Chroma Catalyst Guide for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Image Credits: Sandfall Interactive

If you're wondering how to turn your rusty sword into something that actually scares enemies, welcome to the world of Chroma Catalysts. These shiny little upgrade tokens are your ticket to making weapons stronger in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. But—because nothing is ever easy—they come in different types, and you’ll have to work (or shop) for them.

What Are Chroma Catalysts?

Chroma Catalysts are used to upgrade your weapons—but you can't even start upgrading until you finish Flying Waters and unlock the Curator. So, if you're still splashing around in the early game, focus on surviving first.

All Chroma Catalyst Types & Where to Find Them

Standard Chroma Catalyst (Upgrades to Level 3)

• Where to Find:

  • Scattered across Spring Meadows and Flying Waters as glowing purple items.

  • Dropped by regular enemies and bosses in these early areas.

  • Sold by:

    • Merchant in Gestral Village Bazaar.

    • Merchant near Old Farm Flag in Stone Wave Cliffs (crawl through a tunnel to reach them).

Tip: Explore every side path like you're looking for lost keys—these are everywhere early on.

Polished Chroma Catalyst (Upgrades to Level 9)

• Where to Find:

  • Starts appearing in the Ancient Sanctuary.

  • Dropped by enemies like Petanks (expect 5x per kill).

  • Found in Stone Wave Cliffs, Forgotten Battlefield, and Old Lumiere.

  • Rewarded after boss fights in these zones.

  • Look out for Bourgeons and Chromatic enemies—they're tough, but they pay well in polish.

Pro Tip: If it's big and scary, it's probably hoarding Polished Catalysts.

Resplendent Chroma Catalyst (Upgrades to Level 19)

• Where to Find:

  • Picked up once you start chasing the two Axons in Visage and Sirene.

  • Dropped by enemies and bosses through late-game areas.

  • Buy them from merchants in:

    • Sirene (Crumbling Path Flag) – Use handholds near Glissando.

    • Monolith (Tainted Meadows Flag) – Near flying water area.

    • Monolith (Tainted Hearts Flag) – Beat Gargant and climb up.

Pro Tip: If you're north on the map, there's probably a merchant nearby willing to trade shiny rocks for your hard-earned currency.

Grandiose Chroma Catalyst (Upgrades to Level 32)

• Where to Find:

  • Welcome to Endless Tower—unlocked in Act 3 after getting Fly.

  • Survive the tower's trials, and you'll be swimming in Grandiose Catalysts.

Pro Tip: It's called "Endless" for a reason—pack a lunch.

Perfect Chroma Catalyst (Max Level 33)

• Where to Find:

  • Rare drops from end-game content like the Painting Workshop.

  • Best farmed in New Game+—tough enemies in Monolith and beyond will start dropping these beauties.

Pro Tip: If you're seeing "Game Completed" on your save file, that's when the real grind begins.

Final Blurb

Chroma Catalysts are basically the gym memberships for your weapons—except you can't skip leg day if you want to survive. Whether you're picking them up off the ground, bullying Petanks for their lunch money, or shopping with merchants, upgrading your gear is key to making it through Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 without rage-quitting.

So get out there, grab every purple glow you see, and remember—Level 33 weapons don't build themselves.

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