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An interesting tidbit: The title term “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hints at the somewhat obscure nature of the interface systems and systems.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 casts you as a band of magical influencers, fronted by the daring British Daredevil, on a journey to reverse a worldwide curse that stops people from growing old. It fuses strategic role-playing battles with action-game reflexes drawn from Soulslike games, all cloaked in a distinctive visual style.

It has become one of the major titles of the year, having garnered a huge player base and won top honors accolades. The adventure can feel slightly intimidating in the beginning, but when it clicks, you’ll find a deep and captivating experience that differentiates itself from many others. Here are are 10 essential early-game strategies for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Rotate Party Members Often

In Expedition 33, allies who are active during a fight earn a hefty increase to XP versus those not fighting. What's more, the campaign will at times force you to field certain characters. The simplest approach to these mechanics is to rotate your team and try to keep everyone at a roughly equal level.

The positive aspect is that farming experience is not too tedious. Fights grant a sizable amount of XP, sometimes sufficient for a character progression after just several. You can respawn an area's enemies by taking a break at an save point—these markers are scattered in each zone. If you need to gain levels quickly, simply battle monsters near a flag, use the flag, and continue the cycle.

Rotate Items Often

There are two primary ways to provide passive perks to your characters: Picto accessories and Luminas.

• Pictos are items which give numerical bonuses and include a constant effect. Each character can slot a maximum of three Pictos. When equipped, finishing four fights with a Picto unlocks its linked Lumina.
• Luminas function differently but can be thought of as equippable passives. Every ally has a amount of Lumina Points (which can be increased via consumables). Each Lumina has a specific point cost. Provided that a character has enough points, multiple characters can equip the same Lumina, allowing you to stack powerful passives across your full roster.

The smartest tactic is to always someone has equipped every new Picto and fights through four encounters to gain its Lumina. Doing this you gain access for later builds.

When you aren't have unleveled accessories to unlock, simply slot the Pictos with the best stats for your current build.

Blocking Is Not Your Single Choice

Expedition 33’s defining element is its marriage of RPG systems with real-time parries. But, the timing for a perfect block is incredibly short on any mode. In place of struggling endlessly trying to master the timing, focus on dodging.

While a perfect guard grants one AP and deals significant bonus damage, failing to parry leaves you vulnerable. The good news is there are multiple accessories and abilities that grant AP on a successful dodge. If you can't get the block down, use those evasion-based options instead.

Breaking Enemies Is Your Key Tactic

Inflicting Break is a game-changing state that can secure victory. As you whittle down health, a gold meter increases below their health bar. Upon maxing out, you can apply the Break status, which slashes their damage resistance by a fifth and stuns them for one full turn. It is the most impactful debuff in the game, but only particular attacks can trigger it.

Build Characters Intentionally

You are able to re-spec your build using a rare item called a Recoat item. Since they are uncommon, it's prudent to think ahead before spending your stat investments. Try out a character's playstyle and plan a skill tree path first.

Don't Forget to Stop At the Expedition Flag

Using your tent at an expedition flag refills the health of your entire party and refreshes all of your healing items, including healing potions and Revive Tints. Develop the routine to rest at every flag!

Checkpoints also function as the only means to fast travel in the game. The game lacks a mini-map, waypoint system, or quest indicators. But, each flag has a identifier. When you interact with one, you can view a list of your progress in that level under a fast travel menu. It's a simple but effective way to see how far you've come.

Paint Cages Are Consistently Rewarding

Paint Cages are basically puzzle caches that require you to find and hit three hidden locks in the nearby environment prior to getting the loot. The reward is without fail worthwhile, including items like Recoats or powerful weapons. The three locks aren't always obvious, but they are usually located close by. If you are missing a lock, try exploring thoroughly or scanning the environment vertically.

Absolutely, Challenge the Shopkeeper

All vendors has a one-of-a-kind piece of gear that doesn't appear in their regular wares. To gain access to it, you must choose one character and defeat the merchant in a solo battle. This is always rewarding, as these items are truly unique. The initial shopkeeper you meet, for example, offers a special accessory that applies the damage-increasing condition, which increases damage dealt against the foe by a quarter.

Trust In the Auto-Save System

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