Top Thinkers Discuss Disco Elysium

Disco Elysium: The Final Cut is a captivating and critically acclaimed game renowned for its unique gameplay and immersive world. Players are encouraged to thoroughly explore the game's rich environment, uncovering hidden treasures and engaging in unexpected scenarios, from discovering power armor to stumbling upon an unintentional Attack on Titan cosplay.

As players delve into the intricacies of Disco Elysium's world and unravel the complexities of their character, they encounter various Thoughts. These Thoughts, which can be adopted, discarded, and internalized over time, significantly impact the player's experience. Each Thought influences the protagonist's mindset, affecting certain aspects positively and others negatively. While many Thoughts offer a double-edged sword, some stand out as objectively beneficial. This list highlights some of the best Thoughts in Disco Elysium, categorized for clarity.

Updated December 23, 2024: Disco Elysium remains a standout RPG, celebrated for its profound narrative and compelling writing. The game's intricate murder mystery unfolds within the captivating city of Revachol, offering hours of immersive gameplay. The amnesiac protagonist's journey is punctuated by the acquisition of numerous Thoughts, each offering unique benefits. Unlocking these powerful Thoughts is crucial for maximizing the detective's competence and success in crucial skill checks.

Here are some of the best Thoughts to unlock in Disco Elysium:

14. Ace's Low:

Unlock: Shoot the Hanged Man and slap it with Interlacing at 5 or greater.

• +2 Empathy for Kim Kitsuragi
• +1 Esprit de Corps

Strengthening the bond with Kim Kitsuragi, a key ally, is crucial. Ace's Low enhances this relationship while boosting Esprit de Corps. This early-game Thought provides significant advantages.

13. Hardcore Aesthetic:

Unlock: Ask Noid about true life and pass the Conceptualization check.

• +1 Volition
• +1 Endurance

Permanently increasing core stats like Volition and Endurance significantly improves success rates in skill checks, making Hardcore Aesthetic a valuable asset. Unlocking it requires a conversation with Noid and a successful Conceptualization check.

12. Searchlight Division:

Unlock: Speak to specific characters about missing people.

• +2 Perception

Diligent investigation into missing persons cases unlocks this Thought, providing a substantial boost to Perception—a vital skill for a detective.

11. Apricot Chewing Gum Scented One:

Unlock: Smell the card in the Damaged Ledger's hidden compartment and the Apricot Chewing Gum Wrapper.

• +2 Perception

This Thought, unlocked through seemingly insignificant actions (smelling a card and a gum wrapper), rewards players with a valuable Perception increase.

10. Cleaning Out The Rooms:

Unlock: Pass a Logic check with Soona after investigating the Void of Sound.

• +1 Suggestion
• +1 Inland Empire
• +1 Rhetoric

Investigating the church's Void of Sound and conversing with Soona unlocks this Thought, boosting three crucial skills: Suggestion, Inland Empire, and Rhetoric.

9. Detective Costeau:

Unlock: Call yourself Detective Costeau.

• +1 Savoir Faire
• +1 Esprit de Corps

This humorous Thought, unlocked by embracing the persona of Detective Costeau, enhances Savoir Faire and Esprit de Corps.

8. Jamais Vu:

Unlock: Speak to Lena and Joyce.

• +1 XP for every orb clicked
• All INT Learning Caps raised by 1

Jamais Vu provides consistent XP rewards for exploration and increases INT skill caps, encouraging thorough investigation.

7. Bringing Of The Law (Law-Jaw):

Unlock: Call yourself The Law, Lawbringer, and a Policeman multiple times.

• Learning Cap for Hand/Eye Coordination raised to 6
• Automatically succeed all Hand/Eye Coordination passives
• -1 Rhetoric

This Thought boosts Hand/Eye Coordination, a crucial skill for investigation, while imposing a minor penalty to Rhetoric.

6. Kingdom Of Conscience:

Unlock: Wear the Interisolary Trousers or acquire 4 Moralism points.

• Moralist dialogue options heal +1 Morale
• Learning Cap for Volition raised to 5
• Learning Cap for Logic raised to 5

This Thought, aligning with the Moralist path, heals Morale with moralistic dialogue choices and increases the learning caps for Volition and Logic.

5. Indirect Modes Of Taxation:

Unlock: Wear the Brown Derbies Trousers or acquire 4 Ultraliberal points.

• Ultraliberal dialogue options give +1 Reál
• -1 Empathy

For players favoring a capitalist approach, this Thought provides additional Reál with Ultraliberal dialogue choices, offset by a minor Empathy reduction.

4. Mazovian Socio-Economics:

Unlock: Earn 4 Communism points.

• Left-wing dialogue options give +4 XP
• -1 Visual Calculus
• -1 Authority

This Thought, favoring a communist perspective, provides significant XP bonuses for left-leaning dialogue choices, balanced by penalties to Visual Calculus and Authority.

3. Actual Art Degree:

Unlock: Agree to become an Art Cop.

• -1 Hand/Eye Coordination
• Conceptualization passives heal +1 Morale & +10 XP

This Thought, tied to the Art Cop archetype, provides significant Morale and XP benefits for successful Conceptualization passives, offset by a minor Hand/Eye Coordination reduction.

2. Rigorous Self-Critique:

Unlock: Agree to become a Sorry Cop.

• INT & PSY red check failures heal +1 Morale
• FYS & MOT red check failures heal +1 Health
• Learning Cap for Pain Threshold increased to 6

This Thought transforms failures into opportunities for healing, mitigating the consequences of failed skill checks.

1. Wompty-Dompty Dom Centre:

Unlock: Learn about the Wompty-Dompty Dom Centre from Trant Heidelstam.

• Encyclopedia passives give +10 XP & 2 Reál
• -2 Suggestion

This Thought significantly boosts the rewards from Encyclopedia passives, providing substantial XP and Reál gains, balanced by a minor Suggestion reduction. This ensures consistent financial and experience gains.