Key Takeaway
Disco Elysium tasks players with balancing 24 unique skills, all of which determine how the main character interacts with the world. These are separated into four distinct categories: Intellect, Psyche, Physique, and Motorics.
Each time you level up, you can choose to assign another point to the skill of your choice. In order to successfully complete certain actions, you’ll need to have enough points in the relevant skill.
The 24 Skills in Disco Elysium are:
- Logic
- Encyclopedia
- Rhetoric
- Drama
- Conceptualization
- Visual Calculus
- Volition
- Inland Empire
- Empathy
- Authority
- Espirit De Corps
- Suggestion
- Endurance
- Pain Threshold
- Physical Instrument
- Electrochemistry
- Shivers
- Half Light
- Hand/Eye Coordination
- Perception
- Reaction Speed
- Savoir Faire
- Interfacing
- Composure
There are no right or wrong skills to prioritize, and the game can be beaten with any build. However, prioritizing certain skills will trigger more unique dialogue, make your character more dynamic, and flesh out Disco Elysium‘s world and characters more thoroughly. These include:
- Shivers
- Encyclopedia
- Inland Empire
- Espirit de Corps
- Drama
- Electrochemistry
Rather than leveling up to become more powerful in the traditional sense, Disco Elysium requires players to instead balance 24 unique skills. This mechanic allows you to influence Harry’s abilities and thoughts as he attempts to solve the mystery of the Hanged Man and recall his own troubled past.
Table Of Contents
About Skills in Disco Elysium
Inspired by pen-and-paper RPGs, players are tasked with deciding which skills they would like Harry to excel in as he explores Martinaise. The 24 skills are separated into four distinct categories: Intellect, Psyche, Physique, and Motorics.
Each time you level up, you can choose to assign another point to the skill of your choice. In order to successfully complete certain actions, you’ll need to have enough points in the relevant skill. While some skills are more useful than others in terms of the game’s main story, there is no right or wrong way to build your character. You’ll find that focusing on different skills during each playthrough can drastically change how you interact with Disco Elysium‘s characters and world.
There are also ways to boost skills temporarily, which can be helpful when you need to pass a certain check but have neglected the related skill. Drinking alcohol will boost Physique skills, while doing Speed will boost Motorics skills. Smoking a quick cigarette will boost Intellect skills for a short time. If you want to broaden your mind, taking some Pyrholidon will boost your Psyche skills. Unfortunately, these substances can also damage your health, so partake responsibly.
Internalizing certain Thoughts in the Thought Cabinet can also boost some of your skills.
Additionally, your skills can be influenced by the clothing you decide to wear. Some articles of clothing will boost particular skills but may reduce the effectiveness of others. It’s important to check your drip before heading into any difficult skill check.
Choosing Your Starting Build
Disco Elysium is wildly open-ended and there’s no wrong way to build your character. Upon starting a new game, you will be provided with three pre-built archetypes, as well as the option to build your own by placing 12 starting points into the four skill categories: Intellect, Psyche, Physique, and Motorics.
Selecting one of the provided archetypes is the quickest way to get started. The Thinker build will make you extremely intelligent, but will cripple you socially. The Sensitive build will put your character’s mental stability in jeopardy, but some players may enjoy the chaos and overall strangeness of this path. If you want to be a blunt instrument, the Physical build will make it possible to get through blocked paths and difficult situations by strength alone, though you won’t be very smart.
Again, there is no wrong way to build your character at the start. If you want to begin as a blank slate, try divvying up your 12 points equally among all four skill categories. As you progress, you’ll be able to boost the skills you find most interesting or useful as you explore Martinaise.
If there is a particular group of skills you’d like to boost, however, it’s possible to put as many as six points into one of the four categories, giving you genius-level abilities in the area of your choice.
You’ll also need to pick your Signature skill, which will gain an additional level and will raise the learning cap for each skill in its corresponding class. If this is your first time, choose something that seems interesting to you! This is one game with plenty of replayability and multiple paths to discover, so don’t worry about doing and seeing everything during your first playthrough.
Intellect Skills
Each of the six Intellect skills determines how smart you are. As you strengthen each one, you’ll be able to make more sense of the world around you and use your reasoning to solve problems more efficiently.
Logic
One of the more easy-to-understand skills in the game, Logic helps you to analyze the world around you successfully. Boosting your Logic enables you to piece evidence together more easily and find inconsistencies in people’s statements, making you a more capable detective. Once at a high enough level, you’ll be able to solve even the trickiest puzzles with relative ease. However, you’ll also become more concerned because of your incredible skills, making you much more susceptible to flattery.
