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

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has you leading a group of social media mages, spearheaded by the audacious British Daredevil, on a mission to halt a universal phenomenon that halts the natural aging process. It merges traditional RPG battles with real-time parries reminiscent of Soulslike games, all cloaked in a unique visual style.

It has become one of the biggest titles of the year, having garnered a huge player base and secured the premier award recognition. The adventure can feel somewhat dense at first, but after you grasp its systems, you’ll uncover a layered and captivating RPG that stands apart from other games. Here are are ten crucial starting pointers for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Change Team Members Regularly

In Expedition 33, allies who are active during a fight gain a hefty increase to XP versus those not fighting. Additionally, the story will at times require you to use specific characters. The easiest method to these mechanics is to rotate your team and try to keep all characters at a similar strength.

The upside is that leveling up is relatively quick. Battles award a generous amount of XP, often sufficient for a character progression after just a few. You can respawn an area's enemies by stopping at an save point—these markers are located across each area. If you need to gain levels quickly, simply engage in combat near a flag, use the flag, and do it again.

Rotate Gear Often

There are two primary ways to bestow bonus effects to your characters: Picto gems and Lumina skills.

• Pictos are accessories that provide stat boosts and come with a constant effect. Each character can slot a maximum of three Pictos. After being worn, winning four encounters with a Picto unlocks its associated Lumina.
• Luminas are not gear pieces but can be thought of as skill tree nodes. Every ally has a pool of skill points (which grows via consumables). Every Lumina ability has a set cost. Provided that a character has enough points, you are not restricted can benefit from the identical ability, allowing you to combine key bonuses across your entire team.

The smartest approach is to always one of your characters equips every new Picto and completes four encounters to gain its Lumina. This ensures you’ll have it for when needed.

If you don't have unleveled accessories to work on, simply equip the Pictos with the best stats for your playstyle.

Perfect Guards Are Not Your Sole Defense

Expedition 33’s defining element is its marriage of RPG systems with real-time parries. But, the opportunity to deflect is extremely brief on any mode. Instead of breaking controllers trying to master the timing, prioritize rolling.

While a perfect guard refunds Action Points and inflicts a huge damage spike, missing the timing gives you nothing. Fortunately there are several Pictos and Luminas that grant AP on a successful dodge. If you can't get the block down, equip those dodge-focused options instead.

Break Is Your Secret Weapon

The Break status effect is a decisive mechanic that can turn the tide. As you attack a foe, a yellow gauge increases under their health bar. Upon maxing out, you can stun the enemy, which lowers their armor by a fifth and skips their turn for their next action. It is the top-tier status effect in the game, but only certain attacks can apply it.

Build Characters Deliberately

You are able to re-spec your build using a limited consumable called a Recoat. Given its scarcity, it's prudent to think ahead prior to using your skill points. Get a feel for a party member's role and map out a skill tree path first.

Make Sure to Use the Checkpoint Flag

Using your tent at an save point refills the health of your entire party and restocks all of your healing items, including Chroma Elixirs and revival items. Make it a habit to use each flag you see!

These flags also serve as the only means to navigation in the game. The game lacks a mini-map, GPS, or floating icons. But, each flag has a designation. By resting, you can see a menu of every flag you've found in that area under a navigation option. It's a basic yet helpful way to see how far you've come.

Locked Chests Are Consistently Worth the Effort

Paint Cages are essentially locked treasure chests that need you to locate and shoot three concealed seals in the surrounding area prior to opening them. The reward is consistently valuable, often containing rare resources or strong equipment. The associated mechanisms aren't always obvious, but they are usually within the same area. If you can't find one, try exploring thoroughly or checking elevated spots.

Yes, Fight the Vendor

All vendors stocks a secret, unique item that doesn't appear in their normal inventory. To get them to sell it, you must select a party member and defeat the merchant in a one-on-one fight. This is invariably worth doing, as these rewards are game-changing. The earliest vendor you meet, for example, offers a Picto that applies the vulnerability status, which boosts damage against the target by 25%.

Rely On the Automatic Saving

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