Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 : Monoco [Character Guide] [French only

Monoco is an unconventional supporting character in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. This Gestral The Unfeeling Painter steals the abilities of the enemies he fights and switches between several masks using his Bestial wheel. Prioritize Agility, then max out Defense, and you'll have a support character capable of buffing your team turn after turn.

Who is Monoco in *Clair Obscur: Expedition 33*?

The Gestrals are friendly beings you’ll encounter alongside the 33rd Expedition. Monoco is one of the few among them who speaks the human language. Behind his scholarly demeanor, he is actually bloodthirsty, and it was precisely his desire to fight that drove him to join the expedition members in their quest against the Paintresse.

In the game, its core mechanic is called the Bestial wheel : Instead of a fixed set of abilities, he steals the moves of the creatures he faces (except for a few boss). You spin this wheel over the course of several turns to switch between different masks: some deal area-of-effect damage, while others provide healing or buffs to the entire team. It’s this system that makes Monoco a character capable of both supporting his allies and dealing heavy damage, depending on which mask is active.

Explanatory video in French by Alucare, ideal complement to the page. View video (you can use YouTube's automatic translation)

What features should I mount on Monoco?

Here are Monoco's base stats when you first get him in the game.

The most effective build positions him as a support. He deals solid damage, but he really shines when he plays aggressively and stays alive long enough to protect his allies.

Put the’Agility as a top priority. This is the key attribute that increases his attack speed, allows him to attack more often, and works best with his top weapons, particularly the Chromaro. The faster Monoco is, the more turns he can chain together to cast his support spells.

Defense comes next, as a secondary stat. It keeps him alive against powerful enemies, especially starting in Act 3, where enemy damage increases. Focus most of your level-up points on Agility, then supplement that with a little Defense depending on the areas and the boss enemies you’re facing.

Which skills should you choose on Monoco in *Clair Obscur: Expedition 33*?

To play Monoco To be effective, choose a variety of skills that cover each mask on the Beast Wheel. Each skill is associated with a color: when the mask of that color is active, you unlock an enhanced effect—whether it’s increased damage, an area-of-effect heal, or an additional buff for your allies.

Monoco beast wheel
Mask	Mask color	Specialization
Omnipotent Mask	Yellow	Triggers the bonus effect of any of Monoco's abilities. Ideal for his ultimates.
Occult Mask	Blue	Care and state effects.
Agile Mask	Purple	Multi-attack.
Balance Mask	Red	Suitable for combos with other skills via marks, buffs, etc.
Brutal Mask	Green	High-damage attacks.

Each ability has two effects: one that applies in all cases, and another that triggers only if the corresponding mask is active. The goal, therefore, is to choose abilities spread across multiple masks, so you can benefit from the second effect on nearly every turn, regardless of which mask is in play.

Plan your rotation in advance. Each attack moves the wheel pointer 1 to 6 notches clockwise. Your turn starts on the Omnipotent Mask, which activates the bonus effect of any skill: so start with your most important skill at the moment—often an area-of-effect heal or a major buff. Then, proceed based on where the pointer lands, and keep the AP cost in mind. A 2-AP skill like Ramasseur Bonk This is used to reposition the wheel without draining your energy reserve, before casting a powerful spell that costs 5 AP.

To take on a support role, here are the skills you should prioritize:

Skill	Cost PA	Skill effect	Mask of choice	Bestial Wheel pointer movement
Pilgrim Healing (Pelerin Heal)	5 PA	Grants Regeneration to all allies.	Occult Mask : Also restores 40 % of Health.	3
Ramasseur Bonk	2 PA	Deals low Shadow damage to a target (1 hit). May cause Fracture.	Agile Mask : Fills the target's Fracture gauge with 20 %.	4
Ballerina Charm (Ballet Charm)	2 PA	Deals low Light damage to a single target (1 hit). Applies Weakness for 3 turns.	Occult Mask : Increased damage.	3
Weakening of Clair (Clair Enfeeble)	5 PA	Deals moderate damage to all enemies (1 hit). Applies Weakness for 3 turns.	Balance Mask : Increased damage.	3
Hexga grinding (Hexga Crush)	5 PA	Deals moderate Earth damage to a target (2 hits). Applies Vulnerability to the target for 3 turns.	Brutal Mask : Increases the duration of Vulnerability to 5 turns.	6
Boucheclier Fortification (Boucheclier Fortify)	3 PA	Grants "Carapace" to 1 to 3 allies for 3 turns.	Brutal Mask : Also grants 1 shield.	5

