Welcome to our 100% walkthrough for Flying Waters, the second area of Act One in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. This region is the perfect representation of the haunting beauty that exists throughout the continent, filled with kelp, corals, and breathtaking ocean beasts. However, it is also home to numerous Nevrons equipped with deep-sea gear, eager to engage your party.
As you traverse Flying Waters, you will acquire a valuable new party member. The area also features several bosses, both optional and mandatory, that will challenge your combat prowess. Furthermore, the dangers faced by previous expeditioners will become clearer as your crew gains a better understanding of the realm of the Paintress.
Entering Flying Waters
After concluding the previous walkthrough by entering Expedition 33's overworld, take time to appreciate the environment and its haunting music. Engage any enemies encountered to gain experience points and explore landmarks for hidden items. A Colour of Lumina can be found amongst tents not far from your starting point. To reach Flying Waters, proceed northeast towards the large coral formations. Ignore the entrance to Abyssal Cave, as it is currently too challenging. Another Colour of Lumina is located near boxes to the right of the Abyssal Cave entrance.
You will eventually receive a prompt to set up Camp. Camping is crucial for resting characters, building relationships through conversations, playing unlocked Records, and writing in Gustave's Journal. Writing in the Journal after major plot developments is particularly important, as it can unlock the skill Gustave's Homage sooner. After concluding camp activities, interact with the campfire and select "Go to Sleep" to proceed. From Camp, enter the swirly portal near the coral pieces to enter Flying Waters.
Reaching the Manor and Recruiting Maelle
Upon entering Flying Waters, you will find yourself underwater. After a cutscene, go left of the first wrecked ship and follow the kelp path to find SOS Shell Pictos. Return to the wreck and approach the glowing mass on the ground to discover a Paint Cage. Opening this cage rewards you with a Chroma Elixir Shard and unlocks the Paint Cage Achievement. The three locks for this cage are located: to the left of the Paint Cage on a rock wall; to the right of the Paint Cage near bubbles and kelp; and on the whale's tail of the wreck when facing the Paint Cage.
Continue past the Paint Cage, collecting Chroma x333. You will encounter your first Luster, a swift Nevron with a melee slash and jumping slam combo, which can also perform a three-hit dash attack. Parrying the Luster's dash is difficult but can lead to a powerful Counter. Further ahead, you will meet Démineur Nevrons, small deep-sea divers that summon lightning bolts. As flying creatures, they are immune to melee attacks; target their mines with Free Aim for area-of-effect damage.
Beyond the Démineur encounter, find a Chroma Catalyst and more Démineur and Luster enemies. Continue to a cave marked by red coral and lampposts. Another Chroma Catalyst is to the right of the cave entrance, but a battle against three Démineurs precedes entry. Proceed through the cave until you reach a house – the Manor.
Inside the Manor, use the Expedition Flag - Entry Hall to level up and heal. Ascend the stairs, take the right path, and enter the room with blue light to find Maelle. After a cutscene, she will join your party. Explore the Manor; while many doors are locked, four switches are hidden in the main dining room: one on a pillar to the right of a landscape painting; one on the wall against the pillar opposite the piano; one on the left wall below a square painting in the alcove with the fireplace; and one on the wall to the left of another landscape painting when facing the fireplace and walking towards the stairs. Flipping all switches opens an alcove by the fireplace, containing storage crates and a statue. Searching by the statue rewards you with the Nocturne Pour un Masque de Tristesse record.
Maelle's new acquaintance, the Curator, can be found near the Manor's exit. Speak with him to initiate a tutorial battle demonstrating Maelle's combat skills, which revolve around three stances: Defensive, Offensive, and Virtuose. Mastering the flow between these stances is key to maximizing her damage output. The Curator fight introduces party-wide jump attacks, requiring coordinated team counters.
Noco the Merchant and Expedition 68
Exiting the Manor, you will encounter Noco, the first Gestral Merchant. It is recommended to purchase his wares with your accumulated Chroma. You can also choose to fight Noco in a one-on-one battle, which will add the Exposing Attack Pictos to the shop menu upon victory.
Continue deeper into Flying Waters to find Chroma x665 near Noco. Follow the path littered with dead Nevrons towards a Chroma Catalyst. You will emerge into an open area containing the shipwreck of Expedition 68. Here, you will face Brulers, hulking Nevrons with anchor weapons. They are weak to lightning and have a slow, two-hit melee combo, offering opportunities for parrying and dodging. Defeating the first two batches of Brulers yields the Brulerum, a new rapier for Maelle, and 4 Chroma Catalysts.
Around the shipwreck, you will find a Luster enemy. Afterward, approach the large Démineur helmet on the ground; this is an entrance to a side quest. Before entering, collect the Recoat from a nearby platform, use handholds, and Grapple points to reach the Augmented Aim Pictos.
