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An interesting tidbit: The “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hints at the initially cryptic nature of the in-game systems and systems.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 casts you as a group of social media mages, fronted by the audacious British Daredevil, on a mission to combat a universal phenomenon that halts the natural aging process. It blends turn-based RPG combat with timed defensive moves reminiscent of action RPGs, all wrapped in a idiosyncratic visual style.

It has emerged as the major releases of the year, having sold millions and won Game of the Year accolades. The game can feel slightly intimidating at first, but after you grasp its systems, you’ll uncover a deep and engrossing RPG that differentiates itself from other games. Here are are a collection of starting pointers for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Rotate Party Members Regularly

In Expedition 33, allies who participate in a battle earn a sizable bonus to experience versus those in reserve. Furthermore, the story will at times force you to field certain characters. The simplest approach to both issues is to switch members often and try to keep your roster at a similar strength.

The positive aspect is that leveling up is relatively quick. Encounters award a substantial amount of XP, sometimes sufficient for a stat increase after just two or three. You can respawn an area's enemies by stopping at an checkpoint banner—these flags are placed across each area. If you need to power level, simply fight enemies near a flag, use the flag, and repeat.

Change Items Frequently

There are a couple of key ways to provide constant buffs to your characters: Pictos and Luminas.

• Pictos function as gear that give numerical bonuses and include a unique passive skill. Each character can wear three different Pictos. After being worn, finishing four encounters with a Picto unlocks its linked Lumina.
• Luminas aren’t physical items but essentially act as equippable passives. Every ally has a amount of LP (which you can raise via items). A Lumina has a required LP amount. As long as a character has sufficient LP, you are not restricted can benefit from the same Lumina, allowing you to layer powerful passives across your entire team.

The optimal strategy is to ensure a party member has equipped each fresh Picto you find and completes four encounters to reveal its Lumina. That way you’ll have it for later builds.

When you aren't have new Pictos to level up, simply slot the Pictos with the highest bonuses for your needs.

Parrying Isn't Your Single Choice

Expedition 33’s signature mechanic is its marriage of turn-based combat with action-oriented blocks. But, the parry window is extremely brief on all difficulty levels. In place of breaking controllers trying to hit perfect blocks, prioritize evading.

While a successful parry restores Action Points and deals a huge damage spike, not blocking yields no benefit. Luckily there are several accessories and abilities that provide resources on a successful dodge. If you can't get the block down, equip those roll-centric abilities instead.

Breaking Enemies Is Your Key Tactic

Break is a game-changing condition that can turn the tide. As you attack a foe, a special bar fills up below their life bar. Upon maxing out, you can apply the Break status, which reduces their defense by a significant amount and stuns them for an entire round. It is the most impactful condition in the game, but only certain skills can trigger it.

Build Characters With a Plan

You can reset your build using a rare item called a Recoat. Since they are uncommon, it's prudent to plan your build instead of committing your stat investments. Get a feel for a character's playstyle and map out a build strategy beforehand.

Make Sure to Use the Expedition Flag

Stopping at an expedition flag fully heals your all characters and restocks your supply of potions, including Chroma Elixirs and Revive Tints. Remember to rest at every flag!

These flags also act as the only means to quick traversal in the game. There is no traditional map, waypoint system, or floating icons. Instead, each flag has a identifier. When you interact with one, you can view a list of your progress in that area under a teleport list. It's a simple but effective way to track your progress.

Glowing Cages Are Consistently Worth the Effort

Glowing chests are effectively puzzle caches that need you to discover and activate three concealed seals in the surrounding area before opening them. The contents is always worthwhile, including items like respec items or powerful weapons. The associated mechanisms aren't in plain sight, but they are typically near the cage. If you are missing a lock, try exploring thoroughly or looking up.

Absolutely, Fight the Shopkeeper

All vendors stocks a one-of-a-kind piece of gear that isn't listed in their standard shop. To unlock it, you must select a party member and defeat the merchant in a single combat. This proves to be worth doing, as these items are game-changing. The initial shopkeeper you meet, for example, offers a special accessory that inflicts the Defenseless debuff, which boosts damage against the target by 25%.

Trust In the Autosave

There is no {manual saving