Best Simoso Build in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Skills & Strategy Guide
Why the Simoso Build Matters
After spending way too many late nights labbing Verso in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the build that completely changed the game for me was Simoso Verso. Once I understood how Simoso converts all of Verso’s damage to Light, applies Burn, and makes him effectively unkillable at Rank A+, it stopped being “a cool weapon” and turned into a full-on endgame strategy.
This guide breaks down exactly how to build around Simoso, from a simple starter setup to the billion-damage endgame configurations enabled by the GOTY DLC Pictos (currently available on PS5). I’ll walk through stats, skills, Pictos, team comps, and precise turn sequencing so you can actually reproduce those crazy damage screenshots instead of just watching them.
Difficulty: Medium to Hard (perfect dodges + tight sequencing) Time to get comfortable: 1-2 hours of practice after you have the weapon Goal: Reliable high-DPS Verso, scaling up to billion-damage bursts with the right setup
Weapon Fundamentals: How Simoso Actually Works
Core Mechanics
Simoso is a unique weapon for Verso obtained by defeating Simon in The Abyss. It isn’t just a stat stick – it completely reshapes how Verso plays. These are the key points you need to build around:
Fixed Power Ceiling: Simoso drops at level 33 and cannot be upgraded. Its final Power rating is 8476 when Verso is at 99 Vitality / 99 Agility.
Scaling Stats: Simoso scales with Vitality and Agility, not just raw attack. Pushing these two is where your damage comes from.
Near-Immortality: If Verso is Rank A or higher, he cannot die while using Simoso. This is huge – it lets you play insanely aggressively in endgame fights.
Double Hit Logic: Simoso effectively “duplicates” damage by adding a second instance of Light damage on top of Verso’s base hit, which is why it feels like your numbers suddenly explode compared to other weapons.
Once I stopped treating Simoso like a normal damage weapon and started treating it like a tool to enable reckless, hyper-aggressive play, my builds got much better very quickly.
Damage Conversion & Burn Synergy
The other half of the story is how Simoso interacts with damage types and status:
All Verso skills become Light-type damage. Even abilities that weren’t Light before are converted.
Light damage applies Burn. That means almost everything Verso does becomes a Burn-stacking machine.
Maelle synergy: The extra Burn stacks make Maelle’s Burning Canvas absurdly strong, especially in longer fights.
The breakthrough for me was realizing: Simoso isn’t just “more damage for Verso” – it’s “more damage for your entire team,” especially Maelle. If you build around Burn and marks correctly, your whole comp scales up.
Beginner-Friendly Simoso Build: Foundation Setup
If you’ve just picked up Simoso and you’re not ready to dive into billion-damage rotations yet, start here. This setup focuses on staying alive, learning the rhythm of marks and Gradient Gauge, and getting comfortable with perfect dodges.
Stat Priority (Early Game)
Don’t overthink the early spread. Focus on a simple, forgiving allocation:
Agility (Primary): Your most important stat. More Agility = more turns and faster actions = more marks, more Gradient Gauge, more Burn. Early on, just pump this.
Vitality (Secondary): Keeps you alive and directly scales Simoso’s damage. Aim to keep this reasonably close behind Agility.
Luck (Tertiary): Nice for crits during burst windows, but not essential yet. Put spare points here once Agility and Vitality feel solid.
Rule of thumb for beginners: Roughly 60% of your level-up points into Agility, 30% into Vitality, 10% into Luck until you understand your comfort zone.
Core Skills to Use
At this stage, you’re not trying to do fancy chains. You’re trying to build good habits:
Free Aim Shot – Your main tool for:
Applying marks
Generating AP efficiently
Setting up later bursts
Normal Attack – Unexciting but essential:
Charges your Gradient Gauge
Turns stains/marks into real damage when timed well
Dodge / Perfect Dodge – This is where early practice pays off:
Perfect dodges give you Empowering Dodge stacks
These stacks significantly amplify your next hits
Starter Pictos
For a basic Simoso build, you want Pictos that make mark application and gauge building smoother without demanding tight conditions:
Mark-focused Pictos: Anything that:
Increases mark application chance
Extends mark duration
Gradient Gauge chargers:
Flat gauge gain per hit or per turn
Gauge gain on certain actions like Normal Attacks
Basic damage amplifiers:
Conditional boosts like “more damage at full HP” or “more damage to marked targets”
Basic Turn Loop (Beginner)
Here’s a simple loop using the Step → Action → Result format you can follow while learning:
Step → Apply Marks → Set up future damage Use Free Aim Shot to place marks on priority targets.
