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

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 casts you as a group of social media mages, fronted by the daring British Daredevil, on a journey to halt a universal phenomenon that prevents aging. It blends turn-based RPG battles with real-time parries inspired by challenging titles, all wrapped in a unique visual style.

It has proven to be the biggest games of the season, having garnered a huge player base and earned Game of the Year praise. The experience can feel a bit off-putting in the beginning, but once you lock in, you’ll discover a deep and captivating RPG that differentiates itself from other games. Listed here are 10 essential early-game strategies for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Change Team Members Frequently

In Expedition 33, allies who are active during a encounter earn a hefty increase to XP relative to those not fighting. Additionally, the narrative will at times mandate you to use specific characters. The most straightforward solution to these challenges is to switch members often and strive to keep everyone at a roughly equal level.

The upside is that grinding is fairly fast. Fights provide a sizable amount of XP, often enough for a stat increase after just several. You can refresh an zone's monsters by resting at an checkpoint banner—these markers are scattered across each zone. If you need to gain levels quickly, simply engage in combat near a flag, use the flag, and repeat.

Swap Gear Often

You have a couple of key ways to provide constant buffs to your party members: Pictos and Lumina abilities.

• Pictos are items which grant stat boosts and also feature a unique passive skill. Every party member can equip a maximum of three Pictos. When equipped, winning four fights with a Picto will unlock its corresponding Lumina.
• Luminas function differently but are similar to equippable passives. Each character has a pool of LP (which you can raise via level-ups). Every Lumina ability has a set cost. If a character has sufficient LP, you are not restricted can use the identical ability, allowing you to stack useful effects across your full roster.

The most efficient tactic is to make sure someone has equipped every new Picto and completes four encounters to reveal its Lumina. That way you’ll have it for later builds.

When you aren't have fresh gear to work on, simply slot the Pictos with the most beneficial attributes for your playstyle.

Perfect Guards Are Not Your Single Choice

Expedition 33’s key feature is its combination of strategic battles with action-oriented blocks. But, the timing for a perfect block is notoriously tight on all difficulty levels. In place of struggling endlessly trying to land parries, concentrate on rolling.

Even though a perfect guard refunds Action Points and deals massive extra damage, not blocking yields no benefit. Luckily there are a number of gear and skills that grant AP on a well-timed evade. If you can't get the block down, focus on those evasion-based options instead.

Breaking Enemies Is Your Greatest Advantage

Inflicting Break is a decisive mechanic that can swing a fight. As you whittle down health, a yellow gauge increases under their HP bar. Upon maxing out, you can stun the enemy, which slashes their damage resistance by 20% and prevents them from acting for their next action. It is the top-tier debuff in the game, but only particular abilities can trigger it.

Level Up Intentionally

You are able to re-spec attributes and skills using a limited consumable called a Respec token. Because it's rare, it's wise to think ahead before committing your stat investments. Try out a party member's role and plan a progression route in advance.

Always Rest At the Checkpoint Flag

Stopping at an checkpoint refills the health of your whole team and replenishes all of your consumables, including Chroma Elixirs and Revive Tints. Remember to stop and heal up!

Checkpoints also serve as the primary method to quick traversal in the game. There is no traditional map, waypoint system, or objective markers. Instead, each flag has a name and number. When you interact with one, you can access a log of all discovered flags in that level under a teleport list. It's a minimalist way to navigate the world.

Locked Chests Are Consistently Worth the Effort

Glowing chests are essentially locked treasure chests that need you to locate and shoot three hidden locks in the surrounding area before getting the loot. The reward is consistently high-tier, including items like Recoats or unique gear. The three locks aren't always obvious, but they are almost always within the same area. If you can't find one, try smashing crates or checking elevated spots.

Yes, Fight the Vendor

Each shopkeeper stocks a one-of-a-kind piece of gear that isn't listed in their standard shop. To get them to sell it, you must pick a champion and win a duel in a single combat. This proves to be a worthwhile endeavor, as these rewards are exceptionally powerful. The earliest vendor you meet, for example, offers a Picto that causes the damage-increasing condition, which increases damage dealt against the foe by a significant margin.

Rely On the Auto-Save System

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