Disco Elysium: Gameplay Mechanics that Will Excite Fans

Disco Elysium: The Final Cut is a captivating and critically acclaimed game known for its intricate world and compelling characters. Players are encouraged to thoroughly explore this rich environment, uncovering hidden details and unique interactions, from discovering power armor to stumbling upon an unintentional Attack on Titan cosplay.

As players delve into the game's world and their character's psyche, they encounter various Thoughts, which 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 double-edged benefits, some stand out as objectively advantageous. This list highlights some of the best Thoughts in Disco Elysium, categorized for clarity.

Updated December 23, 2024: Disco Elysium's immersive world and exceptional writing create a memorable experience. The overarching murder mystery, coupled with the amnesiac protagonist's journey of self-discovery, keeps players engaged for hours. Acquiring specific Thoughts enhances the detective's capabilities, significantly improving success rates in skill checks.

Top Thoughts in Disco Elysium

Here are some of the most beneficial Thoughts, along with their unlocking methods:

1. Wompty-Dompty Dom Centre:

   • Unlock: Learn about the Wompty-Dompty Dom Centre from Trant Heidelstam.
   • Benefits: +10 XP and 2 Reál for each successful Encyclopedia passive. -2 Suggestion. Provides consistent financial and experience gains.

   

2. Rigorous Self-Critique:

   • Unlock: Agree to become a "Sorry Cop" during dialogue.
   • Benefits: INT & PSY red check failures heal +1 Morale; FYS & MOT red check failures heal +1 Health. Increased Pain Threshold learning cap to 6. Turns failures into opportunities for recovery.

   

3. Actual Art Degree:

   • Unlock: Agree to become an "Art Cop".
   • Benefits: -1 Hand/Eye Coordination. Successful Conceptualization passives heal +1 Morale and grant +10 XP. Offers significant XP and Morale boosts through passive gameplay.

   

4. Mazovian Socio-Economics:

   • Unlock: Earn 4 Communism points through dialogue choices.
   • Benefits: +4 XP for left-wing dialogue options. -1 Visual Calculus, -1 Authority. Provides substantial XP gains, offsetting minor skill penalties.

   

5. Indirect Modes of Taxation:

   • Unlock: Wear the Brown Derbies trousers or acquire 4 Ultraliberal points.
   • Benefits: +1 Reál for Ultraliberal dialogue options. -1 Empathy. Provides a steady income stream through dialogue choices.

   

6. Kingdom of Conscience:

   • Unlock: Wear the Interisolary trousers or acquire 4 Moralism points.
   • Benefits: Moralist dialogue options heal +1 Morale. Increased Volition and Logic learning caps to 5. Offers Morale regeneration and skill boosts.

   

7. Bringing of the Law (Law-Jaw):

   • Unlock: Repeatedly identify yourself as "The Law," "Lawbringer," or a policeman.
   • Benefits: Hand/Eye Coordination learning cap raised to 6. Automatically succeed all Hand/Eye Coordination passives. -1 Rhetoric. Provides significant advantages in Hand/Eye Coordination checks.

   

8. Jamais Vu:

   • Unlock: Speak to Lena and Joyce.
   • Benefits: +1 XP for every orb clicked. All INT learning caps raised by 1. Rewards exploration and enhances skill development.

   

9. Detective Costeau:

   • Unlock: Call yourself "Detective Costeau" after failing a Conceptualization check.
   • Benefits: +1 Savoir Faire, +1 Esprit de Corps. Improves social skills and camaraderie with Kim Kitsuragi.

   

10. Cleaning Out the Rooms:

    • Unlock: Pass a Logic check with Soona after investigating the Void of Sound.
    • Benefits: +1 Suggestion, +1 Inland Empire, +1 Rhetoric. Boosts crucial skills simultaneously.

    

11. Apricot Chewing Gum Scented One:

    • Unlock: Smell the card in the damaged ledger's hidden compartment and the apricot chewing gum wrapper.
    • Benefits: +2 Perception. Enhances investigative abilities.

    

12. Searchlight Division:

    • Unlock: Speak to specific characters about missing people.
    • Benefits: +2 Perception. Improves investigative skills.

    

13. Hardcore Aesthetic:

    • Unlock: Ask Noid what true life is and pass the Conceptualization check.
    • Benefits: +1 Volition, +1 Endurance. Increases key character stats.

    

14. Ace's Low:

    • Unlock: Shoot the Hanged Man and slap it with Interlacing at 5 or greater.
    • Benefits: +2 Empathy for Kim Kitsuragi, +1 Esprit de Corps. Strengthens the relationship with a key character.

    

These Thoughts offer significant advantages, impacting various aspects of gameplay, from skill checks and resource management to character relationships. Choosing and strategically utilizing these Thoughts enhances the overall Disco Elysium experience.