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An interesting tidbit: The name “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hints at the initially cryptic nature of the interface systems and gameplay loops.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 casts you as a team of social media mages, led by the bold British Daredevil, on a mission to reverse a universal phenomenon that stops people from growing old. It merges strategic role-playing battles with real-time parries inspired by Soulslike games, all wrapped in a unique aesthetic language.

It has become one of the biggest games of the year, having garnered a huge player base and secured Game of the Year accolades. The adventure can feel a bit off-putting at first, but when it clicks, you’ll discover a deep and captivating role-playing game that differentiates itself from many others. Below are a collection of beginner's tips for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Rotate Team Members Regularly

In Expedition 33, party members who participate in a encounter gain a significant 50% bonus to XP relative to those in reserve. What's more, the campaign will sometimes mandate you to use specific characters. The most straightforward approach to these challenges is to rotate your team and aim to keep everyone at a similar power level.

The upside is that farming experience is relatively quick. Fights grant a substantial amount of XP, sometimes sufficient for a stat increase after just several. You can refresh an area's enemies by taking a break at an expedition flag—these points are scattered throughout each area. If you need to gain levels quickly, simply battle monsters near a flag, use the flag, and do it again.

Change Accessories Regularly

You have a couple of key ways to provide constant buffs to your allies: Pictos and Lumina skills.

• Pictos are items which provide stat boosts and also feature a special ability. A character can wear up to three Pictos. After being worn, winning four battles with a Picto unlocks its linked Lumina.
• Luminas aren’t physical items but essentially act as unlocked abilities. A party member has a pool of skill points (which grows via level-ups). Every Lumina ability has a set cost. Provided that a character has sufficient LP, there is no limit can benefit from the identical ability, allowing you to stack useful effects across your whole party.

The optimal strategy is to make sure one of your characters has equipped each fresh Picto you find and fights through the required fights to reveal its Lumina. That way you’ll have it for later builds.

Should you not have new Pictos to work on, simply use the Pictos with the best stats for your playstyle.

Parrying Isn't Your Sole Defense

Expedition 33’s defining element is its combination of RPG systems with real-time parries. But, the parry window is extremely brief on any mode. Rather than breaking controllers trying to hit perfect blocks, prioritize dodging.

Even though a successful parry restores Action Points and deals a huge damage spike, failing to parry gives you nothing. The good news is there are multiple gear and skills that restore Action Points on a successful dodge. If you struggle with the timing, equip those dodge-focused options instead.

The Break Status Is Your Greatest Advantage

Inflicting Break is a battle-altering mechanic that can secure victory. As you damage an enemy, a yellow gauge increases under their life bar. Once charged, you can inflict break, which reduces their defense by a significant amount and skips their turn for one full turn. It is the top-tier debuff in the game, but only certain attacks can cause it.

Build Characters Intentionally

You have the option to reallocate stat points and abilities using a limited consumable called a Respec token. Because it's rare, it's wise to consider your path instead of committing your skill points. Get a feel for a character's playstyle and map out a skill tree path first.

Make Sure to Rest At the Expedition Flag

Using your tent at an save point fully heals your all characters and restocks your supply of potions, including healing potions and phoenix down equivalents. Remember to use each flag you see!

These flags also serve as the primary method to fast travel in the game. There is no mini-map, waypoint system, or floating icons. But, each flag has a identifier. By resting, you can access a log of all discovered flags in that zone under a navigation option. It's a basic yet helpful way to track your progress.

Paint Cages Are Always Worth It

Paint Cages are essentially sealed loot boxes that demand you to locate and shoot three hidden locks in the immediate vicinity prior to getting the loot. The reward is without fail worthwhile, such as Recoats or powerful weapons. The associated mechanisms aren't easy to spot, but they are almost always located close by. If you can't find one, try breaking objects or scanning the environment vertically.

Absolutely, Challenge the Vendor

Every merchant carries a secret, unique item that doesn't appear in their normal inventory. To unlock it, you must select a party member and win a duel in a one-on-one fight. This is invariably worth doing, as these pieces of gear are truly unique. The first merchant you meet, for example, provides a Picto that inflicts the Defenseless debuff, which increases damage dealt against the foe by a significant margin.

Have Faith in the Autosave

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