Sinister Cave is an optional location on the Continent in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, where you’ll move through a dark cave and fight the Chromatic Chalier boss. Read this guide on where to find Sinister Cave in Expedition 33, what rewards you get inside, and how to beat the boss.
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Sinister Cave Location
- How to Complete Sinister Cave in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Left Path – Elerim Weapon Location
- Right Path – Boss, Weapon, and Music Record Location
- How to Defeat Chromatic Chalier
- Center Platform – Corderon Weapon Location
- Nocturne Pour Lumière Music Record Location
- Sinister Cave Completion Checklist
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Sinister Cave Location
Sinister Cave sits on a small island far east of Sirene, separated from the mainland by open water. You won’t be able to reach it until Act 2, after you have completed Old Lumière and unlocked Esquie’s ability to swim through corals.
Once the ability is active, swim northeast from Sirene toward the edge of the Continent. The island is easy to spot—sparse terrain, red trees, and very little else going on, with Sinister Cave the only landmark there. Although you can visit the dungeon earlier, it’s not a low-level area. For a clean run, party Level 50 or higher is recommended, especially to defeat the Chromatic Chalier.
How to Complete Sinister Cave in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
The cave opens with an Expedition Flag right at the entrance. Save here because there are no other rest points inside. From the entrance tunnel, you’ll notice two things immediately:
- The cave is almost completely unlit
- There’s no background music
Your party automatically uses lanterns, so visibility is limited but manageable. As shown in the above image, Sinister Cave is a central chamber with two main paths branching left and right, and an upper middle section that can only be reached via drops and grapples. Despite the atmosphere, there are no random enemies. Everything here is deliberate.
Left Path – Elerim Weapon Location
From the main entrance, take the left fork. Follow the narrow trail upward until you reach a glowing, petrified figure slumped against the rock wall. Directly in front of it, you can pick up Elerim, an Earth-element weapon for Lune. There’s nothing else hidden along this route. Once you grab Elerim, continue forward and loop back toward the main area of the cave.
Right Path – Boss, Weapon, and Music Record Location
Head back to the fork and take the right path. This side of the cave has almost everything else: the boss, the weapons, and the music record. As you move forward, you’ll pass a lantern on a sloped path. Ignore the higher rock ledge with the nearby grapple point and stay on ground level. Continue towards the cave terminus until the path opens into a larger arena where you’ll encounter the Chromatic Chalier.
How to Defeat Chromatic Chalier
The Chromatic Chalier is the only enemy in Sinister Cave and the main reason this area is level-gated. The fight starts with the boss already under Berserk, which increases its attack power by 5% every turn. The longer the fight drags on, the more deadly its melee combos become.
- Weakness: Light
- Resistance: Dark
Light weapons and skills are great for this combat. Verso is recommended thanks to his Light-based kit, while Sciel is a weak choice unless you’ve built her around non-Dark damage.
Boss Fight Strategy
The Chalier relies on long, physical combo strings with varied timing. You must understand when to parry and when to dodge, especially on its wide, party-hitting swipe attacks. Throughout the fight, land counterattacks, building Break as fast as possible, and beat the boss early before Berserk stacks spiral. Once Broken, the Chalier is vulnerable and easy to finish off with burst damage.
Defeating the Chromatic Chalier gives you these rewards:
- Chalium (Light weapon for Maelle)
- 2× Resplendent Chroma Catalyst
- 5× Colour of Lumina
With the boss down, you can explore the rest of the cave.
Center Platform – Corderon Weapon Location
At the rock ledge, use the grapple points to climb. From the first grapple, turn around and grapple again across the gap. Follow the ledge until you reach a dead end with a drop-off overlooking the cave’s center.
Drop down carefully to land on a small platform with a Gestral Merchant standing beside a lantern. There is Corderon, a Dark-element weapon for Sciel, in front of the body. Corderon inflicts Curse on its wielder, and the merchant didn’t survive long after picking it up. Take the weapon and climb back up, or drop down beside it and follow the cave to get to the grapple place.
Nocturne Pour Lumière Music Record Location
Remember the glowing item you saw on a ledge near the main entrance? Here’s how you can reach it. From the upper grapple path, continue forward instead of dropping down the cliff. Follow north to find a small hole in the ground and drop through it, which will lead onto the previously unreachable ledge. Here you’ll find the Nocturne Pour Lumière music record. Once collected, it can be played later at campsites using the phonograph.
Sinister Cave Completion Checklist
Once you walk away from the cave after 100% completion, you should have collected these items:
- Elerim (Lune weapon)
- Chalium (Maelle weapon)
- Corderon (Sciel weapon)
- Nocturne Pour Lumière Music Record
- Resplendent Chroma Catalysts
- Colour of Lumina
There are no hidden journals, NPC quests, or alternate exits. Once everything is obtained, the cave has nothing left to offer.
