Recently, the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 developers, Sandfall Interactive, announced a nerf to one of its strongest skills, Stendhal, used by the character Maelle. This change started on May 9, 2025, and here’s a simple breakdown of what’s happening.
Warning: This article contains spoilers for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Read only if you’re past Act 2 or okay with story details.
What’s the Nerf About?
Maelle’s Stendhal skill, unlocked in Act 3, was super powerful, letting players deal over 2 billion damage—enough to defeat the toughest endgame boss 45 times over! Players combined Stendhal with Maelle’s Virtuose Stance, specific weapons like Medalum, and buffs from teammates like Sciel to create a “nuke build” that made battles too easy.
The developers said Stendhal was “overshadowing other options” and needed a tweak to encourage players to try different strategies.
What’s Changing?
The nerf is part of a hotfix update patch 1.2.3 that released on Steam (May 9, 2025) and soon on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and Xbox Game Pass, tones down Stendhal’s damage.
It will still be a strong single-hit skill with good team synergy, but it won’t dominate every fight. Sandfall wants players to “break the game” with creative builds, just not so easily with Stendhal.
Why the Nerf?
During development, Stendhal was weak, so the team boosted its damage before release. They admitted they “overdid it,” as players pushed the skill to deal billions of damage, far beyond what was intended.
This made some fights less fun, as Stendhal outshined other skills. The nerf aims to balance the game while keeping it enjoyable.
What Can Players Do Now?
Don’t worry—there are still powerful builds! Players have already found ways to deal massive damage with Maelle’s Gommage skill, which can also hit billions.
You can experiment with other characters like Verso or Lune, using their skills and Pictos to create strong combos. The game’s combat system is flexible, so try new weapons, Luminas, and team setups to keep the fun going.
The Stendhal nerf in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 fixes an overpowered skill to make the game more balanced. While some players may miss the crazy damage, Sandfall promises Stendhal will still be strong, and other builds can shine.
If you want to try the original Stendhal, you have until the update hits your platform. Keep exploring the game’s combat to find new ways to dominate!
