Disco Elysium: A Comprehensive Character Build Guide
Disco Elysium is renowned for its intricate branching paths and player choices. Players step into the shoes of Harry Du Bois, where they allocate skill points across a diverse range of 24 skills, collect clothing that can either enhance or hinder their abilities, and choose unique thoughts to help unravel their character’s mysterious past. Right from the onset, the game presents players with a medley of mechanics and choices that define their journey.
This game uniquely diverges from many traditional RPGs, as it allows for an organic exploration of its systems without intrusive tutorials, letting players learn through genuine experience as the narrative progresses.
This guide serves to illuminate the best ways to mix and match your abilities based on your desired gameplay style, and to clarify how specific skills can shape your overall experience. Whether you find yourself pondering your character’s attributes early on or are well into your adventure, this information is designed to assist you.
Disco Elysium thrives on player experimentation. The build suggestions provided should be viewed as flexible guidelines, empowering you to innovate and adjust as you see fit.
Getting Started
In Disco Elysium, players can explore 24 unique skills organized into four main categories: Intellect, Psyche, Physique, and Motorics. At the beginning of your game, you are faced with three pre-defined character archetypes: Thinker, Sensitive, and Physical, with the option to create a Custom character. Each archetype is accompanied by a brief description that outlines potential strengths and weaknesses to inform your decision-making process. The subsequent sections of this guide will assist you in fine-tuning your build in accordance with the archetype you select.
Archetype: Thinker
Extremely intelligent. Very bad with people. Knows interesting facts, comes up with original ideas.
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Intellect |
Psyche |
Physique |
Motorics |
|
5 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
With a primary focus on Intellect, this archetype excels in developing reasoning and analytical skills, crucial for piecing together complex puzzles, including the central mystery surrounding the hanging man outside the Whirling in Rags hostel. For players looking to delve into investigative work, the Thinker archetype offers an exciting foundation.
Recommended Skills
Investing in Visual Calculus is advantageous, enhancing your investigative skills, even if it occasionally confounds your companion, Kim Kitsuragi.
Additionally, the Thinker archetype grants a starting advantage in Encyclopedia, a skill pivotal for recalling background information and world lore, bringing previously obscured memories to the forefront. It’s wise to allocate skill points to Motorics, ideally in Perception and Composure, to enhance your situational awareness and calmness under pressure.
Enhanced Thoughts
- Investing in the thought Lonesome Long Way Home confers a +1 bonus to Encyclopedia.
- Completing the Wompty-Dompty Dom Centre grant a +10 XP bonus to your Encyclopedia passives.
- Upon finishing Apricot Chewing Gum Scented One, you gain a +2 permanent buff to Perception.
Clothing Choices
Midway through the game, while exploring the boardwalk, players can find the Mega-Bino’s Prescription Lenses. These lenses provide +2 to Encyclopedia but come with a -1 penalty to Perception. Additionally, the Korojev Jacket found in a coastal shack offers a +1 bonus to Logic.
Striking a harmonious balance between your Intellect and Motorics will yield the strongest version of your character while maintaining agility in both thought and action.
Archetype: Sensitive
Very psychological. A magnetic personality, but unstable.(Might begin to lose his mind.)
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Intellect |
Psyche |
Physique |
Motorics |
|
1 |
5 |
4 |
2 |
Focusing on Psyche equips players with the emotional intelligence needed for impactful interactions throughout the narrative. This archetype is particularly engaging for players who are interested in self-reflection while interrogating the deeply woven threads of identity as they navigate through the story.
Initially, the number of checks related to Psyche is fewer than other skill categories, but the passive insights gained during conversations are invaluable in understanding character motivations.
Key Skills
Among the skills, Volition stands out as it increases your morale capacity, allowing you to endure emotional tough moments in the story. Additionally, Inland Empire opens doors to imaginative conversations, enabling Harry to interact with his environment in surprising and narrative-rich ways.
Considering your bonuses in Physique, it’s essential to enhance skills like Endurance and Shivers to ensure robust and impactful playthrough experiences.