If your Logic skill is low, however, you’ll find yourself unable to piece together even the most obvious clues. As you explore the city, you may come across plenty of helpful tidbits for your investigation, but you’ll be unable to piece together what they mean as a whole.
Internalizing the Date of Birth Generator or Kingdom of Conscience Thoughts will raise the learning cap for Logic.
The following pieces of clothing will boost your Logic skill.
| Clothing | Effect(s) | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| FALN "Pipo" Pipo | +2 Logic -1 Perception | North-east of the execution wall, in the southwestern-most area of the boardwalk in a container |
| Samaran Conical Hat | +1 Logic -1 Suggestion | In the Smoker on the Balcony's apartment |
| Flip-up Glasses "The Auditor" | +1 Logic -1 Authority | Across from the back door entrance to the Capeside apartments, in the closet |
| Korojev Jacket | +1 Logic | In a box in the Coastal Shack in the Fishing Village on the coast |
| Interisolary Dress Shirt | +1 Logic | In a drawer in Gary's apartment (the door Evrart asks you to open behind the Whirling-in-Rags) |
Encyclopedia
If you want your character to know plenty of interesting (and often lengthy) pieces of trivia, putting points into your Encyclopedia skill makes that happen. As you travel around Martinaise, you’ll often be given additional background information or knowledge that may or may not help you to solve the case. Players not looking for paragraph after paragraph of lore may not want to level up this skill too much—at high levels, the information you’re given can be quite overwhelming. You’ll be given the history of certain cigarette brands, street names, species of cockatoo, rock music icons, and everything in between.
Without any points in Encyclopedia, however, you’ll struggle to piece clues together without any amount of background knowledge. It’s wise to give it a fair bit of attention during the early portions of the game.
Internalizing the Lonesome Long Way Home Thought in the Thought Cabinet will give a +1 boost to your Encyclopedia skill.
Additionally, these items of clothing will give your Encyclopedia skill a helpful boost.
| Clothing | Effect(s) | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| Mega-Bino's Prescription Lenses | +2 Encyclopedia -1 Perception | In a container on the boardwalk, north of the Filthy Jacket |
| Dick Mullen's Hat | +1 Encyclopedia | Convince Plaisance at the bookshop to let Annette come inside after deducing something about her, then speak to Annette |
Rhetoric
The Rhetoric skill influences your ability to hold an intellectual debate and handle political discourse. In many conversations through Disco Elysium, you’ll be able to state your blunt opinion and trigger lengthy discussions with most NPCs. Rhetoric allows you to do everything from finding holes in explanations to scrutinizing someone’s words to discover what’s being left unsaid. If the politics in the game are interesting to you, this is a helpful skill to have. However, heeding it too much can make enemies out of those who could have been potential allies, so tread carefully.
The Suicide of Kras Mazov and Cleaning Out the Rooms in the Thought Cabinet can give your Rhetoric a boost. Additionally, the Advanced Race Theory Thought can raise this skill’s learning cap.
Give your Rhetoric some extra power by equipping these items of clothing.
| Clothing | Effect(s) | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| Medal "The Setting Sun" | +1 Rhetoric | Pass René Arnoux's Composure check and a red Drama check, then accept the medal |
| White Polo Shirt | +1 Rhetoric -1 Empathy | In a container near Land's End to the left of the locked Bunker |
Drama
To become a better liar and improve your storytelling and musical prowess, you’ll need to level up your Drama skill. This is also useful for seeing through other actors and calling out their lies in a flash—if someone is hiding something from you, you’ll know immediately. You’ll also be able to bluff your way through certain obstacles, whether those be in combat or simply more difficult conversations. While it can be a fun skill to focus on, boosting your Drama too much will make your personality too over-the-top for most. Whether you’re lost in paranoia or hysterics, you’ll have trouble focusing on the mission at hand.
Conversely, not leveling your Drama enough will make it impossible for you to tell if someone’s lying. This, as you can imagine, is not a great thing when you’re investigating a murder.
