other games. Below are ten crucial starting pointers for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Swap Party Members Regularly

In Expedition 33, allies who take part in a battle receive a significant 50% bonus to experience versus those in reserve. Furthermore, the campaign will at times force you to field certain characters. The most straightforward solution to these mechanics is to change your lineup frequently and try to keep your roster at a comparable level.

The good news is that farming experience is fairly fast. Fights provide a generous amount of XP, frequently enough for a character progression after just a few. You can refresh an area's enemies by taking a break at an checkpoint banner—these markers are scattered in each zone. If you need to gain levels quickly, simply fight enemies near a flag, rest, and continue the cycle.

Change Items Often

You have two primary ways to grant constant buffs to your party members: Picto accessories and Luminas.

• Pictos are items which give stat boosts and include a special ability. A character can wear three different Pictos. After being worn, completing four fights with a Picto will unlock its associated Lumina.
• Luminas aren’t physical items but can be thought of as equippable passives. Every ally has a pool of LP (which can be increased via level-ups). Each Lumina has a set cost. If a character has sufficient LP, you are not restricted can benefit from the same skill, allowing you to layer key bonuses across your whole party.

The most efficient tactic is to make sure a party member has equipped every new Picto and completes four battles to reveal its Lumina. This ensures you’ll have it for later builds.

When you aren't have fresh gear to unlock, simply slot the Pictos with the best stats for your playstyle.

Parrying Isn't Your Sole Defense

Expedition 33’s defining element is its combination of RPG systems with real-time parries. That said, the opportunity to deflect is notoriously tight on every setting. Instead of struggling endlessly trying to land parries, prioritize dodging.

While a successful parry refunds one AP and deals massive extra damage, missing the timing leaves you vulnerable. Fortunately there are multiple accessories and abilities that provide resources on a successful dodge. If you can't get the block down, focus on those evasion-based perks instead.

Breaking Enemies Is Your Secret Weapon

Break is a game-changing state that can swing a fight. As you damage an enemy, a gold meter charges below their health bar. Once charged, you can inflict break, which reduces their armor by 20% and skips their turn for an entire round. It is the single most powerful debuff in the game, but only certain attacks can cause it.

Build Characters Deliberately

You can reset attributes and skills using a limited consumable called a Recoat item. Given its scarcity, it's wise to plan your build prior to spending your attribute points. Get a feel for a character's playstyle and chart a skill tree path in advance.

Make Sure to Use the Checkpoint Flag

Using your tent at an expedition flag fully heals your whole team and restocks all of your healing items, including healing potions and phoenix down equivalents. Develop the routine to rest at every flag!

Expedition flags also act as the primary method to fast travel in the game. There is no overworld map, GPS, or quest indicators. But, each flag has a name and number. When you interact with one, you can see a menu of every flag you've found in that level under a teleport list. It's a simple but effective way to navigate the world.

Locked Chests Are Consistently Worth It

Paint Cages are effectively sealed loot boxes that demand you to discover and activate three concealed seals in the nearby environment before opening them. The reward is always high-tier, including items like respec items or powerful weapons. The three locks aren't easy to spot, but they are typically near the cage. If you are missing a lock, try smashing crates or checking elevated spots.

Absolutely, Fight the Merchant

All vendors carries a secret, unique item that won't show up in their regular wares. To gain access to it, you must pick a champion and defeat the merchant in a one-on-one fight. This proves to be a worthwhile endeavor, as these items are exceptionally powerful. The initial shopkeeper you meet, for example, offers a Picto that causes the Defenseless debuff, which boosts damage against the foe by 25%.

Trust In the Auto-Save System

The game lacks {manual saving