Best Gustave build in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33: Weapons, skills, Pictos, and more!

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Gustave is the first character in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. He sets the tone for intense combat. Players can build Gustave with skills like Overcharge and Strike Storm. The Gaulteram sword and pistol are effective weapons. Pictos like Auto-Death and Powerful Revive enhance critical hit chances. Luminas boosting criticals and stance-breaking are also useful.

When you start playing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Gustave is the first character you’ll get your hands on — and he sets the tone for the game’s intense, tactical combat. With his sword-and-pistol combo and a unique Overcharge mechanic, Gustave is all about stacking massive damage and breaking enemy stances like a pro. If you want to dominate Act 1, you’ll need the right skills, weapons, and Pictos. Here’s the best Gustave build to smash through enemies with style.

Gustave shines when you focus on filling up his Overcharge meter and unleashing devastating attacks. His playstyle rewards aggressive offense mixed with sharp dodging and parrying.

Here’s the skill loadout you should aim for:

Overcharge: This is Gustave’s signature move. Build up 10 Overcharge stacks and watch as he crushes enemy defenses with a brutal finisher.
Strike Storm: An essential for racking up Overcharge stacks fast. It guarantees six charges and can fully load your meter if you land critical hits.
Shatter: Perfect for stance-breaking once you’ve filled an enemy’s Break Bar. Shatter hits hard and opens enemies up for even more punishment.
Lumiere Assault: A solid skill for dealing consistent damage while continuing to build your Overcharge.
Marking Shot: Marks enemies, making them take 50% more damage on the next hit. This sets up massive combos for your entire team.
From Fire: A great synergy move — it heals Gustave by 20% when used on burning enemies, keeping him in the fight longer.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Best Gustave Build Guide (+ Commentary)

For weapons, you can’t go wrong with the Gaulteram — a beastly sword and pistol found in the Yellow Harvest zone during Act 1. While Gustave leans toward lightning damage, Gaulteram’s earth-based attacks pack a serious punch early on.

Weapon Tips:

Prioritize upgrading Gaulteram at the Curator for max impact.
Focus your Attributes on Vitality and Defense if you want survivability, or go all-in on Agility, Luck, and Might for pure DPS if you’re confident in dodging enemy attacks.

Want to turn Gustave into a critical-hitting machine? Here’s the combo you need:

Auto-Death Picto: Yes, it sounds risky. Gustave automatically dies at the start of battle — but you get a whopping +26% Critical Rate!
Powerful Revive Picto: Reviving Gustave gives him three turns of the Powerful buff and another +11% Critical Rate.
Death Bomb Picto: When Gustave dies, he deals instant damage to enemies, plus it adds another +10% Critical Rate.

Stacking all three gives you almost 50% base Critical Rate, setting you up for crit-heavy carnage.

Gustave ESSENTIAL Skills + Pictos – Clair Obscure: Expedition 33

When choosing Luminas (passives), prioritize anything that boosts criticals and stance-breaking:

Critical Burn and Critical Moment (for even more crit potential)
Breaker (boosts Break damage by 25%)
Staggering Attack and Breaking Shots (increase Break damage on Basic and Free Aim attacks)

With these, Gustave becomes a wrecking ball — building Overcharge fast and shattering enemy defenses effortlessly. Build Gustave right, and you’ll blitz through Act 1 with ease, turning every encounter into a stylish and satisfying showdown.

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