Become even more of a drama king by dressing up in these flashy items.
| Clothing | Effect(s) | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| Bow Knot | +2 Drama | Inside an empty shack to the southeast of the Fishing Village |
| Insane Mesh Tank Top | +1 Drama | In a drawer in the basement of the Doomed Commercial Area near the exit |
| Leather Jacket Pissf****t | +1 Drama -1 Authority | Pass a Legendary Half Light check when talking to the Skulls next to Kim's kineema on Day 4 |
| Party Dragon's Silk Robe | +1 Drama +1 Electrochemistry | In the Smoker on the Balcony's apartment |
Conceptualization
While there are plenty of blunt clues to be found as you search for the culprit in a horrific murder case, the Conceptualization skill helps you to see things more creatively. As you level up this skill, you’ll be more able to make unique associations and see things from new perspectives while delving into more bizarre concepts. You’ll also become more artistic, often whipping out witty one-liners and poems on the fly. This can help you to think outside the box, but at high levels, it can make you incredibly pretentious.
If you fail to level your Conceptualization, however, you’ll lack any creativity and can miss helpful hints as you explore. You’ll also be well on your way to becoming a Boring Cop.
Prioritizing the Advanced Race Theory Thought in the Thought Cabinet will reward you with +1 Conceptualization.
These items of clothing will further help you to conceptualize the world around you.
| Clothing | Effect(s) | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| Saramirizian Lounge Jacket | +1 Conceptualization | In the Communist student's apartment at the Capeside apartments |
| White Satin Shirt | +1 Conceptualization -1 Suggestion | In Harry's room at the Whirling-in-Rags |
Visual Calculus
Seeing the big picture is great, but sometimes, the devil is in the details. Visual Calculus houses your understanding of mathematics, physics, and motion, and this skill can even allow you to construct virtual crime-scene models in your head in the manner of Conner from Detroit: Become Human. For example, when looking at a bullethole, you’ll be able to determine its trajectory with almost superhuman precision. This is one of the best skills in the game, as it can help you discover even the smallest secrets of the game’s world. It can also help you to survive more intense combat situations.
Focusing on small details can be helpful, but it can trigger unwanted and invasive thoughts. Not leveling Visual Calculus at all will leave you unable to reconstruct crime scenes, making your job much more difficult.
To raise the Visual Calculus learning cap, internalize the Some kind of Superstar Thought in the Thought Cabinet.
Become more critically observant by donning these clothing items.
| Clothing | Effect(s) | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| Neat Office Shades | +1 Visual Calculus -1 Drama | In the bathroom of the office leading into the harbor |
| RCM Commander's Jacket | +1 Espirit de Corps +1 Visual Calculus | In Harry's motor carriage outside of the Fishing Village |
Psyche Skills
Your Psyche skills measure your emotional intelligence and sensitivity. Sharpening these six skills will determine how much influence you have over yourself and others.
Volition
Volition is a vital skill in Disco Elysium, allowing you to keep your cool in stressful situations and stopping you from falling apart at the seams as you strive to remember your past. This skill serves as your moral compass, inspiring you to do the right thing, both for those around you and for yourself. At higher levels, it keeps you from giving in to the temptation of a drink, a bump, a cigarette, or a bullet in the brain. Most importantly, it boosts your Morale, which is one of the game’s two ‘health’ pools—if you lose all of your Morale, it’s game over.
You’ll have no chance of losing your mind with high levels of Volition, but boosting this skill will also make you a bit of a buzzkill. Without it, however, you’ll be incredibly unstable and prone to making risky decisions. It’s up to you whether you’d like to experiment with Harry’s mental health or not.
The Caustic Echo Thought in the Thought Cabinet will give your Volition a temporary boost. For permanent boosts, internalize the Hardcore Aesthetic and Magnesium-Based Lifeform Thoughts, and to raise the learning cap, focus on Kingdom of Conscience.
These items of clothing are worth putting on if you think your Volition will need some extra oomph.
| Clothing | Effect(s) | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| Eight-Eyed Teratorn Tie | +1 Inland Empire +1 Volition | After convincing Lena's husband to come back from the coast, speak to her to get the tie as a gift |
| Fairweather T-500 Cuirass | +1 Pain Threshold +1 Volition -1 Empathy | After finding the Yellow-Man Mug in the trash, ask Gary about it at the Whirling-in-Rags, then ask about the armor and pass the Composure check |
Inland Empire
If you want to truly experience the creative and disconcerting depths of Disco Elysium, Inland Empire is one of the best skills in the game. This skill represents your imagination and inspires you to trust your gut when in unpredictable situations. When speaking to NPCs or exploring new areas, Inland Empire will often speak up to warn of unseen danger or to push you towards deeper discovery. At higher levels, it even lets you communicate with inanimate objects, including your clothing.
