Clair Obscur Expedition 33 beginner’s tips before you start

Enjoyable reality: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s “Obscur” refers to how complicated all the sport’s menus and techniques are.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 casts you as a bunch of magical Instagram influencers, led by British Daredevil, on a mission to assist everybody on this planet age till their hair turns grey. It is a turn-based RPG, but it surely additionally options real-time parrying impressed by Soulslikes, with a fancy lexicon of gameplay that appears straight out of artwork college.

It was one of many greatest video games of the 12 months, promoting tens of millions of copies and profitable Recreation of the 12 months on the 2025 Recreation Awards. The sport is a bit of jarring at first, however when you lock in, you will discover a wealthy and fascinating RPG that is completely different from many different video games in the present day. Under you’ll find 10 newbie suggestions for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. It reappears from its unique publication date across the sport’s April launch.

Change occasion members continuously

In Expedition 33, occasion members achieve 50% extra expertise factors from battles after they take part in battles. (Sure, it is a kind of video games.) Moreover, there are a number of factors on this sport the place you might be compelled to maintain sure characters in your occasion. (That is a kind of video games, too.) What is the easiest answer to each of those issues? Change occasion members usually and do your greatest to maintain everybody at or close to the identical stage.

The excellent news is that if you could grind, it really works in a short time. Fight provides you a great quantity of expertise factors, and 2-3 instances are sometimes sufficient to stage up. You may also reset enemies in an space by resting at expedition flags (checkpoints positioned in every stage), so if you could accumulate a considerable amount of expertise rapidly, you possibly can merely struggle enemies close to the flag, relaxation on the flag, and repeat the method till you achieve a couple of ranges.

Substitute equipment continuously

There are two methods to grant passive perks to occasion members: Pictos and Lumina.

Picto is an adjunct that will increase your stats, but it surely additionally has passive expertise. As much as 3 Picts may be geared up per occasion member. You probably have a Pict geared up, in case you win 4 battles with that Pict geared up, that Pict’s Lumina will probably be launched. Lumina itself shouldn’t be an adjunct, however you possibly can consider it that manner. Every character has many Lumina factors (which may be elevated by way of gadgets and leveling up). Every Lumina has a predetermined Lumina Factors value. There is no such thing as a restrict to the variety of characters that may equip the identical Lumina, so long as that exact character has sufficient Lumina Factors to unlock it. This implies you possibly can stack passive perks throughout your group.

Probably the most environment friendly strategy right here is that each time you get a brand new Pict, ensure that considered one of your occasion members has it geared up, then win 4 battles. This can unlock the related Lumina and at the very least can help you use it everytime you want it.

If you do not have a brand new Pict to stage up, equip the Pict with the very best stats.

Parrying shouldn’t be the one possibility

Expedition 33’s large gimmick is that it combines turn-based fight with real-time parrying. The issue is that regardless of the problem stage, the parry window is blink-and-you’ll-miss-it. We’re speaking about 0.00000005 frames at most. If you wish to maintain your occasion members (and controller) from dying, deal with dodging.

A profitable parry restores 1 AP for that character and permits that occasion member to make use of a talent, dealing a ridiculous quantity of extra harm. Sure, there are actually benefits to parrying over dodging. Nonetheless, there are some Picts and Luminas you possibly can equip that provides you with AP for profitable dodges. If you cannot efficiently parry anyway, you will not profit from the harm anyway. If you happen to’re having hassle with parry home windows, equip Lumina, which restores AP when dodging.

Relaxation is your secret weapon

Break is a standing impact that may flip the tide of most battles. As you chip away at an enemy’s well being bar, the gold meter beneath that well being bar slowly fills up. When full, this implies you possibly can inflict Break, a standing impact that lowers an enemy’s protection by 20% and prevents them from attacking for one flip. That is the only strongest standing impact, however solely sure assaults can really trigger a break. For extra info, see our information on the way to defeat enemies.

deliberately stage up

You may reset your attributes and expertise with an merchandise known as Recoat, however it’s a pretty uncommon merchandise. Earlier than investing attribute and talent factors, work out and plan the way you wish to construct that occasion member’s talent tree.

Make sure to cease on the expedition flag

Resting on the Expedition Flag will absolutely heal your occasion and restore all therapeutic gadgets, together with Chroma Elixir (Potion) and Revive Tint (Phoenix Down). While you see the flag, cease.

The Expedition Flag can be the closest factor to a waypoint you will discover in Expedition 33. There aren’t any maps. No compass. There aren’t any precise waypoints. Nonetheless, every flag has a reputation and a quantity. While you attain an Expedition Flag, you will note an inventory of all Expedition Flags you’ve got discovered to date at a stage under the “Quick Journey” menu. It isn’t that large, however you possibly can really feel the progress.

Paint cage is at all times price it

The Paint Cage is principally a glowing locked chest that requires you to seek out and shoot three hidden locks throughout the stage earlier than you possibly can place the loot inside. Nonetheless, the loot is at all times definitely worth the effort, together with gadgets like recoats and weapons. The three locks concerned are usually not at all times in apparent areas, however in our expertise they’re at all times comparatively near the paint cage. If you cannot discover the important thing, attempt breaking some close by crates or lookup.

Sure, struggle retailers

Each service provider has distinctive gadgets that aren’t listed. To get them to promote you gadgets, you should choose one occasion member and defeat them in one-on-one fight. These things are considered one of a form (and infrequently very highly effective), so it is price it each time. For instance, the primary service provider you meet will promote you a Pict that applies an invulnerability debuff that will increase the harm dealt to affected enemies by 25%.

Belief autosave

There is no such thing as a guide option to save on Expedition 33. Nonetheless, at the very least on PlayStation 5, the sport autosaves after virtually each motion, together with ending a battle, buying an merchandise, or exiting a menu, and saves the final 20 autosave information. If you happen to fail, you will not lose a lot progress in case you return to your newest save.

Study every character’s quirks

While you unlock a brand new occasion member, you solely get one likelihood to play by way of that character’s fight tutorial. Expedition 33 does a good job of exhibiting you the ropes, but it surely would not go into the finer particulars. To that finish, depart some lightning bolt recommendation for every occasion member.

Gustave: Prioritize amount (of hits) over high quality (of hits). If you happen to can refill his overcharge meter inside two turns, you possibly can ship one very highly effective assault. Runes: Mild grime substitutes for the grime of the opposite 4 components. So, for instance, if you could use two ice stains for assault bonuses, however do not wish to use ice assaults to generate these stains, use gentle magic to generate a common stain as a substitute. Mael: No matter you do, equip your self with weapons and expertise that can help you play in Virtues stance. This will increase Mael’s harm by 200% for the subsequent flip. Ciel: In opposition to regular enemies, you do not have to fret an excessive amount of about constructing an enormous stack of Foretell. For bosses, attempt to construct as much as at the very least 10 Foretell stacks earlier than utilizing them up. Verso: Do not even attempt to ignore Clive’s suspicions in Last Fantasy 16 as a result of it is pointless. oh! Actual recommendation? Marking an enemy with Verso makes them extra inclined to extra harm on their subsequent assault. Monoko: Defeat every sort of enemy at the very least as soon as with Monoko in your occasion. Every kind of enemies that Monoko defeats unlock new expertise that Monoko can use.

Please be aware that a number of the phrases above might not make full sense till you unlock them and play a couple of battles as every character. Sure, meaning Expedition 33 is affecting us. This can be a scary revelation as we’re virtually 33 years outdated. Please go beat Paintless for us!

Correction (December 24): A earlier model of this text incorrectly said the distinction in XP earned between characters out and in of your occasion.