With this selection, you cover the Occult, Agile, Balance, and Brutal Masks. No matter which mask is active, you always trigger an enhanced effect: healing, a Fracture, a debuff, or defense for your allies. This is what allows Monoco to chain together buffs and damage without ever wasting a turn.

What weapon should I equip for Monoco in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33?

To play Monoco as a support, equip the weapon Chromaro. She starts the battle by targeting the Occult Mask in the Beast Wheel, allowing you to immediately follow up with your support skills.

Equipment	Explanation	Level 4	Level 10	Level 20
Chromaro	The Chromaro is Monoco's ideal weapon for a support role in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Its basic attack deals Ice damage and increases with Defense and Agility, your two top priorities.	You begin your turn with the Occult Mask in the Beast Wheel.	Regeneration is activated by the Occult Mask, which is perfect for supporting your allies.	Skills cost 1 AP less when wearing the Occult Mask, allowing you to chain buffs without running out of energy.

Which Picto/Lumina should I equip on Monoco?

To strengthen the support build for Monoco in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, relies on icons that boost his Agility and Defense. Agility remains his key stat, while Defense complements it to keep him on his feet against boss opponents.

Here are the icons to equip on Monoco, along with what each one actually does for you in battle:

• Second chance : Revives Monoco once per battle if he goes down—a real safety net against heavy damage.
• Burn Prevention: Prevents the burn status effect, which is very useful against enemies that deal damage over time.
• Healing buff: Improves the care provided; perfect for a support role that aims to cover the entire team.
• Enhanced Shell: strengthens Monaco's defense and helps them hold their ground without disrupting their rotation.
• Insurance: ensures its actions are secure and streamlines its presence on the front lines when the masks break apart.

Once you've placed these pictos, unlock the associated luminas on the back of each picto: these are what apply these bonuses permanently—and, in some cases, to your allies as well. This allows you to combine defense, healing, and survivability without sacrificing the agility that makes this character so powerful. To understand exactly how the pictograms and Luminas work, check out Our guide to the pictograms and luminas in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

What outfit will Monoco wear in *Clair Obscur: Expedition 33*?

You can customize the outfit of Monoco in the game. These outfits are used solely for aesthetic purposes : They do not improve his attributes or combat skills.

Here is the list of available outfits:

Dress	Appearance	Where can I find it?
Expedition Outfit (Expedition Outfit)		Monoco's default outfit.
Dress code (Civilian Outfit)		Available for 10,000 Chroma from the merchant Gestral Anthonypo.
Light outfit (Lumière Outfit)		You can obtain this by speaking to Gestral inside the Flying Casino (Flying Casino) when you play as Monoco.
Flower suit (Flowers Suit Outfit)		Included in the Deluxe and Collector's editions of the game.
Scrub hold (Gommage Outfit)		Included in the Deluxe and Collector's editions of the game.
Pure outfit (Pure Outfit)		Available for purchase for 10,000 Chroma from Lucaroparfe.
Swimsuit (Swimsuit Outfit)		Reward after completing the «Only-up» climbing challenge on Gestral Beach (Gestral Beach).

Who lends his voice to Monoco in Expedition 33?

You may have recognized the voice of Monoco in other games:

• In the French version, he is voiced by Bruno Magne, known for voicing Rude in FFVII Remake and Durlin in God of War: Ragnarök.
• In the original version, he is voiced by Rich Keeble, known for his roles in Split Fiction, Rivals and Ghosts.

Want to know who the other cast members are? Check out our article on the dubbing of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.