Discover "Disco Elysium": Thought-Provoking Insights

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 this intricate environment, uncovering hidden treasures and experiencing unexpected events, from discovering power armor to stumbling upon an unintentional Attack on Titan cosplay.

As players delve into the game's world and the complexities of their character, they encounter various Thoughts, internal mental states that can be adopted, discarded, and internalized over time. Each Thought influences the protagonist's mindset, impacting gameplay in both positive and negative ways. While many Thoughts offer a double-edged sword of benefits and drawbacks, some stand out as objectively advantageous. This list highlights some of the best Thoughts in Disco Elysium, explaining their benefits and how to unlock them.

Updated December 23, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: Disco Elysium's profound writing and compelling murder mystery make it a standout RPG. Exploring Revachol is an engaging experience, with the amnesiac protagonist acquiring numerous Thoughts that offer significant advantages. Unlocking these Thoughts is crucial for enhancing the detective's capabilities and successfully navigating skill checks.

14. Ace's Low

How to 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 relationship with Kim Kitsuragi, a key character in Disco Elysium, is beneficial. Ace's Low enhances this bond, improving Esprit de Corps and boosting empathy with Kim. This Thought is readily accessible early in the game.

13. Hardcore Aesthetic

How to Unlock: Ask Noid what true life is and pass the Conceptualization check.

• +1 Volition
• +1 Endurance

Permanently increasing core stats significantly improves success rates in skill checks. Unlocking Hardcore Aesthetic requires interacting with Noid in the church and successfully completing a Conceptualization check. The stat boosts from this Thought are invaluable.

12. Searchlight Division

How to Unlock: Speak to certain characters about missing people.

• +2 Perception

Investigating missing persons is a central aspect of the game. Diligent questioning of specific characters unlocks Searchlight Division, providing a substantial boost to Perception.

11. Apricot Chewing Gum Scented One

How to 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

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

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

Exploring the church leads to a conversation with Soona, unlocking Cleaning Out the Rooms. This Thought boosts three crucial skills: Suggestion, Inland Empire, and Rhetoric.

9. Detective Costeau

How to Unlock: Call yourself Detective Costeau.

• +1 Savoir Faire
• +1 Esprit de Corps

This humorous Thought, unlocked by embracing a false identity, increases Savoir Faire and Esprit de Corps.

8. Jamais Vu

How to Unlock: Speak to Lena and Joyce.

• +1 XP for every orb clicked
• All INT learning caps raised by 1

Jamais Vu grants bonus XP for exploration and raises INT skill caps, encouraging thorough investigation.

7. Bringing of the Law (Law-Jaw)

How to 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, for players embracing an authoritative police persona, significantly boosts Hand/Eye Coordination.

6. Kingdom of Conscience

How to 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 aligns with the Moralist path, offering morale regeneration and increased skill caps for Volition and Logic.

5. Indirect Modes of Taxation

How to 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 for Ultraliberal dialogue choices.

4. Mazovian Socio-Economics

How to Unlock: Earn 4 Communism points.

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

This Thought, for players embracing communism, offers significant XP bonuses for left-leaning dialogue.

3. Actual Art Degree

How to 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 morale and XP bonuses for successful Conceptualization passives.

2. Rigorous Self-Critique

How to 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 turns failed skill checks into health and morale recovery, proving invaluable for managing resources.

1. Wompty-Dompty Dom Centre

How to 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 consistent XP and Reál gains.