Master combat in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 by understanding all status effects, buffs, and debuffs. Here’s what each one does and how to counter or use them in battle.
🧠 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Every Status Effect, Buff & Debuff Explained
As you dive deeper into Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, enemies hit harder, fights get longer, and brute force just isn’t enough anymore. Mastering the status effects, buffs, and debuffs system becomes essential — because in this game, knowing when and how to react can make or break your party.
So whether you’re dealing with weird ailments like Blight or setting up huge damage spikes with Mark, this guide breaks down everything you need to know about these game-changing mechanics.
☠️ All Status Effects (What They Do)
There are 14 total status effects in the game, and most are meant to mess with your strategy — either by limiting actions, disabling AP gain, or triggering delayed damage. Some you’ll use on enemies, others you’ll be scrambling to cure off your party.
| Status Effect | What It Does |
| Mark | Increases target’s next instance of damage taken by 50%. Great for burst combos. |
| Inverted | Heals now deal damage instead. Watch your healing spells. |
| Stun | Skips the target’s next turn. Simple and strong. |
| Freeze | Target is locked until they take damage. Great for crowd control. |
| Charm | Forces the target to attack one of their own allies. Chaos! |
| Blight | Stacks up to reduce max HP by 10% per stack. Scary over time. |
| Berserk | Stacks +5% attack each turn (up to 12 stacks). Watch out for big swings. |
| Cursed | Target dies at the end of the effect. Like a delayed death sentence. |
| Silence | Blocks skill use. No casting allowed during this debuff. |
| Dizzy | Wrecks accuracy — attacks are more likely to miss. |
| Exhausted | Target can’t regain AP, no matter what. |
| Bound | Target can’t dodge during this period. Makes them an easy target. |
| Rage | Gives the target two turns in a row. Can be a blessing or a curse. |
| Shield | Not a status effect, but an enemy buff. Each “shield” blocks one hit. |
🔧 Tip: Always carry recovery tools or support abilities that can remove key effects like Silence, Exhausted, or Blight. Otherwise, some bosses will run you over.
✨ All Buffs (Helpful Effects)
Buffs are your go-to tools for turning the tide of battle in your favor — whether it’s absorbing more hits or hitting back harder.
| Buff | What It Does |
| Shell | Reduces incoming damage by 20%. Great for soaking big attacks. |
| Rush | Boosts speed by 33%. Perfect for faster rotations or going first. |
| Regen | Heals 10% HP at the start of each turn. Solid sustain. |
| Powerful | Increases damage dealt by 25%. Great for stacking burst turns. |
🧠 Tip: Combining Shell + Regen can keep your team alive longer than any healing item. Stack Powerful + Rush to set up damage-heavy combos.
🧨 All Debuffs (Enemy Weakening Effects)
Debuffs target an enemy’s core stats — like power, speed, or defense — giving you an edge before you go in for a big combo.
| Debuff | What It Does |
| Powerless | Reduces damage dealt by 25%. Useful for neutering heavy-hitters. |
| Slow | Cuts speed by 25%. Helps with turn control. |
| Defenseless | Increases damage received by 25%. Great setup for nukes. |
⚔️ Tip: Use Defenseless + Mark to prep enemies for massive one-shot kills, especially with characters like Maelle or Lune.
In Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, knowing your status effects, buffs, and debuffs is just as important as knowing how to attack. The right setup can win you fights before the enemy even knows what hit them.
Keep rotating your party skills, adapt to new threats, and build a toolkit that lets you control the pace of battle — not just survive it.
Related Articles:
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Endless Tower Guide (All Trials & Rewards)
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Flying Casino 100% Guide (Outfit & Record Location)
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Sirene’s Dress Guide (How to Enter & All Rewards)
- How to Get the ‘Peace at Last’ Achievement in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Simon Boss Guide)
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