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A curious piece of trivia: The title term “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 references the somewhat obscure nature of the game's menus and mechanics.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 places you in the role of a group of social media mages, spearheaded by the daring British Daredevil, on a journey to reverse a universal phenomenon that halts the natural aging process. It blends turn-based RPG encounters with real-time parries reminiscent of action RPGs, all cloaked in a distinctive aesthetic language.

It has proven to be the major releases of the year, having sold millions and secured Game of the Year praise. The experience can feel somewhat dense at first, but after you grasp its systems, you’ll uncover a layered and engrossing role-playing game that stands apart from other games. Below are ten crucial beginner's tips for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Change Characters Often

In Expedition 33, allies who are active during a battle earn a hefty increase to Experience Points versus those in reserve. Additionally, the campaign will sometimes require you to include particular characters. The most straightforward solution to these mechanics is to change your lineup frequently and aim to keep all characters at a similar level.

The good news is that grinding is relatively quick. Encounters award a generous amount of XP, often enough for a stat increase after just two or three. You can respawn an area's enemies by taking a break at an expedition flag—these points are scattered throughout each area. If you need to power level, simply fight enemies near a flag, refresh, and continue the cycle.

Change Items Regularly

The game features two main ways to bestow bonus effects to your characters: Picto accessories and Lumina abilities.

• Pictos are items which grant numerical bonuses and also feature a special ability. A character can equip up to three Pictos. After being worn, winning four fights with a Picto will unlock its associated Lumina.
• Luminas aren’t physical items but essentially act as unlocked abilities. Every ally has a number of Lumina Points (which grows via consumables). A Lumina has a set cost. Provided that a character has the required amount, multiple characters can benefit from the same Lumina, allowing you to combine powerful passives across your entire team.

The optimal tactic is to ensure a party member equips every new Picto and completes four battles to reveal its Lumina. Doing this you gain access for later builds.

Should you not have unleveled accessories to work on, simply use the Pictos with the highest bonuses for your playstyle.

Perfect Guards Are Not Your Sole Defense

Expedition 33’s signature mechanic is its fusion of RPG systems with twitch-based defenses. But, the parry window is incredibly short on all difficulty levels. Rather than breaking controllers trying to hit perfect blocks, concentrate on dodging.

While a well-timed block restores one AP and inflicts a huge damage spike, missing the timing yields no benefit. The good news is there are a number of accessories and abilities that grant AP on a successful dodge. If you can't get the block down, focus on those dodge-focused perks instead.

Break Is Your Secret Weapon

Inflicting Break is a battle-altering state that can turn the tide. As you attack a foe, a yellow gauge increases under their life bar. Upon maxing out, you can stun the enemy, which slashes their armor by a significant amount and prevents them from acting for an entire round. It is the single most powerful status effect in the game, but only certain abilities can trigger it.

Allocate Points Intentionally

You are able to re-spec your build using a limited consumable called a Respec token. Since they are uncommon, it's smart to consider your path prior to committing your attribute points. Get a feel for a character's playstyle and map out a skill tree path first.

Make Sure to Use the Expedition Flag

Stopping at an expedition flag fully heals your whole team and replenishes all of your consumables, including Chroma Elixirs and Revive Tints. Remember to rest at every flag!

These flags also function as the closest thing to fast travel in the game. There is no traditional map, waypoint system, or quest indicators. Instead, each flag has a name and number. By resting, you can view a list of every flag you've found in that level under a navigation option. It's a basic yet helpful way to navigate the world.

Glowing Cages Are Invariably Worth the Effort

Paint Cages are essentially puzzle caches that demand you to find and hit three concealed seals in the surrounding area before getting the loot. The reward is consistently worthwhile, such as Recoats or unique gear. The associated mechanisms aren't in plain sight, but they are almost always near the cage. If you are missing a lock, try exploring thoroughly or checking elevated spots.

Absolutely, Challenge the Shopkeeper

All vendors carries a hidden special good that won't show up in their standard shop. To unlock it, you must pick a champion and beat them in combat in a one-on-one fight. This is always rewarding, as these rewards are exceptionally powerful. The first merchant you meet, for instance, offers a Picto that causes the vulnerability status, which boosts damage against the affected enemy by a quarter.

Trust In the Autosave

The game lacks {manual saving