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Chroma Catalysts are items inClair Obscur: Expedition 33that are used to upgrade weapons, and they come in several varieties. More specifically, there are standard, Polished, Resplendent, and Grandiose Chroma Catalysts, and they can each be used to take a weapon to a certain maximum level. As many players are sure to expect, the various Chroma Catalysts inClair Obscur: Expedition 33come from different locations, and this guide is here to provide an overview of them.
Players cannot use their Chroma Catalysts toupgrade weapons inClair Obscur: Expedition 33until they have completed the Flying Waters and unlocked the Curator.
This guide reveals the names of many locations that players will visit as they work to complete the game.
How to Get Chroma Catalysts in Clair Obscur Expedition 33
The standard Chroma Catalysts can be used to upgrade a weapon to Level 3, and players can easily find them within theSpring Meadows and Flying Waters, the first two story-focused maps afterClair Obscur: Expedition 33’s prologue. Indeed, players will find Chroma Catalysts on the ground in those two locations, where they manifest as glowing, purple objects, and they are also awarded upon defeating certain enemies and dispatching the bosses at the end of those maps.
While players should be able to collect a sufficient number of Chroma Catalysts by exploring the Spring Meadows andFlying Waters, and defeating the enemies that are found there, the item can also be purchased from a variety ofmerchants. Here are details on the locations of two early-game merchants that sell standard Chroma Catalysts, though players will encounter many more of them as they continue through the game:
How to Get Polished Chroma Catalysts in Clair Obscur Expedition 33
Polished Chroma Catalysts can be used to upgrade weapons to Level 9, and players will start finding them when they reach theAncientSanctuary, the story-focused map that follows Flying Waters. More specifically, players will receive some of their first Polished Chroma Catalysts upon dispatching the Petank and mime within the AncientSanctuary, and when they defeat the boss at the map’s end.
Petankstypically award 5x Polished Chroma Catalysts, and players who are in need of the material should look for those unique enemies in Esquie’s Nest, Stone Wave Cliffs, and beyond.
While players will earn a number of Polished Chorma Catalysts while working through the AncientSanctuary, they will really start amassing this item when they reach theStone Wave Cliffs, Forgotten Battlefield, and Old Lumiere. Indeed, it is on those maps that Polished Chroma Catalysts start appearing as purple items on the ground, and the enemies that can be found there also have a chance to award them. Similarly, the bosses at the end of the Stone Wave Cliffs, Forgotten Battlefield, and Old Lumiere will grant some Polished Chroma Catalysts when defeated.
While using the Continent to move between these maps, players may want to keep their eyes peeled forBourgeons, as those large enemies frequently award Polished Chroma Catalysts. Some Chromatic enemies will also yield the material, though they can be quite difficult to defeat.
How to Get Resplendent Chroma Catalysts in Clair Obscur Expedition 33
Resplendent Chroma Catalysts are used to upgrade weapons to Level 19, and players will start earning them when they reach the point at which they are to pursue thetwo Axons. Players will find these items on the ground, and earn them from defeating enemies, in bothVisages and Sirene, and they will continue to receive them from story-focused maps all the way until the end of the game.
Players can also purchase Resplendent Chroma Catalysts from merchants that are located within discrete maps on the upper-half of the Continent. Here are the locations of several of those merchants, and they also sell standard and Polished Chroma Catalysts:
How to Get Grandiose Chroma Catalysts in Clair Obscur Expedition 33
Grandiose Chroma Catalysts are used to upgrade weapons to Level 32, and players can earn them by working through the trials in theEndless Tower. This map becomes accessible after reachingAct 3 inClair Obscur: Expedition 33and unlocking Fly, and its position has been marked on the preceding map. Additionally, players will start finding Grandiose Chroma Catalysts on the ground, and earning them from enemies, as soon as they start aNew Game+playthrough.
How to Get Perfect Chroma Catalysts in Clair Obscur Expedition 33
Perfect Chroma Catalysts are used to upgrade weapons to their maximum level of 33. While players can earn some of these catalysts from optional, end-game content, like thePainting Workshop, during a first playthrough, they will really start amassing them duringNew Game+. It is during that second playthrough that challenging enemies in the Monolith and beyond will start dropping Perfect Chroma Catalysts.
