Fallout: New Vegas skill books

This page lists all skill books in Fallout: New Vegas.

The content is not described in full detail on this page. For details, please see the respective articles.
For skill books in other Fallout games, please see "Skill book".
For an overview of Fallout: New Vegas content, please refer to "Portal:Fallout: New Vegas".

Overview[]

Skill books are special items which increase the player character's skills when used. Unlike those of skill magazines, the effects of skill books are permanent: reading a skill book permanently raises the particular skill by three points (four points with the Comprehension perk). Books are one-use items: they are removed from inventory after use.

Most skill books are identical to the books from Fallout 3. Exceptions are the Wasteland Survival Guide (which improves the added Survival skill) and the U.S. Army: 30 Handy Flamethrower Recipes (removed because the "Big Guns" skill was merged with "Small Guns" into "Guns").

Fallout: New Vegas has a total of 52 skill books, with additional 46 copies added by add-ons:

Dead Money adds an additional copy of skill book, except for the Wasteland Survival Guide.
Honest Hearts introduces the workbench crate, a container with random loot that has a chance of containing various skill books.
Old World Blues adds two copies of the Chinese Army: Spec Ops. Training Manual and one of the Big Book of Science. Books are also able to be crafted once at a workbench, using 25 blank books, two tubes of wonderglue, and the appropriate recipe.
Lonesome Road adds a single copy of each skill book.

The total amount of skill points earned from reading every obtainable skill book (excluding those found as random loot in Honest Hearts), the player character can gain the equivalent of 282 skill points (376 with the Comprehension perk).

Types[]

Name	Skill	# Locations	Base ID
Tales of a Junktown Jerky Vendor	Barter	4 (6/7)	00034042
Nikola Tesla and You	Energy Weapons	4 (6/7)	00034041
Duck and Cover!	Explosives	4 (6/7)	0006a80c
Guns and Bullets	Guns	4 (6/7)	0003403e
Tumblers Today	Lockpick	4 (6/7)	00034046
D.C. Journal of Internal Medicine	Medicine	4 (6/7)	00034043
Grognak the Barbarian	Melee Weapons	4 (6/7)	00034040
Dean's Electronics	Repair	3 (6/7)	0003403d
Big Book of Science	Science	5 (8/9)	0003403c
Chinese Army: Special Ops Training Manual	Sneak	4 (8/9)	00034045
Lying, Congressional Style	Speech	4 (6/7)	00034044
Wasteland Survival Guide	Survival	4 (5/6)	00160227
Pugilism Illustrated	Unarmed	4 (6/7)	0003403f
Workbench crate	random	0 (4)	0000e928

Note: The first number in parentheses indicates the total number of skill books with all add-ons included. The second number in parentheses is the total number of skills books with Old World Blues skill book crafting mechanic included.

Locations[]

The following section is transcluded from the respective item articles. To modify, please edit the source pages.

