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An interesting tidbit: The “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hints at the complex nature of the in-game systems and systems.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 casts you as a group of social media mages, spearheaded by the bold British Daredevil, on a quest to reverse a worldwide curse that halts the natural aging process. It fuses turn-based RPG battles with timed defensive moves inspired by challenging titles, all presented with a distinctive aesthetic language.

It has become one of the biggest games of the year, having sold millions and secured Game of the Year accolades. The game can feel somewhat dense in the beginning, but when it clicks, you’ll find a layered and engrossing experience that is quite unique from other games. Here are are 10 essential beginner's tips for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Change Party Members Often

In Expedition 33, characters who take part in a battle receive a sizable bonus to experience relative to those not fighting. Furthermore, the campaign will periodically require you to field certain characters. The simplest solution to both issues is to change your lineup frequently and try to keep everyone at a roughly equal strength.

The good news is that leveling up is fairly fast. Battles grant a generous amount of XP, often enough for a character progression after just a few. You can refresh an local foes by taking a break at an checkpoint banner—these flags are placed in each zone. If you need to accumulate XP fast, simply battle monsters near a flag, use the flag, and repeat.

Change Accessories Regularly

There are two main ways to bestow bonus effects to your characters: Pictos and Lumina abilities.

• Pictos function as gear that provide numerical bonuses and also feature a unique passive skill. Each character can wear a maximum of three Pictos. Once slotted, completing four encounters with a Picto unlocks its associated Lumina.
• Luminas function differently but can be thought of as equippable passives. A party member has a number of Lumina Points (which grows via level-ups). A Lumina has a set cost. If a character has enough points, you are not restricted can use the identical ability, allowing you to stack powerful passives across your full roster.

The optimal tactic is to always a party member is wearing every new Picto and completes four encounters to unlock its Lumina. Doing this you’ll have it for future use.

Should you not have fresh gear to work on, simply slot the Pictos with the highest bonuses for your needs.

Blocking Is Not Your Only Option

Expedition 33’s signature mechanic is its fusion of turn-based combat with twitch-based defenses. However, the parry window is notoriously tight on every setting. Instead of breaking controllers trying to hit perfect blocks, concentrate on evading.

Although a perfect guard restores one AP and causes significant bonus damage, not blocking yields no benefit. Luckily there are a number of gear and skills that restore Action Points on a perfect roll. If you struggle with the timing, use those evasion-based perks instead.

Break Is Your Secret Weapon

The Break status effect is a battle-altering state that can turn the tide. As you whittle down health, a yellow gauge charges under their health bar. Once charged, you can apply the Break status, which lowers their armor by 20% and stuns them for an entire round. It is the most impactful status effect in the game, but only certain abilities can trigger it.

Allocate Points Intentionally

You are able to re-spec stat points and abilities using a rare item called a Recoat. Given its scarcity, it's smart to think ahead instead of using your attribute points. Experiment with a party member's role and map out a build strategy in advance.

Don't Forget to Rest At the Expedition Flag

Stopping at an expedition flag fully heals your all characters and restocks every consumables, including Chroma Elixirs and revival items. Make it a habit to stop and heal up!

These flags also serve as the primary method to quick traversal in the game. The game lacks a overworld map, compass, or floating icons. Instead, each flag has a designation. By resting, you can see a menu of all discovered flags in that zone under a teleport list. It's a minimalist way to navigate the world.

Glowing Cages Are Always Worth the Effort

These special containers are essentially puzzle caches that require you to find and hit three concealed seals in the nearby environment to getting the loot. The treasure inside is consistently valuable, often containing Recoats or unique gear. The associated mechanisms aren't easy to spot, but they are usually near the cage. If you are missing a lock, try smashing crates or looking up.

Absolutely, Challenge the Vendor

Every merchant stocks a one-of-a-kind piece of gear that won't show up in their standard shop. To unlock it, you must pick a champion and win a duel in a one-on-one fight. This is always worth doing, as these items are game-changing. The initial shopkeeper you meet, for instance, sells a special accessory that causes the damage-increasing condition, which boosts damage against the target by a quarter.

Rely On the Autosave

The game lacks {manual saving