Disco Elysium: Thought Cabinet Guide

How exactly does the thought cabinet, and the thoughts within it, work?

As your character learns more about the world of Disco Elysium and himself, he will gain access the various thought – worldviews, ideologies, personality traits, hobbies.

Some of these thoughts affect your character internally, changing your skills / skill caps. Others change the way he interacts with the world, gaining xp, healing, or money for certain actions.

Important to note – none of your thoughts change your dialog options. You don’t have to internalize the in-game version of the communist manifesto in order to gain access to communist dialog.

In order to “equip” one of these thoughts, you have to use a skill point to unlock a slot in your thought cabinet. Once the slot is open, you can choose a thought to “internalize”.

The internalization process will take several hours, depending on how complex the thought is. While the thought is being internalized, it will have an effect on your stats – often an entirely negative one.

As a reminder, time in Disco Elysium only passes when you are examining stuff or talking to people. Walking around doesn’t take up any time.

The thought cabinet has a total of 12 available slots than can be unlocked – once it’s full (or beforehand, if you don’t like the effects of a certain thought) you can use a skill point to erase an internalized thought. You can now internalize a different thought in that slot at no cost.

For each thought, I will list:
How to get it.
How long it takes to internalize and what the effects are during the internalization process.
The effects the thought has once internalized.

I’ve decided to divide the thought list in 3 – two sections for thoughts you can find in the initial section of Revachol, during days 1-2, and one for thoughts that you have to wait till day 3 to get.

Note that in-game time stops advancing at 02:00. This means that you can no longer internalize thoughts until you go to sleep. On the other hand, this is an excellent time to talk to Kim / Joyce, and just keep spamming every ideological response to every dialogue option “for free”.

Thoughts which unlock White checks basically give you one free re-try for currently locked challenges. They don’t apply to future locked checks and can’t be re-enabled.

Ace’s High
How to get: Don’t do Aces Low after doing Aces High with Kim (Pass Easy ENC check)
While researching: 4 hours, +1 Empathy towards Kim
Result: +1 Empathy towards Kim +1 Esprit de CorpsAce’s Low
How to get: Do aces low move after Kim offers high-five (ENC check??)
While researching: hours, +2 Empathy towards Kim
Result: +2 Empathy towards Kim Kitsuragi, +1 Espirit de Corps

Actual Art Degree
How to get: Enough art-related dialogues (and Concep of 4+?)
While researching: 1h 30m hours, -1 Perception
Result: -1 Hand/Eye Coordination, Conceptualization passives heal +1 Morale and give +10 XP

Advanced Race Theory
How to get: Talk to Measurehead (The Muscle guy near the Union building) and pass a Conceptualization check.
While researching: 1h 40m hours, -1 Drama
Result: Learning Cap for Rhetoric raised by 5. +1 Conceptualization

Anti-Object Task Force
How to get: Keep hitting physical objects with your bare hands/feet (3 times?)
While researching: hours,
Result: Attacking physical objects heals 1 health damage. +1 Pain threshold. All FYS (Physical/Pink) learning caps raised by 1.

Bankruptcy Sequence
How to get: Fail Conceptualization check for investing idea with Mega Rich Light-Bending Guy, in the sealed container at the Union (alternately, successfully pitch a bad idea?)
While researching: 5 hours, -1 Empathy
Result: Int Check Failures give 1 Real

Boiadeiro
How to get: speak to Muhotel) about his name (you might also need to research boiadeiros from Paledriver or elsewhere). Having too high and Encyclopedia score auto-fails initiating this thought? Alternately, you have to pass a hidden Inland Empire check.
While researching: 6 hours 30m, -1 Physical Instrument
Result: -1 Esprit de Corps, Cigarettes give +2 INT

Caustic Echo
How to get: Open hidden compartment in ledger, throw card away, think about it immediately afterward
While researching: 10 hours, +1 Volition
Result: 300 XP on completion, -1 Authority, All MOT learning caps raised by 1

