What stats - always the problem - shivers and inland empire

[Skyperson375]

Hi all,

I hate this part of these sorts of games - where I try to work out what stats will give me the sort of playthrough I'm interested in - i.e. getting the most 'meat' out of the game. A bit like people figuring out in Planescape: Torment that basically you need the high int, wis, charisma build to get the most in depth playthrough.

I know this game tries to have checks for all the skills but the sense I'm getting is that Inland Empire is a key skill for a lore-rich playthrough. Shivers too. They are both in opposite skillsets though, and my current early playthrough, I put Phys (including shivers) at 1 so I could have more of the 'thinking' skills. I now think maybe I need to restart to be able to set shivers higher.

I also hear perception is a good one to have. And again, all in separate skill sections.

What are people's thoughts on shivers? Is it something I can raise throughout the game or does it kick in right from the start, if I have it high enough? What sort of build would maximise all this?

Currently I have 4/4/1/3 (with perception raised to 4 as a signature skill), which I thought maybe hit most of these spots. But now I'm thinking 3/3/3/3 might give me the best place to start off with, as I've read the game is kind of generous with passing checks or skills appearing in convos, so you don't need high skills at least at the start of the game, and leveling up my favourite skills on their own throughout the game (as there are skills I don't need in each category that I feel I can ignore). Or maybe 3/4/2/3 (with shivers raised to 3 with signature skill).

Thanks.

[jack_of_tears]

Shivers is worth getting if you want some richly moody insights into locations or events, as you imagine them to be. You go up levels very quickly in this game, so it isn't too difficult to quickly improve any Skill you might want. You will also find clothing which benefits some Skills over others, all over the area.

A 'balanced' build will make for a less interesting playthrough, as you'll hit fewer high checks and fail in interesting ways, far less often (thus preventing yourself from gaining the sometimes better outcome from failure).

I would recommend putting some points in 'Visual Calculus' quickly, if you want to be a good detective. Also, raise your health skills, as you do not want to be running around with 2 health bars. Conversations in this game are like encounters in action games - sometimes they are easy to wade through but occasionally they will bite back and cause you damage (to both Health and Morale).

I don't think it at all necessary to restart - you'll improve quickly.

[Me]

I have maxed out Inland Empire. It's not really anything that gives you lore. More like add a psychedelic mood to everything. It's likely not a coincide that they named the skill after a David Lynch movie, because having high score in the skill does add a lot of Lynchian atmosphere to everything you experience.

[Skyperson375]

I guess I meant starting balanced but then focusing in on skills as the game progresses. So 3/3/3/3 to start with but then choosing particular skills to bring higher (although maybe I'd be limited then by the learning cap? Is that going to screw me later with my favourite skills, such as Inland and Shivers?).
It's the beginning of the game I'm having trouble with - feeling I'm missing out on content I'd enjoy - in this case, because shivers is low (as my Phys skill is set at 1 at the moment). So at least I'd start the game with some shivers and room to improve it.

[jack_of_tears]

If you feel that's what you need to do, do it. If you enjoy the game enough, you can always come back and try to replay it with a different build. There is enough content that, if you enjoy the game, you'll probably want to do a second playthrough.

[Du-Vu]

The main lore skill for the setting as a whole is Encyclopedia, but Shivers will tell you a lot about the city in particular. Inland Empire will give you certain insights about yourself and the case you might not get otherwise. Esprit de Corps gives you flashsideways of what other cops are doing. Interfacing will tell you about technology, cars, and computers, Electrochemistry about both drugs and party culture, Composure about people's body language and fashion sense.

You can't really go wrong, though like jack_of_tears said, it's a lot more interesting to specialize and give yourself some obvious glaring flaws, because high and low skills can impact what you see and the choices you get, and not always for the better or worse, respectively. There's no way to experience everything in a single playthrough, by design, because so much will change based on your skills.

[Daveski]

Trying to min/max Disco Elysium is a failed Conceptualisation check.

[TROGDOR]

Publicado originalmente por Daveski:

Trying to min/max Disco Elysium is a failed Conceptualisation check.

The true min/maxing of Disco Elysium is min/maxing narrow archetypes with both feet.

[FrazzleSnazzle]

MORE SPEED. MORE ALCOHOL. MORE HARDCORE.
I AM THE LORE

[Rialm]

You can, you could check the Wiki to see how to get them higher with thoughts. Also there are items etc
Shivers is my favorite skill. I played the first time with Drama, and meh, but that's just me.

The games gives you ways to get others stats. Also if you have Encyclopedia has a Thought really broken that gives you a bunch of exp. Just enjoy they playthrough and readapt your character.

[orcbuster]

Don't go balanced, commit to a bit is my advice. going full 3 is the objectively worst way to play the game.

[TasteDasRainbow]

4/4/2/2 is generally considered the most accessible so that you can hit many of the inland empire, encyclopedia, logic, etc. early on, and bring other stuff like shivers up to 4; 4 is generally the threshold for a majority of passive checks:
https://www.reddit.com/r/DiscoElysium/comments/f0z2oa/total_number_of_passive_checks_in_the_game/