Name	Closest map marker	Location description
Big Book of Science	Ashton Silo Control Station Lonesome Road	In the north corner of the wreckage after the missile explodes, just past a hard locked safe.
Big Book of Science	Brewer's beer bootlegging	In the cellar all the way in the back room with the sign, on a table with the chem kit to your left.
Big Book of Science	Camp Forlorn Hope	In the Command Center, in the far right corner, on the desk (must be stolen).
Big Book of Science	Executive suites Dead Money	On a bookshelf in Vera's room, which is found in the Executive Suites area of the Sierra Madre Casino.
Big Book of Science	Helios One Dialogue	Reward for distributing power through the network during That Lucky Old Sun
Big Book of Science	Nipton Hall	On the desk in Mayor Joseph B. Steyn's office on the top floor.
Big Book of Science	REPCONN headquarters	Located on the ground floor through the door next to the radioactive barrel display. There is another door behind the counter you must pick (HARD difficulty), the book is located on a shelf past the door.
Big Book of Science	Y-0 research center Old World Blues	In a corner of the canyon south of the Y-0 building, between two xander root plants by the hand of a skeleton.
Chinese Army: Special Ops Training Manual	Camp Searchlight	In the East Chapel, down in the gecko-filled basement, on the floor at the foot of some metal shelves.
Chinese Army: Special Ops Training Manual	Goodsprings	In the Goodsprings Home inhabited by Trudy and Sunny Smiles, East from the Schoolhouse, on a bookshelf. (Must be stolen unless the Run Goodsprings Run quest has been completed).
Chinese Army: Special Ops Training Manual	NCR Sharecropper Farms	On some papers, by the corner desk inside the Sharecropper Barracks near the four water towers in the northeast corner of the fenced in area. (Must be stolen)
Chinese Army: Special Ops Training Manual	Puesta del Sol Switching Station Dead Money	In the eastern most room of the switching station there is a huge machine on the south side of the room. The book is located on the catwalk that runs around the machine. Its the only portion of catwalk in this room that you have to jump to.
Chinese Army: Special Ops Training Manual	Vault 3	Living Quarters, right after you come down the stairs from the recreation area. Through the 50 Lock/Security door. Turn right on the 2nd shelf.
Chinese Army: Special Ops Training Manual	X-13 testing facility Old World Blues	On the floor, opposite the door in the room where you get the chest plate for the sneak suit.
Chinese Army: Special Ops Training Manual	X-13 testing facility Old World Blues	In the reward safe upon completion of all the Stealth Suit tests.
Chinese Army: Special Ops Training Manual	Sunstone Tower Lonesome Road	On a bookshelf facing the wall on the landing up one flight of stairs from the entrance. Not accessible without console commands or lucky/skillful application of explosives.
D.C. Journal of Internal Medicine	Buried Buildings Lonesome Road	Just after exiting the Cave of the Abaddon in the south corner under a nightstand in the room with the bed and the exit to The Divide.
D.C. Journal of Internal Medicine	Followers Safehouse	In the bedside table, in the second room.
D.C. Journal of Internal Medicine	HELIOS One	Upstairs in the main building, lying on a bed in the same room with the east terminal password. (Head to the right from main entrance, through the pool room, and right up the stairs.)
D.C. Journal of Internal Medicine	Mesquite Mountains Crater	Inside Hell's Motel, below the globe with a hat, on the table with the radio and repair kit.
D.C. Journal of Internal Medicine	Novac	In the middle of the queen-sized bed, inside Ranger Andy's bungalow (must be stolen).
D.C. Journal of Internal Medicine	Villa Clinic Dead Money	In the Villa Clinic basement, in a tool cabinet next to some fire extinguishers.
Dean's Electronics	Abandoned Brotherhood of Steel bunker Dead Money	On the metal sill, opposite the reloading bench, in the area with the office. Though the location exists without the add-on, it is sealed by a keyless lock. Note: If the game is unpatched (installed straight from disk without being patched), the door will be unlocked and you will be able to enter and get the book.
Dean's Electronics	Nellis Air Force Base	Inside Loyal's house, on the long counter next to the ruined terminal (must be stolen).
Dean's Electronics	Hopeville Missile Silo Bunker Lonesome Road	When walking into the room with the first missile, the book is located to the left in some rubble.(Left of the stairs)
Dean's Electronics	Puesta del Sol switching station Dead Money	Puesta del Sol Switching Station in the south center of the map on the upper level next to the terminal that shuts off power to the protected speakers. It is very difficult, but possible, to reach without Christine (her perk delays the speakers) and disarm the trip wire before your collar detonates.
Dean's Electronics	Sloan	In the Worker Barracks, on the top shelf to your left as you enter (must be stolen). A Duck and Cover! can be found in the same building.
Dean's Electronics	Southern Nevada Wind Farm	In the shack, on the table with the clipboard and scrap metal.
Duck and Cover!	Collapsed Overpass Tunnel Lonesome Road	Just south of the exit to The High Road, behind some sand bags, the book is in a crate hiding underneath a teddy bear.
Duck and Cover!	Mojave Outpost	Inside the Mojave Outpost Barracks, on the bottom shelf, in the middle, below the bar counter. (Must be stolen, but can be bought if caught).
Duck and Cover!	Nellis Air Force Base	Among the books on the shelf, above the grenade rifle, inside Pearl's Barracks (must be stolen).
Duck and Cover!	Ranger Station Foxtrot	On the table next to Comm Officer Lenk. On the PC version with patch 1.2 there are two books, one on top of the other.
Duck and Cover!	Residential District Dead Money	Is stuck underneath the bed in the same room where you first meet Dean Domino. The book is only obtainable by using explosives and dropping throwing spears to force the book out.
Duck and Cover!	Sloan	Inside Worker Barracks, back left shelf under a first aid box. (Must be stolen). A Dean's Electronics can be found here as well, but it too must be stolen.
Grognak the Barbarian	Cannibal Johnson's Cave	On the mattress near the radio, close to the fire (must be stolen).
