Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Any% Restricted

Notation

For menus, I will sometimes have something in parenthesis. If it's (S1-3), it refers to the slot the Picto should be placed in. If it's a Playstation controller button, it's a button you should press to optimize the menu.

For battles, there will sometimes be something like (1.1 QTE). This refers to the Quick Time Action you do when you use an Ability. A perfect is 1.2, a normal is 1.1, and a fail is 1.0. The number refers to the damage multiplier the skill gets from the QTE.

For loading saves, I will use notation like load S0 to load the top save, or S2 to load the 3rd save (2 down).
These will assume no mistakes, since mistakes will often lead to extra saves. The notes will still describe which save to load.

There's also a debug reload you can do by pressing Alt+V. I will refer to this as Debug Load. You generally have to mash it as you enter an area, exit a menu, or load screen is ending.

You can check the changelog at the bottom of the notes.

These are my personal notes for the category, the writing will reflect that. For the most part these notes will not say where to go or where things are, just what to do. I will be updating these as the route progresses, changes will be reflected in the changelog at the bottom of the notes.

There will also be enemy data and maybe some other useful information at the bottom of the notes.

If there's a time listed by a fight, it's my best time for it so far. It does not represent the average.

Prologue

Do Windmill skip. The notes will assume you do it, but will note small changes if you fight Maelle where applicable.
If you're learning, don't bother with Windmill and just fight Maelle.

Harbor

• Talk to Maelle, skip Maelle duel
• Talk to Aprentices
• Talk to Emma

4 CS on Transition

Act I

Spring Meadows

Pick up Critical Burn. Can do house skip to save ~1s. Don't need the pickups.

Pick up Dead Energy II.

Continent

Go to Camp before entering Flying Waters

Flying Waters

Once Manor is in view, Picto Save and Debug Load.
Optionally,

Menu during the cutscene where you enter Maelle's room.

After getting Maelle, reload the manor autosave (Top+1)
After talking to door, open menu as screen is fading out and load most recent autosave.

Talk to flag.

Do Goblu Skip

Camp

Debug Load after game loads. Want to do it after the "stars" dissappear from the loading screen.
You should see the game save and instantly load afterwards.

Go to sleep.

Continent

Esquie's Nest

Password Skip

Menu during Esquie's cutscene.

After talking to Esquie cutscene, load autosave outside Flying Waters (Top + 1).
Go to Flying Waters entrance, then reload most recent autosave and mash to enter Flying Waters.

Watch load screen, once the "stars" disappear mash Debug Load to reload save to setup dupe'd save.
Then exit Flying Waters.

This save will be loaded during OL skip, should be 3s gap between saves.

Continent

Camp right away.

Camp

Go to sleep.

Continent

Go to Stone Wave Cliffs.

Stone Wave Cliffs

Menu during first cutscene.

Picto save for Delaram warp.

Unlock Paint Cage, reload autosave and pick up Delaram during the load.
Pick up First Strike.

Pick up SOS Power.

If 2 Francois Polished drops, can pick up Polished Chroma Catalyst.

Pick up Duenum.

Do Cave skip and pick up Coralim.

Act II

Camp

Go to Curator, can equip Delaram before for easier upgrade menu (will need to re-equip).

Go to flag.

Go to sleep.

Continent

As soon as you have control, Go to Camp and Debug Load.

Forgotten Battlefield

Exit Forgotten Battlefield right away.

Continent

We're gonna use a new term here, Esquie Debug Load Mount Storage, or EDLMS. You can load a save, Debug Load as it loads in, and mount/dismount Esquie to transfer mount state to your S0 save.

Start Battlefield skip.

Load S1, EDLMS.
Go to 2nd spot for Battlefield skip.

This is recommended if you're not comfortable with the route yet. Moves the Flying Waters save up, letting you make more mistakes without losing it.
Run into Flying Waters trigger (want to get bit deep into it, so Esquie is mountable). Picto save, while game is saving open save menu and load S2. Back out, open and close menu quickly, and mount Esquie using Z on keyboard. Use Z for any ELDMS using this save afterwards. Ignore line below if doing this.

Load save outside Flying Waters, ELDMS.

Finish Battlefield skip.

Go to fight ahead of Battlefield entrance and preempt it.

Go to fight by Monoco Station entrance.

Go to invisible bridge, Picto save & reload (can Debug Load).
Do Monoco Station skip.

