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 intricate environment, uncovering hidden treasures and engaging in unexpected situations.
Throughout their journey, players encounter various Thoughts, internal mental states that significantly impact the protagonist's actions and interactions. These Thoughts can be adopted or discarded, shaping the character's personality and influencing the game's narrative. While many Thoughts offer a double-edged sword of advantages and disadvantages, some stand out as particularly beneficial. This list highlights some of the best Thoughts in Disco Elysium, objectively superior for various reasons.
Updated December 23, 2024: Disco Elysium remains a compelling and thought-provoking RPG, celebrated for its exceptional writing and engaging murder mystery storyline. Exploring Revachol, the game's richly detailed setting, is a rewarding experience, with the amnesiac protagonist acquiring numerous Thoughts that enhance his abilities and influence the gameplay. Unlocking these key Thoughts is crucial for maximizing the detective's competence and success in crucial skill checks.
- 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 companion, is advantageous. Ace's Low enhances this relationship while boosting Esprit de Corps, providing early-game benefits.
- Hardcore Aesthetic
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, while requiring a successful Conceptualization check, provides valuable stat boosts.
- Searchlight Division
Unlock: Speak to certain characters about missing people.
- +2 Perception
Diligent investigation into missing persons cases rewards players with Searchlight Division, a Thought that enhances Perception, a crucial skill for detective work.
- 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, provides a significant Perception boost, aiding in successful skill checks.
- 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 and interacting with Soona unlocks this Thought, boosting three valuable skills simultaneously.
- Detective Costeau
Unlock: Call yourself Detective Costeau.
- +1 Savoir Faire
- +1 Esprit de Corps
This humorous Thought, unlocked by embracing a specific persona, enhances Savoir Faire and Esprit de Corps, showcasing the game's unique writing style.
- Jamais Vu
Unlock: Speak to Lena and Joyce.
- +1 XP for every orb clicked
- All INT Learning Caps raised by 1
Jamais Vu rewards exploration with bonus XP and increased skill caps, seamlessly integrating gameplay and narrative.
- 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, ideal for players embracing an authoritative police persona, significantly enhances Hand/Eye Coordination while incurring a minor penalty to Rhetoric.
- 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, offers morale regeneration and increased skill caps for Volition and Logic.
- 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 in-game currency for each Ultraliberal dialogue choice.
- Mazovian Socio-Economics
Unlock: Earn 4 Communism points.
- Left-wing dialogue options give +4 XP
- -1 Visual Calculus
- -1 Authority
This Thought, appealing to players with communist leanings, provides significant XP bonuses for selecting pro-working-class dialogue options.
- Actual Art Degree
Unlock: Agree to become an Art Cop.
- -1 Hand/Eye Coordination
- Conceptualization passives heal +1 Morale & +10 XP
This Thought, linked to the Art Cop archetype, offers morale regeneration and substantial XP gains for successful Conceptualization passives.
- 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 unsuccessful skill checks.
- 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 enhances Encyclopedia passives, providing consistent XP and in-game currency gains.
