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

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has you leading a group of glamorous spellcasters, fronted by the bold British Daredevil, on a quest to reverse a global affliction that prevents aging. It fuses turn-based RPG encounters with real-time parries reminiscent of Soulslike games, all wrapped in a idiosyncratic visual style.

It has become one of the biggest titles of the season, having achieved massive sales and earned Game of the Year praise. The experience can feel somewhat dense initially, but after you grasp its systems, you’ll find a rich and captivating RPG that differentiates itself from many others. Here are are ten crucial beginner's tips for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Swap Team Members Regularly

In Expedition 33, party members who take part in a fight gain a hefty increase to Experience Points versus those not fighting. What's more, the story will sometimes mandate you to use specific characters. The simplest solution to these challenges is to change your lineup frequently and try to keep all characters at a similar level.

The good news is that grinding is not too tedious. Encounters grant a substantial amount of XP, sometimes enough for a character progression after just several. You can respawn an zone's monsters by taking a break at an checkpoint banner—these markers are placed across each area. If you need to gain levels quickly, simply fight enemies near a flag, refresh, and do it again.

Swap Items Regularly

You have a couple of key ways to provide passive perks to your characters: Picto accessories and Lumina skills.

• Pictos function as gear that give numerical bonuses and come with a unique passive skill. A character can wear three different Pictos. After being worn, completing four battles with a Picto unlocks its associated Lumina.
• Luminas function differently but essentially act as equippable passives. Each character has a number of skill points (which can be increased via level-ups). A Lumina has a set cost. Provided that a character has sufficient LP, multiple characters can use the same Lumina, allowing you to stack powerful passives across your whole party.

The optimal approach is to make sure a party member is wearing each fresh Picto you find and fights through four encounters to reveal its Lumina. This ensures the ability will be available for when needed.

When you aren't have unleveled accessories to level up, simply use the Pictos with the most beneficial attributes for your current build.

Parrying Isn't Your Only Option

Expedition 33’s signature mechanic is its fusion of strategic battles with twitch-based defenses. That said, the opportunity to deflect is notoriously tight on all difficulty levels. In place of frustrating yourself trying to hit perfect blocks, prioritize evading.

Although a successful parry restores one AP and causes massive extra damage, not blocking yields no benefit. Fortunately there are multiple accessories and abilities that provide resources on a perfect roll. If you can't get the block down, use those evasion-based options instead.

The Break Status Is Your Key Tactic

Break is a decisive state that can swing a fight. As you whittle down health, a yellow gauge increases beneath their health bar. When full, you can inflict break, which lowers their armor by 20% and skips their turn for one full turn. It is the top-tier condition in the game, but only certain abilities can trigger it.

Level Up Deliberately

You have the option to reallocate stat points and abilities using a rare item called a Respec token. Because it's rare, it's prudent to consider your path instead of spending your stat investments. Experiment with a party member's role and chart a build strategy beforehand.

Don't Forget to Use the Expedition Flag

Using your tent at an expedition flag completely restores your whole team and refreshes every consumables, including healing potions and Revive Tints. Remember to rest at every flag!

Expedition flags also serve as the closest thing to navigation in the game. You won't find a overworld map, GPS, or objective markers. Instead, each flag has a designation. By resting, you can see a menu of every flag you've found in that level under a teleport list. It's a minimalist way to navigate the world.

Paint Cages Are Invariably Worth the Effort

These special containers are basically sealed loot boxes that require you to discover and activate three hidden locks in the immediate vicinity prior to claiming the prize. The contents is consistently high-tier, often containing rare resources or powerful weapons. The three locks aren't easy to spot, but they are almost always within the same area. If you can't find one, try exploring thoroughly or checking elevated spots.

Yes, Fight the Shopkeeper

Every merchant has a hidden special good that won't show up in their standard shop. To unlock it, you must select a party member and beat them in combat in a one-on-one fight. This is invariably a worthwhile endeavor, as these pieces of gear are truly unique. The earliest vendor you meet, for instance, sells a Picto that inflicts the damage-increasing condition, which increases damage dealt against the foe by a significant margin.

Rely On the Autosave

There is no {manual saving