Best Maelle build in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33: Weapons, skills, Pictos, and more!

If you’re looking to turn Maelle into an unstoppable force in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, you’re in the right place. Maelle’s combat style is all about smart stance switching, devastating Fire attacks, and stacking massive amounts of Burn damage. With the right setup, she can carry fights almost single-handedly — from early game all the way to the final act
What Are Maelle’s Stances?Maelle’s combat revolves around three different stances that enhance her gameplay:

• Defensive Stance: Reduces damage taken and builds AP for dodges and parries.
• Offensive Stance: Increases both the damage Maelle deals and receives.
• Virtuose Stance: The real prize — boosts her damage output by a jaw-dropping 200%.

Switching stances is key to keeping Maelle’s buffs active. Choose your skills carefully to control her stance at all times.


Best Weapon for MaelleWhen it comes to gearing Maelle, nothing beats the Medalum Saber. You can earn this beauty by beating Sciel in the Gestral Village Tournament. Medalum isn’t just strong — it’s game-breaking when built right.

Here’s why:

• Level 4 Medalum: Automatically places Maelle in Virtuose Stance at the start of each fight.
• Level 10 Medalum: Doubles Burn stacks while in Virtuose Stance.
• Level 20 Medalum: Doubles all Burn damage when in Virtuose Stance.

Pair that with the fact that Medalum scales primarily with Defense and Agility, and you have a weapon that not only hits hard but also makes Maelle super tough and lightning fast. Focus on upgrading Defense first, then pour points into Agility and a little Might for extra damage.
Best Skills for Maelle When building Maelle, focus hard on her Fire-based attacks to truly exploit the Medalum's bonuses:

• Rain of Fire
  
• Combustion
  
• Pyrolyse
  
• Burning Canvas (late-game unlock)
  

Start fights strong by applying Burn immediately, especially when you open in Virtuose Stance. Adding Swift Stride to your skill set is a must — it keeps Maelle locked into Virtuose by refreshing it when she hits Burning enemies.

Another great skill to slot is Fleuret Fury, which is perfect for smashing enemies with a full Break Bar while staying in Virtuose.


Best Pictos & Luminas for MaellePictos and Luminas can supercharge this build if chosen correctly:

• Double Burn: Essential. Quadruple Burn stacks are possible when combined with Medalum’s bonuses.
• Critical Burn: Boosts crit chance against burning targets.
• Burning Mark: Helps stack Burn even faster.

Also, look for AP-boosting passives like Energising Start and Dead Energy to fuel your big attacks early. First Strike is another strong pick, ensuring Maelle always acts first.

To add survivability, grab Healing Fire (heals Maelle when attacking Burning enemies) and Fueling Break (doubles Burn stacks when Breaking foes).
Final ThoughtsWith this setup, Maelle becomes a Burn-stacking machine capable of melting enemies in seconds. Whether you’re crushing story bosses or dominating in duels like the Gestral Tourney, this build turns her into one of the strongest characters in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Master the rhythm of her stances, stack that Burn, and watch everything go up in flames.