Summary

  • Paint Spikes in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 are blue root formations that often block the paths to secret locations or valuable rewards.
  • Players can only destroy Paint Spikes with the Paint Break ability, unlocked through finding 4 Lost Gestrals and speaking to Sastro..
  • After unlocking Paint Break, doing a simple melee attack will be able to destroy Paint Spikes.

Can’t take the path forward with some annoying blue spikes blocking your way? These mysterious blue rock formations are Paint Spikes in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. And you’re not alone, as many players struggle to figure out how to deal with it during their early gameplay. Fortunately, destroying them is relatively simple once you know what to do.

What Are Paint Spikes?

Paint Spikes appear as large rocky formations with distinctive blue veins wrapped around them. You’ll encounter these obstacles throughout the game world. They’re both on the main map and within specific zones like the Stone Wave Cliffs or Flying Waters. 

These annoying blue structures will often block cave and dungeon entrances. Sometimes, they’re placed between tall rocks, giving you no entry to any area behind them. They serve as intentional barriers, either preventing players from accessing later areas or hiding treasures and secrets.

Requirements to Break Paint Spikes

To start destroying Paint Spikes in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, you need to learn the Paint Break ability from Sastro. This is tied to a quest line that requires you to find Lost Gestrals. which are little NPCs hidden in various locations throughout the game.

You can check out where to find all Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Lost Gestrals, detailing their locations and how to get there.

  • Find at least 4 out of 9 Lost Gestrals scattered across the world map
  • Return to your Camp and speak with Sastro

Sastro gives you rewards based on how many Lost Gestrals you’ve found, regardless of the order. Collecting all nine of them will also give you the “Lost Gestrals” achievement. However, just four is enough to unlock the ability to destroy Paint Spikes.

Where to Find Sastro

  • After collecting at least four Lost Gestrals, head back to your Camp.
  • Look for the cave to the left of the tree. Inside this cave, you’ll find Sastro.
  • Talk to Sastro, who will thank you for your efforts in rescuing his “kids”.
  • As a token of appreciation, Sastro will permanently teach you the Paint Break ability.
    • Sastro will also give you three Gestral haircuts for Lune, Sciel, and Maelle.

How to Destroy Paint Spikes

Once you’ve unlocked Paint Break, Paint Spikes in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will be a piece of cake. Any time you encounter them again, you just have to:

  • Approach the Paint Spike
  • Use your standard melee attack
  • Watch as the blue roots shatter and clear the path

You don’t have to time it perfectly or use any technique. Simply doing a melee attack will do the job every time. Now, exploring is easier, and it just feels great to break barriers to get to some wonders that await. Whether those are treasures or a brand new area.

Conclusion

In the early game, look for the Lost Gestrals that may be close to areas in the main story. Find them as soon as you can to unlock Paint Break faster. With this ability, you won’t get much of a headache when seeing blue rock obstacles anymore. You’ll be crushing these Paint Spikes in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 with only basic attacks, making exploration feel like a breeze!