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An interesting tidbit: The title term “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 references the complex nature of the in-game systems and gameplay loops.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 places you in the role of a group of social media mages, fronted by the bold British Daredevil, on a quest to halt a global affliction that halts the natural aging process. It merges strategic role-playing battles with action-game reflexes reminiscent of Soulslike games, all cloaked in a idiosyncratic visual style.

It has proven to be the biggest titles of the season, having sold millions and secured top honors praise. The experience can feel somewhat dense at first, but after you grasp its systems, you’ll find a rich and captivating RPG that is quite unique from other games. Here are are 10 essential early-game strategies for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Rotate Party Members Regularly

In Expedition 33, allies who participate in a fight receive a significant 50% bonus to experience relative to those not fighting. What's more, the campaign will at times mandate you to use specific characters. The simplest method to both issues is to rotate your team and try to keep everyone at a roughly equal level.

The upside is that leveling up is relatively quick. Encounters award a generous amount of XP, frequently enough for a level up after just a few. You can refresh an local foes by taking a break at an save point—these points are located across each zone. If you need to accumulate XP fast, simply engage in combat near a flag, rest, and continue the cycle.

Swap Accessories Frequently

You have two primary ways to bestow constant buffs to your characters: Picto gems and Lumina skills.

• Pictos are accessories that give numerical bonuses and also feature a unique passive skill. Each character can equip three different Pictos. When equipped, winning four encounters with a Picto unlocks its corresponding Lumina.
• Luminas are not gear pieces but are similar to unlocked abilities. A party member has a amount of Lumina Points (which grows via items). A Lumina has a required LP amount. Provided that a character has the required amount, there is no limit can equip the same skill, allowing you to layer powerful passives across your whole party.

The optimal approach is to ensure one of your characters is wearing each fresh Picto you find and wins the required fights to unlock its Lumina. Doing this the ability will be available for later builds.

Should you not have unleveled accessories to work on, simply equip the Pictos with the highest bonuses for your current build.

Perfect Guards Are Not Your Single Choice

Expedition 33’s defining element is its fusion of turn-based combat with action-oriented blocks. That said, the opportunity to deflect is extremely brief on all difficulty levels. Rather than breaking controllers trying to hit perfect blocks, focus on evading.

Even though a well-timed block refunds Action Points and deals a huge damage spike, not blocking leaves you vulnerable. Luckily there are several Pictos and Luminas that grant AP on a perfect roll. If you find parrying difficult, equip those evasion-based options instead.

Breaking Enemies Is Your Greatest Advantage

The Break status effect is a decisive condition that can secure victory. As you damage an enemy, a yellow gauge charges under their HP bar. When full, you can inflict break, which slashes their damage resistance by a fifth and prevents them from acting for an entire round. It is the top-tier status effect in the game, but only specific abilities can trigger it.

Allocate Points Intentionally

You are able to re-spec stat points and abilities using a scarce resource called a Recoat. Since they are uncommon, it's wise to consider your path prior to spending your stat investments. Get a feel for a party member's role and plan a progression route in advance.

Make Sure to Stop At the Save Flag

Resting at an checkpoint refills the health of your whole team and refreshes every consumables, including Chroma Elixirs and Revive Tints. Remember to use each flag you see!

Expedition flags also function as the primary method to navigation in the game. The game lacks a overworld map, waypoint system, or objective markers. Instead, each flag has a designation. At a flag, you can view a list of your progress in that zone under a fast travel menu. It's a simple but effective way to navigate the world.

Glowing Cages Are Always Rewarding

Glowing chests are effectively puzzle caches that require you to locate and shoot three hidden locks in the immediate vicinity to opening them. The reward is consistently high-tier, such as Recoats or unique gear. The required seals aren't always obvious, but they are almost always located close by. If you can't find one, try smashing crates or scanning the environment vertically.

Yes, Fight the Merchant

Each shopkeeper stocks a hidden special good that isn't listed in their standard shop. To gain access to it, you must pick a champion and beat them in combat in a solo battle. This is always a worthwhile endeavor, as these pieces of gear are game-changing. The first merchant you meet, for example, provides a special accessory that applies the Defenseless debuff, which boosts damage against the target by a significant margin.

Rely On the Automatic Saving

The game lacks {manual saving