Step → Build Gauge → Prep your burst Mix in Normal Attacks to charge the Gradient Gauge towards level 3.
Step → Practice Dodges → Stack Empowering Dodge Focus on timing perfect dodges so you start building those damage-boosting stacks.
Step → Cash Out → See the payoff When the Gradient Gauge is high and targets are marked, use your strongest skills/attacks to convert those marks into big damage.
You’ll know this foundation is working when fights start feeling “rhythmic”: mark → gauge → dodge → burst, instead of random button-pressing.
Intermediate Build: Mark-Stacking Verso
Once you’re comfortable with Simoso’s basics, it’s time to lean into what makes Verso really scale: mark stacking + action economy. This is the build where fights start evaporating when things go right.
Optimized Stat Allocation for Midgame
Here’s a stat spread that’s worked consistently well for me as a midgame baseline:
Agility – ~60% of your points
More actions means more marks and more chances to perfect dodge.
Vitality – ~25% of your points
Enough bulk that you don’t crumble in tougher content while still feeding Simoso’s scaling.
Luck – ~15% of your points
Adds crit consistency for your burst windows without overshadowing Agility.
Because Simoso prevents death at Rank A+, you can afford to skew more offensive than you would on a typical build.
Skill Priorities & Rotation (Intermediate)
Free Aim Shot (maxed if possible)
Goal: highest possible mark application rate
Use it frequently to keep marks rolling on key targets
Normal Attack (enhanced)
Still your main tool for Gradient Gauge charge
Use it right before major bursts to top off the gauge
Empowering Dodge
At this stage, you should be chasing perfect dodges proactively
Every stack is effectively “free” damage later
Mark Conversion Skills
Anything that converts stains/marks into direct damage scales harder now
These are your finishers once you’ve stacked marks and filled the gauge
Intermediate Pictos Configuration
Here’s where Pictos start to reshape your damage curve.
Roulette Picto
Introduces high-variance bursts: either about 50% damage or a massive 200% spike.
Great if you like gambling for big numbers; you’ll feel the difference immediately in your level 3 bursts.
Mark Status Retention Pictos
Extend mark duration or make them decay slower.
Critical for making sure marks don’t drop off before your burst turn.
Gradient Gauge Accelerators
Reduce the number of actions needed to hit Gradient Gauge level 3.
The faster you hit level 3, the more often you can “try” for big bursts.
Dodge Amplifiers
Increase the value or duration of Empowering Dodge stacks.
Reward you for consistent perfect dodges with real, visible damage boosts.
At this stage, a “good” burst window should already be chunking bosses for huge portions of their HP bar, even without perfect execution.
Advanced Endgame Build: Billion-Damage Verso
This is where Simoso goes from “strong” to “absurd.” The GOTY DLC added new Pictos that, when combined with Simoso, perfect dodges, and the right teammates, push Verso into the billion-damage territory. These setups are currently available in the GOTY DLC on PS5.
Endgame Stat Allocation
For serious endgame content and billion-damage attempts, I recommend this balance:
Agility – ~50%
Still your main stat: you need lots of actions to keep marks, Burns, and gauge cycling.
Vitality – ~30%
Leverages Simoso’s scaling while giving you enough effective HP for extended boss phases.
Luck – ~20%
At this level, more crit consistency makes your big bursts reliably huge instead of occasionally huge.
With this spread at high levels, you’re aiming to eventually hit that 8476 Power rating from 99 Vitality and 99 Agility.
Endgame Skill Mastery Goals
Free Aim Shot (perfected)
You want near-constant mark uptime on your main target.
Ideally, you’re refreshing marks just before your burst turn.
Perfect Dodge Execution
This is the skill-check of the build.
Maintaining max Empowering Dodge stacks through an entire boss phase is the difference between “good damage” and “why did its HP bar just disappear?”
Mark Conversion Cascade
Chaining skills that convert marks into damage becomes your primary way of cashing out.
You want to hit conversion when marks, gauge, and Empowering Dodge stacks are all high.
Gradient Gauge Level 3 Maintenance
Don’t just spike to level 3 and waste it.
Plan your actions so you enter level 3 exactly when you’re ready to burst, then return to building it again quickly afterward.
Key Endgame Pictos: Roulette vs Licorum Configs
Two major Picto configurations define current high-end Simoso builds:
Roulette Picto (High-Variance Monster)
Deals either 50% or 200% damage.
This Picto is what enabled recorded runs hitting around 2.1 billion damage in a single burst, even without perfect mark usage.
Best when you can get many level 3 bursts in a fight so RNG averages out.
