Top 5 Beginner Tips for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Image Credit: Sandfall Interactive / Kepler Interactive
By Sticks | OnThaSticks.com
Released: April 24, 2025 • Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC • Read Time: 4–5 mins
🎨 So You Just Booted It Up…
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 throws you right into a surreal, painted apocalypse — part Final Fantasy, part French fever dream. It's stunning, strange, and yeah… a little overwhelming at first.
But don't trip. If you're a casual player, new to turn-based RPGs, or just trying not to get wrecked your first hour in — these 5 beginner tips will help you get your bearings and get into the flow faster.
1. 🎯 Prioritize Movement in Combat
This game’s combat isn’t about standing still and choosing "Attack." Timing is everything. Dodging enemy strikes — especially gradient attacks — becomes critical as you progress.
- Focus early on gear and stats that boost agility and evasion.
- Parrying is strong but risky; dodge windows are more forgiving and reliable.
- Mastering enemy patterns is essential to avoid getting overwhelmed mid-fight.
“If you're not dodging, you're dying.”
2. 🧪 Stick With One Party Combo (at First)
You’ll meet a variety of party members and unlock powerful summons — but resist the urge to rotate constantly.
- Only active characters gain XP, so swapping too often stunts progression.
- Build synergy with your main three — get a feel for their counters and timings.
- Optimize Ink usage by focusing upgrades on your core squad first.
This is a game where depth beats variety — at least early on.
3. 💧 Don’t Burn Your Ink Too Fast
Ink fuels just about everything — from exploration upgrades to summoning legendary allies in combat.
- Spend some on early exploration, but save a reserve for boss encounters.
- Summons require Ink to activate, and using one mid-boss fight can turn the tide.
- Late-game exploration and puzzle areas also consume large Ink chunks.
Ink isn’t just a currency — it’s survival. Use it with purpose.
4. 🕯️ Look for Lore Clues
Environmental storytelling is how this game speaks to you. Side quests don’t come with giant arrows or minimap markers.
- Talk to NPCs twice — many offer new info post-battle or after a time skip.
- Pay attention to murals, broken objects, and lost gestrals — they often lead to optional content and lore payoffs.
- Dialogue choices can subtly affect quest outcomes or unlock journal entries.
If you treat this like a linear RPG, you’ll miss half the world.
5. 📓 Use the Journal Like a Quest Log
The journal in Expedition 33 is more than just a lore archive — it’s your tactical command center.
- It updates with enemy weaknesses, attack patterns, and parry windows.
- You can retrace conversations, side quest threads, and story beats.
- Every new location adds flavor text that can reveal hidden puzzle mechanics.
If you’re ever stuck, check your journal — it’s probably trying to help you.
💬 Final Thoughts – Let the Ink Flow
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 doesn’t care if you’ve played a dozen RPGs or this is your first. It gives you tools — then dares you to figure them out. That’s part of the magic.
These tips won’t spoil that — they’ll just help you dodge a few brick walls and catch the rhythm a little quicker.
Play at your pace. Dodge what you can. And don’t waste that Ink.
If any of these helped — or if you’ve got your own must-know tip — I’d love to hear it. Drop a comment below or pull up in the Discord. We’re theorycrafting builds and boss counters every week.
📬 Want More RPG Deep Dives?
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- 📰 Weekly guides + breakdowns in The Stick Report
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