Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 contains hours of side content that, although optional, feature some of the best loot and often additional story details you’d otherwise miss out on. That’s why it’s well worth exploring as many side areas as you can while making your way across the Continent. Whether you’re after better gear, new upgrade materials, or simply curious about the expansive and mystical world of Clair Obscur, there are certain optional areas that you definitely should not skip.
This list contains spoilers for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s side content and story.As early as Act 1, you’ll have opportunities to venture into optional areas for better Pictos and weapons in Clair Obscur. Sometimes you’ll be much better off returning to difficult areas later on, while other areas are well worth exploring as soon as you get the chance, such as Yellow Harvest or Frozen Hearts. If you only explore a limited number of areas, the following locations should be at the top of your list.
10
Yellow Harvest Is An Early-Game Must
Get Some Of The Best Early Game Weapons & Pictos In Yellow Harvest
It’s hard to believe Yellow Harvest is an optional area, with unique early game weapons and Pictos that are absolutely worth your time. Yellow Harvest is found northwest of the Hidden Gestral Arena, and you’ll be able to get four weapons and four Pictos there: Gaulteram
, 
Potierim
, 
Plenum
, which is dropped from the Glaise boss, and 
Kralim
, which is dropped by the Chromatic Orphelin Nevron in Clair Obscur.
Glaise will also drop the 
Energising Attack I
Pictos, while you’ll be able to pick up the 
Death Bomb
Pictos in the area as well. Further, you can fight Pinabby the Merchant to unlock and purchase the Teamwork
Pictos, and you might as well grab Auto Death
and Lune’s Vintage Haircut while you’re there, assuming you have the Chroma to spare.
9
Frozen Hearts Unlocks A Key Merchant
Retrieve The Eternal Ice For The Grandis Merchant In Monoco’s Station
Frozen Hearts is another optional area that really shouldn’t be optional at all. In order to unlock the Grandis Merchant’s inventory in Monoco’s Station, you’ll need to go to Frozen Hearts to pick up the 
Eternal Ice
. This merchant has some of the best Pictos and weapons in Clair Obscur, which include the Survivor
Energising Death
Greater Rush, and 
Burning Shots
Pictos, as well as the 
Coldum
, 
Cultam
, and 
Grandaro
weapons. And these are just what becomes available for returning with the Eternal Ice from Frozen Hearts.
Related
10 Hardest Bosses In Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Ranked
There are many enemies and side bosses in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, including Chromatic Nevrons of all sorts – here are the hardest ones, ranked.
The area itself is chock-full of excellent gear, as well as an enemy that I both love and hate, the Danseuse Teacher, one of the White Nevrons in Clair Obscur. Frozen Hearts also contains the Burning Break, 
Burn Affinity
, and Energising Burn Pictos, which are perfect for any Burn-based Lune or Maelle build, and you can get both the Anti-Freeze
and 
Anti-Burn
Pictos, which are essential passive Lumina effects you should equip on every character.
8
Sacred River Is Critical For Monoco’s Story
Complete Monoco’s Relationship Quest In Sacred River
Sacred River is an essential side area for reasons aside from loot (though the loot is great too), and the river here is integral in completing Monoco’s relationship quest. While there are more than a few devastating moments in Clair Obscur, the big moment in Monoco’s story takes the cake for me. I took some solace in the resolution to his quest, which makes it well worth pursuing.
Aside from Monoco’s quest line, there is a very expensive Gestral Merchant in the area that has some top-tier loot, so make sure you don’t go into Sacred River with an empty wallet. You can beat him in a duel to unlock his inventory, which includes a mother lode of great Pictos:
7
Sirene’s Dress Is A Lune Necessity
Complete Lune’s Relationship Quest & Pick Up Two Endgame Weapons
As part of Lune’s relationship quest, you’ll have to travel to Sirene’s Dress, an otherwise inaccessible area that requires Lune to play music in order to unlock the gate and enter the area. Inside, there’s a giant Chromatic Glissando enemy that you’ll be familiar with from Sirene, but as with all Chromatic enemies, it’s quite a bit stronger than the one you faced off against earlier.
Related
Should You Fight Visages Or Sirene First In Clair Obscur: Expedition 33?
Once you enter Act 2 of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, you’ll have the choice of which Axon to face first, Visages or Sirene, and one is a bit easier.
After defeating the Chromatic Glissando, you’ll be rewarded with two excellent weapons: 
Choralim
and 
Ballaro
. Additionally, you will be able to collect Expedition 46’s Journal entry, which is the last documented account of Lune’s parents. After listening to the journal, you’ll be taken back to camp and will be able to complete Lune’s relationship quest.
6
Falling Leaves Has A Memorable Enemy
Speak With The Lady Of Sap & Defeat The Scavenger
The Falling Leaves area is packed full of unique enemies and interactions, but the most interesting is the scenario with the Lady of Sap and the Young Boy. In the depths of Falling Leaves, you’ll come across a huge woman hanging upside down, wrapped in a sort of cocoon. You won’t be able to interact with her unless you’ve spoken to the Young Boy standing in front of the gate. Afterward, you can return to speak with the boy and open the gate to access the area boss.