As fun as it may seem to chat with a piece of cloth or a dead body, boosting Inland Empire too much can put Harry under additional stress. Without putting any points into this strange skill, you’ll lack imagination entirely, making your character exceedingly dull and uninspired.
Your Inland Empire skill can be boosted by internalizing the Cleaning Out the Rooms and Motorway South thoughts in the Thought Cabinet. To raise the learning cap, focus on the Cop of the Apocalypse Thought.
The following items of clothing will increase your Inland Empire skill while equipped.
| Clothing | Effect(s) | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| Eight-Eyed Teratorn Tie | +1 Inland Empire +1 Volition | After convincing Lena's husband to come back from the coast, speak to her to get the tie as a gift |
| Horrific Necktie | +1 Inland Empire | In Harry's room at the Whirling-in-Rags |
| Sunglasses Sub-Insulindic Rendezvous | +1 Inland Empire -1 Perception | Look through the box of glasses at Siileng's shop and pass an active Conceptualization check |
Empathy
Putting points into the Empathy skill allows you to understand those around you and catch social cues that you may otherwise miss. You’ll be able to sense when more is going on behind the scenes, which can greatly aid in the murder investigation. Becoming a good judge of character is an incredibly useful skill for a detective to have, and many of the game’s characters are hiding something just beneath the surface. Putting yourself in someone else’s shoes can also help you to learn more about your own emotions.
Allocating too many points to Empathy will make you too attuned to other people’s issues, and you’ll begin feeling their pain as if it were your own. Given that you start the game with a fragile state of mind, this can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back if you’re not careful.
In the Thought Cabinet, internalize the Inexplicable Feminist Agenda Thought to permanently boost your Empthy skill.
Find and wear these pieces of clothing to become a more empathetic individual.
| Clothing | Effect(s) | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| Army Surplus Winter Scarf | +2 Empathy -1 Composure | On the islet, inside the Sea Fortress on the bunker wall |
| Jamrock Biker-Cop Sunnies | +1 Empathy -1 Logic | Next to the raised bridge on the other side of the water lock |
| Mesque Banger's Red Brogues | +1 Empathy | In the southeast corner of the Church |
| Pinball Maker's Coat | +1 Empathy +1 Hand/Eye Coordination | Inside a drawer in the old pinball workshop in the Whirling-in-Rags |
Authority
If you’re a seasoned detective, you’ll probably want to act like one. Authority inspires you to assert dominance over others and to take control when placed into difficult situations. This aggressive inner voice will remind you of the importance of your reputation as a cop, and heeding it will remind you of how you should be perceived. By combining this skill with Drama and Rhetoric, you’ll become able to gain the respect of almost anyone in the game. Authority also warns you when you’re about to push a perp too far.
Self-confidence is important, and not placing enough emphasis on the Authority skill will cause you to utterly break down when your dominance is questioned. For example, if you attempt to fight Measurehead at the harbor and lose, you may also lose your will to live.
To raise the learning cap for your Authority skill, internalize the Overproductive Honour Glands skill in the Thought Cabinet.
Boss people around more effectively by wearing these items of clothing.
| Clothing | Effect(s) | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| Fairweather T-500 Greaves | +2 Authority -1 Composure | Complete the autopsy of the body behind the Whirling-in-Rags and part with Kim without sending the body to processing, then steal the boots and clean them in the hostel's kitchen |
| RCM Lieutenant's Cap | +1 Authority | After disarming The Pigs on the boardwalk, search her |
Espirit de Corps
Being a cop isn’t just a job—it’s in your blood. Espirit de Corps, a phrase imported into the English lexicon from French, is defined as “the common spirit existing in the members of a group and inspiring enthusiasm, devotion, and strong regard for the honor of the group.” Prioritizing this skill allows you to more deeply understand your fellow policemen, most notably your partner, Kim. At higher levels, you’ll find more pride in your chosen profession, and will willingly take a bullet for your partner while on the job.
Without this skill, you’ll find it difficult to pick up on subtle clues from Kim and will fail to understand discreet hints given by your colleagues during high-stakes situations. In truth, the Espirit de Corps skill may very well save your life during later portions of the game.
