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A curious piece of trivia: The title term “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 references the initially cryptic nature of the game's menus and gameplay loops.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 places you in the role of a band of glamorous spellcasters, spearheaded by the audacious British Daredevil, on a journey to reverse a universal phenomenon that halts the natural aging process. It fuses strategic role-playing combat with action-game reflexes drawn from Soulslike games, all presented with a idiosyncratic artistic lexicon.

It has proven to be the major releases of the season, having sold millions and earned top honors recognition. The adventure can feel a bit off-putting initially, but once you lock in, you’ll find a deep and engrossing experience that differentiates itself from many others. Below are a collection of starting pointers for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Swap Team Members Often

In Expedition 33, allies who are active during a battle gain a significant 50% bonus to XP compared to those not fighting. Furthermore, the story will periodically mandate you to field certain characters. The most straightforward solution to these challenges is to change your lineup frequently and aim to keep your roster at a comparable strength.

The upside is that leveling up is not too tedious. Fights award a sizable amount of XP, frequently enough for a stat increase after just two or three. You can refresh an local foes by stopping at an save point—these markers are scattered throughout each zone. If you need to accumulate XP fast, simply battle monsters near a flag, refresh, and continue the cycle.

Rotate Items Regularly

The game features a couple of key ways to provide passive perks to your characters: Pictos and Lumina skills.

• Pictos function as gear that give numerical bonuses and also feature a constant effect. Each character can slot up to three Pictos. Once slotted, finishing four fights with a Picto will unlock its associated Lumina.
• Luminas are not gear pieces but can be thought of as equippable passives. A party member has a pool of skill points (which grows via items). Each Lumina has a required LP amount. As long as a character has enough points, you are not restricted can benefit from the same Lumina, allowing you to stack useful effects across your whole party.

The most efficient strategy is to always a party member has equipped any new accessory and completes four encounters to unlock its Lumina. That way you gain access for future use.

Should you not have fresh gear to level up, simply use the Pictos with the best stats for your current build.

Perfect Guards Are Not Your Single Choice

Expedition 33’s defining element is its combination of RPG systems with twitch-based defenses. But, the parry window is notoriously tight on all difficulty levels. In place of frustrating yourself trying to land parries, concentrate on dodging.

Although a perfect guard grants a resource and deals a huge damage spike, failing to parry leaves you vulnerable. Luckily there are multiple gear and skills that provide resources on a well-timed evade. If you find parrying difficult, equip those dodge-focused perks instead.

Breaking Enemies Is Your Secret Weapon

Break is a decisive mechanic that can secure victory. As you whittle down health, a yellow gauge fills up under their health bar. Once charged, you can stun the enemy, which lowers their armor by a fifth and stuns them for their next action. It is the most impactful debuff in the game, but only specific skills can cause it.

Allocate Points With a Plan

You have the option to reallocate attributes and skills using a rare item called a Respec token. Given its scarcity, it's wise to consider your path before spending your skill points. Experiment with a hero's kit and plan a build strategy beforehand.

Always Rest At the Checkpoint Flag

Stopping at an expedition flag completely restores your whole team and restocks every consumables, including HP restoratives and revival items. Develop the routine to stop and heal up!

Checkpoints also function as the primary method to fast travel in the game. You won't find a traditional map, GPS, or objective markers. However, each flag has a designation. By resting, you can view a list of your progress in that zone under a teleport list. It's a minimalist way to track your progress.

Glowing Cages Are Consistently Rewarding

Paint Cages are effectively locked treasure chests that require you to find and hit three hidden locks in the nearby environment before opening them. The reward is without fail high-tier, including items like respec items or strong equipment. The three locks aren't always obvious, but they are almost always located close by. If you are stuck, try exploring thoroughly or scanning the environment vertically.

Go Ahead and, Battle the Merchant

Each shopkeeper carries a hidden special good that won't show up in their standard shop. To unlock it, you must pick a champion and beat them in combat in a solo battle. This is always worth doing, as these items are truly unique. The initial shopkeeper you meet, for instance, offers a Picto that causes the vulnerability status, which boosts damage against the foe by a significant margin.

Have Faith in the Autosave

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