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

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 places you in the role of a team of magical influencers, fronted by the daring British Daredevil, on a mission to combat a worldwide curse that halts the natural aging process. It merges traditional RPG combat with timed defensive moves inspired by Soulslike games, all wrapped in a idiosyncratic artistic lexicon.

It has emerged as the major releases of the season, having garnered a huge player base and earned Game of the Year praise. The game can feel a bit off-putting at first, but once you lock in, you’ll find a rich and fascinating RPG that differentiates itself from other games. Below are ten crucial beginner's tips for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Swap Party Members Frequently

In Expedition 33, party members who are active during a encounter earn a sizable bonus to experience compared to those not fighting. Additionally, the campaign will periodically mandate you to field certain characters. The most straightforward method to these mechanics is to change your lineup frequently and try to keep all characters at a similar strength.

The good news is that farming experience is relatively quick. Encounters award a sizable amount of XP, often sufficient for a stat increase after just two or three. You can reset an area's enemies by stopping at an save point—these flags are scattered throughout each level. If you need to power level, simply fight enemies near a flag, use the flag, and repeat.

Swap Items Often

You have two primary ways to bestow passive perks to your characters: Picto accessories and Lumina skills.

• Pictos are accessories that grant stat boosts and also feature a unique passive skill. Every party member can slot up to three Pictos. After being worn, winning four battles with a Picto grants access to its linked Lumina.
• Luminas are not gear pieces but are similar to equippable passives. A party member has a amount of Lumina Points (which can be increased via level-ups). Each Lumina has a specific point cost. As long as a character has the required amount, multiple characters can benefit from the identical ability, allowing you to stack powerful passives across your entire team.

The smartest tactic is to make sure someone equips any new accessory and wins the required fights to reveal its Lumina. This ensures you’ll have it for future use.

When you aren't have fresh gear to work on, simply use the Pictos with the most beneficial attributes for your needs.

Parrying Isn't Your Only Option

Expedition 33’s key feature is its marriage of turn-based combat with twitch-based defenses. However, the timing for a perfect block is notoriously tight on all difficulty levels. Instead of struggling endlessly trying to hit perfect blocks, prioritize dodging.

Although a successful parry refunds Action Points and inflicts a huge damage spike, missing the timing gives you nothing. Fortunately there are multiple gear and skills that restore Action Points on a well-timed evade. If you struggle with the timing, focus on those dodge-focused options instead.

Breaking Enemies Is Your Greatest Advantage

The Break status effect is a decisive state that can swing a fight. As you whittle down health, a gold meter charges under their life bar. Once charged, you can apply the Break status, which reduces their damage resistance by 20% and stuns them for an entire round. It is the single most powerful debuff in the game, but only specific attacks can cause it.

Level Up Intentionally

You have the option to reallocate your build using a rare item called a Respec token. Because it's rare, it's wise to plan your build instead of committing your attribute points. Experiment with a hero's kit and chart a progression route first.

Always Stop At the Expedition Flag

Resting at an save point refills the health of your whole team and restocks your supply of consumables, including HP restoratives and revival items. Make it a habit to stop and heal up!

Expedition flags also serve as the primary method to navigation in the game. You won't find a mini-map, waypoint system, or quest indicators. But, each flag has a designation. At a flag, you can access a log of your progress in that zone under a fast travel menu. It's a minimalist way to track your progress.

Locked Chests Are Consistently Worth It

Paint Cages are essentially sealed loot boxes that demand you to discover and activate three scattered mechanisms in the surrounding area prior to claiming the prize. The treasure inside is consistently high-tier, such as respec items or powerful weapons. The associated mechanisms aren't in plain sight, but they are almost always located close by. If you can't find one, try smashing crates or checking elevated spots.

Yes, Challenge the Merchant

Every merchant stocks a one-of-a-kind piece of gear that won't show up in their standard shop. To get them to sell it, you must pick a champion and win a duel in a single combat. This is always worth doing, as these rewards are game-changing. The first merchant you meet, for reference, sells a Picto that applies the vulnerability status, which increases damage dealt against the foe by a significant margin.

Rely On the Auto-Save System

The game lacks {manual saving