Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Guide | How To Unlock The 'Paint Break' Ability To Destroy Paint Spike Rocks

You can't simply attack paint spikes in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. They won't break no matter how hard you hit them. You need a specific ability called Paint Break to destroy them. These spikes often hide shortcuts, Chromas, or even locked paths, so unlocking this ability early is essential for exploration.

How to Unlock the Paint Break Ability

To unlock Paint Break, you need to bring four Lost Gestrals to Sastro, who is located at the camp. He will only appear once you've found your first Lost Gestral. Once you unlock the ability, you'll be able to destroy paint spikes—starting with the one right next to him, which makes a good practice spot.

You'll notice little creatures around Sastro once you've started collecting the Lost Gestrals. Although there are ten in total, you only need to collect four to unlock Paint Break.

How to Find the Lost Gestrals

The Lost Gestrals are very small and can be hard to spot on the world map. You need to get close to one before a marker appears, allowing you to interact with it.

Lost Gestral 1 – Outside Esquie's Nest

Head to Esquie's Nest, which is centrally located. Just outside of it, you'll find the first Lost Gestral near a sun-like structure. It will be right in front of the nest.

Lost Gestral 2 – East of Stone Wave Cliffs

Go to Stone Wave Cliffs—be careful not to confuse it with the cave on the other side. The Lost Gestral is located behind some enemies (if you haven't cleared them). It's in a small niche on the right side. You can confirm the location by checking the map and spotting the corner area it's hiding in.

Lost Gestral 3 – Near White Tree Portal

Once you unlock swimming in Act 2, make your way to the island near the White Tree Portal. Look for the portal and pillar, then check the left side where there are small trees on a rock. The Lost Gestral is hidden in a niche there, close to where some vases are placed.

Lost Gestral 4 – Between Forgotten Battlefield and Monoco's Station

This one is trickier to find. Start at the Forgotten Battlefield, pass through it until you reach the overworld. Head toward Monoco Station but stop before reaching it. Find the merchant named The Strabami, and you'll see two trees in front of him. The Lost Gestral is located right between those two trees.

What To Do After You Have All Four Lost Gestrals

Once you have collected all four, return to the camp and interact with Sastro. He will grant you the Paint Break ability, which finally lets you destroy paint spikes whenever you encounter them.

Also, check our Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review and other guides below:

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