Summary
Despite having only two item types with stats (Pictos andweapons),Clair Obscur: Expedition 33offers deep and flexible character-building potential through equipment. Thegame is generous with Pictos, each providing a unique and powerful effect that players can instantly benefit from. More often than not, these bonuses go far beyond the typical percentage increases to damage or health seen in many RPGs, insteaddelivering tangible and impactful abilities.
There are three types of Pictos and Luminas inClair Obscur: Expedition 33.Offensive Pictosgrant increased damage,Defensive Pictosfocus on reducing enemy damage or enhancing character healing, while Support Pictos typically provide powerful buffs (Shell, Rush, Regen, or Powerful) or aim to grant additional Action Points (AP) to a character — oreven the entire party. Below, we’ll examine the best and strongest Support Pictos inClair Obscur: Expedition 33that can make the game significantly easier in nearly every combat scenario.
Many Support Pictos provide benefits when fighting alone whilecosting very few Lumina points. These Pictos are invaluable when facing tough opponents, such as late-game merchants, solo bosses, or endgame challenges without the rest of the party, and should be equipped in every such scenario to greatly improve odds.
Depending on progress in the story, there may be spoilers in images and in text below. Players who have not reached at least Act 2 should proceed with caution.
8Healing Mark
Once Per Turn, Recover 25% Health On Hitting a Marked Enemy
Healing Mark is a support Picto with a healing effect typically found in defensive Pictos. However, its strength makes it a must. It could be one of the best Pictos for healing in an attack-focused party. Players can equip this Picto’s Lumina to every character, then easily sustain healing by marking enemies for consistent recovery each turn.
Given the many ways to mark enemies inClair Obscur: Expedition 33(through skills, weapons, or other Pictos), the Healing Mark Picto, despite its relatively high Lumina cost, should be a priority for players facing challenging combat encounters against the hardest enemies.
7Energising Pain
No Longer Gain AP on Parry, +1 AP on Getting Hit
Expedition 33has already earned a reputation as a challenging game, particularly when playing through parries as intended, which can be both rewarding and punishing. Unless players arehighly skilled with timings, Energising Pain is recommended to rely on, at least during the first half of the game, before mastering parries.
This Picto grants extra AP whenever characters fail to parry an incoming attack, allowing players to learn their movesets while also entering their turn with sufficient AP to perform a powerful skill for retaliation. While this may not suit every playstyle and isn’t recommended for heavy reliance, especially later in the game, when taking damage becomes less viable, it remains a valuable tool early on.
6Energising Death
On Death, Grant +4 AP to Allies
Characters will die a lot inExpedition 33, so capitalizing on a party member’s fall can be a highly effective tactic. With Energising Death, a character’s death significantly boosts surviving members, instantly granting two remaining characters +4 AP each, enabling them to cast high-cost skills that could turn the tide of a fight immediately. Another advantage of this Picto is its low cost, allowing players to equip it to every party member without much hesitation — just in case.
Alternatively, Auto Death is another fan-favorite support Picto worth mentioning, as it’s extremely cheap (only one Lumina) and can serve as afoundation for strong and fun character buildsinExpedition 33. However, its effectiveness diminishes later in the game.
5First Strike
Grants the First Turn in a Battle
While players can secure the first turn in combat by attacking enemies during exploration, this isn’t always feasible. Even with heavyinvestment in Agility (Speed), players may encounter faster enemies who strike first, dealing significant damage. To prevent this and ensure the first turn at all times, it’s recommended to equip the First Strike Picto to at least one active party member inExpedition 33.
Taking a turn before enemies can be highly advantageous, allowing players to strengthen allies or weaken foes before the enemy acts, which can easily mean the difference between life and death — especially when tackling stronger optional bosses for their valuable drop rewards.
4Charging Critical
Once Per Turn, +20% Of a Gradient Charge on Critical Hit
Gradient Attacks are among the most powerfulmoves inClair Obscur: Expedition 33, capable of devastating tough enemies and bosses when used wisely. Every attack or skill builds charge for Gradient Attacks, but players can significantly accelerate this with the Charging Critical Picto.
Given how easy it is to achieve 100% critical chance with every character in the later stages of the game, Charging Critical becomes essential for rapidly filling Gradient Attack charges, especially for those aiming to use the strongest Level 3 versions. Alternatively, the Charging Mark Picto is another effective way to quickly build Gradient Charge by attacking marked enemies. Players can also combine these two Pictos for even faster access to high-power Gradient Attacks.
3Energising Turn
Get +1 AP on Turn Start
Granting extra AP to characters is a primary goal of support Pictos inExpedition 33, and Energising Turn is easily one of the best and most straightforward in this regard, capable of enhancing any build imaginable. Unlike many Energising Pictos that grant AP only at the battle’s start, Energising Turn provides extra action points every turn throughout the entire fight, with no prerequisites for players to meet.
Simply put, Energising Turn is recommended for every character in the party at all times, and even its relatively high Lumina cost shouldn’t stop players from equipping it, as it makes the game much easier by enabling access to more powerful skills every turn.
2Cheater
Always Play Twice in a Row
The name of the Cheater Picto speaks for itself, offering one of the strongest passive bonuses among all Pictos inClair Obscur: Expedition 33. Playing twice in a row is nearly game-breaking, though acquiring this unique Picto requires significant effort, as players most likely won’t be able to defeat Sprong until reaching at least level 70.
While Cheater’s power inExpedition 33is undeniable, its very high Lumina cost makes it advisable to use only as a Picto rather than a Lumina. Additionally, players should note that there are less straightforward but more cost-effective ways to gain a second turn in the game without relying on the Cheater Picto — and players cannot extend a character’s consecutive turns to three (meaning its effect won’t stack with other similar abilities).
1Energy Master
Every AP Gain Is Increased By 1
What could possibly surpass the Cheater Picto? The answer is Energy Master. Despite sharing a similarly high Lumina cost, Energy Master is the cornerstone for crafting the most overpowered skill-reliant builds inClair Obscur: Expedition 33. With this Picto, characters will have an almost constant overflow of energy, enabling them to cast the strongest skills every turn with ease.
For best results with Energy Master, players should equip cheap Energising Luminas and avoid costly options that grant only a single AP, such as Energising Battle IV (20 Lumina). With double the energy from the Energy Master Picto, players need only ensure they gain at least 4 AP per turn, boosting the total to eight AP, which is sufficient for nearly any desired skill, unlocking a dynamic new layer of skill-based gameplay.