Become the detective you always knew you could be by equipping these items.
| Clothing | Effect(s) | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| Disco-Ass Blazer | +1 Espirit de Corps | In Harry's room at the Whirling-in-Rags |
| RCM Commander's Jacket | +1 Espirit de Corps +1 Visual Calculus | In Harry's motor carriage outside of the Fishing Village |
| RCM Patrol Cloak | +1 Espirit de Corps +1 Shivers | Hanging on the railing outside of the western exit of the harbor |
Suggestion
In some respects the opposite of Authority, Suggestion allows you to influence people by taking a far less blunt approach. At high levels, this skill allows you to subtly plant ideas in other people’s heads and gain the upper hand by using your undeniable charm alone. If someone gets in your way, having high Suggestion will let you move forward with ease by means of tactful conversation. Everyone in Martinaise will be smitten with you, and that appeal can be useful—but it can also make you feel a little scummy.
Without Suggestion, you’ll find it hard to form relationships with the people you meet, and that solitude can have an adverse impact on your mental health. It can also make it tough to solve the case at hand.
To raise the learning cap for Suggestion, internalize the Some kind of Superstar Thought in the Thought Cabinet. Additionally, the Cleaning Out the Rooms Thought will permanently boost the skill by +1. If you choose to internalize Finger Pistols (9mm), you will gain Suggestion +1 as long as you have empty hand slots.
Show off your persuasion skills more astutely by putting on the following pieces of clothing.
| Clothing | Effect(s) | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| Interisolary Suit Jacket | +1 Suggestion | In a container in the basement of the Feld Building |
| Signal-Blue Naval Coat | +1 Suggestion -1 Half Light | In a locked trash container below Cindy the Skull in the northwest section of town |
Physique Skills
The six Physique skills influence how strong your character is physically, as well as how attuned you are to the world around you. It also impacts how well your body is built—including your insides.
Endurance
While your Volition skill determines your Morale, Endurance determines your Health. If you run out of Health during your run, Harry will have a heart attack, and one too many of those will put you in the ground for good. Being a cop isn’t the safest profession, and having high Endurance allows you to take a bullet or two without losing your life. If you’re not on the straight and narrow, boosting your Health also makes it possible to do plenty of drugs without giving in to their more harmful effects.
If you don’t place enough focus on your Endurance skill, you may struggle to stay alive during your stint in Martinaise. The best offense is a good defense, and if you don’t want to end up seeing one of the 12 Game Over screens, you’ll want to prioritize your physical well-being.
The Hardcore Aesthetic Thought in the Thought Cabinet will give you +1 Endurance. Internalizing the Volumetric Shit Compressor Thought will also raise the learning cap for this skill.
Toughen yourself up by donning the following item.
| Clothing | Effect(s) | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| FRITTTE Plastic Rain Coat | +1 Endurance | Purchase at FRITTTE for 4 réal or steal by passing a Savoir Faire check |
Pain Threshold
At high levels, the Pain Threshold skill allows you to ignore physical and emotional damage as you continue fighting the good fight. Unfortunately, it can also turn on itself, easing you into more self-destructive behavior. As useful as this skill can be, it’s vital that you keep it in check before it becomes dangerous. Negating damage can be a boon during many of the game’s quests, but a life without pain is a double-edged sword.
If you neglect your Pain Threshold skill, things like a paper cut or a slap to the face will utterly demolish you. If you don’t want to suffer at every turn, place at least a few points into this Physique skill when you get the chance.
To gain +1 Pain Threshold, internalize Anti-Object Task Force and Guillaume le Million in the Thought Cabinet. If you want to raise the learning cap, focus on the Rigorous Self-Critique Thought.
Before running into anything potentially painful, wear the following items to help manage the agony a little better.
| Clothing | Effect(s) | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| FALN "Faln" Windbreaker | +1 Half Light +1 Pain Threshold -1 Drama | Bring the Filthy Jacket from the boardwalk to the Washerwoman in the Fishing Village and ask her to wash it |
| Fairweather T-500 Cuirass | +1 Pain Threshold +1 Volition -1 Empathy | After finding the Yellow-Man Mug in the trash, ask Gary about it at the Whirling-in-Rags, then ask about the armor and pass the Composure check |
| Mesque Banger's Silk Scarf | +1 Pain Threshold | Inside the Church |
Physical Instrument
Focusing on the Physical Instrument skill will transform you into a mean, lean, butt-kicking machine. This skill boosts your physical strength and teaches you how to use your muscles effectively, enabling you to bring down the bad guys with 360-degree spin-kicks and knock-out punches. This can be especially useful during the earlier portion of the game, as boosting Physical Instrument enough enables you to take down Measurehead, the hulking barbarian blocking the entrance to the harbor.
