Meet Monoco, the newest addition to our Expedition party and the affectionate Gestral whose remarkable ability to transform into Nevrons offers a unique gameplay experience reminiscent of the Blue Mage from Final Fantasy. This extensive skillset, boasting a total of 46 skills, presents both rewards and challenges. While it can prove difficult to identify valuable skills amidst the multitude, discovering the right one can have a significantly positive impact on your gameplay.
If you’re not keen on dedicating time to learn every single skill or pouring over them like they’re SAT prep materials, fret not! This guide showcases the optimal Monoco Build in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, enabling you to efficiently harness the potential of this lovable Gestral.
Optimal Build for Monoco in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Monoco ranks as the most versatile character within the team. His expansive array of skills allows you to develop offensive, defensive, support, or healing builds dependent on your party’s needs. The key feature here is the Bestial Wheel, where each skill you use contributes to this mechanic, which can amplify the effects of similar skills based on the currently activated Mask.The ideal strategy is to assign one skill to each Mask, maximizing the potency of every turn.
This guide will present two distinct builds for Monoco: one tailored for early gameplay and another for endgame scenarios. Early game encompasses the period leading up to the Monolith at the conclusion of Act II, while the JRPG endgame corresponds to the beginning of Act III and includes all post-game content.
Initially, I opted for a more aggressive playstyle for Monoco, specializing in AoE attacks to swiftly eliminate weaker foes or apply debuffs on boss battles, thereby allowing my teammates to unleash their full potential.
In contrast, my late-game Monoco transitioned into a support role. This ultimately reflects your individual playstyle, as no two gaming experiences will be alike—highlighting the appealing variability in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. This guide serves as a foundational reference for building Monoco, but feel free to create your own powerful Gestral configuration.
Optimal Attributes for Monoco
Early Game Attributes
My approach is straightforward. When aiming to eliminate foes swiftly, I focused my initial attribute points into Luck. This early strategy stemmed from Luck’s ability to significantly increase both critical hit chances and a slight boost to speed.
Additionally, the AoE move Chevalière Thrusts greatly benefits from critical hits. After acquiring this skill, I frequently utilized it, swiftly taking down numerous opponents in mere combat turns.
Endgame Attributes
Upon reaching the endgame and reaching level 99, you have the opportunity to maximize three attributes or distribute points among various attributes.
Generally—and this advice applies to all party members—focusing on attributes that align with your weapon’s scaling is advisable. However, I took a slightly different approach with Monoco. Here’s my reasoning!
My endgame weapon relied on Might, Agility, and Defense, but since I played Monoco primarily as a support character, increasing Might or Vitality seemed unnecessary given the minimal health gains.
I chose to invest in Luck once more due to its influence on speed. A higher speed statistic means more turns for Monoco and, consequently, greater assistance to his teammates. That was the rationale for my chosen endgame build.
Top Skills for Monoco
Monoco’s late entrance into the party comes with a noticeable drawback.
Because he relies heavily on acquiring skills from enemies—only learning them by defeating applicable foes while engaged in battle—it is crucial to keep Monoco in your lineup to develop his abilities effectively.
Conversely, neglecting to utilize Monoco may result in reaching endgame with an underwhelming skill roster, ultimately leaving the Gestral less effective.
I recommend incorporating Monoco early on to amass new abilities. If his playstyle doesn’t resonate with you later, you may bench him without a second thought.
Best Early Game Skills
Most of the early-game skills can be acquired through standard gameplay with Monoco in the party—there’s no need for backtracking or engaging in optional quests.
If you’re lacking any of the skills mentioned, feel free to check my guide for finding all Monoco skills if you’re interested in propelling him to greatness.
Here’s a list of the top early-game skills for Monoco in your Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 adventure:
|
Skills |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Chalier Combo |
Deals significant single-target Physical damage (6 hits).Aborted if failed. Balanced Mask: Increased damage. |
|
Bonk Collector |
Inflicts low single-target Dark damage (1 hit).Can break. Agile Mask: fills 20% of the target’s Break Bar. |
|
Pilgrim Heal |
Grants Regen to all allies. Caster Mask: additionally heals 40% health. |
|
Cultist Blood |
Deals medium Dark damage to all enemies (3 hits).Sacrifices 90% health to amplify damage. Heavy Mask: Increased damage. |
|
Potter Energy |
Provides 1-3 AP to all allies. Caster Mask: grants 1 extra AP. |
|
Thrusts Signet Ring |
Delivers high Physical damage to all enemies (3 hits).Critical hits deal double damage. Heavy Mask: Increased damage. |
Most of these abilities are simply obtained during regular gameplay with Monoco from when he joins up to reaching the Monolith.