While there are a few other powerful enemies with great drops in this area, the Scavenger enemy is what makes this area worth visiting. Scavenger drops my personal favorite Lune weapon, the 
Scaverim
, which is one of the few weapons that can generate Dark Stains.
5
Renoir’s Drafts & The Abyss House Brutal Challenges
Descend Into The Abyss & Face Simon
Renoir’s Drafts and The Abyss are two of the most difficult endgame areas, with some extremely powerful enemies and the hardest boss in Clair Obscur, Simon. Renoir’s Drafts are home to Grour, a Gestral Merchant that has one of the most well-stocked inventories in the game. As the duel with Grour is one against three, it’s a tough fight, so make sure you have a good solo build in your party.
Related
Best Solo Build In Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Weapon, Skills, & Luminas)
This endgame solo build features Maelle and can deal millions in damage if you maximize her Luminas and use Medalum & the Stendhal skill.
After clearing Renoir’s Drafts, you’ll want to travel through the gate and drop into The Abyss to find Simon. Simon is one of the few “secret” bosses you can face, insofar as there are secret bosses in Clair Obscur. You’ll have your work cut out for you, and Simon has moves that will literally wipe out your entire party, not to mention ridiculous sword attacks that are easily the hardest to Parry in the entire game. However, defeating him will get you the 
Simoso
, Verso’s best weapon.
4
The Painting Workshop Shakes Things Up
Retrieve The Pieces Of The Beast To Solve The Painting Workshop Mystery
The Painting Workshop has three separate entrances, and you should enter all of them to complete this optional area. You’ll be able to parkour your way across some canvases and agree to help the Faceless Boy restore color, shape, and light to the beast in the heart of the workshop with each quest item.
You can cancel one of the Lampmaster’s attacks by shooting the lamps in the order that it lights them up.
Once you’ve acquired all three beast items, you will be able to face a much more powerful version of the Lampmaster enemy you’re familiar with from earlier in Act 1. Defeating the Lampmaster in the Painting Workshop unlocks the Energising Attack I Pictos and At Death’s Door Pictos, and you’ll also unlock the associated trophy for solving the Painting Workshop mystery, “Noir et Blanc.”
3
Flying Manor Adds To The Lore
Free Clea From The Flying Manor
Flying Manor is among the few optional areas that provide contextual details for the narrative and further backstory, particularly related to Clea. Clea is another secret boss in Clair Obscur, and similar to Simon, she has a unique move set and will heal herself after every turn if she hits you, which she probably will. Clea is not as tough as Simon, but she’s still among the most difficult enemies in the game.
Accessing Clea and freeing her from Flying Manor is no easy feat, and you’ll have to defeat enemies around the area in order to unlock the Flying Manor door. There’s an abundance of rewards in this area, however, and it’s well worth the trouble. There are up to 12 weapons and/or weapon upgrades possible here, as well as dozens of Pictos, including Clea’s Life, which has one of the best healing passives in Clair Obscur.
2
Endless Tower Unlocks Monoco’s Skills
Complete 33 Trials To Face Painted Love
The Endless Tower is essentially a marathon mode of bosses and tough enemies, but it’s absolutely worth visiting simply to unlock all of Monoco’s skills. The Endless Tower is structured into 11 stages with three trials each, for a total of 33 fights. Each of these encounters will include three different enemies, and if you have Monoco in your active party, you’ll be able to unlock nearly all of his skills.
Related
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Best Monoco Build Guide (Skills, Weapons, & Pictos)
Monoco is one of the most unique characters in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and he is an excellent candidate for a support class for your party.
Alternatively, you can complete the trials with other characters and then go back to the specific stage/trial in the Endless Tower to get that particular Monoco skill. The final trial in the Endless Tower is against Painted Love, a unique enemy that consists of both the Paintress and the Curator who share a single health bar. Defeating the third trial in each stage will reward you with a unique Pictos, while defeating Painted Love drops Verso’s Clair outfit, and you can speak to the Fading Woman for Maelle’s Ponytail haircut.
1
The Reacher Should Have Been Main Story
Complete Maelle’s Relationship Quest & Face Alicia
Arguably the most important side area you should explore in terms of narrative content is The Reacher, which is part of Maelle’s relationship quest. This particular area reveals a ton about Maelle/Alicia, as well as Verso, not to mention the insight we get into the Dessendre family dynamics. This area feels like it should have been part of the main story, which is why I recommend completing The Reacher before fighting the final Act 3 boss.
While there are many other side areas well worth visiting, such as the Gestral Beaches, Sunless Cliffs, etc., these ten should be at the top of your list. Not only are these optional areas in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 full of excellent loot and unique enemies, but they also often provide fascinating additional narrative context to the main story.
9/10
- Released
-
April 24, 2025
- ESRB
-
Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
-
Sandfall Interactive
- Publisher(s)
-
Kepler Interactive
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
