Disco Elysium: Best Thoughts

Disco Elysium: The Final Cut, a critically acclaimed RPG, captivates players with its unique world and compelling narrative. Exploration is key, revealing everything from advanced weaponry to unexpected costume choices.

Throughout the game, players encounter "Thoughts," internal monologues that influence the protagonist's actions and perceptions. These Thoughts, adoptable or discardable, shape the character's mindset, impacting outcomes positively and negatively. While many Thoughts offer a double-edged sword, some stand out as particularly beneficial.

Updated December 23, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: Disco Elysium's immersive world and exceptional writing enhance every interaction. The murder mystery unfolds satisfyingly, encouraging players to spend hours exploring Revachol and unlocking numerous Thoughts that boost the protagonist's capabilities. These Thoughts are crucial for maximizing skill checks.

Here are some of the best Thoughts 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 advantageous. Ace's Low enhances this relationship while boosting Esprit de Corps. It's an early-game boon.

13. Hardcore Aesthetic

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

• +1 Volition
• +1 Endurance

Permanently increasing core stats significantly improves success rates in skill checks. Unlocking this Thought requires interacting with Noid and successfully completing a Conceptualization check.

12. Searchlight Division

Unlock: Inquire about missing people with specific characters.

• +2 Perception

Investigating missing persons is a core detective task. Diligent questioning unlocks this Thought, providing a substantial Perception boost.

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, rewards players with a Perception bonus, aiding in skill checks.

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

Exploring the church and interacting with Soona unlocks this Thought, boosting three valuable skills simultaneously.

9. Detective Costeau

Unlock: Call yourself Detective Costeau.

• +1 Savoir Faire
• +1 Esprit de Corps

This humorous Thought, unlocked by a failed Conceptualization check, strengthens the player's relationship with Kim Kitsuragi while improving 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.

This Thought rewards exploration with XP and increases skill caps, encouraging thorough investigation.

7. Bringing Of The Law (Law-Jaw)

Unlock: Repeatedly identify yourself as "The Law," "Lawbringer," and a policeman.

• 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 role, significantly enhances Hand/Eye Coordination while incurring 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, offers Morale regeneration and boosts Volition and Logic skill caps.

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 in-game currency for Ultraliberal dialogue choices.

4. 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, offers significant XP gains for pro-working-class dialogue choices.

3. Actual Art Degree

Unlock: Agree to become an Art Cop.

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

This Thought, linked to the Art Cop archetype, provides Morale regeneration and XP for successful Conceptualization passives.

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 converts failed skill checks into Health and Morale regeneration, proving invaluable for resource management.

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 enhances Encyclopedia passives, providing consistent XP and currency gains.

These Thoughts, strategically utilized, can significantly enhance the player's experience in Disco Elysium: The Final Cut.