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An interesting tidbit: The title term “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hints at the somewhat obscure nature of the in-game systems and mechanics.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 places you in the role of a band of magical influencers, spearheaded by the bold British Daredevil, on a journey to reverse a universal phenomenon that halts the natural aging process. It blends strategic role-playing combat with timed defensive moves inspired by action RPGs, all cloaked in a unique visual style.

It has proven to be the most successful releases of the period, having garnered a huge player base and secured Game of the Year accolades. The experience can feel slightly intimidating in the beginning, but once you lock in, you’ll discover a deep and engrossing RPG that differentiates itself from other games. Here are are a collection of starting pointers for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Swap Party Members Frequently

In Expedition 33, characters who participate in a fight earn a hefty increase to experience relative to those not fighting. What's more, the narrative will periodically force you to include particular characters. The easiest approach to both issues is to switch members often and try to keep your roster at a similar level.

The positive aspect is that farming experience is not too tedious. Fights provide a substantial amount of XP, sometimes sufficient for a stat increase after just a few. You can respawn an zone's monsters by resting at an checkpoint banner—these markers are located across each zone. If you need to power level, simply engage in combat near a flag, rest, and do it again.

Swap Items Often

The game features two primary ways to provide constant buffs to your characters: Picto accessories and Lumina abilities.

• Pictos function as gear that give numerical bonuses and include a unique passive skill. Each character can wear three different Pictos. Once slotted, finishing four encounters with a Picto will unlock its associated Lumina.
• Luminas are not gear pieces but are similar to equippable passives. Each character has a number of skill points (which can be increased via consumables). Each Lumina has a specific point cost. Provided that a character has enough points, multiple characters can equip the same Lumina, allowing you to stack useful effects across your full roster.

The most efficient tactic is to always one of your characters has equipped every new Picto and wins the required fights to reveal its Lumina. Doing this you’ll have it for later builds.

If you don't have new Pictos to level up, simply use the Pictos with the most beneficial attributes for your playstyle.

Parrying Isn't Your Only Option

Expedition 33’s defining element is its combination of turn-based combat with real-time parries. However, the parry window is incredibly short on all difficulty levels. Instead of breaking controllers trying to land parries, concentrate on rolling.

While a well-timed block refunds one AP and inflicts a huge damage spike, failing to parry yields no benefit. Luckily there are a number of Pictos and Luminas that grant AP on a successful dodge. If you find parrying difficult, use those evasion-based perks instead.

Breaking Enemies Is Your Key Tactic

The Break status effect is a game-changing state that can turn the tide. As you attack a foe, a special bar fills up under their life bar. Once charged, you can apply the Break status, which slashes their damage resistance by 20% and prevents them from acting for their next action. It is the most impactful status effect in the game, but only particular abilities can cause it.

Level Up Intentionally

You are able to re-spec your build using a rare item called a Recoat item. Given its scarcity, it's smart to plan your build instead of using your stat investments. Get a feel for a character's playstyle and map out a skill tree path beforehand.

Don't Forget to Use the Checkpoint Flag

Resting at an expedition flag fully heals your entire party and refreshes all of your potions, including HP restoratives and Revive Tints. Make it a habit to rest at every flag!

Checkpoints also function as the closest thing to quick traversal in the game. The game lacks a overworld map, GPS, or objective markers. However, each flag has a designation. When you interact with one, you can view a list of every flag you've found in that area under a fast travel menu. 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 demand you to find and hit three scattered mechanisms in the immediate vicinity to opening them. The contents is without fail valuable, often containing Recoats or powerful weapons. The required seals aren't easy to spot, but they are usually located close by. If you can't find one, try exploring thoroughly or scanning the environment vertically.

Go Ahead and, Challenge the Merchant

Every merchant has a secret, unique item that isn't listed in their standard shop. To gain access to it, you must pick a champion and win a duel in a solo battle. This is invariably worth doing, as these items are game-changing. The initial shopkeeper you meet, for reference, sells a special accessory that inflicts the Defenseless debuff, which amplifies attacks against the foe by 25%.

Rely On the Automatic Saving

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