Coach Physical Instrument:
How to get: Make a throw in the petanque game south of the hotel. It *doesn’t* have to fail.
While researching:
Results: +2 Physical Instrument if shirt slot is empty, -1 Encyclopedia

Col Do Ma Ma Daqua
How to get: Talk to Lena (Wheelchair lady) about the invisible Phasmid (Requires Suggestion) then go outside and listen closely
While researching: 7 hours 10 m,
Result: +3 Perception, -1 Encyclopedia

Cop of the Apocalypse
How to get: Keep warning people about the coming apocalypse
While researching: 6 hours 55 m, -1 Rhetoric
Result: Learning cap for Inland Empire raised to 6, Learning cap for Shivers raised to 6

Date of Birth Generator
How to get: Wonder when you were born when questioning Klaasje
While researching: 7 hours 15 m,
Result: Learning Cap for Logic raised by 4, -1 difficulty to all FYS (Physical/Pink) passives

Detective Costeau
How to get: Keep referring to yourself as Detective Costeau (fail conceptualization check when meeting Kim), refuse your real name.
While researching: hours, -1 logic (or -2 conceptualization?)
Result: +1 Savoir Faire, +1 Espirit de Corps

Fairweather T-500
How to get: Find pieces of the ceramic body armor and equip one of them?
While researching: 3 hours 30 me, -1 Savoir Faire
Result: +2 Hand/Eye Coordination against enemies in FT-500 armor

Finger on the Eject button
How to get: Keep talking about your suicidal desires. Just having a single big breakthrough with a gun in your mouth is not enough.
While researching: 2 hours, +2 Authority, +2 Suggestion
Result: Suicidal ideas every evening.

Finger Pistols (9mm)
How to get: Talk to Siileng after the racist Lorry driver accuses him of drug smuggling and successfully pass a reaction speed check.
While researching: 1 hour, -2 Savoir Faire
Result: +1 Reaction Speed Empty hand slots give Suggestion +1

Guillaume Le Million
How to get: Pass an Encyclopedia check with the Mirror in your room regarding “the Expression”
While researching: 4 hours 30m, -1 Logic
Results: +1 Pain Threshold All PSY (Purple) Learning Caps raised by 1

Hobocop
How to get: Become homeless or refer to yourself as homeless – I got it while talking to HQ on the radio, giving up on the “long way home” thought?
While researching: 4 hours 20m, -1 Composure
Result: Reveals extra Tare bottles on the map, more money from selling tare bottles, Learning cap for Shivers raised to 6

HOMO-Sexual Underground
How to get: Pass the Composure check for the smoking man on the apartment building balcony and ask him if he’s in the underground movement
While researching: 8 hours
Result: Stopped obsessing about sexuality (Pointless?)

Indirect Modes of Taxation
How to get: Pick up shoes in the Apartment block (apartment 10, accept the cleaning lady’s quest to investigate) and wear them, accept Bribes from Joyce (Rich Lady) and Evrart (Union Boss), Support Capitalist Ideals, talk to the pawn shop owner, basically any dialogue choice that supports just you making money.
While researching: 1 hour 45m, -2 Empathy
Result: Ultraliberal dialogue options (Pro-Capitalist, Anti-Working class, Anti-Taxes, Hustle for money) give +1 Real, -1 Empathy

Inexplicable Feminist Agenda
How to get: Support Feminism in the early parts of the game. Just talking to Garte, asking why Silvie left, and loudly proclaiming yourself a feminist should be enough.
While researching: 3 hours 45m, +2 Authority vs Males
Result: +1 Empathy, -1 Electrochemistry