After learning coral-breaking skills with Esquie, you can even consider returning to fight some Nevrons on the world map to snatch their feet and learn new skills like Potier Energy.
Returning to my initial aggressive Monoco build, Chevalière Thrusts became my go-to skill for quickly dismantling weaker foes.
You won’t miss out on acquiring Chevalière Thrusts, especially since encountering its associated Nevron is inevitable while traveling with Monoco, Lune, and Sciel through Old Luimère. Thus, you will naturally learn this skill.
As observed, this is where the Luck build pays off. Chevalière Thrusts excels at inflicting high damage, especially when critical hits factor in.
Support skills like Potier Energy and Pèlerin Heal serve their purpose well, particularly when utilized during Caster Mask. If an enemy is nearing Break, a well-timed Ramasseur Bonk can clinch the deal.
Top Endgame Skills
As mentioned earlier, my focus shifted to a support role for Monoco during the endgame. That does not mean he won’t come equipped with offensive tricks, though.
My endgame strategy centered around maximizing team AP, applying buffs, and occasionally debuffing enemies, all while surviving and being ready to revive teammates if necessary.
If you wish to develop a similar build, be proactive in hunting for Nevrons that teach Monoco new skills or tackle the Endless Tower with the Gestral included in the party.
Below are the endgame skills that Monoco relied on to conquer each superboss:
|
Skills |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Chapelier Slash |
Inflicts high Physical damage to all enemies (3 hits).Applies Mark. Agile Mask: Increased damage. |
|
Bonk Collector |
Delivers low single-target Dark damage (1 hit).Can break. Agile Mask: fills 20% of the target’s Break Bar. |
|
Orphan Cheers |
Applies Powerful to 1-3 allies. Caster Mask: additionally grants 3 AP to the targets. |
|
Ice Signet Ring |
Inflicts high Ice damage to all enemies (3 hits).Applies Slow for 3 turns. Balanced Mask: Increased damage. |
|
Duallist Storm |
Deals extreme single-target Physical damage (4 hits).Can break. Almighty Mask: Increased damage. |
|
Thrusts Signet Ring |
Delivers high Physical damage to all enemies (3 hits).Critical hits yield double damage. Heavy Mask: Increased damage. |
Monoco’s late-game skill set features a diverse range of abilities, encompassing all Masks on his Bestial Wheel. Both Chevalière Thrusts and Ramasseur Bonk remain viable options for dispatching regular enemies or executing a final Break.
Introducing Chapelier Slash adds a new level of strength when used in Agile Mask, outperforming Chevalière. However, its true potential lies in applying Mark to bosses, a crucial tactic for these encounters.
Chevalière Ice adds the vital Slow debuff, an essential strategy against formidable endgame foes—either to allow our characters more attack opportunities or to prevent enemies from executing consecutive turns.
Finally, Duallist Storm stands out as Monoco’s cornerstone offensive ability, particularly effective when unleashed in Almighty Mask. Yet given my focus on support, its use was rare.
My most valuable skill overall was Orphelin Cheers. Since I wielded a weapon that initiated combat in Caster Mask, my allies would always act while being buffed and with maximum AP.
Optimal Pictos for Monoco
Early Game Pictos
When selecting Pictos for an early-game Monoco build, prioritize those that facilitate AP accumulation and enhance damage output at all costs.
This means equipping several Energising Start abilities to maximize initial AP generation, combined with other Pictos that amplify damage, even if they impose drawbacks like Inverted Affinity.
Here’s a selection of essential Pictos/Luminas for Monoco:
- First Strike: Acts first in combat.
- Energising Start (all variants): Grants +1 AP upon battle initiation.
- Augmented First Strike: Boosts damage by 50% on the first hit (once per battle).
- Inverted Affinity: Applies Inverted to self for 3 turns at battle commencement; grants 50% damage increase while Inverted.
- At Death’s Door: Increases damage by 50% if health is below 10%.
The selected Pictos ensure Monoco begins battles with maximum AP, quickly unleashing his most powerful skills.
Utilizing Cultist Blood results in heavy damage at the cost of 90% of Monoco’s HP. As long as he remains unhealed, this will continuously trigger the At Death’s Door Lumina’s passive effect, precisely what we desire.
To prevent a scenario where Monoco commences battle incapacitated or loses his turn, First Attack becomes imperative. Ideally, single-target foes won’t pose much of a threat for quite some time.
Equipping at least three Energising Start Pictos allows Monoco to kick off combat with 7 AP, enabling him to use the enhanced Chevalière Thrusts right from the outset, allowing him to swiftly dispatch any Nevrons encountered.
