Weapon upgrading is one of the core subsystems of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, but it takes a small while for it to become available.
If you’re hasty and can’t wait to start planning, read on, we’re about to tell you everything you need to know about polishing your collection of swords, scythes and other implements.
Benefits of upgrading weapons
As one might guess, there is incredible value in upgrading the weapons, and it comes primarily in three different forms
Increasing their attack power
The basic purpose of upgrades is improving the given weapon’s inherent attack power. It’s independent of character attributes, but it does factor into the calculations. It’s a pretty straightforward thing, so let’s move on.
Improving scaling
Upgrades also gradually improve how much attributes (usually two, occasionally just one) influence the weapons power. The greater the synergy (or “scaling”), the more additional power your gear derives from relevant attributes.
It is graded D – C – B – A – S, with S being the highest. As you climb the upgrade tiers, each weapon will slowly improve its scaling along a predetermined progression path.
Unlocking special abilities
Many (not all) weapons also have a set of three unique abilities. The first is unlockable at level 4, the next at level 10, and the final one at level 20. They usually synergize thematically and/or mechanically, and can define each character’s playstyle on their own, such as Lune’s amulets allowing her to specialize in specific elements.
It must be noted that while the final ability is unlocked at level 20, the weapons can be upgraded all the way up to level 33.
How to access weapon upgrades
When you start the game, or even when you’re through the prologue, you don’t have access to this subsystem. So when can you start upgrading your weapons? What do you need to do?
Progress the story
The upgrades become available after Maelle rejoins the party in Act 1. It happens in a location called Flying Waters that Gustave and Lune are directed to by a cryptic message.
In other words: follow the plot and soon enough you’ll access weapon upgrades.
Availability
After you regroup with Maelle, you’ll also meet an NPC who will then become available at your campsite.
This means that for a large portion of the game you’ll only be able to upgrade while at camp. It will change at a certain stage, and you’ll gain the option to also handle upgrades at any expedition flag. You’ll know when it happens.
How to upgrade weapons
Now that we know the why and the “when”, let’s talk about the how.
To upgrade a weapon you need a resource known at the Chroma Catalyst. Well, it’s more of a category than a singular resource, because it comes in several grades based on the level ranges it handles.
- Chroma Catalyst upgrades your weapons up to level 3
- Polished Chroma Catalyst: up to level 9
- Resplendent Chroma Catalyst: up to level 19
- Grandiose Chroma Catalyst: up to level 32
- Perfect Chroma Catalyst: up to level 33
Each grade only applies to a specific level range, so you can’t use Resplendent to upgrade a level 2 weapon, for example.
Additionally, the number of Catalysts per level increases within the given tier, so going from 4 to 5 will cost fewer Polished CCs than going from 7 to 8. The good news is that the number required resets when you start a new tier and never gets above 5.
A secret second option
Catalysts are no the only method, although they are the most reliable one.
As you play, defeating certain enemies will reward you with free weapon upgrades, but only up to certain levels, and only for specific weapons, as long as they are already in your inventory.
When to start upgrading
It might be tempting to start upgrading as high as you can the moment you can, but it’s not necessarily beneficial.
There are many weapons in the game, some of them only become available in Act II or Act III, and most of them have a playstyle-defining potential. Committing to an early weapon might be a waste of resources until you’ve got a fuller view of what’s possible.
On the other hand: if you find your damage output too low for the game to be fun, by all means upgrade your current chosen weapon. Getting to level 4 and then to level 10 is easy enough and the required catalysts are plentiful enough to not require saving up for later. Even higher levels are eventually fairly accessible.
Perfect catalysts are the rarest of them all, but you’ll absolutely have enough for each character to have at least one maxxed-out weapon.
Whatever you do, remember that you can’t wind back an upgrade with Recoat. Once you commit the catalyst, it’s committed.
Artsy and crafty
So there you have it, all the info you need to understand how to use chroma catalysts to apply weapon upgrades in Expedition 33. Now the only thing left for you to do is decide which weapon you want to make your go-to for each character. No pressure.