Grognak the Barbarian	Cottonwood Cove	Inside the HQ building, upper floor, inside the nightstand next to the bed (must be stolen).
Grognak the Barbarian	Hidden Supply Cave	Resting on one of the large metal crates, in the cave, sometimes behind the metal crates.
Grognak the Barbarian	Jacobstown	Lying in front of the oven, in the first bungalow to the east as you head towards the lodge.
Grognak the Barbarian	Police Station Dead Money	Inside the Police Station Basement, on the floor in the room in the Northwest corner in front of the filing cabinets.
Grognak the Barbarian	Hopeville Women's Barracks Lonesome Road	At the back of the barracks on a small table under a ruined book.
Guns and Bullets	Gomorrah	In Big Sal's office, up the stairs from the main level of Brimstone. It is on the first low bookshelf on the left as you walk in.
Guns and Bullets	Nevada Highway Patrol Station	Found on one of the desks.
Guns and Bullets	Raul's Shack	Inside Raul's Shack, in the wooden crate next to the door.
Guns and Bullets	Sierra Madre Casino Dead Money	Go to the second floor and jump on to the support beams. From there, jump down into the cashier's caged area. The book is on the floor behind the cashier's desk.
Guns and Bullets	Vault 34	On the small metal table between the sofas by the pool table, in the armory common room. (No need to unlock armory etc. through overseer office)
Guns and Bullets	Hopeville Armory Lonesome Road	Underneath the desk in North-East corner, with a bed that can be slept on.
Lying, Congressional Style	Brooks Tumbleweed Ranch	On an open locker shelf, in the upstairs room with the chessboard (must be stolen).
Lying, Congressional Style	Cerulean Robotics	On the floor among the office desks.
Lying, Congressional Style	Lucky Jim Mine	Inside the Lucky Jim Mine house, on the bottom shelf below a varmint rifle.
Lying, Congressional Style	NCRCF	Second floor of the NCR CF administration, on a desk (must be stolen).
Lying, Congressional Style	The Tampico Dead Money	On a shelf, opposite the holotape projector.
Lying, Congressional Style	Third Street Municipal Building Lonesome Road	In the eastern most corner underneath the 'Physicians Desk' (May have fallen off building after detonating warhead).
Nikola Tesla and You	Hidden Valley	In the white plastic bin by the desk in Schuler's office. Bunker L1, west of the central hub corridor junction (must be stolen).
Nikola Tesla and You	Hopeville Missile Base Headquarters Lonesome Road	Located in the first room on a shelf hidden underneath a burned book.
Nikola Tesla and You	Old Nuclear Test Site	Inside the irradiated shack on the small table opposite to the exit.
Nikola Tesla and You	REPCONN headquarters	1st Floor, past the 100 Lock/Security door on top of the safe. (Or sneak up to the 3rd floor and get the key from the suitcase next to the skeleton). The room can also be accessed through a hole in the floor of a room on the west side of the 2nd floor (past a door with a level 75 lock).
Nikola Tesla and You	REPCONN headquarters	2nd Floor, turn left, first door. On the desk with the lit computer.
Nikola Tesla and You	Sierra Madre Casino Vault Dead Money	Right before you enter the vault door turn around and jump down to the pipes below the walkway, there is a duffle bag with the book inside. The only way back is to go east from the bag and jump on the valved pipe then back to main platform.
Pugilism Illustrated	Fisherman's Pride Shack	On the bedside table inside the shack.
Pugilism Illustrated	Nipton Road Reststop	Inside the store lying on a shelf on the south wall in the middle of the room.
Pugilism Illustrated	The Tops	Inside the Presidential suite in the Tops casino. Inside Pool Room on the tiny table in the corner.
Pugilism Illustrated	Vault 11	Inside the living quarters, in female dorm #1, by the fallen dresser near a small sign on the ceiling that says "Ladies".
Pugilism Illustrated	Villa Dead Money	Behind the fountain where you start the Dead Money add-on.
Pugilism Illustrated	Wastewater Treatment Plant Lonesome Road	In the north-east corner of the third room, behind a set of tipped-over lockers.
Tales of a Junktown Jerky Vendor	Allied Technologies Offices	In the largest room (west) on the floor in front of the Nuka-Cola Machine.
Tales of a Junktown Jerky Vendor	Cap Counterfeiting Shack	On the suitcase by the bed, in the small back cellar room.
Tales of a Junktown Jerky Vendor	Marked men guard outpost Lonesome Road	Located through a cellar door on the eastern wall of the building, downstairs on a table near some gore on the north-west wall.
Tales of a Junktown Jerky Vendor	Primm	Inside the Bison Steve Hotel, behind the counter of the gift shop.
Tales of a Junktown Jerky Vendor	Salida del Sol South Dead Money	In a building opposite the door to Salida del Sol House, on a book shelf.
Tales of a Junktown Jerky Vendor	Vault 22	In the lab room (up the stairs from the elevator) in Pest Control, on the table with the bubbling vials.
Tumblers Today	Bitter Springs Recreation Area	Inside the office shack to the west, on the desk in the smaller of the two rooms.
Tumblers Today	Hopeville Missile Base Lonesome Road	Inside the Men's barracks, in the toilets underneath an upturned box.
Tumblers Today	Sierra Madre Resort & Casino Dead Money	In the casino floor area, 3rd floor office room to south east with auto doc, on top of a tool cabinet in room's northeast corner
Tumblers Today	Silver Peak Mine	Inside the shack, behind the two small tables, on the ground in an open locker, right of the entrance.
Tumblers Today	The Prospector's Den	Inside the caves, in the subterranean den structure, in the large barracks room, on the floor in the far right corner.
Tumblers Today	Wolfhorn Ranch	Inside the farmhouse, partially under the fridge without a door.
Wasteland Survival Guide	Lone Wolf Radio	Near the mattress inside the radio trailer.
Wasteland Survival Guide	Matthews Animal Husbandry Farm	Inside the barn, on the upper level, next to the barrel crate.
Wasteland Survival Guide	Mesquite Mountains camp site	Next to the bed and toolbox inside the westernmost tent. Note that it may spawn beneath the ground, switching to third person perspective and moving the camera around may help in finding it.
Wasteland Survival Guide	Scavenger platform	Northern end, under the collapsed metal shelves.
Wasteland Survival Guide	Waste Disposal Station Lonesome Road	Among radioactive barrels, between two lead-lined metal boxes, right next to a skeleton.

