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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 in-game systems and gameplay loops.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 casts you as a team of social media mages, fronted by the bold British Daredevil, on a journey to combat a global affliction that stops people from growing old. It merges turn-based RPG encounters with timed defensive moves inspired by action RPGs, all cloaked in a distinctive aesthetic language.

It has become one of the major releases of the year, having achieved massive sales and secured top honors praise. The experience can feel somewhat dense initially, but once you lock in, you’ll discover a rich and captivating role-playing game that differentiates itself from other games. Below are 10 essential beginner's tips for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Change Characters Frequently

In Expedition 33, party members who take part in a battle earn a hefty increase to experience relative to those not fighting. Furthermore, the narrative will sometimes force you to use specific characters. The easiest approach to these mechanics is to change your lineup frequently and aim to keep all characters at a similar level.

The good news is that leveling up is relatively quick. Encounters provide a substantial amount of XP, sometimes enough for a level up after just two or three. You can refresh an zone's monsters by stopping at an checkpoint banner—these markers are scattered throughout each area. If you need to power level, simply fight enemies near a flag, rest, and continue the cycle.

Change Gear Often

The game features two primary ways to grant constant buffs to your allies: Picto gems and Luminas.

• Pictos are items which give attribute increases and include a unique passive skill. A character can slot a maximum of three Pictos. Once slotted, completing four encounters with a Picto grants access to its associated Lumina.
• Luminas aren’t physical items but can be thought of as equippable passives. Each character has a number of skill points (which can be increased via items). Each Lumina has a required LP amount. As long as a character has enough points, you are not restricted can equip the same skill, allowing you to combine key bonuses across your full roster.

The optimal tactic is to always one of your characters has equipped each fresh Picto you find and fights through four battles to reveal its Lumina. Doing this you’ll have it for when needed.

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

Blocking Is Not Your Single Choice

Expedition 33’s key feature is its marriage of turn-based combat with action-oriented blocks. However, the opportunity to deflect is incredibly short on every setting. Rather than struggling endlessly trying to master the timing, prioritize evading.

Even though a perfect guard grants a resource and causes a huge damage spike, not blocking yields no benefit. The good news is there are several Pictos and Luminas that provide resources on a well-timed evade. If you struggle with the timing, equip those dodge-focused options instead.

Breaking Enemies Is Your Secret Weapon

Break is a battle-altering mechanic that can secure victory. As you damage an enemy, a special bar charges under their HP bar. Upon maxing out, you can inflict break, which reduces their defense by 20% and stuns them for one full turn. It is the most impactful debuff in the game, but only specific attacks can apply it.

Level Up Intentionally

You can reset stat points and abilities using a limited consumable called a Respec token. Given its scarcity, it's wise to consider your path instead of committing your attribute points. Experiment with a party member's role and map out a skill tree path beforehand.

Make Sure to Use the Checkpoint Flag

Resting at an expedition flag refills the health of your whole team and refreshes every consumables, including healing potions and revival items. Remember to stop and heal up!

Expedition flags also act as the only means to fast travel in the game. There is no overworld map, compass, or quest indicators. But, 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 basic yet helpful way to see how far you've come.

Glowing Cages Are Consistently Worth It

Glowing chests are basically sealed loot boxes that require you to discover and activate three concealed seals in the surrounding area prior to claiming the prize. The contents is always valuable, including items like respec items or powerful weapons. The required seals aren't in plain sight, but they are almost always near the cage. If you are stuck, try exploring thoroughly or looking up.

Yes, Challenge the Merchant

All vendors has a secret, unique item that won't show up in their normal inventory. To unlock it, you must pick a champion and beat them in combat in a single combat. This is invariably rewarding, as these rewards are truly unique. The initial shopkeeper you meet, for reference, offers a special accessory that applies the damage-increasing condition, which amplifies attacks against the target by 25%.

Have Faith in the Auto-Save System

There is no {manual saving