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An interesting tidbit: The title term “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 alludes to the somewhat obscure nature of the game's menus and mechanics.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 casts you as a band of social media mages, led by the bold British Daredevil, on a mission to combat a worldwide curse that halts the natural aging process. It fuses strategic role-playing combat with timed defensive moves drawn from challenging titles, all presented with a distinctive aesthetic language.

It has become one of the biggest games of the year, having sold millions and earned the premier award recognition. The game can feel a bit off-putting at first, but after you grasp its systems, you’ll discover a rich and engrossing RPG that differentiates itself from other games. Below are a collection of beginner's tips for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Swap Team Members Regularly

In Expedition 33, allies who take part in a encounter earn a significant 50% bonus to experience relative to those in reserve. What's more, the narrative will periodically require you to include particular characters. The most straightforward solution to these challenges is to switch members often and try to keep everyone at a similar level.

The positive aspect is that grinding is fairly fast. Fights award a sizable amount of XP, frequently enough for a level up after just a few. You can reset an area's enemies by stopping at an save point—these markers are placed across each zone. If you need to accumulate XP fast, simply battle monsters near a flag, refresh, and continue the cycle.

Change Items Regularly

The game features two primary ways to provide constant buffs to your allies: Pictos and Luminas.

• Pictos are items which grant stat boosts and include a unique passive skill. Every party member can slot up to three Pictos. After being worn, finishing four fights with a Picto grants access to its associated Lumina.
• Luminas are not gear pieces but can be thought of as unlocked abilities. Every ally has a number of skill points (which grows via items). Every Lumina ability has a required LP amount. As long as a character has the required amount, there is no limit can equip the same skill, allowing you to layer powerful passives across your full roster.

The optimal strategy is to make sure someone has equipped every new Picto and completes four encounters to reveal its Lumina. Doing this you gain access for future use.

Should you not have unleveled accessories to level up, simply equip the Pictos with the best stats for your current build.

Blocking Is Not Your Single Choice

Expedition 33’s defining element is its combination of strategic battles with twitch-based defenses. However, the timing for a perfect block is extremely brief on any mode. Instead of struggling endlessly trying to land parries, concentrate on rolling.

While a perfect guard grants a resource and inflicts massive extra damage, failing to parry leaves you vulnerable. The good news is there are a number of Pictos and Luminas that grant AP on a successful dodge. If you find parrying difficult, focus on those roll-centric abilities instead.

The Break Status Is Your Key Tactic

Inflicting Break is a battle-altering state that can turn the tide. As you attack a foe, a yellow gauge fills up below their life bar. Once charged, you can inflict break, which reduces their armor by a significant amount and skips their turn for their next action. It is the top-tier condition in the game, but only specific abilities can trigger it.

Allocate Points Deliberately

You have the option to reallocate your build using a rare item called a Recoat item. Because it's rare, it's prudent to plan your build instead of spending your stat investments. Try out a hero's kit and map out a progression route beforehand.

Make Sure to Stop At the Expedition Flag

Resting at an save point refills the health of your all characters and refreshes all of your potions, including HP restoratives and revival items. Remember to rest at every flag!

These flags also act as the only means to navigation in the game. You won't find a traditional map, compass, or quest indicators. Instead, each flag has a designation. When you interact with one, you can access a log of your progress in that zone under a fast travel menu. It's a minimalist way to track your progress.

Paint Cages Are Consistently Worth It

Glowing chests are essentially locked treasure chests that require you to locate and shoot three concealed seals in the immediate vicinity prior to claiming the prize. The contents is always valuable, including items like rare resources or unique gear. The associated mechanisms aren't in plain sight, but they are usually within the same area. If you can't find one, try breaking objects or looking up.

Go Ahead and, Battle the Merchant

Each shopkeeper carries a secret, unique item that won't show up in their regular wares. To get them to sell it, you must pick a champion and defeat the merchant in a single combat. This is always a worthwhile endeavor, as these pieces of gear are truly unique. The first merchant you meet, for reference, sells a special accessory that causes the damage-increasing condition, which boosts damage against the affected enemy by a significant margin.

Have Faith in the Automatic Saving

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