Locations of recipes[]

Skill Book Recipe	Closest Map Marker	Location Description
Barter	Signal Hills Transmitter	On the ground to your right as you enter, underneath the bottom of the shelves, next to a piece of scrap electronics.
Energy Weapons	Z-38 Lightwave Dynamics Research	Inside, on the very top catwalk, under the screen of a microfilm reader in the little piece of catwalk that juts out to the left.
Explosives	X-7a "Left Field" Artillery Launch	In the Artillery Command Center, on the radio table.
Guns	X-7b "Boom Town" Target Zone	Inside a footlocker found in one of the small craters. Fast travel to location, head forward through fence, third crater on left with the footlocker, after you fire the artillery cannon at X-7a "Left Field" Artillery Launch.
Lockpick	X-13 Research Facility	Hidden inside a vent in the Reception Observation Area of the X-13 Stealth Testing Lab. Go across the center bridge (the one with the toolbox and footlocker at the end). When you reach them look to the left and you will see a rectangular vent. The recipe is inside along with some random loot.
Medicine	Higgs Village	In House #103, upstairs in a bedroom, on the shelf by the desk.
Melee Weapons	Y-0 research center	On the roof.
Repair	Higgs Village	Inside House #00. Sandwiched in a rack of old world scientific equipment upstairs.
Science	Higgs Village	In House #102 upstairs in the back room, on top of a black box.
Sneak	X-13 Research Facility	In the X-13 Stealth Testing Lab, inside the Testing Area, found on the floor of the kitchen area, between the 2 fridges.
Speech	Higgs Village	On top of a radio on the second floor of House #104.
Survival	Little Yangtze	In the first tent to the right when entering from the fast travel point, under a bed to the right.
Unarmed	Big MT West Tunnel	Inside, behind a locked door (easy) to the right as soon as you enter.