Chroma Catalysts are items in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 that 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 in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 come from different locations, and this guide is here to provide an overview of them.
Players cannot use their Chroma Catalysts to upgrade weapons in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 until they have completed the Flying Waters and unlocked the Curator.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Reveals How Long It Takes to Beat
One of Xbox's biggest Game Pass titles for April, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, divulges the average amount of time it will take players to complete.
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 the Spring Meadows and Flying Waters, the first two story-focused maps after Clair 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 and Flying Waters, and defeating the enemies that are found there, the item can also be purchased from a variety of merchants. 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:
- There is a merchant in Gestral Village's Bazaar that sells this item.
- There is a merchant in Stone Wave Cliffs that sells this item. To reach this NPC, players should make their way to the Old Farm Expedition Flag, head right, and crawl through the tunnel that they encounter.
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 the Ancient Sanctuary, 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 Ancient 
Sanctuary, and when they defeat the boss at the map's end.
Petanks typically 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 Ancient Sanctuary, they will really start amassing this item when they reach the Stone 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 for Bourgeons, 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 the two Axons. Players will find these items on the ground, and earn them from defeating enemies, in both Visages 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:
- Reach the Crumbling Path Expedition Flag in Sirene. Head left of Glissando and use the handholds to cross a gap and access a gold thread that leads downward. The merchant is close to the illuminated spot where players can trap the nearby Petank.
- Reach the Tainted Meadows Expedition Flag in the Monolith. There is a merchant in the area with the flying water, before the Tainted Waters Expedition Flag.
- Reach the Tainted Hearts Expedition Flag in the Monolith. Go left, defeat Gargant, and climb the wall.
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 the Endless Tower. This map becomes accessible after reaching Act 3 in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and 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 a New 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 the Painting Workshop, during a first playthrough, they will really start amassing them during New Game+. It is during that second playthrough that challenging enemies in the Monolith and beyond will start dropping Perfect Chroma Catalysts.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 92 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- April 24, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Sandfall Interactive
- Publisher(s)
- Kepler Interactive
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Genre(s)
- Turn-Based RPG, JRPG, Fantasy
