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A fun fact: The name “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 alludes to the complex nature of the in-game systems and mechanics.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 places you in the role of a team of glamorous spellcasters, fronted by the bold British Daredevil, on a mission to combat a universal phenomenon that prevents aging. It fuses turn-based RPG encounters with real-time parries reminiscent of action RPGs, all cloaked in a unique artistic lexicon.

It has proven to be the major games of the period, having achieved massive sales and secured Game of the Year praise. The experience can feel somewhat dense at first, but after you grasp its systems, you’ll discover a layered and captivating experience that stands apart from other games. Here are are ten crucial starting pointers for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Change Team Members Frequently

In Expedition 33, characters who take part in a fight receive a sizable bonus to Experience Points versus those not fighting. Furthermore, the campaign will at times force you to field certain characters. The simplest method to these mechanics is to change your lineup frequently and try to keep all characters at a comparable power level.

The upside is that farming experience is fairly fast. Encounters award a substantial amount of XP, often enough for a level up after just a few. You can reset an local foes by taking a break at an checkpoint banner—these flags are located in each level. If you need to power level, simply battle monsters near a flag, rest, and continue the cycle.

Swap Gear Often

You have two primary ways to bestow passive perks to your party members: Picto gems and Lumina skills.

• Pictos function as gear that provide attribute increases and come with a constant effect. Each character can equip up to three Pictos. Once slotted, winning four fights with a Picto will unlock its associated Lumina.
• Luminas aren’t physical items but essentially act as equippable passives. A party member has a number of Lumina Points (which grows via level-ups). Every Lumina ability has a set cost. As long as a character has the required amount, you are not restricted can benefit from the same skill, allowing you to stack key bonuses across your whole party.

The most efficient tactic is to ensure a party member equips every new Picto and wins four battles to gain its Lumina. Doing this the ability will be available for future use.

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

Perfect Guards Are Not Your Only Option

Expedition 33’s signature mechanic is its combination of RPG systems with action-oriented blocks. That said, the parry window is notoriously tight on every setting. Instead of frustrating yourself trying to hit perfect blocks, prioritize dodging.

Although a perfect guard restores a resource and deals a huge damage spike, missing the timing yields no benefit. Fortunately there are a number of gear and skills that restore Action Points on a well-timed evade. If you find parrying difficult, use those dodge-focused abilities instead.

The Break Status Is Your Greatest Advantage

Inflicting Break is a game-changing state that can swing a fight. As you attack a foe, a yellow gauge fills up beneath their health bar. When full, you can inflict break, which slashes their defense by a fifth and skips their turn for an entire round. It is the top-tier debuff in the game, but only certain abilities can trigger it.

Level Up Intentionally

You are able to re-spec your build using a rare item called a Recoat. Because it's rare, it's smart to consider your path instead of spending your attribute points. Try out a character's playstyle and plan a progression route first.

Always Stop At the Checkpoint Flag

Using your tent at an checkpoint completely restores your entire party and restocks every healing items, including HP restoratives and phoenix down equivalents. Develop the routine to stop and heal up!

Expedition flags also act as the closest thing to fast travel in the game. There is no mini-map, GPS, or quest indicators. Instead, each flag has a name and number. At a flag, you can access a log of all discovered flags in that area under a fast travel menu. It's a minimalist way to navigate the world.

Locked Chests Are Invariably Worth It

These special containers are effectively locked treasure chests that require you to find and hit three concealed seals in the nearby environment before opening them. The contents is without fail worthwhile, including items like rare resources or powerful weapons. The required seals aren't easy to spot, but they are almost always within the same area. If you are missing a lock, try smashing crates or looking up.

Go Ahead and, Challenge the Merchant

Every merchant has a one-of-a-kind piece of gear that won't show up in their standard shop. To unlock it, you must choose one character and beat them in combat in a solo battle. This proves to be a worthwhile endeavor, as these pieces of gear are game-changing. The initial shopkeeper you meet, for example, sells a Picto that applies the damage-increasing condition, which increases damage dealt against the foe by a significant margin.

Rely On the Automatic Saving

There is no {manual saving