Old Lumiere Skip

Picto save anywhere along the way to the building where you can mount & dismount Esquie.

Climb up building. Picto save, and load S1. EDLMS.

Go to cliff edge for Esquie mount. Picto save, and load Flying Waters save. ELDMS.

Run up mountain, get onto building past railing. Picto save, Load S3. EDLMS.

Run off the building on the left side. Run on invisible ground to the left over the water, and climb onto mountain in front. Picto save, and load Flying Waters save. EDLMS.

Ride Esquie past the trees and off into the water. There's a part of the ground that protrudes out like a dock.

Go to Visages.

Visages

Go to Joy Mask.

Pick up Confident Fighter.

Go to Joy Mask, Option 1 to take Fight.

Go to Visages.

Menu and debug load on menu exit.

Camp

Go to sleep.

When you reach Monolith entrance, load S1 (save from Camp) and enter Monolith.

Monolith

Go to flag.

Pick up Resplendant Chroma Catalyst at the end of Tainted Sanctuary or start of Tainted Battlefield.
Pick up Weakness Gain.

Act 3

Camp

Load save outside Flying Waters. Load S0 and enter Flying Waters while loading. Camp + Debug Load is optimal.

Flying Waters

Exit instantly

Continent

Fly to Lumiere

Lumiere

Fight the single Abberation.

Run from Creation fight.

Chroma Elixer, choose fight as Maelle.

Links

Cardinal's Windmill
Cardinal Playlist
Cardinal Old Lumiere Skip
Password Skip

Changelog

7/30/26

• This now uses Battlefield skip! Shoutout to Flayz for doing the routing. I've added some improvements to his changes.
• No longer pick up Staggering Attack, Gustave gets 1 Might 5 Agility at Flying Waters flag
• Esquies Nest formation menu changed, Gustave stays at front of party.
• Different pictos in SWC, Gustave gets Cleansing Tint
• Lampmaster strat updated to use intentional underdamage
• Menus changed before FB, Chalier fight changed
• Battlefield skip added
• Troubadim needs another headshot
• Lots of Picto changes, just read stuff from here I'm tired of writing :/

6/29/26

• Don't upgrade Gustave Might at Flying Waters
• Stagging Attack equip during Goblu Skip
• Debug load for Maellum upgrade
• Fix formation notes in Esquie's Nest
• Cut ES1 pickup
• SWC menu changed, move Staggering Attack to S2
• Act 2 start menu changed, Verso no longer gets DE2, swaps SOS Power to Maelle
• Move Maelle to back of formation in Forgotten Battlefield
• Removed menu to equip Death's Door to Verso before Monoco Station battle.
• Adjusted Visages start menu, Maelle gets Augmented FS, Verso gets Dodger Lumina
• Adjusted Joy Mask cutscene menu, clear more slots for Maelle & Verso, added formation menu.
• Teach Verso Defiant Strike before Visages
• Verso equip SOS Power lumina before Visages
• Visages different turn order and use Defiant Strike 1st turn instead of Berserk Slash
• Feetress skill menu no longer manual equip Last Chance and Leadership
• Added note about removing First Strike from Maelle for Feetress
• Renoir 2 Verso use Energy Tint T2
• Added overdamage & underdamage notes to Paintress. Added 2-3 Defiant Strike usages. P3 backup uses Offensive Switch.

6/09/26

• Cut Energy Tint pickup
• Don't change formation in Visages
• Move Maelle to last in formation for monolith fights
• Equip ES1 on Verso before Renoir 2
• Renoir 2 fight uses double Leadership instead of Tint + Leadership
• Paintress opening uses Swift Stride instead of Last Chance.
• Added damage notes on Paintress

6/01/26

• Move Augmented First Strike to SWC menu
• Add timing note for the Flying Waters debug load
• Remove debug load after Maellum, game forces a save after load breaking the setup
• Move Staggering Attack equip back to camp for the same reason.

5/31/26

• First draft, here's the list of changes compared to Renoir skips version
• Cut Lumina pickups
• Alt+V for Maellum 3
• Pick up Energy Tint in SWC
• Move Verso to Slot 3 in Visages
• Give Lune 6 Might at Monolith
• Teach Verso Leadership at Monolith
• Pick up Resplendant in Tainted Sanctuary end.
• Add script for Renoir 2
• Dodge Meteors on Paintress
• Act 3 "completely" different