How to upgrade weapons in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Upgrading each character’s weapons is vital if you’re going to survive some of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33‘s tougher fights, but it’s not immediately obvious how you power up your gear.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is already being hailed as one of 2025’s best games after arriving on Xbox Game Pass, and plenty of players are jumping in for the first time. You play as Gustave, voiced by Daredevil’s Charlie Cox, and take control of a party full of unique characters.

Each has its own distinct personality and playstyle, including weapons that double down on their strengths. As your journey unfolds, you can also upgrade the weapons to make them more powerful, so here’s what you need and how to do it.

Where to upgrade weapons

You can upgrade weapons by visiting the Curator in your camp, who can be found just to the right of the campfire. Simply approach him and interact, and you’ll be given the option to power up your weapons as long as you have the required resources.

Each upgrade offers a welcome boost in both its power and scaling, making each hit more deadly and increasing the rate it improves as you level up each character.

However, the Curator won’t appear until you’ve cleared The Flying Waters area and bumped into him The Manor. Once you’ve beaten Goblu and returned to camp, he’ll be there for the duration of your playthrough, so make sure to check in with him regularly.

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What you need

Upgrading any weapon requires Chroma Catalyst, but the rarity of the Tint varies depending on the current level of the weapon; the higher the level, the rarer the Catalyst. Here’s how it works:

Name	Use
Chroma Catalyst	Up to Level 3
Polished Chroma Catalyst	Up to Level 9
Resplendent Chroma Catalyst	Up to Level 19
Grandiose Chroma Catalyst	Up to Level 32
Perfect Chroma Catalyst	Up to Level 33 (max)

How to get Chroma Catalysts

Chroma Catalysts can be found throughout Clair Obscur, mainly as rewards for defeating enemies and bosses. You’ll also find them off the beaten path as ground loot and as rewards for side quests, so make sure to fully explore each area before moving on.

If you’re running low, many Gestral Merchants also sell them, but it’s best to save your money for other potions that are less readily available.

For the most part, the ones you’ll find lying around are regular Chroma Catalysts, but you can upgrade them by heading back to the Curator and selecting the “Upgrade Expedition resources” option.

For more on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, be sure to check out our guide on how to dodge and parry, as well as all of Antoine’s answers.