The Hardest Bosses In Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Heralded as a likely candidate for 2025’s “Game of the Year,” Sandfall Interactive surpassed expectations with the release of its first game, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Praised for its gorgeous art style and top-notch music score, the game has also scored high points for its spectacular turn-based combat mechanics and a slew of challenging bosses to match (there are plenty of bosses to fight after the final boss as well).

Set in a beautifully tragic world where the denizens of Lumière are erased every year by the Paintress, we follow the courageous members of Expedition 33 in their attempt to stop the extinction of their race. Confronted by monsters great and small, some stand out due to the sheer effort needed to strategise, adapt to their moves, and learn when to parry or dodge. So, without further ado, here are the hardest bosses in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. 

Sprong

Even when you’re still quite early into the game, you’d find it hard to miss this looming giant standing idly in the middle of the sea. Located between Blades’ Graveyard and the Crimson Forest, Sprong is the definition of an end-game boss. Not to be tried until you’re at least Level 86 or above, Sprong has a considerable health bar, with an equally destructive set of attacks to match. 

Although most of us would want to try our luck upon first encountering him, Sprong not only has a laser beam attack that can one-shot you, but also a devastating overhead smash. Moreover, this boss is merciless with its swings and smashes, but ultimately, it’s an exercise in patience and utilising your counters to eventually earn the Cheater Pictos upon defeating Sprong.

Chromatic Ramasseur

One of the most infuriating boss fights in the game, the Chromatic Ramasseur is found in Sadness Vale on Visages Island. While the boss isn’t that strong in and of itself, it’s simply the sheer amount of turns it gets that makes it so irritating. What makes it doubly worse is the mortal hit it deals that could one-shot you easily.

The best strategy against Chromatic Ramasseur is to learn its moves and master the timing required to execute perfect parries, allowing you to deflect attacks and deal counter damage effectively. It’s also advisable to equip Light-based weapons, as the boss is weak to Light. Additionally, ensure all party members equip First Strike to attack first and Cheater Pictos to enable acting twice per turn, maximizing your offensive potential.

Chromatic Aberration

One of several bosses accessible only after reaching Act 3, the Chromatic Aberration can be found on a floating island near The Fountain. Although it might be tempting to dodge every attack, it’s best to parry and deal extra damage by countering. However, this may be challenging to adapt to since this boss’s longsword combos are both long and delayed.

It utilises both Light and Dark attacks, as well as attacks you need to leap and perform timely Gradient Counters on. As such, it’s best if you both buff and use your party’s most powerful attacks to fill up the Gradient Gauge to Level 3 to end the fight as quickly as possible.

The Paintress

Since the beginning of the game, the Paintress was the ultimate goal of Expedition 33, and our band of heroes finally face off against her once reaching the peak of the Monolith near the end of Act 2. Having just had a rematch with Renoir earlier, things are about to get even more difficult as the Paintress puts up a fight against the Expeditioners.

Consisting of two phases, the Paintress is relentless in her attacks, from Chroma Waves to Void Meteors. But it’s during the second phase where things heat up, as the Paintress summons the giant Paintress we see at the bottom of the Monolith to fight with her. Not only is reality torn apart and meteor showers abound, but the Paintress now has a giant glowing paintbrush to swing at you with, alongside a series of Gradient attacks you have to watch out for.

Skills like Verso’s Strike Storm and Lune’s Elemental Genesis are extremely helpful to get through this fight.

Golgra

Chief of the gestrals, Golgra is first encountered in the Chief’s House at the Gestral Village after going through the Ancient Sanctuary. As the leader of the gestrals, you’ll soon find out just why she has such a fearsome reputation amongst her kin. While talking to her, you’ll get the option of challenging Golgra to a duel, though it’s advised to speak to her using other characters aside from Monoco.

As this is a one-on-one fight, you only get to use one member of your Expedition to battle Golgra. She has lightning-fast kicking combos that are powerful enough to kill you instantly if you’re too underlevelled to face her, or too late to dodge or parry in time. It’s crucial to nail your parries to help lower her health bar, since she has a lot of turns before it’s your time to attack her.

Maelle’s Stendhal and Verso’s Phantom Stars skill will be a boon in this fight, capable of eating up tons of HP in one swoop.

Serpenphare

Much like Sprong, Serpenphare grabs your attention instantly. Hovering in the sky over White Sands island, you won’t be able to fight it until you reach Act 3 and after you’ve unlocked Esquie’s ability to fly. Once you do, you’re in for one of the longest boss fights of your life. One of the most annoying features about this boss is its ability to consume your AP, preventing you from using your skills.

What’s more, this wingless dragon shields itself at regular intervals, as well as being armed with freezing beams, tail sweep combos, and Gradient attacks. The more you whittle down its extensive health bar, the boss will execute longer, more aggressive combos. Since it shields itself constantly, Maelle’s Breaking Rules skill is handy for this fight, and you can’t go wrong with her absolutely broken Gommage gradient ability.

Painted Renoir 

Introduced as a monumental threat at the end of the Prologue, it’s obvious that we would have to face the man who nearly annihilated Expedition 33 at some point in the future.  Our first time facing (spoiler alert!) Painted Renoir would be at the end of our exploration of Old Lumière in Act 2, where we’ll first encounter his infuriating ability to vanish your party members if you haven’t gotten used to the Gradient Counter by this point.

Although the first fight is difficult in and of itself, it’s your second encounter with Painted Renoir close to the Monolith’s Peak that’s one of the most challenging. He still retains his usual combos and Chroma Waves as when you faced him at Old Lumière, but this battle introduces a gigantic lion in the second phase, one that backs him up and heals him completely. Despite being hell to go through, it’s an enjoyable cinematic battle with some of the best boss fight scores to boot.

Clea

A secret boss located in the Flying Manor, Clea is accessible only after Act 3 when Esquie receives his flying ability. A painted version of the real-life Clea Dessendre, this tragic figure gives you a boss fight you’d not soon forget. Not only does it test your memory regarding previous enemies, but also your ability to execute perfect parry combos.

Clea summons every single Nevron to attack you, from the Dualliste to the Bourgeon, and you must parry every single attack to stop Clea from replenishing her health. Once won, however, you’ll be treated to a heartbreaking cutscene that gives you even more context and lore behind one of the lesser-known characters in the game.

Renoir

Although facing Painted Renoir is hard enough, the real Renoir gives you the fight of your life as the final boss of the game’s main story. This dysfunctional family drama reaches its climax in this most cinematic of boss fights. Real Renoir made Painted Renoir look like child’s play, summoning previously fought Axons like Sirène and Visages to help regenerate his health and buff him.

In the final phase, a cutscene ensues where Aline (or the Paintress) re-enters the Canvas, giving us a top-notch scene where two giants battle one another in the background. It was an enjoyable fight from beginning to end, one that’s symbolic as pertaining to the story’s theme of grief and moving on.

Simon

Widely considered to be the hardest boss in the game, Simon is not for the faint-hearted, and it’s advised to be over Level 90 and above to stand a chance against him. Found deep in Renoir’s Drafts – the only accessible underwater area in the game – this boss gives you distinct Elden Ring vibes with its unrelenting moveset and a whopping three phases.

From his utterly broken ability to remove your party members from the Canvas to sapping your health to a single point, Simon’s attacks also leave you barely any room to catch your breath. In this fight, learning the rhythm of his attacks is key, and be mindful that audio cues are virtually non-existent in this battle; you must keep a close eye on his blade movements.

What did you think of our list of the hardest bosses in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33? Is there a difficult boss you think we left out or a boss you found more difficult than another on this list? Let us know.