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An interesting tidbit: The “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 alludes to the somewhat obscure nature of the in-game systems and systems.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 casts you as a group of glamorous spellcasters, spearheaded by the bold British Daredevil, on a quest to combat a worldwide curse that prevents aging. It fuses turn-based RPG combat with real-time parries drawn from Soulslike games, all cloaked in a unique visual style.

It has proven to be the major games of the year, having sold millions and earned the premier award recognition. The experience can feel somewhat dense at first, but when it clicks, you’ll discover a deep and captivating experience that is quite unique from many others. Listed here are 10 essential early-game strategies for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Change Characters Often

In Expedition 33, party members who participate in a fight gain a sizable bonus to Experience Points relative to those in reserve. Additionally, the campaign will periodically require you to include particular characters. The simplest solution to both issues is to switch members often and strive to keep everyone at a comparable strength.

The upside is that grinding is relatively quick. Encounters award a sizable amount of XP, frequently enough for a character progression after just several. You can refresh an zone's monsters by resting at an checkpoint banner—these markers are located in each area. If you need to accumulate XP fast, simply engage in combat near a flag, use the flag, and do it again.

Change Accessories Frequently

The game features two primary ways to provide passive perks to your allies: Pictos and Luminas.

• Pictos are accessories that grant stat boosts and include a unique passive skill. Every party member can wear a maximum of three Pictos. When equipped, finishing four fights with a Picto grants access to its corresponding Lumina.
• Luminas function differently but essentially act as unlocked abilities. A party member has a pool of Lumina Points (which grows via items). A Lumina has a set cost. As long as a character has sufficient LP, multiple characters can benefit from the identical ability, allowing you to layer useful effects across your whole party.

The most efficient approach is to always someone is wearing any new accessory and completes four encounters to reveal its Lumina. That way the ability will be available for future use.

When you aren't have new Pictos to level up, simply equip the Pictos with the best stats for your current build.

Blocking Is Not Your Single Choice

Expedition 33’s signature mechanic is its marriage of strategic battles with real-time parries. But, the parry window is incredibly short on any mode. Instead of frustrating yourself trying to land parries, prioritize evading.

Although a successful parry restores Action Points and inflicts a huge damage spike, failing to parry gives you nothing. Luckily there are a number of accessories and abilities that restore Action Points on a perfect roll. If you find parrying difficult, use those evasion-based abilities instead.

Breaking Enemies Is Your Key Tactic

Break is a decisive mechanic that can secure victory. As you attack a foe, a yellow gauge increases below their health bar. Once charged, you can stun the enemy, which reduces their damage resistance by a significant amount and stuns them for one full turn. It is the top-tier status effect in the game, but only particular skills can trigger it.

Build Characters Deliberately

You are able to re-spec stat points and abilities using a rare item called a Recoat. Because it's rare, it's wise to think ahead before spending your skill points. Experiment with a hero's kit and chart a skill tree path beforehand.

Make Sure to Rest At the Save Flag

Stopping at an checkpoint refills the health of your entire party and refreshes every consumables, including Chroma Elixirs and Revive Tints. Develop the routine to stop and heal up!

Checkpoints also serve as the closest thing to quick traversal in the game. There is no traditional map, waypoint system, or objective markers. But, each flag has a designation. At a flag, you can see a menu of all discovered flags in that level under a fast travel menu. It's a minimalist way to see how far you've come.

Glowing Cages Are Invariably Rewarding

Paint Cages are basically sealed loot boxes that demand you to discover and activate three scattered mechanisms in the immediate vicinity before claiming the prize. The treasure inside is consistently high-tier, such as rare resources or strong equipment. The three locks aren't in plain sight, but they are almost always within the same area. If you are missing a lock, try breaking objects or checking elevated spots.

Yes, Battle the Merchant

Each shopkeeper has a secret, unique item that doesn't appear in their normal inventory. To gain access to it, you must select a party member and beat them in combat in a one-on-one fight. This is invariably a worthwhile endeavor, as these items are exceptionally powerful. The first merchant you meet, for reference, provides a special accessory that causes the Defenseless debuff, which amplifies attacks against the foe by 25%.

Trust In the Autosave

The game lacks {manual saving