Maximizing your Physical Instrument skill will make it easier to break down doors and rough up criminals, but not prioritizing this skill makes it much harder to arrest people and more difficult to maintain stamina during demanding moments.
The Coach Physical Instrument Thought will boost the skill by +2 if your character’s shirt slot is empty.
Boost your strength by equipping these sturdy items.
| Clothing | Effect(s) | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| FALN "Modular" Track Pants | +1 Savoir Faire +1 Physical Instrument | Talk to Cuno about the clothing found in the trash and agree to buy the pants from him (Must be on his good side) |
| T-Shirt "Man From Hjelmdall" | +1 Physical Instrument +1 Shivers -2 Authority | At the Pawn Shop next to the street light. Can be purchased for 2 réal or gained for free by following the dialogue options appropriately |
| White Tank Top | +1 Physical Instrument | In a crate in the back of a truck south of the horseback monument in town |
Electrochemistry
Easily one of the most dangerous skills in Disco Elysium, Electrochemistry represents the hedonistic part of you that wants to indulge and party all night long. Having points in this skill lets you do more drugs with fewer negative side effects, and also boosts your knowledge of all things chemical. If you allocate too much of your experience to Electrochemistry, you’ll become a sex-crazed alcoholic with enough Speed running through your system to kill a bear.
While giving too much free reign to the Electrochemistry skill can be dangerous, neglecting it entirely makes it much more difficult to understand the seedy world around you and makes Harry’s tolerance far too weak for his line of work.
To raise your Electrochemistry learning cap, internalize the Some kind of Superstar Thought in the Thought Cabinet.
Become an even bigger party animal by wearing the following clothing items.
| Clothing | Effect(s) | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| Fingerless Gloves | +1 Electrochemistry | In the trash near the Pawn Shop |
| Flare-cut Trousers | +1 Electrochemistry -1 Savoir Faire | In Harry's room at the Whirling-in-Rags |
| Party Dragon's Silk Robe | +1 Drama +1 Electrochemistry | In the Smoker on the Balcony's apartment |
| Pour L'Homme Labourer Jeans | +1 Electrochemistry -1 Reaction Speed | Found in the coal room next to Cindy the Skull at the Capeside apartments |
| Shades of Self-Destruction | +1 Electrochemistry -1 Logic | Inspect the glasses box at Siileng's shop and try the shades on |
Shivers
The Shivers skill is required if you want to experience all that Disco Elysium has to offer. When the hair stands up on the back of your neck or you feel a peculiar chill out of nowhere, that’s Shivers in action. While boosting this supra-natural skill might make you seem mad to those around you, it allows you to hear the city itself and predict and avoid dangerous stimuli. If you can’t hear the city, it makes it difficult to know which actions to take to save it from total destruction.
With low Shivers, you’ll miss out on many unique pieces of dialogue throughout Harry’s adventure. This is the best skill for players gravitating towards the stranger side of things.
WarningThe Bow Collector Thought in the Thought Cabinet will give you a permanent +3 boost to your Shivers skill, which can greatly help you towards the end of the game. To raise your Shivers learning cap, internalize the Cop of the Apocalypse or Hobocop Thoughts.
Sense the world around you like never before by equipping the following pieces of clothing.
| Clothing | Effect(s) | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| Polar Anorak | +1 Composure +1 Shivers | When a Shivers orb appears on the coast while it's snowing, ask for a secret, then search the concrete pipe under the Feld Building |
| RCM Patrol Cloak | +1 Espirit de Corps +1 Shivers | Hanging on the railing outside of the western exit of the harbor |
| Scented Scarf | +1 Shivers -2 Physical Instrument | In a container by the radio tower at Land's End |
| T-Shirt "Man From Hjelmdall" | +1 Physical Instrument +1 Shivers -2 Authority | At the Pawn Shop next to the street light. Can be purchased for 2 réal or gained for free by following the dialogue options appropriately |
Half Light
Harry’s fight-or-flight response is dictated by his Half Light skill. This allows you to feel when a situation is about to take a turn for the worse and will urge you to act before it’s too late. It also lets you frighten other people, which is a helpful interrogation tactic. If this skill is at a high enough level, you’ll be able to pick up on bad situations ahead of the jump, but you’ll also be afraid of just about everything. Always ready to pounce, you’ll be in danger of burnout—or worse, you’ll start interrogating innocent people until they break.
Without any Half Light skill, you’ll struggle to survive in your cutthroat line of work. Additionally, your weak-willed methods will leave violent criminals unimpressed.
