Disco Elysium: Best Thoughts

Disco Elysium: The Final Cut is a captivating and unique game, beloved for its immersive world and compelling narrative. Players are encouraged to explore every nook and cranny of Revachol, uncovering hidden secrets and bizarre encounters, from power armor to unintentional cosplay. As players delve into the game's depths and unravel the mysteries of their amnesiac protagonist, they'll encounter various Thoughts—internal monologues that shape their perspective and actions. These Thoughts can be adopted or discarded, influencing gameplay in both positive and negative ways. While many offer a double-edged sword, some Thoughts undeniably provide significant advantages.

Updated on December 23, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: Disco Elysium is a profoundly engaging RPG, celebrated for its exceptional writing and compelling murder mystery. Exploring Revachol is a richly rewarding experience, and the amnesiac protagonist's journey is punctuated by the acquisition of numerous Thoughts, each offering unique benefits. Unlocking certain Thoughts is crucial for maximizing the detective's competence and success in 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

Kim Kitsuragi is a key companion who becomes an invaluable ally. Improving your relationship with him is vital. Ace's Low is a prime example of a Thought that strengthens this bond, increasing Esprit de Corps while boosting empathy with Kim. Unlocking this early provides significant benefits.

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 is always beneficial. Hardcore Aesthetic achieves this, though unlocking it requires interacting with Noid in the church and passing a Conceptualization check. The boost to Volition and Endurance significantly improves success rates in skill checks.

12. Searchlight Division

How To Unlock: Speak To Certain Characters About Missing People

• +2 Perception

Investigating missing persons is a core aspect of the detective's role. By diligently questioning relevant characters, players unlock Searchlight Division, gaining a substantial boost to Perception without any drawbacks.

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 highlights the game's quirky nature. By focusing on seemingly insignificant details like smells, players unlock a bonus to Perception, further aiding in skill checks.

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 this Thought. The simultaneous boost to Suggestion, Inland Empire, and Rhetoric offers significant advantages across various skill checks.

9. Detective Costeau

How To Unlock: Call Yourself Detective Costeau

• +1 Savoir Faire
• +1 Esprit de Corps

This humorous Thought arises from a failed Conceptualization check. By embracing the persona of Detective Costeau, players increase Savoir Faire and Esprit de Corps, further highlighting the game's unique blend of humor and depth.

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 rewards exploration with continuous XP gains and increased skill caps. This seamlessly integrates gameplay with narrative, encouraging players to thoroughly explore the world.

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 caters to players who adopt a confident, authoritative approach. The significant boost to Hand/Eye Coordination, including automatic success in passives, outweighs the minor penalty to Rhetoric.

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

While committing to the Moralist path, this Thought offers significant benefits. Morale regeneration from dialogue and increased skill caps for Volition and Logic make it a powerful choice.

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 prioritizing wealth, this Thought provides a steady income through Ultraliberal dialogue choices, offsetting the minor reduction in Empathy.

4. Mazovian Socio-Economics

How To Unlock: Earn 4 Communism Points

• Left-Wing Dialogue Options Give +4 XP
• -1 Visual Calculus
• -1 Authority

An alternative to the previous Thought, this rewards players who embrace communist ideals with significant XP gains, despite minor penalties to Visual Calculus and Authority.

3. Actual Art Degree

How To Unlock: Agree To Become An Art Cop

• -1 Hand/Eye Coordination
• Conceptualization Passives Heal +1 Morale & Give +10 XP

This Thought, tied to the Art Cop archetype, provides substantial XP and Morale regeneration for successful Conceptualization passives, outweighing the minor penalty to Hand/Eye Coordination.

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 transforms failures into opportunities for healing, providing a significant advantage in managing Health and Morale, especially when resources are scarce.

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

Similar to Actual Art Degree, this Thought significantly boosts the rewards from Encyclopedia passives, providing a constant stream of XP and Reál, making resource management significantly easier.