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A curious piece of trivia: The name “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 references the somewhat obscure nature of the game's menus and mechanics.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 casts you as a group of glamorous spellcasters, fronted by the audacious British Daredevil, on a journey to reverse a universal phenomenon that prevents aging. It fuses traditional RPG combat with real-time parries drawn from Soulslike games, all cloaked in a distinctive aesthetic language.

It has proven to be the major releases of the season, having sold millions and secured the premier award accolades. The adventure can feel a bit off-putting at first, but once you lock in, you’ll discover a rich and fascinating experience that is quite unique from many others. Here are are ten crucial starting pointers for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Swap Team Members Frequently

In Expedition 33, allies who are active during a battle earn a significant 50% bonus to Experience Points versus those on the bench. Additionally, the narrative will at times require you to field certain characters. The most straightforward method to both issues is to rotate your team and aim to keep your roster at a similar level.

The positive aspect is that grinding is relatively quick. Fights award a generous amount of XP, often enough for a stat increase after just several. You can refresh an area's enemies by resting at an checkpoint banner—these markers are located throughout each level. If you need to power level, simply engage in combat near a flag, rest, and do it again.

Rotate Gear Often

There are a couple of key ways to provide constant buffs to your allies: Pictos and Lumina abilities.

• Pictos are accessories that provide stat boosts and come with a constant effect. Every party member can wear up to three Pictos. Once slotted, completing four encounters with a Picto grants access to its linked Lumina.
• Luminas aren’t physical items but essentially act as equippable passives. A party member has a pool of LP (which you can raise via items). Each Lumina has a required LP amount. As long as a character has the required amount, there is no limit can equip the identical ability, allowing you to stack powerful passives across your entire team.

The optimal tactic is to ensure one of your characters equips every new Picto and fights through four battles to unlock its Lumina. That way you gain access for future use.

If you don't have new Pictos to level up, simply slot the Pictos with the highest bonuses for your current build.

Blocking Is Not Your Only Option

Expedition 33’s defining element is its marriage of turn-based combat with real-time parries. However, the timing for a perfect block is incredibly short on every setting. Instead of frustrating yourself trying to master the timing, focus on dodging.

Even though a successful parry restores Action Points and causes significant bonus damage, not blocking gives you nothing. Fortunately there are multiple accessories and abilities that grant AP on a perfect roll. If you struggle with the timing, equip those roll-centric options instead.

Breaking Enemies Is Your Key Tactic

Break is a decisive state that can secure victory. As you attack a foe, a gold meter increases below their HP bar. Once charged, you can apply the Break status, which slashes their damage resistance by a fifth and prevents them from acting for one full turn. It is the most impactful condition in the game, but only specific attacks can trigger it.

Allocate Points Intentionally

You are able to re-spec your build using a scarce resource called a Recoat item. Because it's rare, it's smart to plan your build prior to using your skill points. Try out a hero's kit and chart a progression route beforehand.

Make Sure to Stop At the Checkpoint Flag

Resting at an save point completely restores your whole team and replenishes every consumables, including HP restoratives and phoenix down equivalents. Make it a habit to stop and heal up!

These flags also function as the closest thing to navigation in the game. You won't find a overworld map, compass, or floating icons. Instead, each flag has a name and number. When you interact with one, you can see a menu of all discovered flags in that level under a fast travel menu. It's a minimalist way to track your progress.

Locked Chests Are Always Worth the Effort

These special containers are essentially sealed loot boxes that need you to locate and shoot three scattered mechanisms in the surrounding area to getting the loot. The treasure inside is always worthwhile, often containing rare resources or powerful weapons. The associated mechanisms aren't in plain sight, but they are typically located close by. If you are stuck, try smashing crates or checking elevated spots.

Absolutely, Challenge the Shopkeeper

Each shopkeeper stocks a one-of-a-kind piece of gear that isn't listed in their standard shop. To get them to sell it, you must pick a champion and defeat the merchant in a single combat. This proves to be worth doing, as these pieces of gear are game-changing. The earliest vendor you meet, for reference, provides a Picto that applies the damage-increasing condition, which boosts damage against the target by 25%.

Trust In the Auto-Save System

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