How to Beat Simon Expedition 33: Strategies to Overcome the Hardest Boss

Learning how to beat Simon in Expedition 33 is one of the most demanding tasks in Clair Obscur. This optional battle sits at the end of the game’s Abyss, and many players have described Simon as the hardest boss the developers have ever designed. 

I spent nights failing because my approach was wrong. Eventually, I found a system that let me control every phase, preserve my party’s health, and deliver a satisfying final blow. In this guide, I share that experience and help you climb past the wall that is Simon.

How to Beat Simon Expedition 33: Prepare Your Party and Gear

Preparation is everything. Before you even trigger the fight, make sure your Expeditioners are at least level 90 and that every main weapon is upgraded to level 33. Anything less and you won’t deal meaningful damage or survive his endless attack patterns. 

Gear up your frontline and reserve squads with offensive pictos and lumina that boost break bar damage, critical chance, and resurrection. Avoid defensive pictos that generate shields because Simon steals those shields and heals himself each turn.

Your party should include three characters for the opening act and two for the closing act. I like starting with Lune, Monoco, and Verso. Lune applies burn and slow statuses, Monoco buffs allies and weakens the enemy, and Verso’s multi‑hit slash combos help build the break bar quickly. Save Maelle and Sciel for later because Maelle’s Virtuose stance and Stendhal combo can erase entire health pools when the timing is right.

To unlock Simon’s arena, you must raise Esquie’s relationship level to six so you can swim underwater. Head to Renoir’s Drafts, find the glowing path leading to the Abyss, and drop down. The long fall will land you in a circular battlefield surrounded by giant swords, a fitting center for a fight where every slash could be your last. 

Pause briefly before initiating the cutscene so you can breathe; once Simon stands, the timer is on and you will need to react immediately. In games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, every action is decided in a split second, so plan ahead.

Master Parry and Dodge Timing in the First Phase

The first phase is your warm‑up. Simon uses a mix of three‑hit and five‑hit sword combos, along with occasional jumps that end in downward slashes. To beat Simon here, you must respect the rhythm of his attacks. Parrying just before each hit will fill your break bar faster than attacking. 

Dodging at the wrong moment will leave you open to the next strike, so focus on parry timing instead of dodge timing. When Simon plants his sword into the ground, prepare for a five‑hit combo: jump once to avoid the ground shock, then parry the next four slashes in sequence. If he winds up for two jumps, the second jump lands slightly delayed; jump and parry in time to avoid getting hit.

During this phase, keep your damage output modest. Use basic attacks to maintain your style rank and build resources, but save your lumina and gradient charges for later. Lune’s elemental attacks should apply burns early, but avoid building too much AP on Verso’s big combos until you’re confident in the timing. 

Each character’s health will be reset at the start of phase two, so there’s no need to panic if someone drops to 1 HP near the end. For a sense of how precision timing can turn the tide in punishing combat systems, check our Sekiro vs Elden Ring comparison; those lessons carry over here and reinforce why perfect parry timing beats sloppy dodging every time.

One personal tip: learn to listen as well as watch. Simon’s sword has a distinct audio cue just before each slash. When I started anticipating those sounds, I found it easier to parry and maintain my rhythm. Use your jump sparingly and remember that the free‑aim system can target weak points when Simon pauses between attacks. However, never get greedy. Every extra second spent on offense risks triggering a longer combo that can erase your carefully preserved HP.

Survive the Second Phase: Sword Echoes and Break Bars

The second phase introduces Simon’s ghostly sword echoes. These ethereal blades replicate his attacks and need double parries in quick succession. Simon’s six‑hit sword echo attack begins with a double spin; parry twice quickly, wait half a beat, then parry the next two hits, and finish with two final deflections. In the twelve‑hit combo, resist the urge to mash parry. There is a recognizable rhythm: three quick hits, a short pause, four mid‑speed hits, another pause, and a final flurry. Memorizing this pattern lets you break his posture and open windows to attack.

Managing lumina and break bars is critical in this phase. Equip the “Second Chance” lumina on each character; it revives them once when their HP drops to zero, giving you a last chance to recover if you mistime a dodge or parry. “Cheater” lets characters act twice in one turn, which is invaluable for applying buffs and stacking gradient charges. 

When Simon drops everyone to 1 HP with his Chroma Gathering move, do not heal immediately. Healing is locked until the effect ends, so focus on defending and parrying until your HP bar is freed. When you see his break bar nearly full, orchestrate a big burst: stun him and have Verso or Monoco land free‑aim shots that trigger break quickly.

Avoid using shield‑granting services or pictos in this phase. Simon drains shields at the start of his turn, which not only heals him but also wastes your resources. Instead, prioritize buffs that increase attack or reduce action point costs. 

If you love difficult content and want more examples of games that test your patience, our list of the hardest video games will resonate; Simon would fit right in with these brutal challenges.

By the end of phase two, aim to have all characters alive with their “Second Chance” cooldowns ready. The ideal is to finish Simon off in phase three with your closing team, but you still need your opening trio healthy enough to transition smoothly. Don’t rush; survival and break management are more important than shaving seconds off the timer.

Deliver the Final Blow: Virtuose Stance and Gradient Finish

Phase three is where battles are won or lost. Simon now uses the feared “Attack at Light Speed,” a move that hits all active characters simultaneously and often cannot be seen. This is why “Second Chance” is essential. Let it trigger rather than manually healing beforehand; the lumina will automatically bring your characters back with a small chunk of health, allowing you to continue the fight. 

Simon also introduces an erasure attack that temporarily removes a character from the battlefield. When that happens, shift your focus to surviving with the remaining two members instead of wasting time trying to revive them – it won’t work until the removal effect ends.

