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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 loves its terminologies and jargon so much that it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by all the information from the tutorial. However, we’re here to simplify things for you, starting with what Lumina really is and why you need to upgrade it in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Lumina is a Way to Get Stronger Through Exploration
Lumina are the passive effects granted by equipping Pictos. Think of Pictos as artifacts and Lumina as their bonuses.
Technically, Lumina is a passive skill that, at the start, is tied to a Pictos. However, the Pictos, as the game states, become more powerful the more battles you win. At max Pictos level, you can “extract” Lumina from the Pictos, allowing you to use the Lumina effect without that specific Pictos. Again, you need to win four battles with a specific Pictos equipped to max out said Pictos and allow you to extract the Lumina.
You will need to mouse over Lumina or Pictos in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to see what they actually do. However, you don’t need to consistently use them to level them up. It’s enough for Pictos to be equipped during four battles if you want to max them out.
So, for example, the Lumina or Pictos effect states that you get 1 AP during a successful Dodge– you don’t exactly need to fulfill that to level it up. It’s enough that you’re using the Pictos. However, it’s best not to ignore the effect of each Lumina, as they can be the key to victory.
It’s worth noting, however, that Lumina effects are separate from Pictos, as the latter has its own separate passive bonuses independent of the Lumina effect. So you can mix and match Lumina and Pictos, provided that the Pictos is maxed out and the Lumina is extracted.
Getting More Lumina Points
Since Lumina is basically an effortless power-up, you’ll want many of them. Characters sadly don’t share the same Lumina and Pictos effects, which is all the more reason to collect many of them.
As you level up, you get more Lumina Points per character (one Lumina Point per level-up), allowing each character to equip more Lumina. Again, you can swap out Lumina or Pictos mid-combat to experiment, as some have effects and synergies better-suited for specific characters.
Another way to get more Lumina Points, apart from leveling up, is by using the Colour of Lumina item in your inventory. Gustave typically gets one in the harbor area.
Best Lumina and Pictos Recommendations
So now that you’re aware of the importance of Lumina and Pictos, here’s what you might want to find or level up first, as they can be of tremendous help:
| Pictos Name | Lumina Effect | Location |
| Recovery | +2000 Max Health | Fountain in Red Woods for 90,000 Chroma |
| Critical Burn | +Critical Rate after Burn debuff | Path after the Expedition Flag in Spring Meadows |
| Dead Energy | +3 AP after Defeating an Enemy | Path after the Expedition Flag in Spring Meadows |
| Painted Power | Removes damage cap | The Paintress in The Monolith |
| Cheater | Two consecutive turns | Sprong in The Continent |
| Shared Core | Shared heals | Northwest island crates in the Red Woods |
There are certainly more of them as you progress through the game and open up more areas to explore. However, these six Pictos and their Lumina effects will greatly help you, especially in the early game. Make sure to explore and experiment, or simply level up as many Luminas as you can to measure their effects.
