Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Where to Find and How to Defeat Clea, the Secret Boss

To access this fight, you need to reach Act 3 and unlock the ability to fly with Esquie. Once you have this skill, head northwest of the Forgotten Battlefield: you will see a glass pyramid suspended in the air. Fly from the heights and land in the central courtyard of the mysterious Flying Manor, the hidden area where Clea awaits you.

But before facing her, you must prove your worth. Four miniboss Nevrons await, each locked in a glass showcase around the courtyard. These fights act as advanced tests of your reflexes and understanding of the game system. The Bishop, depending on its variant, will use Flame, Ice, or Lightning and leaves few openings if you don't manage to break its guard at the right moment. Goblu is an agile monster that hides behind flowers you must destroy quickly to prevent it from strengthening. The Lampmaster will bombard the area with his lamps, which you should eliminate while staying alert to his attacks. Finally, the Duelist is the most demanding: his fast combos make parrying difficult, and it’s recommended to face him last to benefit from the bonuses accumulated in previous fights.

Once you've overcome all four challenges, the sanctuary door opens. You will then need to cross a chasm to enter Clea's workshop, where one of the game's most technical fights awaits. To have a chance to defeat her, your team should be at least level 75, with weapons upgraded to level 32. Maelle is essential due to her Void attacks, which exploit Clea's main weakness. Monoco, with his "Creation Void" skill, deals massive damage and is also crucial. Finally, Sciel or another reliable healer is highly recommended: the fight is long, demanding, and one mistake can be costly.

What makes Clea so difficult is her chromatic aura. If you miss a parry, she heals immediately, sometimes recovering hundreds of thousands of health points. Therefore, perfect timing with your defense is crucial. Once her health is half gone, she completely changes her combat style: her attacks become faster, less predictable, and openings become rarer. When only a third of her health remains, she summons a Bud that can swallow one of your characters, reducing your team to two members. At this stage, it becomes vital to end the fight as quickly as possible.

The best approach is to play cautiously at first to accumulate three Gradient Charges. Once this gauge is full, use Maelle’s ultimate attack — “Erasure” in Virtuoso stance — to deal maximum damage in one hit and shorten the final phase of the fight. Maximize the use of Void attacks to break through her defense and limit her regeneration.

Defeating Clea rewards you with unique items: the Clea’s Life Perfect Chroma Catalyst, three Grandiose Chroma Catalysts, and a Clea’s Life pictogram, an exceptional defensive item that restores all your health if no damage has been taken since the last turn.