Maelle's 2 Billion Damage Build Nerfed by Clair Obscur

Discover the explosive power of Maelle's nuke build in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which can unleash over 2 billion damage. Dive into the details of this game-breaking strategy and learn how Sandfall Interactive is responding to this overpowered skill.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Updates

Stendhal Hurts, A Lot

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 continues to captivate players with new discoveries each day, including the revelation of Maelle's ability to deal up to 2 billion damage. After completing the main storyline, the game's endgame unfolds, offering more narrative depth and formidable bosses that challenge even the most seasoned players. With bosses boasting massive health bars and some capable of one-hit kills, players have crafted a formidable response: the nuke build. Be warned, this article may contain minor spoilers.

In Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Maelle's skill, Stendhal, delivers significant damage, which can be amplified to 200% in her Virtuose stance. To execute her nuke build, Maelle requires two specific Luminas, unlocked using Pictos, equipable items that enhance various effects. The necessary Luminas are Cheater, granting an additional turn, and Shortcut, providing another turn when health drops below 30%.

Furthermore, Maelle must equip her weapon, the Medalum, which initiates battles in Virtuose stance, and the skill Last Stand, which shifts her into this stance while reducing her health to one hit point.

Maelle also needs to equip any three of the following skills to boost her damage: Painted Power, allowing damage to exceed 9,999; Death’s Door, increasing damage by 50% at low health; Confident Fighter, adding another 30% but eliminating healing; and Inverted Affinity, offering an additional 50% while making healing detrimental. With the right combination of Pictos and Luminas, Maelle can achieve over 2 billion damage. For context, the endgame boss Simon has approximately 45 million HP; Maelle's strategy could obliterate him 48 times over.

Players continue to push the boundaries of damage output, exploring various strategies and characters to achieve staggering results. The challenging post-game content in Expedition 33 encourages players to devise innovative tactics, enhancing both the fun and ease of their journey.

Stendhal Getting Nerfed

Sandfall Interactive has acknowledged that Stendhal's overpowering nature was making the game too easy. In a Twitter (X) post dated May 8, the studio announced upcoming adjustments to Maelle’s skill. Originally, they planned only minor bug fixes and no balance changes at this stage. However, Stendhal's extreme damage necessitated a reevaluation. Initially underwhelming, Stendhal received a significant damage boost in the final pre-release balance pass, which proved 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," explained Sandfall Interactive. The changes to Stendhal will be part of the first full hotfix set, rolling out today, initially on Steam and soon after on other platforms.

2 Million Copies in 12 Days

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 continues its meteoric rise, surpassing 2 million copies sold within just 12 days of launch, as announced in a Twitter (X) post on May 6. Earlier this month, French President Emmanuel Macron commended the team on Instagram, celebrating their success and the game's representation of French culture. He stated, "Congratulations to Sandfall Interactive and all the creators of Expedition 33. You are a shining example of French audacity and creativity."

With its impressive sales and ongoing updates, Expedition 33 is a strong candidate for this year’s Game of the Year. The developers are committed to enhancing the game further, with potential DLC on the horizon if sales continue to soar.

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