Flying Waters Walkthrough - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Guide - IGN (2025)

Flying Waters is an undersea stop on your journey in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. This area is full of optional exploration and battles that offer rewards you won’t want to miss! This Expedition 33 walkthrough will take you through everything you need to see and do while you explore the aquatic area. All blue and white items are highlighted in blue and the pinkish purple items are highlighted in red for your collecting convenience.

Objectives: Find Maelle and search for a path through The Flying Waters.

Arriving at the Flying Waters

When you emerge from the Spring Meadows, head northeast on the world map. You may encounter some monsters to fight on the way. When you do, it's worth fighting with them to get some extra experience points! When you get close to the "weird corals," you'll get a prompt to make camp. Give the party a little break before moving on. If you don't remember the next objective while exploring The Continent, you can take a break at camp and sit by the fire for a reminder. You'll arrive at the next miraculous location: the Flying Waters.

Flying Waters is a fantastical, underwater-like area complete with bubbles and flying fish. Approach the clearing with the wrecked ship and a cutscene with Gustave and Lune begins where they discuss the remains of Expedition 68 before you're able to explore.

After the scene take go left of the wreck and you'll spot a path into the kelp. Follow it back and, in the dark, you'll find the Pictos SOS Shell next to a corpse and broken barrels.

Return to the sunken ship and move forward to learn about another important and rewarding mechanic: Paint Cages.

Flying Waters Paint Cage 1

Go forward and you’ll find your first Paint Cage. Like Nornir Chests in the modern God of War games, you must find and shoot three locks hidden around the environment. They can be destroyed in any order.

For opening this cage, you’re rewarded with an extra Chroma Elixir Shard! These will increase the maximum capacity of Chroma Elixirs, an item that fully heals your party outside of combat.

With your reward claimed, continue on past the tilted pillar and toward the shining item lying amongst the corpses. Pick up the white item to earn some Chroma.

Continue along the path into the darker waters. Just as you approach the wider area a new Nevron leaps out. Run forward and claim the first strike!

New Enemy: Luster

This Nevron, Luster, doesn't have any obvious weak points like the others you've faced. It isn't as resilient as others either, but it is fast. Luster are weak to Lightning, so if you have any of Gustave's lightning skills, prioritize using those!

Its primary and most annoying attack is when a Luster "unleashes its fury" and attacks three times in a row. If it "unleashes a combo" it'll attack a single target twice. If you haven't done much with the Agility stat yet, this is a good time to start. Luster's speed is reflected in how often it attacks, sometimes allowing it to attack twice in a row. If you haven't spotted it yet, attack turn and frequency is determined by Agility. Learn more about Expedition 33's systems with the detailed Combat Guide.

You'll also likely hear Luster before they strike. They make a papery growling sound when they're lurking nearby.

With Luster out of the way, walk forward but get ready to take two quick detours for extra items. First, take a sharp left into the shadows, past a strange red and gold coral to grab a Colour of Lumina next to a fallen Luster.

Then, walk up the hill a little and instead of going right toward the mine field (the way forward), go left. Up on this higher ledge, you'll hear the papery growl of a Luster nearby, but keep going forward and around the rocks. Instead of one Luster, it's actually two! They have their back turned to you, allowing you to get the advantage on the fight. Remember, they're weak to lightning, so try to use that if you can.

With the Luster pair elimnated you can grab the item they were looking at: the Marking Shots Pictos!

Descend the hill and proceed toward the mine field. A smaller mine is in the middle of the path. Watch out! As you approach a new foe appears!

New Enemy: Demineur

The Demineur are strange, persistent Nevron. You'll face two in your first encounter with them. In battle it's best to start by shooting the mine they hold like a balloon. Not only does this do damage to the Demineur, but it'll also harm the allies next to them. As flying enemies standard attacks and skills tend to get dodged by Demineur, so be sure to put them in your sights and shoot them down. Demineur have a surprisingly strong thunder skill that has a long wind up. They'll also do a standard attack by quickly hitting their target with their mine balloon.

After you've vanquished the first two Demineur, go right at the fork to pick up a Chroma Catalyst. It's next to a Demineur, though, so be ready to run or to take another fight. If you shoot a Demineur's mine while it's out of battle it'll momentarily stun it, so use that as a way to give you more space to run if you don't want a battle.

