Uncover Profound Insights in Disco Elysium's Enigmatic Thought Cabinet

Disco Elysium: The Final Cut is a captivating and critically acclaimed game renowned for its immersive world and complex characters. Players are encouraged to thoroughly explore Revachol, uncovering hidden details and interacting with a diverse cast. A key element of the game is the Thought Cabinet, where players encounter and internalize various Thoughts, each influencing the protagonist's mindset and affecting gameplay. While many Thoughts offer a double-edged sword of benefits and drawbacks, some stand out as particularly advantageous. This list highlights some of the best Thoughts in Disco Elysium, objectively superior for various reasons.

Updated December 23, 2024: Disco Elysium's masterful writing and intricate mystery make it a standout RPG. Exploring Revachol and managing the protagonist's Thoughts are crucial for success. Unlocking specific Thoughts enhances the detective's capabilities, significantly improving skill checks.

14. Ace's Low

Unlock: Shoot the Hanged Man and successfully use Interlacing (5+).

• +2 Empathy with Kim Kitsuragi
• +1 Esprit de Corps

Strengthening the bond with Kim Kitsuragi, a key ally, is vital. Ace's Low boosts this relationship while improving Esprit de Corps, providing early-game advantages.

13. Hardcore Aesthetic

Unlock: Successfully complete the Conceptualization check when questioning Noid about "true life."

• +1 Volition
• +1 Endurance

Permanently increasing core stats like Volition and Endurance significantly improves success rates in skill checks, making this Thought a valuable asset.

12. Searchlight Division

Unlock: Inquire about missing persons with specific characters.

• +2 Perception

Diligent investigation into missing persons unlocks this Thought, rewarding players with a substantial Perception boost, crucial for detective work.

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, provides a valuable Perception bonus, highlighting the game's attention to detail and rewarding thorough exploration.

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

Investigating the church and interacting with Soona unlocks this Thought, simultaneously boosting three valuable skills: Suggestion, Inland Empire, and Rhetoric.

9. Detective Costeau

Unlock: Identify yourself as Detective Costeau (failing a Conceptualization check).

• +1 Savoir Faire
• +1 Esprit de Corps

This humorous Thought, resulting from a failed skill check, strengthens the bond with Kim and boosts Savoir Faire and Esprit de Corps.

8. Jamais Vu

Unlock: Speak to Lena and Joyce.

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

Jamais Vu rewards exploration with consistent XP gains and increases INT skill caps, encouraging thorough investigation and skill development.

7. Bringing Of The Law (Law-Jaw)

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

• Hand/Eye Coordination learning cap 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, offsetting the minor Rhetoric penalty.

6. Kingdom Of Conscience

Unlock: Wear the Interisolary Trousers or acquire 4 Moralism points.

• Moralist dialogue options heal +1 Morale
• Volition learning cap raised to 5
• Logic learning cap raised to 5

This Thought, aligning with the Moralist path, offers Morale healing 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 Reál for Ultraliberal dialogue choices, offsetting the Empathy penalty.

4. Mazovian Socio-Economics

Unlock: Earn 4 Communism points.

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

This Thought, favoring a communist perspective, offers significant XP gains for left-wing dialogue choices, despite minor penalties to Visual Calculus and Authority.

3. 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, provides Morale healing and substantial XP gains for successful Conceptualization passives, outweighing the Hand/Eye Coordination penalty.

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
• Pain Threshold learning cap increased to 6

This Thought transforms failed skill checks into opportunities for healing, mitigating the risk of failure and boosting Pain Threshold.

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 Reál gains, making it a highly valuable asset despite the Suggestion penalty.