A curious piece of trivia: The title term “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 references the somewhat obscure nature of the game's menus and mechanics.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has you leading a group of social media mages, fronted by the bold British Daredevil, on a mission to reverse a worldwide curse that prevents aging. It merges strategic role-playing combat with real-time parries reminiscent of action RPGs, all wrapped in a distinctive artistic lexicon.
It has emerged as the biggest releases of the season, having achieved massive sales and earned Game of the Year accolades. The adventure can feel a bit off-putting in the beginning, but when it clicks, you’ll uncover a deep and engrossing RPG that is quite unique from other games. Below are ten crucial starting pointers for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Swap Team Members Regularly
In Expedition 33, characters who participate in a fight gain a hefty increase to XP relative to those on the bench. Additionally, the narrative will at times force you to field certain characters. The simplest method to these mechanics is to change your lineup frequently and aim to keep everyone at a roughly equal level.
The upside is that leveling up is relatively quick. Encounters grant a sizable amount of XP, often enough for a level up after just a few. You can reset an local foes by resting at an expedition flag—these points are scattered across each area. If you need to accumulate XP fast, simply engage in combat near a flag, rest, and repeat.
Swap Accessories Regularly
The game features two primary ways to grant passive perks to your characters: Pictos and Lumina abilities.
- Pictos are accessories that give numerical bonuses and include a unique passive skill. Each character can equip up to three Pictos. After being worn, completing four encounters with a Picto grants access to its corresponding Lumina.
- Luminas aren’t physical items but can be thought of as equippable passives. Every ally has a amount of Lumina Points (which can be increased via level-ups). A Lumina has a required LP amount. Provided that a character has sufficient LP, multiple characters can equip the same skill, allowing you to combine powerful passives across your entire team.
The most efficient strategy is to always someone equips every new Picto and fights through four encounters to unlock its Lumina. This ensures you gain access for when needed.
If you don't have fresh gear to unlock, simply slot the Pictos with the most beneficial attributes for your current build.
Parrying Isn't Your Only Option
Expedition 33’s defining element is its fusion of turn-based combat with real-time parries. That said, the timing for a perfect block is notoriously tight on any mode. Rather than breaking controllers trying to hit perfect blocks, focus on dodging.
Even though a perfect guard refunds Action Points and deals massive extra damage, not blocking yields no benefit. Fortunately there are a number of Pictos and Luminas that restore Action Points on a perfect roll. If you struggle with the timing, equip those dodge-focused options instead.
Break Is Your Greatest Advantage
Break is a decisive mechanic that can swing a fight. As you attack a foe, a special bar increases under their health bar. Upon maxing out, you can stun the enemy, which slashes their armor by 20% and stuns them for one full turn. It is the top-tier status effect in the game, but only particular skills can cause it.
Level Up Deliberately
You can reset stat points and abilities using a scarce resource called a Respec token. Since they are uncommon, it's smart to think ahead instead of using your stat investments. Experiment with a character's playstyle and chart a build strategy first.
Always Rest At the Expedition Flag
Stopping at an save point refills the health of your whole team and refreshes every healing items, including healing potions and revival items. Develop the routine to stop and heal up!
These flags also act as the only means to fast travel in the game. The game lacks a overworld map, waypoint system, or floating icons. However, each flag has a name and number. When you interact with one, you can view a list of every flag you've found in that area under a navigation option. It's a basic yet helpful way to track your progress.
Glowing Cages Are Consistently Rewarding
These special containers are effectively locked treasure chests that need you to locate and shoot three scattered mechanisms in the immediate vicinity prior to opening them. The reward is consistently high-tier, such as Recoats or strong equipment. The required seals aren't easy to spot, but they are almost always near the cage. If you can't find one, try exploring thoroughly or looking up.
Yes, Challenge the Merchant
All vendors stocks a secret, unique item that isn't listed in their regular wares. To gain access to it, you must select a party member and defeat the merchant in a solo battle. This proves to be rewarding, as these items are game-changing. The initial shopkeeper you meet, for instance, provides a Picto that causes the vulnerability status, which increases damage dealt against the affected enemy by a significant margin.
Have Faith in the Auto-Save System
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