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

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 places you in the role of a band of glamorous spellcasters, fronted by the daring British Daredevil, on a journey to halt a universal phenomenon that stops people from growing old. It merges traditional RPG battles with action-game reflexes inspired by challenging titles, all wrapped in a distinctive visual style.

It has become one of the biggest games of the year, having sold millions and won the premier award praise. The game can feel somewhat dense at first, but when it clicks, you’ll find a layered and engrossing RPG that differentiates itself from other games. Listed here are 10 essential early-game strategies for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Swap Characters Regularly

In Expedition 33, allies who participate in a encounter earn a significant 50% bonus to XP compared to those not fighting. Furthermore, the narrative will at times require you to field certain characters. The easiest solution to both issues is to change your lineup frequently and aim to keep your roster at a roughly equal level.

The upside is that farming experience is not too tedious. Encounters award a sizable amount of XP, sometimes enough for a character progression after just several. You can refresh an local foes by resting at an checkpoint banner—these flags are located across each zone. If you need to accumulate XP fast, simply fight enemies near a flag, refresh, and repeat.

Change Gear Often

You have two main ways to bestow constant buffs to your party members: Pictos and Luminas.

• Pictos are items which give stat boosts and also feature a constant effect. Each character can equip a maximum of three Pictos. After being worn, finishing four encounters with a Picto unlocks its corresponding Lumina.
• Luminas are not gear pieces but essentially act as unlocked abilities. Every ally has a number of Lumina Points (which grows via consumables). Every Lumina ability has a required LP amount. Provided that a character has sufficient LP, multiple characters can benefit from the same Lumina, allowing you to layer key bonuses across your full roster.

The most efficient tactic is to always one of your characters has equipped any new accessory and wins four encounters to unlock its Lumina. This ensures the ability will be available for future use.

Should you not have fresh gear to level up, simply use the Pictos with the most beneficial attributes for your current build.

Blocking Is Not Your Sole Defense

Expedition 33’s key feature is its marriage of turn-based combat with twitch-based defenses. However, the timing for a perfect block is extremely brief on every setting. In place of struggling endlessly trying to hit perfect blocks, focus on evading.

While a perfect guard restores a resource and inflicts significant bonus damage, missing the timing leaves you vulnerable. Luckily there are several accessories and abilities that restore Action Points on a well-timed evade. If you struggle with the timing, equip those dodge-focused perks instead.

Breaking Enemies Is Your Secret Weapon

Inflicting Break is a battle-altering state that can swing a fight. As you damage an enemy, a special bar charges beneath their HP bar. When full, you can inflict break, which reduces their defense by 20% and prevents them from acting for one full turn. It is the most impactful debuff in the game, but only certain attacks can trigger it.

Level Up Deliberately

You can reset your build using a rare item called a Respec token. Since they are uncommon, it's wise to consider your path before committing your attribute points. Get a feel for a character's playstyle and chart a skill tree path first.

Don't Forget to Use the Checkpoint Flag

Resting at an checkpoint refills the health of your whole team and restocks all of your potions, including Chroma Elixirs and Revive Tints. Remember to rest at every flag!

Expedition flags also function as the primary method to fast travel in the game. There is no mini-map, compass, or quest indicators. But, each flag has a designation. At a flag, 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 see how far you've come.

Glowing Cages Are Invariably Worth It

Glowing chests are effectively puzzle caches that require you to find and hit three scattered mechanisms in the nearby environment before opening them. The treasure inside is always worthwhile, including items like Recoats or strong equipment. The three locks aren't always obvious, but they are usually located close by. If you can't find one, try breaking objects or checking elevated spots.

Yes, Challenge the Vendor

Every merchant carries a one-of-a-kind piece of gear that isn't listed in their regular wares. To get them to sell it, you must select a party member and win a duel in a solo battle. This proves to be a worthwhile endeavor, as these rewards are game-changing. The first merchant you meet, for instance, provides a special accessory that applies the damage-increasing condition, which amplifies attacks against the target by a quarter.

Have Faith in the Automatic Saving

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