In Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Gustave stands out as the first character you’ll be able to play, introducing you to the game’s distinct combat system. He utilizes an impressive combination of sword and pistol, featuring a powerful ability called Overcharge. This technique allows for significant damage output and can break enemy defenses once fully charged. You can build up Overcharge stacks by connecting basic hits, executing skills, or through effective parrying and dodging against enemies.
!!! ATTENTION: THIS ARTICLE MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR CLAIR OBSCUR: EXPEDITION 33 !!!Unlike the other six characters available at the beginning of Clair Obscur, Gustave is only playable during Act 1, limiting your access to a small selection of skills and weapons. You might notice that many of his abilities are locked, and it remains uncertain if they can be unlocked in the initial playthrough, if they require New Game Plus (NG+), or if they are permanently locked. Therefore, this guide focuses on skills and items that you can access during Act 1.
Top Skills for Gustave in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Overcharge & Strike Storm: Gustave’s Key Early-Game Skills
Although Gustave has a limited skill set at the start, these abilities are formidable for dealing high damage to single targets and setting up for stance-breaking. A unique combat element in Clair Obscur allows players to break an enemy’s stance once their Break Bar is filled, by executing a skill specifically designed for stance-breaking. For Gustave, both the Overcharge and Shatter skills can accomplish this task after filling the Break Bar, so I recommend adding both to his build.
The strategy with Gustave is to frequently fill his Overcharge count up to ten. This can be achieved by dodging, parrying, or landing hits on foes. Each successful hit contributes to the Overcharge count, meaning you should definitely include both Lumiere Assault and Strike Storm in your arsenal. Strike Storm guarantees six Overcharge charges, and if you score critical hits, you can completely top off the meter, gaining an extra two charges. I suggest the following six skills as the core of your Gustave loadout:
- Shatter
- From Fire
- Lumiere Assault
- Marking Shot
- Overcharge
- Strike Storm
Marking Shot is particularly beneficial as it enhances your team’s damage output. Targets marked by Gustave will sustain 50% extra damage the next time they are hit, and other available characters have abilities that further exploit marked targets. From Fire pairs well offensively with the fire-based skills of Maelle and Lune, allowing Gustave to recover 20% of his health when attacking a Burning target.
Top Weapons & Attributes for Gustave in Clair Obscur
The Gaulteram: An Exceptional Damage Dealer for Gustave
Gustave wields a sword and pistol combination, identifiable by weapons that conclude with the suffix -am. Among the array of weapons available in Act 1, the Gaulteram is my top choice. This unique weapon can be found in the Yellow Harvest area during Act 1. Notably, unlike other characters, Gustave’s weapons lack level-based upgrade bonuses, so opting for the highest damage weapon is your best approach.
Though Gustave primarily excels with Lightning-affiliated skills, I’ve found the Gaulteram’s Earth-based attacks quite effective in Act 1. Many of his weapons strike hard and can take down tough foes, provided they are properly upgraded at the Curator. The Gaulteram benefits from both Agility and Luck attributes, but if you want to fortify Gustave’s defense, consider putting points into Vitality or Defense. Alternatively, if you’re skilled at dodging and parrying, focus on enhancing Agility, Luck, and Might to maximize your damage output.
Top Pictos & Luminas for Gustave
Auto-Death Provides Gustave with a High Critical Rate
When selecting Pictos for Gustave, an interesting and effective pair consists of the Auto-Death and Powerful Revive Pictos. While it may seem odd to initiate a battle by automatically taking a character out, utilizing Auto-Death in conjunction with Powerful Revive can be a clever tactic. The Powerful Revive Pictos grants Gustave three turns of power upon resurrection. I recommend these Pictos over Luminas for their substantial increases in Critical Rate. Specifically, Auto-Death boosts Gustave’s Critical Rate by 26%, and Powerful Revive adds another 11%.
It’s important to avoid equipping the Auto-Death Pictos when preparing for the battle with the Lampmaster. Doing so will result in Gustave’s automatic death against Lumiere, forcing you to restart the whole sequence.
Emphasizing the Auto-Death strategy, consider adding the Death Bomb Pictos. This will allow you to inflict damage at the onset of battle due to Gustave’s instant death, while also contributing an additional 10% to Critical Rate. Therefore, Gustave’s minimum Critical Rate with these three Pictos approaches nearly 50%, not accounting for other buffs or enhancements from Attributes.
For passive effects from Pictos, or Luminas, aim for those that influence critical hit chances, such as Critical Burn and Critical Moment. Additionally, including the Breaker passive will enhance Gustave’s Break damage by 25%. Options like Staggering Attack and Breaking Shots will bolster Break damage from Basic and Free Aim attacks, setting Gustave up for an Overcharge or Shatter strike.
With the right Luminas and Pictos, Gustave can effectively build his Overcharge with Strike Storm, thanks to the enhanced likelihood of critical hits.
Equipping these Luminas and Pictos will allow Gustave to fill his Overcharge meter efficiently using Strike Storm while benefiting from the increased chances of landing critical hits. However, once you use the Auto-Death Pictos, ensure you have Revives available and manage the fact that Gustave will miss a turn during his revival. The strategy’s advantages outweigh its drawbacks, particularly as it allows for major damage output against powerful adversaries in Act 1 of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