Jamais Vu (Derealization)
How to get: Talk to Lena (Wheelchair lady) about understanding your reality- she will refer you to Joyce (Rich Boat Lady) who you can converse with about to unlock this (ask about where we are and look at the lights across the sea).
While researching: 3 hours 25 m
Result: -1 Encyclopedia +1 XP for every orb clicked, All INT (Blue) learning caps raised by 1Kingdom of Conscience
How to get: Pick up pants near the fishing village and wear them or choose neutral/moderate dialogue options (Don’t commit to any political philosophy [communism, fascism, libertarianism], whether “I don’t want to get involved” or “can’t we all just get along?”)
While researching: 1 hour 25m, -2 Half-light
Result: Moralist Dialogue options heal +1 Morale, Learning Cap for Volition raised to 5, Learning cap for Logic raised to 5

Lonesome long way home
How to get: Wonder where your home is. Once again, easiest to do so during your HQ call.
While researching: hours, +1 Encyclopedia
Result: Perception learning cap raised to 5, Speed (the drug) gives +1 PSY (Purple Stat)

Magnesium-Based Lifeform
How to get: Check Cuno’s shack. Talk to Cuno about the Magnesium residue, be positive about it, and pass an Electrochemistry check?
While researching: 1 hours 15m, -1 Shivers
Result: +2 Volition -1 Logic

Mazovian Socio-Economics
How to get: Communist dialog options. Most easily – go to the garbage disposal behind the hotel, come back to ask Garte for the key, and select the most communist “are you really guarding your garbage from the homeless?” option.
While researching: 3 hours 10m, -2 Visual Calculus
Result: Left-wing Dialogue options give +4 xp (Communist) -1 Visual Calculus -1 Authority

Motorway South
How to get: Talk to the old pine rep and then the old driver lady about the Pale.
While researching: hours, -1 Visual Calculus
Result: +1 Inland Empire, All INT White Checks unlocked

Opioid Receptor Antagonist
How to get: Make anti-drug related comments, don’t use drugs, confiscate drugs. Simplest way – tell Klaasje that Narco Mania is no laughing matter during her interview.
While researching: 55m, -2 Electrochemistry
Result: No positive effects from drugs No negative effects from alcohol

Overproductive Honour Glands
How to get: Get enough honor points (5+?). Refusing bribes definitely gets you some – keeping your word and stuff for more points?
While researching: 20m, -4 Drama
Result: Learning cap for Authority raised to 5

Regular Law Official
How to get: Be as normal and boring as possible, avoid wacky options.
While researching: 1 hour 20m, -2 Inland Empire
Result: -1 Shivers, -1 Inland Empire, All learning caps raised to 3

Remote Viewers Division
How to get: Keep insisting that the case may have supra-natural complications.
While researching: 6 hours, -1 Perception
Result: -1 difficulty to all PSY passives, -1 Drama.

Revacholian Nationhood
How to get: Support Facism (stand against women and immigrants)
While researching: 9 hours 10m, -1 Composure
Result: Nationalist dialogue options damage -1 Morale (or do they heal +1 morale? doesn’t make sense otherwise) Alcohol gives +2 FYS (Physical/Pink)

Rigorous Self-Critique
How to get: Constantly apologize / dunk on yourself (4 times?)
While researching: 6 hours, -1 Authority
Result: Int and Psy red check failures heal 1 morale. Fys and Int red check failures heal 1 health. Pain Threshold learning cap raised to 6.

Some kind of Superstar
How to get: Keep referring to yourself as a superstar. If you start doing so at the mirror, you should get the thought after talking to Garte for the first time with Kim along.
While researching: 1 hours 10m, -2 Logic
Result: -1 Logic, Learning caps for the following raised to 6: Visual Calculus, Suggestion, Electrochemistry, Composure

The Bow Collector
How to get: You get it in the same dream where you get White Mourning, but it requires a skill check. Make sure to pick the dialogue option that mentions the bow collector when you’re talking to the Ancient Reptilian Brain.
While researching: hours, -1 Authority, -1 Hand/Eye Coordination
Result: +3 Shivers

The Fifteenth Indotribe
How to get: Talk to Joyce (The Rich lady) about her company Wild Pines (Specifically the option about “8 percent of *all* cargo in the world”).
While researching: 5 hours 55 sec,
Result: +10 cents for each green orb clicked, Learning Cap for Savoir Faire raised to 6

The Precarious World
How to get: Pass the Shivers check with the Dice Maker inside the abandoned business building behind the Bookstore.
While researching: 4 hours, All red checks fail
Result: Critical success/failure thresholds lowered by 1

The Suicide of Kras Mazov
How to get: Examine the Bust of Kras Mazov in the student’s apartment in the apartment building.
While researching: 4 hours 45m,
Result: White check failures heal morale, +1 rhetoric (?)