Licorum Configuration (Consistency King)
Used with Pictos / setup that retain mark status indefinitely.
Allows you to stack and hold marks across long windows, then cash out reliably.
Recorded runs with this style have hit around 1.4 billion damage, with much more consistent output than Roulette.
Think of it this way:
Roulette: Peak potential, more RNG, ideal for showcase runs and fast bosses.
Licorum: Lower variance, safer for long fights and learning the rotation.
Step-by-Step Billion-Damage Sequence
Here’s the general combat script I use for serious burst attempts, broken into phases.
Phase 1 – Setup (Turns 1–3)
Step → Establish Marks → Create a damage “bank” Action: Open with Free Aim Shot on your main target, stacking as many marks as possible. Result: Target is “primed” for later mark conversion.
Step → Charge Gauge → Prepare for level 3 Action: Use Normal Attacks and efficient skills to push Gradient Gauge to around 80–90%. Result: You’re one or two actions away from level 3 when you need it.
Step → Refresh Marks → Lock in your burst Action: Reapply or refresh marks with Free Aim Shot right before you expect to hit level 3. Result: Marks won’t expire during your burst, especially if you’re running mark-retention Pictos or Licorum-style setups.
Phase 2 – Burst Window (Turn 4+)
Step → Chain Perfect Dodges → Maximize Empowering Dodge Action: Time dodges carefully as the boss attacks, aiming for perfect timing rather than spamming. Result: You reach maximum Empowering Dodge stacks, massively amplifying your next hits.
Step → Hit Gradient Level 3 → Unlock full burst Action: Use the action that tips your Gradient Gauge into level 3 exactly when marks and dodge stacks are high. Result: You enter your most powerful state at the perfect moment.
Step → Cash Out with Conversions → Deliver the nuke Action: Use your biggest mark-conversion skill(s) on the marked target. Result: Damage stacks multiplicatively from:
Multiple marks
Level 3 Gradient Gauge
Empowering Dodge stacks
Burn stacks
And possibly Roulette’s 200% roll
Step → Reset for Next Burst → Sustain pressure Action: Go back to mark application and gauge building immediately after your big hit(s). Result: You’re ready to attempt another huge burst sooner, smoothing out RNG.
Executed cleanly, this rotation is what enables the currently documented 2.1 billion (Roulette) and 1.4 billion (Licorum-style) damage bursts. Even if you don’t hit those exact numbers, you should see your damage spike into the hundreds of millions once you nail the flow.
Team Composition: Who Makes Simoso Shine
Verso’s Role
With Simoso equipped, Verso becomes your primary DPS and Burn engine. His job is to:
Apply and maintain marks
Continuously apply Burn through Light damage
Hit Gradient Gauge level 3 frequently
Deliver the main burst on coordinated turns
Maelle: Burning Canvas Carry
Maelle is the biggest winner from Simoso Verso:
Simoso converts all Verso’s damage to Light and applies Burn constantly.
Verso’s Corpeso-like Burn stacking can rapidly pile up Burn on enemies.
Maelle’s Burning Canvas then detonates those stacks for enormous damage, while also helping to push Gradient Gauge to level 3.
In practice, your biggest team spikes often come from the Verso + Maelle tag-team, not from Verso alone.
Monoco: Gauge & AP Support
Monoco’s role in high-end Simoso teams is simple but vital:
Provide Gradient Gauge charging during Phase 1.
Use tools like Free Aim Shot AP generation so Verso can keep applying marks without wasting actions.
Help ensure you hit level 3 Gauge on schedule for your planned burst turns.
Lune: Elemental Tricks & Stain Management
Lune rounds out the team by:
Applying helpful elemental statuses and stains.
Converting stains in ways that make Verso’s mark-based bursts even more effective.
Providing utility and control so Verso can focus on damage.
Together, this core of Verso + Maelle + Monoco + Lune covers damage, gauge control, Burn synergy, and mark management – everything Simoso Verso needs to pop off.
Equipment Loadout Summary
Component
Recommendation
Reasoning
Weapon
Simoso
Converts all damage to Light, applies Burn, scales with Vitality & Agility, and grants rank-based invulnerability at Rank A+.
Primary Stat
Agility
Maximizes action economy, mark application, and Gradient Gauge charge.
Secondary Stat
Vitality
Boosts survivability and directly scales Simoso’s Power.
Tertiary Stat
Luck
Improves crit consistency during burst windows.
Primary Picto
Roulette
Enables extremely high-variance spikes with 50% or 200% damage rolls, key for 2B+ damage setups.
