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A curious piece of trivia: The “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 band of social media mages, led by the bold British Daredevil, on a journey to halt a worldwide curse that halts the natural aging process. It fuses traditional RPG combat with timed defensive moves inspired by Soulslike games, all wrapped in a idiosyncratic visual style.

It has become one of the most successful games of the period, having achieved massive sales and secured the premier award recognition. The game can feel a bit off-putting initially, but when it clicks, you’ll uncover a deep and captivating role-playing game that differentiates itself from other games. Below are ten crucial early-game strategies for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Swap Party Members Regularly

In Expedition 33, party members who take part in a battle receive a hefty increase to XP relative to those in reserve. Additionally, the story will periodically force you to field certain characters. The easiest approach to both issues is to change your lineup frequently and strive to keep your roster at a roughly equal level.

The positive aspect is that leveling up is not too tedious. Encounters provide a sizable amount of XP, frequently sufficient for a level up after just several. You can reset an zone's monsters by resting at an expedition flag—these points are scattered across each area. If you need to power level, simply engage in combat near a flag, refresh, and continue the cycle.

Swap Gear Often

The game features a couple of key ways to bestow passive perks to your characters: Picto accessories and Lumina skills.

• Pictos are accessories that grant attribute increases and also feature a special ability. A character can equip three different Pictos. After being worn, winning four encounters with a Picto unlocks its associated Lumina.
• Luminas aren’t physical items but essentially act as skill tree nodes. Every ally has a amount of Lumina Points (which you can raise via level-ups). Every Lumina ability has a set cost. Provided that a character has enough points, multiple characters can equip the identical ability, allowing you to layer key bonuses across your full roster.

The optimal approach is to make sure someone has equipped every new Picto and completes four encounters to reveal its Lumina. Doing this the ability will be available for future use.

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

Parrying Isn't Your Only Option

Expedition 33’s defining element is its marriage of strategic battles with twitch-based defenses. However, the timing for a perfect block is incredibly short on any mode. In place of struggling endlessly trying to hit perfect blocks, concentrate on rolling.

While a perfect guard restores Action Points and inflicts significant bonus damage, failing to parry yields no benefit. The good news is there are multiple Pictos and Luminas that grant AP on a perfect roll. If you find parrying difficult, equip those dodge-focused abilities instead.

The Break Status Is Your Greatest Advantage

Break is a game-changing state that can secure victory. As you whittle down health, a special bar fills up under their health bar. When full, you can inflict break, which slashes their defense by 20% and stuns them for an entire round. It is the top-tier condition in the game, but only particular skills can apply it.

Build Characters With a Plan

You can reset attributes and skills using a rare item called a Respec token. Because it's rare, it's smart to plan your build instead of using your skill points. Get a feel for a party member's role and map out a build strategy in advance.

Always Use the Save Flag

Using your tent at an expedition flag completely restores your whole team and replenishes your supply of potions, including HP restoratives and revival items. Make it a habit to stop and heal up!

These flags also function as the only means to quick traversal in the game. You won't find a overworld map, waypoint system, or quest indicators. But, each flag has a designation. When you interact with one, you can view a list of your progress in that area under a navigation option. It's a minimalist way to see how far you've come.

Glowing Cages Are Always Rewarding

Paint Cages are essentially puzzle caches that require you to locate and shoot three hidden locks in the surrounding area before getting the loot. The reward is consistently high-tier, including items like Recoats or unique gear. The required seals aren't easy to spot, but they are usually near the cage. If you are missing a lock, try smashing crates or looking up.

Yes, Challenge the Merchant

All vendors has a secret, unique item that won't show up in their normal inventory. To gain access to it, you must pick a champion and beat them in combat in a one-on-one fight. This proves to be a worthwhile endeavor, as these pieces of gear are game-changing. The initial shopkeeper you meet, for example, provides a special accessory that inflicts the vulnerability status, which boosts damage against the affected enemy by a significant margin.

Have Faith in the Auto-Save System

The game lacks {manual saving