Thoughts to Consider
- During early interactions, acquiring the thought Ace’s High / Low can provide lasting benefits of +1 to Empathy.
- The Hardcore Aesthetic thought completion offers lasting bonuses of +1 to both Volition and Endurance.
- Completing Cleaning Out the Rooms rewards players with +1 to Suggestion, Inland Empire, and Rhetoric.
Recommended Clothing
Engaging with the cryptozoologist’s wife, Lena, leads to receiving the Eight-Eyed Teratorn Tie, boosting both Inland Empire and Volition by +1. Additionally, the Army Surplus Winter Scarf, located in the sea fortress, grants +2 to Empathy but imposes a -1 penalty to Composure.
Archetype: Physical
Extremely physical. Interacts with the world through his body. Gets things done, but dumb as a rock.
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Intellect |
Psyche |
Physique |
Motorics |
|
1 |
2 |
5 |
4 |
The Physique aspect of this archetype allows players to conquer obstacles through sheer power. Engaging with various challenges, having a strong physical presence opens up numerous options throughout gameplay.
Should players prefer to take decisive actions over lengthy dialogues, this archetype suits that style perfectly.
Essential Skills
Investing in Endurance significantly improves overall resilience, a vital asset throughout the game. Furthermore, upping your Electrochemistry can lessen the consequences of addictive interactions while fostering connections with affected characters.
Don’t overlook the importance of Motorics. Skills like Interfacing and Reaction Speed can enhance your ability to adapt to situations while maintaining a defensive strategy.
Thoughts for Empowerment
- The thought The Bow Collector provides a +3 bonus to Shivers.
- For those who favor a shirtless approach, completing Coach Physical Instrument provides a +2 bonus to Physical Instrument, provided your shirt slot is empty—which carries a -1 to Encyclopedia.
- Anti-Object Task Force gives +1 Pain Threshold and transforms attacking objects into a healing action, raising all Physique learning caps by 1.
Clothing Recommendations
In the pawn shop, discover the Man From Hjelmdall t-shirt, which boosts Physical Instrument and Shivers by +1, but also incurs a -2 penalty to Authority.
Dive into the fishing village to have the FALN “Faln”Windbreaker washed, offering +1 to Half Light and Pain Threshold at the cost of -1 Drama.
Archetype: Custom
Create your own character.
Opting for the Custom archetype allows you to personalize your character’s abilities with a few guidelines to keep in mind:
- The total available ability points is set at 12.
- Each core ability must have at least one point allocated.
- No single ability can exceed six points.
This opportunity is particularly appealing for returning players who understand how various skills manifest throughout the gameplay. A suggested starting allocation might resemble the following:
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Intellect |
Psyche |
Physique |
Motorics |
|
4 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
Striking a balance with heightened Intellect and Physique can significantly enhance your character’s effectiveness. Skills like Visual Calculus and Physical Instrument become essential as they allow you to quickly navigate challenges and make breakthroughs in the narrative.
By crafting a character tailored to your playstyle, along with the top thoughts and clothing choices, you can become the ultimate Harry Du Bois the game has ever seen.
Exploring Copotypes
Certain choices can alter narrative outcomes, while others provide a spectrum of flexible benefits. There are two notable Copotypes that I recommend pursuing:
- Adopting dialogue options that express concern for apocalyptic scenarios or disdain for the world at large opens pathways to becoming the Cop of the Apocalypse, which enhances your learning capacity for both Inland Empire and Shivers skills, while slightly reducing your Rhetoric by -1.
- Embracing dialogue that highlights your social prowess or disco fame can lead you to become Some Kind of Superstar. This grants a +4 learning cap to Visual Calculus, Suggestion, Electrochemistry, and Composure, offset by a -2 to Logic.
Ultimately, Disco Elysium rewards creativity and experimentation, making each player encounter unique. Embrace the multitude of possibilities without the fear of making missteps, as they are integral to your personal narrative.
Your journey is what makes the experience truly exceptional.
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