Démineur Side Quest and the Coral Cave
Entering the Démineur helmet tunnel, you will find a non-hostile Démineur missing its mine. To complete this side quest, proceed right to an area with multiple platforms and floating mines. Jump across the pillars to a ledge containing an Intact Mine. Return this mine to the Démineur to receive Deminerim, a powerful weapon for Lune. You can opt to fight the Démineur for 3 Colour of Lumina and a Chroma Catalyst, but sparing it aligns with a path to future rewards from an NPC named Blanche.
Return to the Expedition 68 wreckage and enter the Coral Cave, marked by lights and an anchor. Here, you will face the Cruler, an enemy wielding an anvil. The Cruler has two Shields that must be broken and can create Shields for other Nevrons. It also unleashes a powerful club attack that stuns party members. Weakening it with electricity is advised. Victory grants the Cruleram, a blade for Gustave. Nearby is the Expedition Flag - Coral Cave. To its right, find the Staggering Attack Pictos in a small alcove.
Continue past a coral cluster of lamps, collecting Chroma x333. A Cruler will attack; after defeating it, investigate its origin to find the Rewarding Mark Pictos, beneficial for maintaining AP. Ascend a slope to find a Colour of Lumina and Chroma x665. Veer towards a red-lit area with climbing holds to drop into a dark passage. Use the Grapple point to reach a wide room with platforms, floating mines, and another Paint Cage. Two Crulers patrol this area; defeat them before attempting to find the Paint Cage locks. The locks are located on the wall near the cage, on one of the rising platforms, and stuck on one of the floating mines (visible from a higher vantage point).
Explore the upper ledges in this area to find another Colour of Lumina. Return to the upper level via the climbing holds. To the right, find Journal - Expedition 68, offering insight into the crew's fate. Continue onward to face a colossal Nevron in the distance.
Optional Bosses: Mime, Bourgeon, and Chromatic Troubadour
Venturing into a kelp forest and climbing handholds leads to a Flying Waters Mime. Like other Mimes, it has a protective wall and two Shields that must be broken before significant damage can be dealt. Maelle's Virtuose Stance skills are effective for quickly destroying these defenses. Upon defeat, you will receive Maelle's Short hairstyle.
Return to the main path and take the ledge up to a fork. The left path leads to Expedition Flag - Lumièran Streets. Ignore the Nevron named Goblu for now and use the flag to upgrade gear. The right path leads to the optional boss Bourgeon. Bourgeon is weak to lightning damage. Its attacks include swallowing party members, spitting miasma (inflicting Exhausted), multi-hit combos, and a devastating Crushing Combo. This fight can be challenging, particularly Bourgeon's ability to remove party members. Using electricity and Lune's Deminerim weapon is recommended. Victory yields the Abysseram weapon for Gustave, a Chroma Catalyst, the Augmented Counter 1 Pictos, and Bourgeon Skin.
Return to Lumièran Streets. Climb to the rooftops for a battle against a Bruler and Luster, followed by a Grapple point leading to the Versatile Pictos. Drop down, defeat a Cruler for 4 Chroma Catalyst, and collect the Energy Tint Shard. Ascend a slope to a ledge with a Colour of Lumina.
Continue exploring to find a patrolling Luster near a climbable wall. Ascend to an upper ledge, find a Cruler, and to its left, a path with a Grapple point. This leads to a building balcony, then a ledge with a Chroma Catalyst, and another Grapple point to a platform where the optional boss Chromatic Troubadour awaits.
Chromatic Troubadour is weak to lightning damage and resistant to dark damage. Its attacks include a "Trumpet Concerto" (three slams) and a "Tricky Shot" involving wisps and a dash. Focus on parrying or dodging the trumpet slams and then the falling wisps. The wisps are the primary threat after the initial attack. Winning rewards the Troubadim weapon for Lune, 2 Chroma Catalysts, and 5 Colours of Lumina. The Energising Break Pictos can be found behind the boss area.
The Final Confrontation: Goblu
After resting at the Lumièran Streets Expedition Flag, locate the "Tour Eiffel" sign and follow the path behind it to reach Goblu, marking the end of Flying Waters. An Expedition Flag - Flower Field save point is located before the boss.
Goblu is weak to lightning damage and resistant to ice damage. Its attacks include jumping butt pounds that require team jumps to avoid, a melee combo, growing flowers around the arena, and absorbing those flowers for buffs. Blue flowers grant Goblu Shields, while red flowers increase attack damage. The key to this fight is destroying the flowers before Goblu can absorb them. Use Free Aim and consider using Energy Tonics if AP becomes low.
Defeating Goblu results in its escape, but rewards you with a Shape of Health, a Polished Chroma Catalyst, and 3 Chroma Catalysts. Proceed to the exit to earn the Flying Waters Achievement and witness the cutscene "Maelle's Nightmare."
After the cutscene, you will return to Camp. Rest, upgrade, and interact with Lune and Maelle. Explore the camp to find the Curator, who can assist with weapon upgrades and increasing Expedition Resource capacity. This concludes the Flying Waters walkthrough, with hints of grim events to come as you explore more of the continent.