Down the hill a Demineur patrols. It'll spot you pretty quick, but you can make quick work of it if you get the first hit and, once again, shoot its mine to deal heavy starting damage. This Demineur is accompanied by a Luster, making it easy for you to prioritize shooting down the Demineur and saving attacks for the Luster.

Moving on, you'll walk up a slight hill toward some lamps. But watch out! Again! To the right of the cave foward is a lone purple/pink item (it's a Chroma Catalyst). As you may be able to tell by all the russling, it's a trap! As soon as you get close to the item three Demineur emerge from the ground. Once you get your turn, the explosions from the three mines (and maybe another shot or two) should be enough to take them all out.

Continue on through the well-lit cave. As you emerge from the corridor, Gustave and Lune spot a strange hut in the middle of a large clearing. If you need to save, Expedition 59's flag is on the far side of the clearing. Claim it to unlock Noco's Hut fast travel spot.

Before exploring the door in the middle, run behind it. You'll spot an item among barrels and crates and tall vase-like pillars. Collect it for some Chroma. Approach the door in the structure when you're ready to move forward. Gustave and Lune investigate the door. Upon opening it they're pulled through a portal.

The Manor

You’ll be warped into a strange mansion, The Manor. Use the Expedition 33 flag to your left to rest and upgrade.

None of the closed doors will open for you yet. This is a gorgeous space with seemingly little for you to do, though you can take a moment to run around the main hall to complete a secret! You can also play the piano here. Each character has their own style of playing.

When you're ready to proceed, head up the staircase on the right from the entryway and go through the open door with the blue light shining through. After a short scene, Maelle will join the Expedition! She explains she isn't sure of much that's happened since the beach, but she's made a new ally. The mysterious being helped Maelle, so it can't be bad, right?

Take a moment to get Maelle some Pictos and Luminas before returning to the entrance and speaking to the mysterious creature, The Curator.

Once you talk to The Curator, you’ll battle him and get a chance to learn the new jump mechanic and try out Maelle’s stances. If you need more instructions on how to use Maelle's stances, check out the Combat Guide. Despite The Curator's health bar, it’s more of a tutorial, with very little risk. With the training session complete, Maelle invites The Curator to join their team. The being seems interested! When he leaves, a note appears mentioning that The Curator may join you at camp. The next time you camp be sure to take a thorough look around! With that done you can explore the Manor or exit.

Meeting Noco

Upon leaving The Manor you'll meet another of Maelle's new friends: Noco! He's a Gestral merchant and Lune is absolutely delighted. When the scene ends, you'll learn that while you can buy regular items from Gestrals with your hard-earned Chroma, you can also challenge them to a duel. If you win, you can buy from their secret inventory.

In addition to making your first few purchases, you can challenge Noco to a duel to expand their selection. For beating them, you’ll get a new Exposing Attack Pictos available to purchase for 3,600 Chroma. Noco doesn’t hit very hard, so it’s worth the detour. Note that merchant fights are 1 v. 1 affairs, so be prepared!

Rest and make any upgrades at the Expedition 59 flag right past Noco, then head through the corridor. Keep an eye on the right side of the corridor to pick up a Chroma Catalyst from a puddle.

As you reach the end of the corridor, a massive creature flies overhead. Keep you eyes forward. A new enemy appears! Two bulky Nevron stand near the huge anchor in the clearing with their backs to you. Get the first strike on them!

New Enemy: Bruler

The Bruler weild anchor-like weapons and have an obvious weak point where faces would be. The Bruler are weak to lightning attacks. Their primary attack is a slow but impactful two-hit attack. These Nevron drop Chroma Catalyst and the weapon Brulerum for Maelle.

With those enemies down proceed across the field, but instead of going left into the wrecked ship, go right toward the prowling Luster. It'll put you in a fight against one Luster, a Bruler, and a Demineur. Shoot the mine first and the Bruler's weak point, then use your skills to make quick work of the Nevron.

Proceed forward around the anchor and you'll spot a massive pot leading elsewhere. Grab the item on the platform to the left of the pot first to get a Recoat!

Then, jump across to the slightly taller platform to reach the pillar with climbable handholds. Once at the top use the grapple to jump across to floating planks. Ascend and use another grapple to get to the top of the massive anchor.

