Discover the power of Maelle's nuke build in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which can unleash over 2 billion damage. Learn how to achieve this staggering feat and how Sandfall Interactive is addressing this game-changing skill.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Updates

Stendhal Hurts, A Lot

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 continues to captivate players with daily discoveries, such as the groundbreaking 2 billion damage build for Maelle. After completing the main storyline, players dive into the endgame, which offers additional story elements and challenging bosses. These bosses often boast massive health pools and can deal one-hit kills, prompting players to develop innovative strategies like Maelle's nuke build. Please note that some details in this article may include minor spoilers.

Maelle's skill, Stendhal, inflicts significant damage, which can be amplified by 200% in her Virtuose stance. To execute her nuke build, players must equip Maelle with two specific Luminas: Cheater, which grants an extra turn, and Shortcut, which provides another turn when health drops below 30%. Additionally, Maelle needs her weapon, the Medalum, to start battles in Virtuose stance, and the Last Stand skill to enter this stance and reduce her health to one hit point.

To further enhance her damage output, Maelle should equip three of the following skills: Painted Power for damage beyond 9,999, Death’s Door for a 50% damage boost at low health, Confident Fighter for a 30% increase with no healing, and Inverted Affinity for another 50% boost at the cost of harmful healing. With the right combination of Pictos and Luminas, Maelle can deal over 2 billion damage, enough to defeat the endgame boss Simon, who has around 45 million HP, 48 times over.

Players continue to push the boundaries of damage output, experimenting with different characters and strategies to navigate the challenging post-game content of Expedition 33.

Stendhal Getting Nerfed

Sandfall Interactive has acknowledged that Stendhal's extreme damage was making the game too easy. In a May 8 Twitter (X) post, the studio announced upcoming adjustments to Maelle’s skill. Originally, no balance changes were planned this early, only bug fixes. However, Stendhal's overpowering nature prompted a reevaluation. Sandfall admitted that the skill was underwhelming during development but received a significant damage boost in the final pre-release balance pass, which was excessive.

"We still want you to be able to break the game—and you absolutely still can—but Stendhal was making it a bit too easy," Sandfall Interactive stated. The changes to Stendhal will be included in the first full hotfix set, rolling out today on Steam and soon on other platforms.

2 Million Copies in 12 Days

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has achieved another milestone, selling 2 million copies within just 12 days of its launch, as announced in a May 6 Twitter (X) post. Earlier this month, French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated the team on Instagram for their success and for showcasing French creativity and audacity.

With its ongoing success and updates, Expedition 33 is a strong contender for this year's Game of the Year award. The developers are committed to enhancing the game further, with potential DLC on the horizon.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay updated with the latest game news by clicking on our article below!