Maelle from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has stunned players with a build capable of dishing out over 2 billion damage. Discover how this explosive strategy came to be and why developer Sandfall Interactive is stepping in to tone it down.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Updates
Stendhal Just Got a Reality Check
Since the release of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, fans have been diving deep into its systems, uncovering powerful mechanics—none more shocking than Maelle’s ability to hit 2 billion damage with her Stendhal skill. After completing the main story, players unlock endgame content packed with deeper lore and brutal new bosses. These enemies come with massive HP pools and deadly one-hit attacks, pushing players to find creative counters—like the infamous nuke build.
Spoiler warning: minor plot points ahead.
At the heart of this broken build is Maelle’s signature move, Stendhal, which deals massive damage—especially when she’s in her Virtuose stance. To maximize output, players rely on two key Luminas: Cheater (grants an extra turn) and Shortcut (triggers another turn when health drops below 30%).
To start battles already in Virtuose mode, equip Medalum, Maelle’s unique weapon. Pair that with Last Stand, which triggers Virtuose at 1HP, and you're well on your way to chaos.
Boosting damage further requires stacking skills like:
- Painted Power – Removes the 9,999 damage cap
- Death’s Door – Adds 50% damage at low health
- Confident Fighter – Grants +30% damage but disables healing
- Inverted Affinity – Adds +50% damage but turns healing into damage
With these synergies, Maelle can unleash over 2 billion damage per hit. For context, the endgame boss Simon has just 45 million HP—meaning this build could kill him nearly 50 times over. Players are still experimenting, trying to push the limits even further.
The Nerf Is Coming
Sandfall Interactive took notice. In a May 8th post on X (formerly Twitter), the studio confirmed upcoming adjustments to Maelle’s Stendhal skill. Originally considered underpowered during development, the final pre-release balance pass gave it a significant boost—which turned out to be too much.
“We still want you to be able to break the game—and you absolutely still can—but Stendhal was making it a bit too easy,” the team stated. The nerf will roll out as part of the first full hotfix, launching first on Steam before arriving on other platforms.
2 Million Copies Sold in 12 Days
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 isn’t just turning heads with its gameplay—it’s also breaking sales records. On May 6, the team announced they’ve sold over 2 million copies within just 12 days of launch.
The success caught the attention of French President Emmanuel Macron, who personally congratulated the team via Instagram. He praised their creativity and contribution to French cultural identity in gaming.
With such momentum, Expedition 33 is shaping up to be a strong Game of the Year contender. With future updates and potential DLCs on the horizon, the journey for both players and developers is just getting started.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay updated with our latest coverage [here].