This setup also excels in delivering substantial damage to bosses. While Monoco may fall after his initial strike, reviving him lets the remaining skills in his arsenal come into play.
Endgame Pictos
The optimal Pictos/Luminas are typically those recommended for all party members, such as Cheater, Energy Master, and Second Chance. These are the obvious choices.
As I previously mentioned, my endgame configuration for Monoco concentrated more on buffs and support rather than offense, although he maintained a handful of attack skills.
I chose Pictos that enhance Monoco’s buff capabilities, allowing for more frequent actions to bolster allies’ AP while occasionally debuffing opponents:
- First Strike: Engages first in battles.
- Base Shield: +1 Shield when not under any Shield effect at turn start.
- Rush on Powerful: Grants Rush upon applying Powerful.
- Energising Powerful: Provides 2 AP when applying Powerful.
- Break Specialist: Increases break damage by 50%, reducing base damage by 20%.
- Auto Rush: Applies Rush for 3 turns upon battle initiation.
- Greater Powerful: Provides a +15% damage enhancement for Powerful skills.
Most of the chosen Luminas further augment the effects of Orphelin Cheers. When applying Powerful, this skill ensures the addition of Rush while also granting 2 additional AP, enabling any character to max out their AP resource effortlessly.
While these buffs are active, Monoco can leverage usage of skills to execute Breaks on enemies, which is where Break Specialist proves valuable.To maintain Monoco’s survivability, I equipped Luminas like Base Shield, Survivor, and Revive Paradox.
Optimal Weapons for Monoco
When selecting a weapon for Monoco, shift your focus away from attack power, directing your attention instead toward their effects. By the time he joins, all weapons available will already be at level 10 or higher, thereby yielding two passive effects.
The most advantageous weapons are those facilitating combat initiation in a specific Mask. This allows players to capitalize on Monoco’s best abilities immediately and manage the Bestial Wheel strategically.
Best Early Game Weapon
Regrettably, most of Monoco’s superior weapons are exclusively obtainable during late-game, so options are limited.
In an ideal world, Grandaro would function as Monoco’s best early-game weapon, providing the capability to begin fights in Heavy Mask, but that’s not the scenario.
Initially, I relied heavily on the Ballaro. Though its effects may not be particularly impressive, it’s the most viable option available. If preferred, you could opt for the Monocaro, Monoco’s starting weapon, which consistently ensures he enters battle in Balanced Mask.
The Ballaro offers the following benefits:
- Level 4: Reverses Bestial Wheel order.
- Level 10: Using an Upgraded Skill grants 1 AP to all other allies.
- Level 20: Almighty Mask provides 2 AP to all allies.
While reversing the Bestial Wheel has modest utility, since this weapon already exceeds level 10, the AP boost to allies is effective; I recommend utilizing an upgraded skill every turn.
By the time you refine it to level 20, you’ll likely acquire Grandaro, so substitute it as soon as you can. Remember, these options apply to early gameplay.
Best Endgame Weapon
Recommending any weapon for Monoco other than the Joyaro is challenging. By wielding the Joyaro, Monoco always begins combat in Almighty Mask, granting him strategic flexibility regarding skill selection at the onset.
This weapon scales with Defense and Agility—two attributes I previously suggested enhancing to better support the party.
The Joyaro features the following benefits:
- Level 4: Initiates battle in Almighty Mask.
- Level 10: Grants a 20% damage increase for each consecutive turn without sustaining damage (max five stacks).
- Level 20: Doubles Break damage when in Almighty Mask.
While the second Joyaro buff may be intriguing, it lacks significance for a support-focused build. However, the Level 20 effect is immensely powerful. Doubling Break Damage is remarkable, especially when combined with a Lumina that amplifies Break Damage by 50% while using Ramasseur Bonk repeatedly.
My combat strategy always commenced similarly.Opening with Almighty Mask and utilizing Orphelin Cheers effectively buffed all teammates while ensuring they had AP for immediate action.
With Cheater outfitted, Monoco acted promptly, with the Bestial Wheel transitioning into Agile Mask. Can you guess which skill benefits from this? Correct, Ramasseur Bonk, which depletes 20% of the target’s Break Bar when deployed in Agile mode.
In general, these constructs formed my Monoco builds.The emphasis centered on party buffs, enemy debuffs, calculated break opportunities, and ensuring Monoco remained active to continually support allies.
While I can’t assert this is the definitive best build, it was certainly effective for defeating tougher bosses like Simon, Clea, and Serpenphare. Ultimately, the experience of mastering Monoco’s skills and customizing his setup was immensely enjoyable.
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