Alt Core Config
Licorum
Paired with mark-retention tools for safer, more consistent billion-capable bursts (~1.4B demonstrated).
Secondary Pictos
Mark Retention
Prevents mark expiration before burst windows, crucial for long fights.
Increase level 3 Gauge uptime and burst frequency.
Common Failure Points & How to Fix Them
1. Gradient Gauge Feels Too Slow
Problem: You rarely hit level 3 Gauge, or it takes so long that fights end before you can burst.
Fix:
Equip Gradient Gauge charger Pictos.
Use Normal Attacks more deliberately instead of spamming skills.
Let Monoco shoulder more of the gauge-building during Phase 1.
2. Marks Keep Expiring Before Burst
Problem: You line up your burst and realize your marks have fallen off, gutting your multiplier.
Fix:
Equip mark duration / retention Pictos.
Consider a Licorum-style configuration for indefinite mark retention in long fights.
Shorten the gap between last mark application and burst – refresh marks on the turn just before you go in.
3. Losing Empowering Dodge Stacks
Problem: You keep mistiming dodges, losing your Empowering Dodge stacks right before the big turn.
Fix:
Practice in easier content or on repeatable bosses like Simon in The Abyss.
Equip Pictos that:
Extend the perfect dodge window, or
Reduce the penalty for missing a perfect dodge.
Slow fights down mentally: treat incoming boss patterns as cues for your timing, not as stress.
4. Roulette Low-Rolling at the Worst Time
Problem: You get the 50% Roulette roll on your perfect setup and your damage looks underwhelming.
Fix:
Accept that Roulette is inherently RNG-driven – don’t judge your build on one burst.
Increase your burst frequency (more level 3 windows per fight) so RNG “averages out.”
If the variance is too frustrating, switch to a Licorum-centered configuration for steadier, still massive damage.
Optimization Tips for Advanced Players
Perfect Dodge Mastery
This is the highest skill cap piece of the build and where I personally saw the biggest jump in my damage once it “clicked.”
Practice Target: Repeated runs against predictable bosses (like Simon) until you can chain several perfect dodges in a row.
Focus: Watch animation timing, not health bars or UI. Your eyes should be on the enemy’s attack cues.
Goal: Enter burst turns with max Empowering Dodge stacks as often as possible.
Gradient Gauge Efficiency
Advanced play is about how often you can get a proper burst, not just how big any single burst is.
Coordinate with Monoco so you’re not the only one responsible for gauge charge.
Use “cheap” gauge-building actions when burst isn’t immediately available, saving heavy skills for when you’re at or near level 3.
Try to avoid overcapping – hitting level 3 long before your marks and dodges are ready wastes potential.
Mark Application Sequencing
One of the easiest ways to lose damage is applying marks at the wrong time.
Think of marks as a short-lived investment – apply them when you know you can cash out soon.
On long fights, use long-duration / retention tools so your marks survive through boss mechanics and phase changes.
Right before big bursts, always do a “refresh pass” with Free Aim Shot to ensure marks are full duration.
Burst Frequency & RNG Management
If you’re running Roulette, your real power comes from repeated burst attempts, not a single god-roll.
Optimize around short burst cycles: smaller setup time, more tries.
Don’t hold your burst indefinitely “waiting” for the perfect setup – use good windows, not perfect ones.
Track your own averages: if, over a fight, you’re consistently hitting hundreds of millions or more, your build is working.
TL;DR – Key Steps to a Great Simoso Build
Get Simoso from Simon in The Abyss and rank Verso to A or higher so he becomes effectively unkillable with this weapon.
Prioritize Agility and Vitality, with Luck as a tertiary stat. Aim for an endgame lean of ~50% Agility / 30% Vitality / 20% Luck.
Master Free Aim Shot + Normal Attack as your core loop for mark stacking and Gradient Gauge building.
Practice perfect dodges until you can reliably maintain Empowering Dodge stacks into your burst turns.
Use Roulette Picto for high-variance, record-chasing damage (up to ~2.1B) or a Licorum-style setup with mark retention for steadier billion-capable bursts (~1.4B).
Build your team around Verso + Maelle (Burning Canvas), with Monoco for gauge/AP support and Lune for stains and utility.
Follow the rotation: mark → build gauge → stack Empowering Dodge → hit level 3 → convert marks during max buffs → repeat.
If you stick with it long enough to internalize the timing, Simoso Verso stops feeling like “just another build” and starts feeling like a controlled nuclear weapon – one you can fire on demand with the right marks, gauge, and dodge execution.
