When playing throughClair Obscur: Expedition 33for the first time, it is important to not only have a good understanding ofhow certain game mechanics functionbut also how best to utilize the party in the most effective way. Every member of the team has value and can certainly bring a lot to a fight, but there are for sure some characters that shine more than others, whether through their damage numbers or supportive capabilities.
Lumina points are an important part of a build that greatly decides how each member plays in an encounter, augmenting their damage output, defensive capabilities, as well as bringing a few extra tools to the fray that can turn the tide in the player’s favor in a matter of seconds. The points are precious and should be spent according to which members can make the most of the added abilities and who can truly excel as the master expeditioner.
6Gustave
Not Enough To Offer
Gustave is a pretty fun character that can bring some serious power with the right combination of Luminas, but suffers from a lack of skills that get quickly outshone byhis fellow party members. The investment in his Lumina count can be useful in ramping up the Overcharge burst potential but with a pretty basic set of attacks to choose from, he leaves a lot to be desired.
In NG+, once the player has access to later Pictos like Painted Power, the player can quickly transform him into a pretty decent damage threat. With that being said, the main problem with his kit is the limitations and lack of diversity it provides, which can get quite boring after a while, and players are better off spending those well-earned points on another character who has access to a wider arsenal of attacks and supportive abilities.
5Sciel
A Slow Build-up With An Average Payoff
Sciel is a very interesting character that can be used as a significant damage dealer against themajority of the threats in the world. The main benefit to her playstyle is against bosses where the fight goes long and players need quite a few turns to take them down, so having someone in the party who can build up stacks and unleash a big burst of damage all at once, can be pretty valuable and lead to some insane damage numbers with the right Luminas.
Simple Luminas like Energizing Start can be invaluable and beginning the stacking early and the other mechanic in her kit related to Twilight, is important to acquire quickly and maintain for maximum damage output, so having extra Luminas to allow her to take a second turn or have additional speed, can be useful in maintaining the darkness. With all tha said, she can be a bit inconsistent, as other characters can normally dispatch threats before she even has a chance to fully stack her up damage up, but she still has a lot of power and can be a fun character to experiment with and try new builds.
4Monoco
Versatility Unlike Any Other
Monoco is probably the most interesting character in the whole game, as his skills are directly tied to taking down specific enemies across the entire map. He isn’t limited to one playstyle or one strategy and can slot into basically any team and any role, however the player chooses and depending on the slot that needs to be filled to create a rounded party.
Versatility is great and all but his overall power level is definitely weaker than some of the other options, as being a jack-of-all-trades may come with some flexibility, but specific achetypes are better served with a different character and anything he does bring to the table is more of a fun gimmick, even with the extra Lumina points. While he does bring some okay power in the damage and support departments, it still leaves a lot to be desired and the experimentation normally ends at the conclusion that the party slot should go to someone else.
3Lune
The Queen Of Support And Elemental Destruction
In terms of a core party member that most teams will want to have around, Lune fits the bill perfectly, bringing some pretty high elemental damage along withthe best supportive kit in the gamethat can not only buff and heal, but also resurrect fallen teammates and quickly switch back to damage in a matter of moments. Adding Lumina points to her can open the doors for so many possibilities, like extra turns to pump out more heals, or additional spell-casts that can deal insane AOE damage and tick for even more turns to come.
In the later stages of the game, even experienced players make mistakes, and damage is almost a guarantee. Being able to reliably heal through the punishment and return fire with some devastaing blows, makes Lune a valuable asset to a strong part and with additional tools thanks to the Lumina slots, the mage is truly unlocked and given all the resources she could ever need to both carry and support.
2Verso
Style And Sustain All In One
Style says it all with Verso. His main mechanic is directly tied to building up aDevil May Crygrade system that adds extra damage and effects to all his attacks and abilities. The problem is that upon taking damage, that progress can be reversed quite quickly, so investing heavily into his Lumina pool can allow him to build up the style all the way to S in just a few turns and maintain it thanks to damage avoidance Luminas and defensive mechanics.
He can really make use of those extra slots by gaining extra AP on dodges, to cast higher cost spells that boost the style immensely and with one of the strongest Gradient Attacks for damage, a Lumina like Gradient Fighter, lets the player unleash a oneshotting burst that fully utilizes everything in Verso’s kit, as well the additional slots to full effect.
1Maelle
The Leading Lady In A Team Of Greats
Insanely strong and just as cool, Maelle is arguably thebest character in the whole gameand hence giving her extra tools and damage modifiers seems like the perfect reason to spend the extra Lumina on upgrading her. The ability to deal extra damage at the start of a fight, or sustain through far more damage, lets the player really control the pace of the fight and hence manage her stances with greater efficiency and effect.
Also, her second Gradient Attack allows her to revive the entire team at once, which can be an absurdly powerful tool at the end of the game, so Luminas like Second Chance that keep her in the fight for longer or extra tools that keep her alive for longer, allows the player to build up the meter faster and basically guarantee victory in any fight so long as Maelle is still alive.