Walk carefully across the ledge and walk around the middle of the anchor. On the far side you'll spot a corpse with an item next to it, the Augmented Aim Pictos. Get down by jumping off (it's ok, no fall damage here!).

The Demineur's Missing Mine

Return back to the pot and enter. You’ll find a quiet Demiuneur that seems to be missing a mine. Speak to it. You're given the options to Examine, Attack, or Leave it. Examine it for the objective (you need to find it a mine!), but if you want to know what happens if you attack it and to get a guide on the combat that follows, visit to the Demineur Quest Guide. We recommend helping the Demineur before attacking it at the very least, but you do not need to fight it.

Go right and complete the platforming challenge to find an Intact Mine in a cave. Return it to the Nevron. In exchange, you’ll get a new weapon for Lune, Deminerim. This lightning-based weapon is especially helpful in the Flying Waters, as every enemy here is weak to lightning. You can talk to the Demineur again before departing.

Leave this area, making your way back toward the wrecked ship piece. If you haven't already you'll need to fight the Bruler that stood atop the wreckage. It's accompanied by a Demineur and a Luster. Once they're defeated, enter the cavern ahead.

As you continue on you'll spot a large Nevron forging something. You can attack it from the back to start the fight, or if you're quick, you can skip the fight and take the Chroma Catalyst behind its anvil but you'll need to be quick! If you do choose to fight you're introduced to a new enemy, Cruler, accompanied by a Bruler.

New Enemy: Cruler

The Cruler start with two shields that need to be broken with shots before doing any other damage. Like everything else in Flying Waters, it's weak to electricity. It's one of the few enemies, though, that requires the party to jump to dodge its attack. It'll attack the ground with a quick windup. Defeating the Cruler can earn you a new weapon for Gustave, the Cruleram.

If the Cruler "performs a combo" it can stun a member of your party with its hits, so do your best to dodge those attacks. The Cruler can also shield their allies.

Coral Cave

Rest and upgrade at the Expedition 68 flag for Coral Cave. Then follow the path leading right to find a new Pictos, Staggering Attack, in an alcove.

Then, go straight past the coral and lamp cluster and grab the item along the wall to the left of the cluster. It's Chroma!

Move forward until a Cruler bursts from the left wall like the Kool-Aid Man. You've got just enough time to land a first strike on the bulky brute. It's accompanied by another Bruler. After you defeat it, check on the left around the big coral for another Pictos, Rewarding Mark, which is quite helpful for generating AP.

Then, turn around and head straight up the gentle slope to find Luster looking at a Colour of Lumina.

The Luster is accompanied by another Luster and a Bruler. Leave the cave but as you do, jump down left to grab another item (or if you're in the middle of the area, go behind the giant pillar to the left of the path forward). You'll find more Chroma next to another petrified corpse.

Once you collect everything in the area, return to the path and head toward the white fog. Be ready for another diversion, though.

Flying Waters Paint Cage 2

As you proceed through Coral Cave, look for a red-lit area on the right to drop down. You'll likely hear an aggressive growl as you get close to it. Down here, cross a gap using the grapple and you’ll find the second Paint Cage in the area. There are also two Cruler. Go ahead and challenge them first to clear the area. Unfortunately, you'll be facing three Cruler. Take down their shields first, then shoot the glowing weak points on their arms and hands to deal extra damage.

Once again, you’ll need to locate and destroy three locks. Remember, to destroy them you'll need to aim and shoot them.

Go back to the cage, and you’ll get a Revive Tint Shard! Walk further into the cave and climb the spires in the back area to find a Colour of Lumina. Once you've collected everything head back up to the main path.

Only a few steps forward and you'll spot an irregular crystal illuminated on the path.

This one is from Expedition 68, the sunken one you saw at the entrance of the area. The account from Elodie describes a harrowing start to their adventure that only got worse.

The path ahead tells a story of tragedy. At the end of the path you'll come across a cliff where a gigantic Nevron looms beyond. Luckily it hasn't noticed you. Keep moving along the path toward the lamps.

After you're done with the Mime return to the main path. Up on the ledge walk forward a bit and, it's subtle, but the path splits at the buildings and kelp.

If you go left, you'll find the Expedition 48 flag where you can rest. To the right in the kelp is an optional fight, Bourgeon. You know, those big guys Maelle said to avoid. We appreciate caution but this is one time to throw it to the wind! Do stop by the Expedition flag first to heal if you need it, though!

