Before starting a new game, Disco Elysium will take you to the archetype menu. While you can’t exactly change your character's appearance, you have control of his stats. You can select from three different archetypes or create a custom archetype of your very own.
While there isn’t much customization in the custom mode, sometimes selecting one of the most focused archetypes can be fun. Choosing an archetype can be a challenge in the game and lead you to different paths. Who knows what could happen if you are a deep thinker, sensitive guy, or brash brute? Here’s a selection of the best archetypes to play as in Disco Elysium.
1. Thinker
Thinkers are deeply involved in thought which is why it’s little surprise that they have high intelligence. With more stats in intelligence, your character will better be able to understand the world. This ranges from making logical connections in the case to learning the many cultural aspects of this world. Motor skills are also fairly high so you’ll be able to take some of this intelligence and use it cleverly in the areas of hand-eye coordination and composure. The only drawbacks are that your psychological stats will be low, making it harder for you to interview suspects.
Thinker Pros:
- High intelligence.
- Fairly high motor skills.
- Interesting facts are divulged.
- Increased rhetoric for better reasoning.
- Higher conceptualization to be more creative.
Choose Thinker if you want to…
- Better understand the world.
- Figure out the case with logic and encyclopedic knowledge.
- Have better perception and hand-eye skills.
2. Sensitive
Despite what this description may sound like, Sensitive players will better be able to connect with people. Psyche will be at its highest so that you can improve your essential traits for talking to those who occupy this land. This includes asserting your authority over disgruntled workers or empathizing with those having a bad day. There are also solid physicality stats, meaning you’ll have some muscle to back up your authority. Intelligence suffers the most in this area, so you’ll need to rely more on the kindness of strangers. Or just beat them up.
Sensitive Pros:
- High psyche.
- Relatively high physical skills.
- Improved morale.
- Better ability to speak with people.
- Better understand the mindset of a cop.
Choose Sensitive if you want to…
- Be a smooth talker.
- Get in touch with the other side through Inland Empire.
- Keep morale high.
3. Physical
The Physical archetype is essentially a jock, which may be one of the more fitting archetypes as you learn later your character used to be a school gym teacher. As the title implies, your physical traits will be at their highest. This means you’ll be in pique health to handle situations tough on your body. In addition to physicality, motor skills are the second highest so that you can be quick with your hands when the time calls for finger guns or real guns. Intelligence suffers the most in this archetype, turning you into more of a meathead.
Physical Pros:
- High physical traits.
- Fairly high motor skills.
- Health limit raised.
- Stronger in tough situations.
- Allows you to break more stuff.
Choose Physical if you want to…
- Be a fascist.
- Get into fights.
- Embrace alcohol and drugs.
