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A curious piece of trivia: The name “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 alludes to the initially cryptic nature of the in-game systems and systems.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has you leading a band of magical influencers, spearheaded by the bold British Daredevil, on a journey to halt a global affliction that prevents aging. It fuses turn-based RPG combat with action-game reflexes drawn from challenging titles, all wrapped in a idiosyncratic aesthetic language.

It has proven to be the major games of the year, having achieved massive sales and secured Game of the Year accolades. The game can feel a bit off-putting in the beginning, but once you lock in, you’ll uncover a layered and captivating RPG that is quite unique from other games. Listed here are 10 essential early-game strategies for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Rotate Party Members Regularly

In Expedition 33, characters who participate in a fight gain a hefty increase to experience versus those on the bench. Furthermore, the story will periodically force you to include particular characters. The easiest approach to these mechanics is to change your lineup frequently and aim to keep all characters at a comparable power level.

The good news is that leveling up is not too tedious. Battles grant a sizable amount of XP, sometimes sufficient for a character progression after just several. You can respawn an zone's monsters by stopping at an expedition flag—these markers are scattered in each area. If you need to gain levels quickly, simply battle monsters near a flag, rest, and repeat.

Swap Accessories Frequently

You have two primary ways to bestow constant buffs to your characters: Picto gems and Luminas.

• Pictos are accessories that provide stat boosts and also feature a unique passive skill. A character can wear up to three Pictos. After being worn, finishing four battles with a Picto unlocks its associated Lumina.
• Luminas aren’t physical items but are similar to skill tree nodes. Each character has a pool of LP (which can be increased via level-ups). A Lumina has a specific point cost. As long as a character has the required amount, you are not restricted can benefit from the identical ability, allowing you to combine useful effects across your entire team.

The optimal approach is to always one of your characters is wearing each fresh Picto you find and fights through four encounters to reveal its Lumina. That way you gain access for future use.

When you aren't have fresh gear to unlock, simply use the Pictos with the most beneficial attributes for your playstyle.

Parrying Isn't Your Sole Defense

Expedition 33’s key feature is its combination of strategic battles with twitch-based defenses. That said, the parry window is notoriously tight on any mode. In place of breaking controllers trying to master the timing, prioritize rolling.

Even though a successful parry refunds Action Points and deals a huge damage spike, failing to parry leaves you vulnerable. Luckily there are several accessories and abilities that restore Action Points on a successful dodge. If you can't get the block down, equip those roll-centric perks instead.

Breaking Enemies Is Your Key Tactic

Break is a decisive mechanic that can swing a fight. As you attack a foe, a special bar fills up under their HP bar. Upon maxing out, you can apply the Break status, which reduces their defense by a fifth and stuns them for an entire round. It is the single most powerful condition in the game, but only specific abilities can apply it.

Build Characters Intentionally

You can reset attributes and skills using a rare item called a Respec token. Because it's rare, it's wise to think ahead instead of spending your attribute points. Get a feel for a character's playstyle and plan a skill tree path first.

Don't Forget to Stop At the Save Flag

Resting at an save point refills the health of your all characters and replenishes all of your potions, including healing potions and Revive Tints. Develop the routine to use each flag you see!

Expedition flags also act as the primary method to quick traversal in the game. You won't find a mini-map, GPS, or floating icons. However, each flag has a name and number. At a flag, you can access a log of all discovered flags in that zone under a navigation option. It's a minimalist way to navigate the world.

Locked Chests Are Invariably Rewarding

These special containers are effectively locked treasure chests that require you to discover and activate three hidden locks in the nearby environment to opening them. The treasure inside is always valuable, including items like Recoats or unique gear. The associated mechanisms aren't easy to spot, but they are typically within the same area. If you are missing a lock, try breaking objects or scanning the environment vertically.

Yes, Battle the Merchant

All vendors stocks a hidden special good that isn't listed in their standard shop. To unlock it, you must choose one character and win a duel in a one-on-one fight. This is always worth doing, as these pieces of gear are game-changing. The earliest vendor you meet, for instance, offers a special accessory that inflicts the damage-increasing condition, which boosts damage against the foe by a significant margin.

Rely On the Autosave

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