Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s Game-Breaking Maelle Build Gets Nerfed

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the critically acclaimed RPG, is about to receive a significant update targeting one of its most overpowered character builds. Developer Sandfall Interactive has announced plans to nerf the Maelle build centered around the Stendhal skill, which allows players to deal billions of damage in a single hit. This change is coming soon to Steam and other platforms, aiming to bring the build more in line with other strategies.

The decision to nerf the Stendhal build stems from its overwhelming strength. According to Sandfall Interactive, the skill was initially underwhelming during development but received a substantial boost before release. "It was underwhelming for most of development, so in our final pre-release balance pass, we gave it a big damage boost—and clearly overdid it. It ended up overshadowing most other options," the developers explained. While the team wants players to be able to 'break the game', they felt that Stendhal made it too easy, especially considering the endgame content.

The Maelle build in question involved stacking buffs on the Stendhal skill, enabling players to deal damage ranging from 20 million to 3 billion in a single attack. This made even the hardest boss encounters trivial, with some players one-shotting enemies with health bars in the range of 50 million or even higher.

While some players might be disappointed by the nerf, Sandfall Interactive assures that Stendhal will still be a viable skill after the update. "After the change, it’ll still be a strong single-hit skill with great synergy potential... just more in line with everything else." The goal is to maintain the fun of the game while preventing a single build from overshadowing all other options. Players will still be able to find creative ways to deal tons of damage.

The update is scheduled to roll out to Steam first, with other platforms following soon after. Sandfall Interactive's proactive approach to game balance aims to ensure a more diverse and challenging experience for all players. This nerf to Maelle comes as the game continues to be one of the big hits of 2025.

This move highlights the challenge developers face in maintaining balance in complex RPGs. How do you feel about this decision? Do you think it's justified, or should players be able to enjoy overpowered builds in single-player games? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Sandfall Interactive
• Stendhal