By equipping the clothing items seen below, you’ll be able to frighten the bad guys with greater ease.
| Clothing | Effect(s) | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| Fairweather T-500 Helmet | +1 Half Light -1 Suggestion | Gained during the endgame on the edge of the island in the Phasmid's nest following the interrogation |
| FALN "Faln" Windbreaker | +1 Half Light +1 Pain Threshold -1 Drama | Bring the Filthy Jacket from the boardwalk to the Washerwoman in the Fishing Village and ask her to wash it |
| FALN "Ultra" Series Gloves | +1 Half Light | In a locked container near Evrart's office in the harbor |
| Itchy Pants | +2 Half Light -1 Composure -1 Savoir Faire | Buy from Siileng for 2 réal after failing a Composure check after searching his wares |
| Leather Jacket "Fuck the World" | +1 Half Light -1 Rhetoric | Pass a Legendary Half Light check when talking to the Skulls next to Kim's kineema on Day 4 |
Motorics
These skills focus on the five senses, and boosting them will impact how agile you are in the field. Increasing their level can also help you to keep your cool while under pressure.
Hand/Eye Coordination
This skill is more self-explanatory than many of the others. As you may have surmised, Hand/Eye Coordination is similar to a Dexterity stat in other games, and boosting it will let you shoot straight and catch flying objects in mid-air. At high levels, this stat can make you incredibly deadly with a firearm, but can also compel you into violence when it isn’t the answer. Regardless, this skill can come in handy during a number of the game’s quests.
With low Hand/Eye Coordination, you’ll struggle to hit the target or will hit the wrong one altogether.
To raise the learning cap for Hand/Eye Coordination, internalize the Bringing of the Law (Law-Jaw) Thought in the Thought Cabinet. Internalizing the Fairweather T-500 Thought will grant you +2 Hand/Eye Coordination against enemies in FT-500 armor.
Before doing anything delicate, see if you have any of these clothing items in your inventory and equip them.
| Clothing | Effect(s) | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| FALN Arrower Shirt | +1 Hand/Eye Coordination | On the railing in the bunker at the Sea Fortress during the endgame |
| FALN "Ultra" Series Sneakers | +1 Reaction Speed +1 Hand/Eye Coordination -1 Encyclopedia | Buy from the box next to Siileng |
| Pinball Maker's Coat | +1 Empathy +1 Hand/Eye Coordination | Inside a drawer in the old pinball workshop in the Whirling-in-Rags |
Perception
Detectives should be able to spot even the most obscure clues, and this is where the Perception skill comes in. Leveling this skill will inspire you to use all of your senses when in the field, potentially discovering things that others can’t perceive. This is one of the best skills on offer, especially if you’re trying to make your way back into the good graces of your precinct. Once Perception is high enough, you might be overwhelmed by all that you find.
Being too perceptive can overwhelm even the most intelligent mind. However, not being perceptive enough makes it difficult to get to the bottom of the many mysteries.
The Searchlight Division and Apricot Chewing Gum Scented One Thoughts will grant you permanent +2 boosts to Perception, while the Col Do Ma Ma Daqua Thought will raise it by +3. To raise the Perception learning cap, internalize the Lonesome Long Way Home Thought in the Thought Cabinet.
Notice more about the world around you with the help of the clothing items seen below.
| Clothing | Effect(s) | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| Amphibian Sports Visor | +1 Perception | In the glasses box next to Siileng after failing a Conception check |
| Franconigerian Cavalry Boots | +1 Perception | In a container next to Lilienne in the Fishing Village |
Reaction Speed
It’s vital for a cop to be quick on the draw. The Reaction Speed skill is instinct incarnate and dictates the agility of both your body and your mind. This lets you avoid injury and also boosts your street smarts, ensuring that you’re never at a loss for words in a battle of wits. Harry will be able to connect the dots more easily, as Reaction Speed works together very closely with your Intellect skills. At high levels, this will make you react before you know it, which can help in a shootout. However, it will also make you high-strung and too alert.
If your Reaction Speed is low, you’re in danger of not evading danger as quickly as you should. You’ll also have trouble constructing decent arguments.
The Finger Pistols (9mm) Thought in the Thought Cabinet will permanently raise your Reaction Speed skill by 1.
