A Research Book or Skill Book is both a Fuel and Tool item in Survival Mode that can be researched to increase Skills, and can be found as 10 separate in game items.
Overview
Research Books are items that may be used as fuel for Fire Starting and have the same weight (0.50kg) as normal books. However, they may also be read, which grants skill points to their respective Survival Skills when completed. Because of this, Research Books can be found in both the Fuel and Tools categories. Attempting to burn a Research Book that has not been fully read will give a confirmation warning before it can be burned. Once a Research Book is fully researched, it will no longer appear in the Tools section of the Backpack.
Multiple copies of the same book may be researched for additional benefit.
- Research Books are scattered throughout all regions similar to normal Books, but are much rarer and have unique detailed covers.
- Books can only be read if the player is not in the dark or if the player is healthy enough: the player's Needs (Warmth, Fatigue, Thirst, Calories) are above 0% and they are not suffering from any negative Affliction (Affliction Risks do not count).
- The only exception to this rule are permanent Afflictions, as this would make researching impossible:
- Frostbite, Diminished Form, Frigid Bones, Haunted Mind, Sour Stomach, Rheumatic Joints, Broken Body, Cheated Death Penalty (Permanent Penalty). Pain is another exception.
- The player can research outside at night, but only in clear weather (heavy fog/blizzards will make it too dark, in which case a light source muse be used).
- The only exception to this rule are permanent Afflictions, as this would make researching impossible:
- Reaching 0% in any Needs (or manually canceling) while researching will immediately end the research session and negate any progress for that research attempt. (i.e., if you complete 59 out of 60 in-game minutes of a 1-hour research session, and your character begins starving before completing the last minute of research, the character immediately forgets everything they researched in the last 59 minutes).
- Frontier Shooting Guide cannot be read once Rifle Firearm reaches Level 4, displaying the message "Your Skills are too advanced to research this." This is the only Research Book that has a Skill Level restriction.
- On Interloper, researching Skill Books burns calories at the rate of "Standing" (125 cal/h).
- Since Skills cap at Level 5, any category of Research Books related to that Skill cannot be read, and can only be used as fuel at that point.
List of Research Books
The Feat "Book Smarts" increases the skill points gained from completing a research book by 10% (e.g. with the feat active, reading a "Small Arms Handbook" yields 11 revolver skill points instead of 10).
The Feat "Settled Mind" makes the user immune to Cabin Fever, but also causes Research actions to happen 20% faster.
| Image | Title | Skill | Points gained |
W/ Book Smarts | Hours to research |
W/ Settled Mind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Stay on Target | Archery | 10 | 11 | 5 | 4 |
|
Field Dressing Your Kill, Vol. I | Carcass Harvesting | 10 | 11 | 10 | 8 |
|
Wilderness Kitchen | Cooking | 10 | 11 | 5 | 4 |
|
Survive the Outdoors! | Fire Starting | 10 | 11 | 5 | 4 |
|
The Frozen Angler | Ice Fishing | 10 | 11 | 5 | 4 |
|
A Sewing Primer | Mending | 10 | 11 | 5 | 4 |
|
Frontier Shooting Guide | Rifle Firearm | 5 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
|
Advanced Guns Guns Guns! | Rifle Firearm | 10 | 11 | 25 | 20 |
|
Small Arms Handbook | Revolver Firearm | 10 | 11 | 5 | 4 |
|
Practical Gunsmithing | Gunsmithing | 10 | 11 | 5 | 4 |
Wintermute
In Wintermute, items that resemble Research Books may be found, but these items are instantly turned into Collectibles when picked up and instead unlock side missions.
| Image | Title | Episode | Unlocks Side Mission |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
A Sewing Primer | Episode 1 | The Basics of Survival Mend Clothing |
|
Medicinal Plants of Great Bear | Episode 1 | The Basics of Survival Preparing natural medicine |
|
|
Field Dressing Your Kill, Vol. I | Episode 1 | The Basics of Survival Snaring a Rabbit |
|
|
The Frozen Angler | Episode 2 | Survival School Craft a Fishing Tackle and catch a fish from Mystery Lake |
|
|
Frontier Shooting Guide | Episode 2 | Survival School Kill a Deer |
|
|
Advanced Guns Guns Guns! | Episode 2 | Survival School Cull Wolves |
|
Local Legends - Sasquatch | Episode 3 | Tall Tales Locals tell of a Sasquatch... |
|
Local Legends - The Big One | Episode 3 | Tall Tales Locals tell of a magical pond... |
|
Local Legends - The Lost Cave | Episode 3 | Tall Tales Locals tell of a glowing cave... |
|
Local Legends - Ghost Stag | Episode 3 | Tall Tales Locals tell of a hidden ghostly stag... |
Trivia
- Survival Skills levels are dependent to each save file.
- All varieties of books and research books may spawn regardless of Survival Mode (or loot settings, in Custom); this includes firearm-related books on Interloper difficulty.
- The Achievement "Penitent Scholar" requires reading all varieties of Research Books in a single save file.
- Research Books originally featured more varied sizes and cover art; however, currently their art and size are more uniform.
Gallery
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