10 Starter Strategies to Understand Prior to Starting Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

An interesting tidbit: The title term “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 references the complex nature of the game's menus and systems.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has you leading a group of magical influencers, led by the bold British Daredevil, on a quest to reverse a worldwide curse that prevents aging. It blends turn-based RPG combat with real-time parries reminiscent of challenging titles, all wrapped in a idiosyncratic artistic lexicon.

It has proven to be the most successful releases of the year, having garnered a huge player base and secured Game of the Year recognition. The adventure can feel a bit off-putting initially, but after you grasp its systems, you’ll discover a layered and captivating RPG that is quite unique from other games. Here are are 10 essential early-game strategies for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Rotate Team Members Regularly

In Expedition 33, characters who are active during a battle gain a significant 50% bonus to experience versus those on the bench. What's more, the story will sometimes mandate you to include particular characters. The most straightforward approach to these mechanics is to change your lineup frequently and aim to keep your roster at a similar level.

The upside is that farming experience is fairly fast. Battles provide a sizable amount of XP, often sufficient for a character progression after just two or three. You can reset an area's enemies by taking a break at an expedition flag—these flags are located in each area. If you need to accumulate XP fast, simply engage in combat near a flag, refresh, and do it again.

Swap Gear Regularly

There are two primary ways to grant constant buffs to your allies: Picto gems and Lumina skills.

• Pictos are accessories that give attribute increases and come with a constant effect. Each character can slot up to three Pictos. After being worn, winning four battles with a Picto unlocks its corresponding Lumina.
• Luminas function differently but essentially act as unlocked abilities. A party member has a pool of LP (which you can raise via items). Every Lumina ability has a required LP amount. As long as a character has sufficient LP, there is no limit can equip the same skill, allowing you to layer powerful passives across your whole party.

The smartest tactic is to always one of your characters equips each fresh Picto you find and completes four battles to unlock its Lumina. This ensures you’ll have it for later builds.

When you aren't have new Pictos to work on, simply use the Pictos with the highest bonuses for your needs.

Blocking Is Not Your Single Choice

Expedition 33’s key feature is its combination of strategic battles with action-oriented blocks. But, the parry window is extremely brief on every setting. Rather than breaking controllers trying to hit perfect blocks, prioritize evading.

While a successful parry restores a resource and deals a huge damage spike, failing to parry gives you nothing. Luckily there are a number of accessories and abilities that provide resources on a well-timed evade. If you can't get the block down, equip those roll-centric abilities instead.

The Break Status Is Your Key Tactic

The Break status effect is a battle-altering mechanic that can turn the tide. As you whittle down health, a special bar charges under their life bar. Once charged, you can stun the enemy, which slashes their damage resistance by a fifth and prevents them from acting for one full turn. It is the most impactful status effect in the game, but only specific attacks can apply it.

Build Characters Intentionally

You have the option to reallocate attributes and skills using a rare item called a Recoat. Because it's rare, it's wise to think ahead prior to spending your stat investments. Experiment with a character's playstyle and chart a skill tree path beforehand.

Don't Forget to Rest At the Expedition Flag

Stopping at an save point fully heals your all characters and replenishes every potions, including Chroma Elixirs and Revive Tints. Make it a habit to stop and heal up!

These flags also serve as the closest thing to fast travel in the game. The game lacks a overworld map, compass, or quest indicators. However, each flag has a identifier. At a flag, you can access a log of your progress in that level under a fast travel menu. It's a simple but effective way to navigate the world.

Glowing Cages Are Consistently Rewarding

These special containers are effectively sealed loot boxes that require you to find and hit three scattered mechanisms in the surrounding area before getting the loot. The reward is without fail worthwhile, including items like Recoats or powerful weapons. The associated mechanisms aren't always obvious, but they are usually located close by. If you are missing a lock, try smashing crates or looking up.

Yes, Battle the Shopkeeper

Every merchant stocks a hidden special good that doesn't appear in their normal inventory. To unlock it, you must select a party member and defeat the merchant in a one-on-one fight. This is always worth doing, as these pieces of gear are truly unique. The initial shopkeeper you meet, for example, provides a special accessory that inflicts the vulnerability status, which amplifies attacks against the target by a quarter.

Rely On the Auto-Save System

The game lacks {manual saving