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A fun fact: The name “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hints at the initially cryptic nature of the in-game systems and gameplay loops.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 casts you as a team of social media mages, led by the audacious British Daredevil, on a journey to reverse a worldwide curse that stops people from growing old. It blends strategic role-playing battles with real-time parries inspired by Soulslike games, all cloaked in a idiosyncratic artistic lexicon.

It has become one of the major titles of the year, having sold millions and won Game of the Year praise. The adventure can feel somewhat dense in the beginning, but when it clicks, you’ll find a deep and engrossing role-playing game that differentiates itself from many others. Here are are ten crucial early-game strategies for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Swap Characters Regularly

In Expedition 33, characters who take part in a fight earn a sizable bonus to Experience Points compared to those not fighting. Furthermore, the campaign will at times mandate you to use specific characters. The simplest solution to these mechanics is to switch members often and strive to keep all characters at a comparable power level.

The upside is that grinding is not too tedious. Battles award a generous amount of XP, sometimes enough for a level up after just two or three. You can respawn an zone's monsters by resting at an save point—these points are scattered throughout each level. If you need to accumulate XP fast, simply fight enemies near a flag, rest, and continue the cycle.

Swap Items Regularly

There are two main ways to grant constant buffs to your party members: Pictos and Lumina skills.

• Pictos function as gear that grant attribute increases and also feature a unique passive skill. A character can wear a maximum of three Pictos. Once slotted, completing four fights with a Picto unlocks its corresponding Lumina.
• Luminas function differently but can be thought of as equippable passives. Every ally has a number of Lumina Points (which can be increased via consumables). Each Lumina has a specific point cost. Provided that a character has the required amount, multiple characters can benefit from the same skill, allowing you to layer useful effects across your entire team.

The smartest strategy is to always one of your characters is wearing each fresh Picto you find and completes four battles to gain its Lumina. That way the ability will be available for later builds.

When you aren't have unleveled accessories to unlock, simply equip the Pictos with the highest bonuses for your playstyle.

Blocking Is Not Your Single Choice

Expedition 33’s signature mechanic is its fusion of RPG systems with real-time parries. But, the opportunity to deflect is incredibly short on all difficulty levels. Rather than frustrating yourself trying to master the timing, concentrate on rolling.

Even though a successful parry refunds one AP and causes significant bonus damage, failing to parry gives you nothing. Fortunately there are multiple accessories and abilities that restore Action Points on a perfect roll. If you find parrying difficult, use those roll-centric options instead.

Breaking Enemies Is Your Greatest Advantage

The Break status effect is a battle-altering mechanic that can turn the tide. As you attack a foe, a yellow gauge charges under their life bar. When full, you can inflict break, which slashes their defense by a fifth and stuns them for their next action. It is the top-tier debuff in the game, but only particular attacks can trigger it.

Level Up Intentionally

You have the option to reallocate stat points and abilities using a rare item called a Recoat. Given its scarcity, it's smart to plan your build before committing your skill points. Experiment with a character's playstyle and plan a progression route beforehand.

Don't Forget to Use the Save Flag

Resting at an save point completely restores your whole team and refreshes all of your healing items, including HP restoratives and phoenix down equivalents. Develop the routine to rest at every flag!

Checkpoints also act as the closest thing to navigation in the game. You won't find a traditional map, GPS, or quest indicators. However, each flag has a name and number. 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 basic yet helpful way to navigate the world.

Paint Cages Are Invariably Rewarding

Paint Cages are basically puzzle caches that need you to locate and shoot three hidden locks in the nearby environment before claiming the prize. The contents is without fail worthwhile, such as Recoats or unique gear. The associated mechanisms aren't in plain sight, but they are usually near the cage. If you are stuck, try smashing crates or checking elevated spots.

Absolutely, Challenge the Shopkeeper

Each shopkeeper stocks a secret, unique item that doesn't appear in their regular wares. To get them to sell it, you must pick a champion and win a duel in a single combat. This proves to be worth doing, as these pieces of gear are exceptionally powerful. The first merchant you meet, for example, offers a Picto that causes the vulnerability status, which amplifies attacks against the affected enemy by a significant margin.

Rely On the Auto-Save System

There is no {manual saving