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Amidst the grim aftermath of nuclear devastation, where the shattered remnants of civilization struggle for survival, a new form of wealth rises in the Mojave Wasteland. In the post-apocalyptic world ofFallout: New Vegas, where knowledge holds immeasurable value, skill books have become as coveted as the bottle cap.
Skill books are the invaluable treasures of the Mojave Wasteland that permanently boost your stats once read. We have compiled a compendium revealing the hidden locations of every skill book within the base game for you to find, read, and maybe use as decoration in your Lucky 38 penthouse suite.
Updated June 01, 2025 by Quinton O’Connor:We’ve added tips on additional nearby loot for many skill book categories, so keep your eyes peeled for ‘em as you comb the Mojave.
Skill Book Breakdown
There are13 distinct typesof skill booksscattered throughout the Mojave Wasteland. Each type isassociated with a specific skilland willpermanently boost it by three pointsonce read.
Frombecoming better at barteringby flicking through the Tales of a Junktown Jerky Vendor, toimproving your weapon proficiencywith Guns and Bullets, these bookscover a wide range of expertise.
If you’re at leastlevel threeand havesix intelligence, you can take theComprehension perktoincrease the permanent boostgained from reading skill booksfrom three points to four.
Within the base game, you can findthree to five copies of each skill book type. These copies arespread across the vast expanse of the Mojave Wasteland, hidden inforgotten nooks, guarded bytreacherous creatures, or given to you forcompleting quests.
Due to the many different types of skill books that can be found, the following sections will be separated by:the name of the book,the skill that it permanently boosts, and thelocations of each copy.
Big Book Of Science
There arefive copiesof this skill book in the base game that will permanently grant you15 pointsto yourScience skill, or20 with the Comprehension perk.
On a desk in the southeast corner of theCommand Center.
HELIOS One
Given as a reward by Ignacio Rivas for completing the quest’That Lucky Old Sun’by distributing power to the whole grid.
Nipton Town Hall
OnMayor Joseph B Steyn’s deskin his office on the top floor.
REPCONN Headquarters
On a shelfon the ground floor behind a hard difficulty-locked door.
Inside Brewer’s Beer Bootlegging, you’ll also find aSunset Sarsaparilla star bottle cap.Camp Forlorn Hope is home to a plethora of quests; HELIOS One can triggerED-E’s companion quest.
Chinese Army: Special Ops Training Manual
There arefour copiesof this skill book in the base game that will permanently grant you12 pointsto yourSneak skill, or16 with the Comprehension perk.
Location Description
Camp Searchlight
In the basement of theEast Chapel. Be wary of the gecko infestation down there.
On a bookshelf inTrudy and Sunny Smile’shome.
Vault 3
On a shelf in theLiving Quarterspast the average difficulty-locked door.
There’s anotherSunset Sarsaparilla star bottle capin Camp Searchlight - inside thefire station. Yet another can be found at the NCR Sharecropper Farms,toward the eastern entrance.You’ll find one more at Vault 3, alongsideplenty of quests.
D.C Journal Of Internal Medicine
There arefour copiesof this skill book in the base game that will permanently grant you12 pointsto yourMedicine skill, or16 with the Comprehension perk.
In thebedside tablein the second room.
Upstairs,on the bedin the same room with the east terminal password.
Mesquite Mountains Crater
On the table with the radio and repair kit insideHell’s Motel.
On the bed insideRanger Andy’s room.
Dean’s Electronics
There arethree copiesof this skill book in the base game that will permanently grant younine pointsto yourRepair skill, or12 with the Comprehension perk.
Nellis Air Force Base has a whopping18 associated quests.
Duck And Cover!
There arefour copiesof this skill book in the base game that will permanently grant you12 pointsto yourExplosives skill, or16 with the Comprehension perk.
On a shelf in theWorker Barracks.
Grognak The Barbarian
There arefour copiesof this skill book in the base game that will permanently grant you12 pointsto yourMelee Weapons skill, or16 with the Comprehension perk.
Resting on ametal cratein the cave.
Jacobstown
In front ofthe ovenin the first bungalow on the east side.
Guns And Bullets
There arefour copiesof this skill book in the base game that will permanently grant you12 pointsto your Guns skill, or16 with the Comprehension perk.
In awooden crateby the door inside the shack.
Vault 34
On a metal tablebetween the sofas in the armory common room.
Lying, Congressional Style
There arefour copiesof this skill book in the base game that will permanently grant you12 pointsto yourSpeech skill, or16 with the Comprehension perk.
NCRCF
On a desk on the second floor of theNCRCF administration.
Find aSunset Sarsaparilla star bottle capon thehighest floor. There’s another at Cerulean Robotics, in thesouthwest room.
Nikola Tesla And You
There arefour copiesof this skill book in the base game that will permanently grant you12 pointsto yourEnergy Weapons skill, or16 with the Comprehension perk.
On the table inside theirradiated shack.
On top of a safepast the Very Hard locked door on the first floor.
On the deskby a terminalin the first room on the left of the second floor.
Pugilism Illustrated
There arefour copiesof this skill book in the base game that will permanently grant you12 points to your Unarmed skill, or16 with the Comprehension perk.
The Tops Hotel and Casino
Vault 11
Resting byruined furnitureinside female dorm one within the living quarters.
Stop around7,500 chipsif you’re gambling at the Tops Hotel and Casino. You’ll getyour own private suitethat way, but if you should ever hit 10,000,you’re bannedfrom ever gambling again there!
Tales Of A Junktown Jerky Vendor
There arefour copiesof this skill book in the base game that will permanently grant you12 pointsto yourBarter skill, or16 with the Comprehension perk.
Allied Technologies Offices
In front of thenuka cola machinein the largest room on the western side of the building.
On a table inside the lab room withinPest Control.
Tumblers Today
There arefour copiesof this skill book in the base game that will permanently grant you12 pointsto yourLockpick skill, or16 with the Comprehension perk.
Bitter Springs Recreation Area
On a desk inside the smaller room of thewest office shack.
Silver Peak Mine
Inside anopen lockerlaying on the ground on the right as you enter.
The Prospector’s Den
Once inside the cave, can be found on the floor in the far right corner of the second room on the right insidethe wooden building.
On the floorby the fridgeinside the farmhouse.
Wasteland Survival Guide
There arefour copiesof this skill book in the base game that will permanently grant you12 pointsto yoursurvival skill, or16 with the Comprehension perk.
