Sandlot Games and Kepler Interactive are doing something weird with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. If you've been following the trailers, you already know the vibe is "Gothic French fantasy meets turn-based combat," but the way Expedition 33 Monaco weapons actually function is where the complexity hides. It isn't just about hitting a button and watching a health bar drop. Most RPGs treat gear like a stat stick. Here, the weaponry feels like an extension of the character’s specific trauma and the world’s crumbling history.
The "Monaco" naming convention isn't just some random flavor text thrown in by a localization team. It’s tied to the aesthetic of the Belle Époque—a period of peace and prosperity in French history that the game effectively turns into a nightmare. When you look at the gear used by Gustave or Maelle, you aren't seeing standard swords. You’re seeing mechanical, intricate designs that look like they were pulled from a 19th-century clockmaker’s fever dream.
The Mechanical Soul of Expedition 33 Monaco Weapons
Let’s be real. Most turn-based games are boring because you just wait for your turn. Expedition 33 fixes this by introducing "reactive" combat, and the Expedition 33 Monaco weapons are built specifically to reward timing. Take Maelle’s rapier, for example. It’s thin, elegant, and looks like it belongs in a fencing hall in old Paris. But in practice, it’s a parry machine.
If you miss the timing window, you're dead. Simple as that.
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The weapons in this game aren't just for offense; they are your primary defensive tool. You have to physically parry and dodge in real-time while playing a turn-based game. It’s jarring at first. You expect to sit back and sip water while the animations play out, but the game demands you stay locked in. The Monaco-style gear often features these intricate guards and hilt designs that actually make sense for a world where parrying a "Paintress" is the only way to survive another year.
The weight matters too. You can feel the heft of Gustave’s massive saw-blade sword. It doesn’t swing like a regular Greatsword from Dark Souls. It has a mechanical rev to it. It’s clunky, loud, and feels like it was forged in an era where steam power was still the height of technology. This is where the Belle Époque inspiration really shines through. The weapons look expensive. They look like they cost a fortune to maintain, which fits the lore of an elite expeditionary force sent to kill a god.
Why Customization Isn't Just for Show
You’re going to spend a lot of time in the menus. Sorry, but it’s true. The "Lumiere" system allows you to slot different essences into these weapons, changing how they behave. You might take a standard Monaco-class blade and turn it into something that leeches life or explodes on a perfect parry.
- Most players will probably focus on raw damage.
- Pro tip: Focus on the "Stagger" stat instead.
- Some weapons have built-in multi-hit modifiers that trigger on "Great" or "Perfect" timing.
Honestly, the depth here is kind of overwhelming if you're used to modern "lite" RPGs. You have to consider the elemental affinity of the Paintress you’re fighting. If you go into a boss fight with a weapon geared purely for speed but no impact, you’re going to be chipping away at a health bar for forty minutes.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Gear Tiers
There’s this misconception floating around the forums that the Monaco weapons are just "early game" gear. That’s fundamentally incorrect. In Expedition 33, the name refers more to the craftsmanship and the "House" or origin of the steel. You can carry a high-tier version of these weapons into the late game if you’ve invested enough resources into their growth.
The developers at Sandlot have been pretty vocal about wanting players to form a bond with their loadout. It’s not like Loot Simulator 2026 where you find a new sword in every chest and discard the old one. If you like the moveset of a particular Monaco-style rapier, you can keep it viable. This is a huge relief for anyone who hates the "clown suit" problem in RPGs where your best gear looks like garbage.
The Aesthetics of the Belle Époque
You have to look at the etchings on the blades. If you zoom in during the photo mode—and you will, because the Unreal Engine 5 visuals are disgusting in a good way—you can see the floral patterns and the gold filigree. It’s a stark contrast to the monsters you’re fighting. You are essentially using the pinnacle of human art and engineering to fight a literal personification of death.
The contrast is the point.
The Expedition 33 Monaco weapons represent the world that was lost. Every time you swing Maelle’s sword or fire one of the projectile tools, you’re using a relic of a civilization that the Paintress is slowly erasing. It makes the combat feel desperate. It’s not just a game mechanic; it’s a narrative beat.
Mastering the Reactive System
Timing is everything. I can't stress this enough. If you’re playing on a screen with high input lag, you’re going to have a bad time. The Monaco gear is designed with very specific "active frames."
- Watch the enemy's elbow, not the weapon.
- Wait for the flash of light on your own hilt.
- Press the button just before impact.
It’s almost like a rhythm game. If you treat it like Final Fantasy VII, you'll get wiped by the first elite mob you encounter. The game is punishing. It’s fair, but it’s definitely not holding your hand. The weapons have different "windows" for these reactions. A heavier Monaco hammer has a much tighter parry window but deals massive counter-damage if you land it.
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Actionable Steps for Your First Playthrough
Stop ignoring the "Weight" stat. I see people all the time loading up their characters with the heaviest Monaco gear possible and then wondering why their dodge window is only three frames wide.
Check your gear synergy. If Gustave is using a heavy-impact Monaco blade, Maelle should probably be equipped with something that builds up status effects quickly. The game rewards "stacking." You use the heavy weapon to break the enemy's guard, and then you use the faster, lighter weapons to capitalize on that opening.
Don't hoard your upgrade materials. The game is generous enough that you don't need to save everything for the "ultimate" weapon at the end of the world. Power up your Monaco gear early. It makes the mid-game slump much more manageable, especially when the Paintress starts throwing multiple enemies at you at once.
Finally, pay attention to the sound design. Each weapon has a distinct "click" when it’s ready for a reactive move. If you play with the volume down, you’re literally muting a gameplay mechanic. The mechanical whirring of the Monaco weapons isn't just for atmosphere—it’s a cue. Learn the sounds, and you’ll master the combat.
Go into the settings and make sure your "Performance Mode" is toggled on. In a game built around frame-perfect parries with intricate weapons, you need every bit of responsiveness you can get. Stick with the Monaco gear until you've mastered the parry rhythm, as they offer the most balanced "risk-to-reward" ratio in the early to mid-game chapters.