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A fun fact: The name “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 alludes to the initially cryptic nature of the game's menus and mechanics.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 places you in the role of a group of magical influencers, fronted by the bold British Daredevil, on a mission to combat a universal phenomenon that prevents aging. It merges turn-based RPG encounters with timed defensive moves inspired by Soulslike games, all wrapped in a unique artistic lexicon.

It has become one of the major games of the season, having achieved massive sales and won the premier award praise. The experience can feel a bit off-putting in the beginning, but after you grasp its systems, you’ll find a deep and captivating RPG that stands apart from other games. Here are are 10 essential beginner's tips for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Rotate Characters Regularly

In Expedition 33, party members who participate in a encounter gain a hefty increase to XP compared to those not fighting. Additionally, the story will at times force you to field certain characters. The most straightforward solution to these challenges is to switch members often and try to keep all characters at a similar strength.

The good news is that grinding is fairly fast. Fights grant a substantial amount of XP, frequently sufficient for a level up after just two or three. You can refresh an area's enemies by taking a break at an expedition flag—these flags are scattered across each area. If you need to power level, simply fight enemies near a flag, use the flag, and continue the cycle.

Change Gear Regularly

The game features two primary ways to grant constant buffs to your party members: Picto accessories and Lumina skills.

• Pictos are items which provide numerical bonuses and include a unique passive skill. A character can equip a maximum of three Pictos. After being worn, completing four battles with a Picto unlocks its corresponding Lumina.
• Luminas are not gear pieces but essentially act as unlocked abilities. Each character has a pool of skill points (which grows via consumables). Each Lumina has a set cost. If a character has sufficient LP, multiple characters can use the same Lumina, allowing you to combine useful effects across your full roster.

The optimal tactic is to make sure someone has equipped any new accessory and wins four battles to gain its Lumina. This ensures you gain access for future use.

If you don't have new Pictos to level up, simply slot the Pictos with the best stats for your current build.

Parrying Isn't Your Only Option

Expedition 33’s key feature is its marriage of strategic battles with action-oriented blocks. But, the timing for a perfect block is incredibly short on every setting. Rather than breaking controllers trying to master the timing, concentrate on rolling.

Although a successful parry restores a resource and deals massive extra damage, missing the timing gives you nothing. Luckily there are several accessories and abilities that restore Action Points on a well-timed evade. If you struggle with the timing, focus on those dodge-focused abilities instead.

Breaking Enemies Is Your Greatest Advantage

Break is a battle-altering mechanic that can turn the tide. As you whittle down health, a yellow gauge increases under their life bar. Once charged, you can stun the enemy, which lowers their armor by a fifth and skips their turn for one full turn. It is the single most powerful condition in the game, but only specific skills can trigger it.

Level Up With a Plan

You are able to re-spec attributes and skills using a scarce resource called a Recoat item. Since they are uncommon, it's prudent to plan your build instead of committing your attribute points. Get a feel for a party member's role and chart a progression route beforehand.

Make Sure to Rest At the Checkpoint Flag

Resting at an checkpoint fully heals your whole team and refreshes all of your healing items, including Chroma Elixirs and revival items. Develop the routine to use each flag you see!

Checkpoints also serve as the only means to navigation in the game. The game lacks a mini-map, waypoint system, or quest indicators. But, each flag has a designation. When you interact with one, you can access a log of all discovered flags in that level under a navigation option. It's a simple but effective way to navigate the world.

Locked Chests Are Consistently Worth It

Glowing chests are essentially sealed loot boxes that demand you to find and hit three scattered mechanisms in the immediate vicinity to getting the loot. The contents is without fail valuable, including items like respec items or powerful weapons. The three locks aren't always obvious, but they are typically located close by. If you are stuck, try smashing crates or checking elevated spots.

Go Ahead and, Challenge the Vendor

Every merchant carries a hidden special good that won't show up in their regular wares. To gain access to it, you must pick a champion and defeat the merchant in a one-on-one fight. This is always worth doing, as these rewards are exceptionally powerful. The earliest vendor you meet, for reference, offers a special accessory that applies the vulnerability status, which boosts damage against the foe by 25%.

Rely On the Automatic Saving

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