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A curious piece of trivia: The title term “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 alludes to the initially cryptic nature of the game's menus and systems.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has you leading a group of glamorous spellcasters, led by the bold British Daredevil, on a mission to reverse a universal phenomenon that stops people from growing old. It fuses strategic role-playing combat with action-game reflexes inspired by Soulslike games, all wrapped in a unique aesthetic language.

It has proven to be the major releases of the year, having sold millions and secured top honors accolades. The game can feel somewhat dense in the beginning, but when it clicks, you’ll discover a layered and fascinating role-playing game that is quite unique from other games. Here are are 10 essential beginner's tips for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Swap Characters Frequently

In Expedition 33, allies who are active during a battle earn a sizable bonus to experience versus those not fighting. Additionally, the campaign will periodically require you to field certain characters. The easiest method to both issues is to change your lineup frequently and strive to keep your roster at a similar strength.

The positive aspect is that leveling up is not too tedious. Fights award a sizable amount of XP, frequently enough for a level up after just several. You can respawn an local foes by resting at an checkpoint banner—these points are placed in each area. If you need to gain levels quickly, simply engage in combat near a flag, rest, and continue the cycle.

Change Items Often

The game features two primary ways to bestow passive perks to your characters: Picto gems and Lumina abilities.

• Pictos are items which give stat boosts and come with a unique passive skill. A character can wear a maximum of three Pictos. After being worn, completing four battles with a Picto will unlock its corresponding Lumina.
• Luminas aren’t physical items but can be thought of as unlocked abilities. Each character has a amount of Lumina Points (which can be increased via consumables). A Lumina has a required LP amount. If a character has enough points, there is no limit can benefit from the identical ability, allowing you to combine useful effects across your full roster.

The most efficient tactic is to ensure a party member is wearing each fresh Picto you find and completes the required fights to unlock its Lumina. This ensures you’ll have it for when needed.

When you aren't have fresh gear to level up, simply equip the Pictos with the highest bonuses for your playstyle.

Blocking Is Not Your Only Option

Expedition 33’s signature mechanic is its combination of strategic battles with twitch-based defenses. But, the parry window is extremely brief on all difficulty levels. In place of breaking controllers trying to hit perfect blocks, prioritize evading.

Even though a well-timed block grants Action Points and causes massive extra damage, missing the timing yields no benefit. The good news is there are multiple Pictos and Luminas that grant AP on a well-timed evade. If you struggle with the timing, focus on those roll-centric perks instead.

The Break Status Is Your Key Tactic

Break is a battle-altering condition that can secure victory. As you attack a foe, a yellow gauge increases below their life bar. Once charged, you can inflict break, which lowers their damage resistance by 20% and skips their turn for an entire round. It is the single most powerful debuff in the game, but only specific attacks can cause it.

Build Characters Deliberately

You have the option to reallocate attributes and skills using a rare item called a Recoat. Given its scarcity, it's prudent to plan your build instead of spending your skill points. Try out a character's playstyle and map out a build strategy beforehand.

Make Sure to Rest At the Expedition Flag

Using your tent at an expedition flag completely restores your whole team and replenishes all of your potions, including HP restoratives and phoenix down equivalents. Remember to rest at every flag!

Checkpoints also act as the closest thing to fast travel in the game. The game lacks a traditional map, GPS, or objective markers. Instead, each flag has a identifier. When you interact with one, you can see a menu of every flag you've found in that zone under a navigation option. It's a simple but effective way to navigate the world.

Locked Chests Are Consistently Worth the Effort

Paint Cages are effectively sealed loot boxes that need you to find and hit three concealed seals in the surrounding area prior to claiming the prize. The reward is always valuable, including items like respec items or unique gear. The three locks aren't in plain sight, but they are typically located close by. If you can't find one, try smashing crates or scanning the environment vertically.

Go Ahead and, Battle the Vendor

All vendors carries a secret, unique item that isn't listed in their regular wares. To get them to sell it, you must choose one character and defeat the merchant in a solo battle. This is always worth doing, as these pieces of gear are truly unique. The initial shopkeeper you meet, for instance, offers a special accessory that applies the Defenseless debuff, which boosts damage against the affected enemy by a quarter.

Rely On the Auto-Save System

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