Become quicker on the draw by dressing in the following pieces.
| Clothing | Effect(s) | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| FALN "Ultra" Series Sneakers | +1 Reaction Speed +1 Hand/Eye Coordination -1 Encyclopedia | Buy from the box next to Siileng |
| Orange Bum Hat | +1 Reaction Speed -1 Rhetoric | In a container in the alley behind the greenhouse near the Whirling-in-Rags, next to Gary's apartment door |
| Royal Carabineer Pants | +1 Reaction Speed | In Rene's nightwatchman booth in the harbor (Day 5 or later) |
Savoir Faire
The Savoir Faire skill dictates your ‘cool’ factor. Why simply dodge a bullet when you can do an acrobatic flip to avoid certain death? Boosting this skill will let you sneak past people undetected, pickpocket with ease, and dance to any beat. If your Savoir Faire is high enough, you’ll be the coolest guy in all of Revachol. The masses will adore your style and suave demeanor, and plenty of unique conversation options will appear. However, this can also backfire, making you, in the devs’ words, “a bit of a douchebag, to be honest.”
Without any Savoir Faire, you’ll be seen as a washed-up loser, unable to complete even the simplest tasks.
In the Thought Cabinet, the Detective Costeau Thought will give you a +1 boost to Savoir Faire. To raise the learning cap, internalize The Fifteenth Indotribe.
If you want to be the king of all that’s cool, you’ll need to dress appropriately. See if you can find any of the following items and equip them before dashing into danger.
| Clothing | Effect(s) | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| FALN "Modular" Track Pants | +1 Savoir Faire +1 Physical Instrument | Talk to Cuno about the clothing found in the trash and agree to buy the pants from him (Must be on his good side) |
| Oversized Superstar Sunglasses | +1 Savoir Faire -1 Visual Calculus | In the Ruined Boathouse west of the Feld Building |
Interfacing
Your Interfacing skill determines how tech-savvy you are and how effectively you can engage with machinery. At high levels, you’ll be able to repair a wrecked Kineema motor, analyze how a suspect used a pen, pick locks, and re-figure nonfunctional electrical circuits. While these skills make you incredibly handy, they can also isolate you from society, as you’ll become more content surrounded by machines than people.
With a low Interfacing skill, you’ll be unable to understand certain mechanisms that made the game’s murder possible in the first place. This is another skill that is all about proper balance.
For a permanent +2 boost to Interfacing, internalize Torque Dork in the Thought Cabinet. This will also unlock all Interfacing White Checks that are available.
If you want to be as confident as possible, dress the part by equipping the items seen below.
| Clothing | Effect(s) | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| Fairweather T-500 Gauntlets | +2 Interfacing | After investigating the armor, ask Cindy about it, then talk to Little Lily and find the sand castle behind her shack |
| Yellow Gardening Gloves | +1 Interfacing | Talk to the Gardener outside the Whirling-in-Rags and ask for her gloves when the conversation ends (Must have high Interfacing or Inland Empire) or ask before conducting the autopsy |
Composure
A high Composure skill lets you hide your emotions and keep your poker face in even the most stressful situations. This can be useful during countless interactions, as it also allows you to understand complex body language. Composure also refers to your character’s fashion sense—the higher the level, the more sassy your inner voice will be about other people’s clothing choices. If you raise this skill to a high enough level, expressing emotion will become difficult, even when you are alone.
With a low Composure stat, you’ll always be the first one to crack in high-pressure situations, making it nearly impossible to serve as a successful police officer.
To raise the Composure learning cap, internalize the Some kind of Superstar Thought in the Thought Cabinet.
The right outfit can help you to keep your cool under pressure. The following pieces will give your Composure skill a boost.
| Clothing | Effect(s) | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| Dynamic Windbreaker Surf | +1 Composure -1 Shivers | Pass active Composure check after searching the container to the left of Siileng |
| Green Snakeskin Shoes | +1 Composure -1 Savoir Faire | Collect both shoes from Harry's room at the Whirling-in-Rags |
| Polar Anorak | +1 Composure +1 Shivers | When a Shivers orb appears on the coast while it's snowing, ask for a secret, then search the concrete pipe under the Feld Building |
| Regular Black Jeans | +1 Composure | On the laundry line in the De Ruyter apartment in the Capeside apartments |
The skills you prioritize in Disco Elysium can fundamentally alter your playthrough. While a more emotional and mental playthrough highlights the more bizarre aspects of the title’s storytelling and lore, it’s also worth experimenting with a less crazy jaunt through Revechol. In the end, there’s no wrong way to play. No matter what you choose to focus on, you’re in for one wild ride.
