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A fun fact: The title term “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hints at the somewhat obscure nature of the in-game systems and systems.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 places you in the role of a team of magical influencers, fronted by the bold British Daredevil, on a quest to halt a worldwide curse that halts the natural aging process. It fuses turn-based RPG combat with timed defensive moves reminiscent of action RPGs, all cloaked in a idiosyncratic visual style.

It has proven to be the biggest games of the season, having garnered a huge player base and earned top honors recognition. The game can feel somewhat dense initially, but once you lock in, you’ll discover a rich and captivating experience that differentiates itself from other games. Below are ten crucial starting pointers for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Rotate Party Members Often

In Expedition 33, characters who participate in a fight receive a hefty increase to XP versus those in reserve. What's more, the narrative will sometimes require you to field certain characters. The most straightforward approach to these mechanics is to rotate your team and aim to keep all characters at a similar strength.

The upside is that leveling up is fairly fast. Fights provide a substantial amount of XP, often sufficient for a character progression after just a few. You can respawn an local foes by stopping at an expedition flag—these flags are placed across each area. If you need to power level, simply battle monsters near a flag, refresh, and do it again.

Change Accessories Regularly

You have two primary ways to grant bonus effects to your allies: Picto gems and Lumina abilities.

• Pictos function as gear that grant stat boosts and include a unique passive skill. Every party member can slot a maximum of three Pictos. When equipped, finishing four fights with a Picto will unlock its linked Lumina.
• Luminas are not gear pieces but can be thought of as equippable passives. Every ally has a amount of LP (which can be increased via level-ups). Every Lumina ability has a specific point cost. If a character has enough points, multiple characters can use the same Lumina, allowing you to stack key bonuses across your whole party.

The smartest strategy is to ensure one of your characters is wearing any new accessory and wins four battles to reveal its Lumina. Doing this you gain access for when needed.

Should you not have fresh gear to unlock, simply use the Pictos with the most beneficial attributes for your playstyle.

Perfect Guards Are Not Your Sole Defense

Expedition 33’s signature mechanic is its combination of strategic battles with twitch-based defenses. That said, the opportunity to deflect is notoriously tight on any mode. Rather than struggling endlessly trying to master the timing, concentrate on evading.

While a perfect guard refunds Action Points and deals massive extra damage, not blocking gives you nothing. The good news is there are a number of Pictos and Luminas that grant AP on a well-timed evade. If you can't get the block down, use those evasion-based perks instead.

Break Is Your Greatest Advantage

The Break status effect is a decisive mechanic that can secure victory. As you whittle down health, a special bar fills up below their health bar. Once charged, you can inflict break, which lowers their defense by a significant amount and skips their turn for their next action. It is the most impactful debuff in the game, but only particular abilities can trigger it.

Build Characters Intentionally

You have the option to reallocate your build using a limited consumable called a Respec token. Since they are uncommon, it's smart to consider your path before spending your skill points. Experiment with a party member's role and chart a skill tree path in advance.

Don't Forget to Use the Checkpoint Flag

Using your tent at an checkpoint fully heals your whole team and refreshes all of your consumables, including Chroma Elixirs and Revive Tints. Remember to rest at every flag!

These flags also act as the closest thing to navigation in the game. There is no traditional map, compass, or quest indicators. But, each flag has a designation. When you interact with one, you can access a log of every flag you've found in that level under a fast travel menu. It's a simple but effective way to track your progress.

Locked Chests Are Invariably Worth It

These special containers are essentially sealed loot boxes that require you to locate and shoot three hidden locks in the surrounding area prior to getting the loot. The treasure inside is consistently valuable, including items like Recoats or strong equipment. The required seals aren't easy to spot, but they are typically located close by. If you can't find one, try smashing crates or checking elevated spots.

Yes, Battle the Merchant

All vendors has a hidden special good that won't show up in their regular wares. To gain access to it, you must choose one character and win a duel in a one-on-one fight. This is always a worthwhile endeavor, as these items are truly unique. The first merchant you meet, for example, offers a special accessory that applies the Defenseless debuff, which amplifies attacks against the target by 25%.

Trust In the Autosave

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