Disco Elysium is one of the most unique RPGs to come out in the last decade, and not just because of its unique world and characters. The game does not rely on combat, but instead on dialogue and skill checks. The game starts with the player assigning numbers to four attributes: Intellect, Psyche, Physique, and Motorics.
Each of these four attributes has six skills associated with them. The number assigned to these attributes is then assigned to their respective skills, but individual skills can be upgraded using skill points earned throughout the game. While the attributes give players an understanding of what the skills do, each skill is unique in the purpose they serve.
24 Logic
Attribute: Intellect
How It Works: Logic gives players the ability to connect pieces of evidence to form a conclusion, as well as finding problems in someone's statements. High levels can help players overcome difficult puzzles, while low levels will give players a tougher time solving basic problems.
23 Encyclopedia
Attribute: Intellect
How It Works: Encyclopedia gives players all the knowledge that they can conjure up. With a high level on this stat, players can figure out anything they need to understand about the world they live in and certain elements of it. Having a low Encyclopedia will make this knowledge harder to come by.
22 Rhetoric
Attribute: Intellect
How It Works: Rhetoric focuses the ability to debate with people. With a high Rhetoric stat, players are able to nitpick any argument that is presented to them and stand by their own convictions when challenged. Low Rhetoric makes winning any argument almost impossible.
21 Drama
Attribute: Intellect
How It Works: Drama puts the player in the perfect position to lie and deceive, in order to help them get the information they need. On top of this, it can also help players figure out if the person they are talking to is also lying. Be careful with a low Drama stat, because lying to someone could easily make them more suspicious of the detective.
20 Conceptualization
Attribute: Intellect
How It Works: Conceptualization lets players take on a more creative approach to analyzing. Players who have a high conceptualization statistic are able to think of the most creative theories and associations that could tie into the discussion or investigation they are participating in. Those who aren't as strong in this stat won't be nearly as creative.
19 Visual Calculus
Attribute: Intellect
How It Works: Visual Calculus is the best way for players to visualize a crime scene or series of events without being present for them. This can help the player reconstruct what has happened, and can make it easier to figure out what the detectives need to look for. If this stat is low, answers will be harder to come by.
18 Volition
Attribute: Psyche
How It Works: Volition is what controls the amount of Morale the player has, making it probably the most important skill in the Psyche attribute. Volition tries to keep the player on the right track, in regards to being a good person and focusing on the task at hand. Having high Volition is important, as running out of Morale can cause the player to get a Game Over.
17 Inland Empire
Attribute: Psyche
How It Works: Inland Empire can give the player a truly wild imagination. Being proficient in this skill allows players to look into and understand things that the human eye can not see. It also allows them to communicate with inanimate objects. However, a low stat in Inland Empire means the player lacks imagination.
16 Empathy
Attribute: Psyche
How It Works: Empathy allows the player to see themselves in other people's shoes. This stat is useful as it lets the player read into the way people are actually feeling, not what they are trying to portray. High empathy makes the detective feel what others feel, while low empathy makes it harder to communicate with others.
15 Authority
Attribute: Psyche
How It Works: Authority gives players the one thing cops like to flex more than anything. Those who can roll well for this category will be able to assert their dominance over individuals and situations in order to gain or regain control. The higher authority a player has, the more they are able to understand power dynamics.