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An interesting tidbit: The name “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 references the somewhat obscure nature of the game's menus and systems.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 places you in the role of a group of social media mages, spearheaded by the bold British Daredevil, on a journey to halt a worldwide curse that stops people from growing old. It blends traditional RPG combat with action-game reflexes inspired by Soulslike games, all wrapped in a distinctive aesthetic language.

It has become one of the major releases of the year, having achieved massive sales and earned the premier award recognition. The adventure can feel a bit off-putting initially, but after you grasp its systems, you’ll find a rich and captivating experience that differentiates itself from many others. Below are 10 essential early-game strategies for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Change Characters Regularly

In Expedition 33, allies who are active during a battle gain a sizable bonus to XP relative to those in reserve. Furthermore, the campaign will periodically mandate you to use specific characters. The easiest approach to these challenges is to change your lineup frequently and aim to keep all characters at a roughly equal strength.

The good news is that farming experience is relatively quick. Battles grant a generous amount of XP, frequently enough for a character progression after just several. You can refresh an area's enemies by resting at an checkpoint banner—these flags are located across each zone. If you need to gain levels quickly, simply fight enemies near a flag, use the flag, and do it again.

Swap Items Often

There are a couple of key ways to grant passive perks to your party members: Picto accessories and Lumina skills.

• Pictos are accessories that give attribute increases and also feature a unique passive skill. Each character can equip up to three Pictos. Once slotted, winning four battles with a Picto grants access to its associated Lumina.
• Luminas function differently but are similar to equippable passives. Each character has a number of LP (which can be increased via items). Every Lumina ability has a set cost. As long as a character has the required amount, there is no limit can benefit from the same Lumina, allowing you to layer key bonuses across your whole party.

The smartest approach is to ensure someone is wearing any new accessory and fights through four encounters to unlock its Lumina. Doing this you gain access for when needed.

If you don't have unleveled accessories to level up, simply slot the Pictos with the best stats for your needs.

Perfect Guards Are Not Your Only Option

Expedition 33’s signature mechanic is its fusion of turn-based combat with action-oriented blocks. That said, the opportunity to deflect is notoriously tight on any mode. In place of breaking controllers trying to master the timing, concentrate on rolling.

Even though a perfect guard refunds a resource and deals significant bonus damage, missing the timing leaves you vulnerable. The good news is there are several accessories and abilities that provide resources on a well-timed evade. If you can't get the block down, use those dodge-focused options instead.

Breaking Enemies Is Your Greatest Advantage

Inflicting Break is a decisive state that can swing a fight. As you attack a foe, a gold meter fills up beneath their life bar. Once charged, you can apply the Break status, which reduces their defense by a fifth and prevents them from acting for one full turn. It is the top-tier debuff in the game, but only particular abilities can trigger it.

Allocate Points Deliberately

You can reset attributes and skills using a scarce resource called a Recoat item. Since they are uncommon, it's smart to plan your build before spending your attribute points. Get a feel for a hero's kit and chart a skill tree path beforehand.

Don't Forget to Stop At the Checkpoint Flag

Resting at an expedition flag refills the health of your whole team and restocks your supply of healing items, including Chroma Elixirs and Revive Tints. Develop the routine to rest at every flag!

Expedition flags also act as the only means to fast travel in the game. There is no traditional map, GPS, or floating icons. But, each flag has a identifier. By resting, you can see a menu of your progress in that zone under a fast travel menu. It's a basic yet helpful way to track your progress.

Locked Chests Are Consistently Rewarding

Paint Cages are basically locked treasure chests that demand you to locate and shoot three scattered mechanisms in the surrounding area before getting the loot. The treasure inside is always valuable, often containing Recoats or unique gear. The three locks aren't in plain sight, but they are typically near the cage. If you are missing a lock, try smashing crates or checking elevated spots.

Yes, Fight the Merchant

Each shopkeeper has a one-of-a-kind piece of gear that isn't listed in their standard shop. To gain access to it, you must select a party member and win a duel in a one-on-one fight. This proves to be worth doing, as these rewards are exceptionally powerful. The first merchant you meet, for instance, provides a special accessory that causes the damage-increasing condition, which boosts damage against the target by a quarter.

Have Faith in the Autosave

The game lacks {manual saving