Zero Parades, as you might have guessed, doesn’t completely throw the baby out with the bathwater when it comes to the format established by Disco Elysium. In a lot of ways, it plays very similarly, but it does have some distinct changes that make this one feel a little different.
Things like significantly fewer skills on the board to manage, a more involved gear and economy system, and a brand new status system that needs a lot more attention to manage effectively.
This means that a good build looks a little different from its Revachol counterpart, and we want to help you be the best Operant you can be. So, here are a few build options that you should consider before setting off on this espionage epic.
Note: The reality is that, no matter what build you choose, Zero Parades is a rather flexible RPG with enough ways to get around checks and progress regardless of your skill set. So, these build guides are mainly to get the most out of each approach and lean into roleplaying more than anything.
Build #1 – The Bard Of Portofiro
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Faculty of Action | 1 |
| Faculty of Relation | 1 |
| Faculty of Intellect | 5 |
| Signature Trait | Poetics |
| Skill to Downgrade | Technoflex |
| Additional Skill Points | Sensors, Personalism, Poetics |
| Best Clothing | Pink Mini Skirt, Mesh Bodysuit, Cool Teen Gloves, Twinkle Lights |
| Held Item | Eager Wolf Cup |
| Best Thoughts | Spiritual Auto Surgery, The Ineffable Melancholy Of L-Pop |
I’ve always leaned on the side of the meathead when building CRPG characters. But, if you’re someone that wants to express your spycraft in spoken verse, then this intellect focused build could be just the thing.
Focusing on Poetics as your signature trait can be a boon in the early stages of the game, as this will help you when infiltrating the Secret Jail, and will also allow you to finesse the little kid in the Baazar, and get them to borrow their sword.
Beyond that, you also have a strong base in all other intellectual skills, meaning you’ll know a lot about the world around you, machines, and be able to deduce things others might not.
But we suggest bolstering other skills like Sensors, and Personalism through skill points and clothing to fully lean into this mindful, philosophical bard character.
This is further extenuated through thoughts like Spiritual Auto-Surgery and The Ineffable Melancholy Of L-Pop, which opens your mind to the sadness of Luz’ musical imports, and frees you to always speak your mind, as any wordsmith tends to do.
Build #2 – Part of the Gäng
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Faculty of Action | 5 |
| Faculty of Relation | 1 |
| Faculty of Intellect | 1 |
| Signature Trait | Doppelgang |
| Skill to Downgrade | Poetics |
| Additional Skill Points | Shadowplay, Cold Read, Records |
| Best Clothing | Pinstripe Trousers, Limpador Suit, Distressed Shirt, Tabi Boots, Blue Rim Sunglasses, Ushanka Hat, Cool Teen Gloves |
| Held Item | Squished Pelota Ball |
| Best Thoughts | Animal Magnetism, Standalone Expansion, People’s Republic of La-La Land, The Empty Floor, Ghost Recorder – Do Not Open |
If you want to embrace the role of the meathead, you might be a little disappointed, as specializing in any faculty will make you a solid spy in some capacity. But the closest thing would be to lean heavily into action, and focus on all aspects of your character that make you Gäng. What that means will become clear as you play, but to boil it down. It’s a vibe that translates to ‘us against the world’.
This build really leans into the physical aspects of the player, as well as all things stagecraft. Meaning you’ll want to specialize in Doppelgäng, and then bolster areas such as Co-ordination, Instincts, Cold-Read, and Shadowplay, to name a few.
Then you can really lean into this roleplay with thoughts such as Animal Magnetism that help you release the animal inside of you. Or The Empty Floor, to play that no-nonsense spy that gets the job done.
Also Read:
Build #3 – The All-Rounder
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Faculty of Action | 3 |
| Faculty of Relation | 2 |
| Faculty of Intellect | 2 |
| Signature Trait | Records |
| Skill to Downgrade | Statehood |
| Additional Skill Points | Instincts, Blueprints, Entanglement |
| Best Clothing | Black Jacket, Splash boots, Black Rim Eyeglasses, Purple Collared Shirt, Spacecraft Specialist Cap, Limpador Pants |
| Held Item | Operant Toolkit |
| Best Thoughts | The Unrealized Loss, The Emissary of the Final Society, Ghost Recorder – Do Not Open |
Then lastly, we have the all-rounder. Something that, in most cases, I would never endorse in a CRPG, because a lack of specialization usually leads to boring playthroughs and limited options. But, because Zero Parades is a pretty flexible RPG, it’s a valid option allowing you to specialize later, if you so choose.
This build is essentially a little bit of everything, leaning into clothing that boosts stats without sacrificing others. With minor specialization in skills that help you understand the city, the cosmos, command a room, and act on impulse. Offering a wide range of approaches, and a blank slate as far as your character’s general demeanor, allowing you to work out what Hershel you want to be as you go.
Then, as for thoughts. We have mainly suggested those that can be useful from a gameplay sense, more than anything else. Such as The Emissary of the Final Society, which can be used to make some more Sol in a pinch. The Unrealized Loss offers stat boosts, with the player rarely ever being in danger of a violation. Plus, Ghost Recorder – Do Not Open, which is a great thought to gain more lore on Hershel and her past.