At this point, swap to your reserve team: Maelle in Virtuose stance and Sciel. Maelle’s Virtuose stance doubles her damage when entering battle with the Medalum weapon equipped. Use Sciel to apply status effects like Burn and Mark with Gobluso to set up your finishing move. 

Stack three gradient charges on Maelle by using critical hits and the “Charge sur critique” lumina. Sciel’s “Intervention” skill allows Maelle to act immediately after him, creating a one‑two punch that Simon can’t recover from. When Simon’s break bar is near full and he is marked, unleash Maelle’s Gradient Attack or Stendhal combo. A well‑timed assault can drop Simon from thirty percent HP to zero in one flurry of slash and light.

Don’t be greedy. If Simon is not stunned, continue to parry and build gradient charges. It can be tempting to go all‑in when you see his health bar drop, but an interrupted gradient or missed parry will reset your momentum and possibly wipe your team. I failed multiple times by rushing this stage, but when I held back until everything aligned – break bar full, mark applied, gradient charges ready – Maelle’s attack ended the fight in seconds. 

Remember to keep a close eye on your AP. Some skills like Stendhal require multiple turns to execute, and getting hit will cancel them. Use Sciel’s buffs to ensure Maelle can act immediately and avoid giving Simon a free turn. Focus on timing rather than raw speed; clarity and control will win the day.

Best Team Composition and Additional Tricks

While the build above is widely recommended, there are alternative setups that can help you beat Simon depending on your playstyle. Lune can be swapped for Verso if you prefer more immediate damage output, but I find Lune’s ability to slow the enemy to be invaluable. 

Equipping the “Surpuissance prolongée” lumina extends the duration of your damage buffs, which gives you more time to work toward the break. “Affinité Inversée” and “Canon de verre” can further amplify your attack, but be prepared to live at 1 HP as they trade defense for offense.

Consider your characters’ weapons. Verso’s Chevalam weapon starts the fight at S‑Rank style and boosts every hit. However, you cannot heal while it is equipped, so maintain perfect parries or risk a wipe. Monoco’s Hexga Crush and Glaise Earthquake apply Defenseless and Powerful; combining these with Verso’s Marking Shot makes sure every slash deals maximum damage. Sciel’s Braise inflicts Burn and can be rotated with Fortune Enragée to keep your damage per second high without wasting AP.

You might wonder about the “sos power” lumina. It is a panic button that fully restores HP and AP when a character falls below a threshold. I tested it, and it saved my team once when Simon chained two surprise combos. It is situational but worth considering if you struggle with phase two survivability. When using it, call it early cause waiting until the last possible moment risks losing a character before the lumina activates. Another trick is to manually defend for a turn; this reduces incoming damage and can let your gradient bar fill slowly.

Finally, do not ignore your relationships. Raising each character’s bond unlocks new skills and improves the synergy of your party. Completing Esquie’s questline isn’t just a narrative point; it’s required to access the Abyss. Similarly, other characters’ side quests unlock unique skills that make the battle more manageable. 

Keeping track of these side activities is part of the content that makes Clair Obscur Expedition 33 such a memorable game. If you enjoy deep tactical planning, check out our guide to the best turn‑based strategy games; it covers titles that reward careful thought just like this fight.

In my own journey, I failed dozens of times. Each run taught me something new – when to jump, when to pause, which attack to prioritize. The fight tests every skill the game has taught you. It may feel unfair, but with practice and the right setup, Simon becomes a puzzle you can solve rather than an impossible wall.

Final Thoughts and Why This Battle Matters

Beating Simon symbolizes mastering every mechanic Clair Obscur Expedition 33 has to offer. It requires you to command your party like a conductor, with each note perfectly timed. As you watch that final cutscene and collect the Simoso weapon, you realize you’ve overcome the game’s most demanding challenge. That satisfaction is why we play these kinds of games.

If you haven’t yet experienced Clair Obscur’s sweeping narrative and innovative combat, consider grabbing the game through our store. Our offers on the game key let you join the expedition at a great price, and once you’re in, these strategies will guide you through the hardest boss. Take the plunge, face Simon, and paint your own path through Lumière grab your Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 game key.

FAQs

How do you unlock the Simon boss in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33?

To unlock the Simon boss in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, you must raise Esquie’s relationship level to six and obtain the underwater swim ability. This allows you to reach Renoir’s Drafts and dive into the Abyss where Simon waits, so complete Esquie’s side quests before attempting the fight.

What level should you be to fight Simon in Expedition 33?

You should be around level 90 or higher to fight Simon in Expedition 33. While lower levels are technically possible, higher levels give you better stats, more skill options, and fully upgraded weapons, which collectively increase survivability and damage output during the multi‑phase battle.

How many phases does the Simon boss fight have?

The Simon boss fight has three phases. The first phase teaches you his basic attack patterns, the second introduces ghostly sword echoes and double parries, and the third phase adds unpredictable all‑party attacks and requires a coordinated finish with your reserve team.

Can you parry Simon’s attacks in Expedition 33?

Yes, you can parry Simon’s attacks in Expedition 33, and doing so is essential to victory. Each parry builds your break bar, reduces incoming damage, and opens windows for counter‑attacks, so practicing the timing of each combo is more important than relying on dodging.

What is the best team composition to defeat Simon in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33?

The best team composition to defeat Simon in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 uses Lune, Monoco, and Verso for the first half and Maelle and Sciel for the final burst. This setup balances burn and slow effects, buffs, and high‑damage gradient attacks, giving you a strong opening and a devastating finish.