Lumièran Streets

Take your time at the Expedition flag. Then, proceed towards the structure in the center of the area ahead and grapple onto it. After you defeat the Bruler (accompanied by two Luster) on top, look right and grapple onto another rooftop.

Take another right, walking along the ledge till you reach the tree. You’ll find a Pictos called Versatile, which rewards you for using your free aim and basic attack in the same turn.

Then, jump down back to the entrance, ignoring the dark path that leads toward another Expedition flag for now. Going counterclockwise around the large building, you'll spot two Luster prowling. Attacking one pulls them both into a fight. Once defeated, continue forward around the building.

A Cruler stands around the back of the building. Upon engaging it in battle you'll see it's accompanied by two Demineur, which make it even easier to defeat the Cruler. With them out of the way, look toward the right of where the Cruler stood at the empty newsstand to grab an Energy Tint Shard!

Then, look left and scale the slope to grab another Colour of Lumina on a ledge. A Bruler accompanied by a Luster prowls near it that you can defeat after claiming your material. Continuing on, keep your eyes on the right for a climbable wall lit by the sun. You can eliminate the Demineur (teamed with a Bruler) nearby first if you prefer or return to it later.

Climb the wall and be ready for a fight. A Cruler (with a Bruler) paces near the top of the ledge. With them out of the way, continue forward until you reach a grapple point to go across. Ignore the handholds and keep moving forward around the building's balcony. Cross onto the rock ledge and pick up a Chroma Catalyst from the corpse on the ledge, then continue around the stone structure.

You’ll find another grapple point, and, across there, another optional boss.

Grapple out of the area and head back to the sunken town square. Follow the lights to the dark corridor from earlier, which leads to the next flag. Rest and upgrade at the Expedition 59 flag for Flower Field, then head towards the fog for the boss of this area.

Boss Fight: Goblu

• Weakness: Lightning
• Resistant: Ice

To hit Goblu hard, you'll want to do the same thing you've been doing throughout this area: rely on Lightning damage. Lune in particular can be helpful here, with skills like Electrify and Mayhem being especially helpful to build up heavy damage and eventually even stun Goblu. Here are some of the best defensive strategies for this beast's attacks:

• Its jump will hit the whole party for light damage. You can either parry or dodge, but can’t jump over Goblu’s jump.
• Its melee combo is a quick, two-hit swing. Performing two parries in a row is well worth the risk for a powerful counter.
• When Goblu grows flowers, use your free aim to destroy the orbs emanating from them!
  • This is more important than saving AP for skills. Blue flowers grant Goblu shields, and red flowers make its attacks more powerful. Without these buffs, he’s much less formidable. If he gets those buffs, especially the red ones, you'll need to pay extra attention to dodging attacks.
  • Use your Energy Tonics if you need more AP to shoot down the flowers!

Once Goblu goes down, you’ll get the following items:

• Shape of Health x1
• Polished Chroma Catalyst x1
• Chroma Catalyst x3

Before Gustave can strike the final blow, Lune calls him off. Maelle approaches Goblu before it runs off with Gustave shooting after it. When the scene is over, continue on out of the flower field, and just around the bend, out of Flying Waters.

Upon exiting Flying Waters, a scene called "Maelle's Nightmare" plays, followed by a scene with her back at the camp. Maelle recalls the beach and the attack from the strange man. The Curator then makes his fabled appearance at camp! Maelle notes that you can upgrade Pictos with him, and you should absolutely do that.

Approach the Curator once you're able and get ready to go on a spending spree with all those resources you've been collecting to upgrade the Expedition. Then, you can head back and go about camp in a typical way (check up on the others, talk to your teammates).

When you wake up from camp, you can go towards the red trees on The Continent to reach the next main quest area, the Ancient Sanctuary.

This is a great time to explore, though! If you go west after leaving Flying Waters, you can find a button to activate a bridge that'll connect you to the first explorable area of The Continent. Continuing along the west side, you can also find several other entrances for optional explorable areas and activities. We've marked them on the map below.

We recommend checking out the The Small Bourgeon cave at the very least! The Gestral Beach is great to visit too if you're interested in collecting outfits for the Expedition team. Make finding the secrets of The Continent easy for all the Colour of Lumina and other treasures easy with the Clair Obscure: Expedition 33 interactive map.