Last updated: 3 July 2026

How to Beat Simon in Expedition 33

Simon is widely regarded as the toughest fight in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 — an optional Act 3 superboss that tests every defensive skill the game has taught you. He hits like a truck, has three phases, and punishes mistakes with instant kills. This guide covers where to find him and how to beat him. It contains late-game spoilers.

01Spoiler Warning & Finding Simon

This guide spoils a hidden Act 3 superboss and its reward — turn back if you want to find it yourself.

Simon is an optional secret boss, not a main-story fight. He is hidden in the late-game region of the canvas, reached by exploring a concealed path rather than along the critical route. Make sure you are deep into Act 3, with a fully developed party, before seeking him out — he is balanced as an endgame challenge well beyond the main final boss.

02Why Simon Is So Hard

Simon is a different level of difficulty from the rest of the game:

• Three phases, each with new and faster attack patterns.
• An enormous health pool that demands sustained, efficient damage over a long fight.
• Many attacks instant-kill if you fail to parry or dodge them — there is little margin for error.
• Defense is mandatory, not optional — you cannot simply out-heal his damage, so you must read and answer his attacks cleanly.

03Preparation Before the Fight

Do not attempt Simon underprepared — the fight rewards a fully optimised party:

1. Reach a high level and finish your characters' core builds before challenging him.
2. Equip your best Pictos and Luminas — prioritise survivability, AP generation, and crit damage.
3. Bring your strongest weapons and make sure attribute investment matches their scaling.
4. Stock healing and revival items and any consumables that mitigate big hits.
5. Practise your parry timing on lesser bosses first — Simon punishes sloppy defense instantly.

04Fight Strategy

Winning is about flawless defense and steady, efficient damage:

• Prioritise survival over greed — take guaranteed safe damage rather than risking an instant-kill attack.
• Learn each phase's tells — his attacks are consistent, so deaths early on are how you learn the patterns.
• Parry to build AP, then spend it on your highest-damage skills during safe windows.
• Use a strong single-target carry (a built Maelle or S-Rank Verso) to chew through his health pool.
• Keep your healer alive — losing your sustain mid-fight against his health pool usually ends the run.
• Stay patient across all three phases — a clean, slow win beats an aggressive death every time.

Beating Simon rewards Simoso, one of the strongest weapons in the game — a fitting prize for clearing the toughest fight.