Torque Dork
How to get: Nerd out about machines enough times? The stat required is?
While researching: hours,
Result:

Volumetric ♥♥♥♥ Compressor
How to get: Throw up twice while looking at the Hanging Corpse (i.e, fail the endurance check, get ammonia salts, then fail again).
While researching: 30m, Learning cap for Endurance raised to 4
Result: All currently locked white Endurance checks unlocked (literally only useful for examining the corpse, waste of 2 skills points)

Waste land of Reality
How to get: Research Advanced Race theory then talk to Measurehead (racist Union guard) and tell him you need to get sober.
While researching: 20 hours, -2 Physical Instrument
Result: -1 Physical Instrument, -1 Inland Empire, -1 Suggestion ,+1 to all Psyche skills (PSY/Purple), No positive effects from Alcohol

White Mourning
How to get: Read the entire note inside your Ledger, pass an Interfacing check.
While researching: 5 hours, -1 Authority
Result: +20% Zoom Out Distance, All MOT (Agility/Yellow) learning caps raised by 1

Apricot Chewing Gum Scented One
How to get: Find the smell of apricot twice – Investigate your Ledger and convince at least PF from “The Skulls” to give you his Jacket, check the jacket pocket. Interfacing check required for the Ledger, Suggestion required for the jacket.
While researching: hours, -1 Reaction speed
Result: +2 PerceptionArno Van Eyck
How to get:speak to Egg head in the church about making his beat more hardcore
While researching: hours,
Result: All white checks unlocked, you can spot Arno posters in the environment.

Bringing the Law (Law-Jaw)
How to get: Choose options that enforce the law, keep referring to yourself as “the law”, refer to yourself as “the Lawbringer” to Lilienne, the Net Picker (In the Fishing Village, Day 3 and beyond)
While researching: 2 hours 55m, -1 Rhetoric
Result: Learning Cap for Hand/Eye Coordination raised to 6, Automatically Succeed all Hand/Eye Coordination passives, -1 Rhetoric

Cleaning out the Rooms
How to get: pass the logic check from Soona in the Church after solving the hole quest
While researching: hours,
Result: +1 Suggestion, +1 Inland Empire, +1 Rhetoric

Hardcore Aesthetic
How to get:
While researching: hours,
Result:

One More Door
How to get: Try and fail to open the bunker door north of the Church, Red Interfacing Check (Day 3+)
While researching: 45m, +1 Half-light
Result: -1 Half-Light All PSY (Purple) White Checks Unlocked

Searchlight Division
How to get: Talk to the fishing woman about missing people
While researching: hours,
Result: +2 Perception

The Insulindian Miracle
How to get: Tell Joyce about the Unions ultimate end goal and then listen to her explain how these islands were discovered
While researching: hours,
Result:

The Jamrock Shuffle
How to get:
While researching: hours,
Result:

The Litany of Contact Mike
How to get: Talk to the girl by the Tent about Contact Mike (near the Boardwalk, after day 3)
Requires a passive Encyclopedia Check of 10+ and possibly a passive physical Instrument check of 10+ afterwards.
While researching: 15m, -1 Logic, -1 Conceptualization, -1 Drama
Result: All FYS (Physical/Pink) White Checks unlocked

Wompty-Dompty Dom Centre
How to get: Talk to Trant, the guy with the kid admiring the Mural on the Boardwalk about all the nerdy stuff.
While researching: 42m, -1 Suggestion
Result: Encyclopedia passives give +10 xp and +2 Real, -2 Suggestion