Ten Newcomer Strategies to Learn Prior to Beginning Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

A curious piece of trivia: The title term “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hints at the somewhat obscure nature of the interface systems and systems.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 places you in the role of a group of magical influencers, spearheaded by the bold British Daredevil, on a journey to reverse a universal phenomenon that prevents aging. It fuses strategic role-playing battles with real-time parries drawn from challenging titles, all cloaked in a idiosyncratic visual style.

It has become one of the most successful games of the period, having achieved massive sales and won the premier award recognition. The experience can feel slightly intimidating in the beginning, but when it clicks, you’ll uncover a deep and captivating experience that stands apart from many others. Below are 10 essential starting pointers for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Rotate Characters Frequently

In Expedition 33, allies who take part in a battle gain a sizable bonus to XP relative to those in reserve. Additionally, the story will sometimes force you to field certain characters. The simplest solution to both issues is to change your lineup frequently and strive to keep your roster at a roughly equal power level.

The good news is that farming experience is relatively quick. Encounters provide a generous amount of XP, sometimes sufficient for a character progression after just two or three. You can reset an area's enemies by resting at an checkpoint banner—these flags are placed across each zone. If you need to gain levels quickly, simply engage in combat near a flag, rest, and repeat.

Swap Accessories Frequently

There are a couple of key ways to provide passive perks to your allies: Pictos and Lumina skills.

• Pictos are items which provide stat boosts and come with a special ability. Every party member can slot three different Pictos. Once slotted, winning four battles with a Picto will unlock its corresponding Lumina.
• Luminas function differently but are similar to equippable passives. Each character has a amount of skill points (which you can raise via items). A Lumina has a specific point cost. If a character has sufficient LP, there is no limit can equip the same skill, allowing you to stack key bonuses across your full roster.

The most efficient strategy is to ensure one of your characters is wearing every new Picto and wins four encounters to gain its Lumina. That way you’ll have it for when needed.

If you don't have fresh gear to level up, simply use the Pictos with the best stats for your current build.

Perfect Guards Are Not Your Only Option

Expedition 33’s signature mechanic is its marriage of RPG systems with twitch-based defenses. However, the timing for a perfect block is incredibly short on any mode. Instead of breaking controllers trying to master the timing, concentrate on evading.

Even though a successful parry refunds a resource and deals massive extra damage, failing to parry yields no benefit. The good news is there are a number of Pictos and Luminas that grant AP on a successful dodge. If you can't get the block down, focus on those evasion-based abilities instead.

Break Is Your Secret Weapon

Break is a battle-altering state that can secure victory. As you whittle down health, a yellow gauge increases beneath their health bar. Upon maxing out, you can stun the enemy, which reduces their defense by a fifth and skips their turn for their next action. It is the most impactful condition in the game, but only certain abilities can trigger it.

Level Up With a Plan

You can reset attributes and skills using a limited consumable called a Recoat. Given its scarcity, it's wise to plan your build instead of spending your attribute points. Get a feel for a party member's role and map out a progression route beforehand.

Don't Forget to Rest At the Checkpoint Flag

Stopping at an expedition flag fully heals your whole team and replenishes your supply of healing items, including healing potions and phoenix down equivalents. Remember to rest at every flag!

These flags also serve as the only means to fast travel in the game. You won't find a mini-map, GPS, or quest indicators. But, each flag has a name and number. At a flag, you can view a list of your progress in that area under a teleport list. It's a basic yet helpful way to navigate the world.

Paint Cages Are Invariably Worth the Effort

Paint Cages are basically locked treasure chests that demand you to locate and shoot three scattered mechanisms in the surrounding area before getting the loot. The treasure inside is without fail high-tier, often containing rare resources or strong equipment. The three locks aren't always obvious, but they are almost always located close by. If you can't find one, try smashing crates or looking up.

Go Ahead and, Battle the Merchant

All vendors has a hidden special good that isn't listed in their regular wares. To unlock it, you must pick a champion and defeat the merchant in a one-on-one fight. This is invariably a worthwhile endeavor, as these items are truly unique. The earliest vendor you meet, for reference, sells a Picto that inflicts the damage-increasing condition, which amplifies attacks against the foe by 25%.

Rely On the Auto-Save System

The game lacks {manual saving