Tracking Skill Books
| Tracking Skill Books | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Class | Skill Book |
| Trains | Tracking |
| Volumes | 5 |
| XP Bonus |
|
| Read Time, All Volumes | 50 h |
| Weight | 1 |
| Location | Containers |
| Spawn ID | /additem Base.BookTracking1and 5 more, see Volumes |
The Tracking Skill Books are a series of five volumes that speed up training in the Tracking skill. Each volume covers two skill levels, from Tracking I: "Animal Pawprints" for a beginner to Tracking V: "Understanding Animal Behavior Through Spoor Placement" for the last steps.
A volume works as an experience multiplier. Once read, the Tracking experience earned in its two levels counts several times over. The first volume triples the gain, and the last one multiplies it by sixteen. Tracking is the skill for following wild animals, so the books suit a survivor who plans to hunt.
The whole series takes about two full days of reading in game time. A Set of Tracking Books holds all five volumes in one bundle.
Book stores, university storage and pawn shops are the likeliest places to find them.
Reading
The volumes are read in order, and each one helps only while its own levels are being trained. Tracking I: "Animal Pawprints" covers levels 1 and 2, so it is worth reading before the first hunt. Tracking II: "Hunting with Hemingway" covers levels 3 and 4. Tracking III: "Long Range Animal Tracking" takes over at level 5. Tracking IV: "The Smell of Ivory: An African Adventure" covers levels 7 and 8.
A volume picked up too early does not help yet. The character says "I don't get it" and makes no progress until the earlier levels are done. A volume read after its two levels are passed brings no training bonus. The best habit is to finish each volume just before reaching its levels.
The bonus grows with each volume. Volume I gives three times the experience, Volume II five times, Volume III eight times, Volume IV twelve times and Volume V sixteen times.
Longer volumes take longer to read. Volume I takes a little over seven hours of game time, and Volume V takes close to thirteen. Sitting down and wearing Reading Glasses each cut the time by a tenth. The Fast Reader trait cuts it by about a third, and Slow Reader adds a third.
A read can stop at any time. Progress is kept, so the book can wait while other jobs need doing.
Volumes
The five volumes, the levels each one speeds up, the XP bonus while those levels are trained, and how long each takes to read. Reading times are game time at the default two minutes a page. Sitting down and wearing Reading Glasses each cut the time by a tenth, the Fast Reader trait cuts it by about a third, and Slow Reader adds a third.
| Volume | Image | Levels | XP Bonus | Pages | Read Time | Spawn ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tracking I: "Animal Pawprints" | 
|
1 to 2 | x3 | 220 | 7 h 20 min | /additem Base.BookTracking1
|
| Tracking II: "Hunting with Hemingway" |
|
3 to 4 | x5 | 260 | 8 h 40 min | /additem Base.BookTracking2
|
| Tracking III: "Long Range Animal Tracking" |
|
5 to 6 | x8 | 300 | 10 h | /additem Base.BookTracking3
|
| Tracking IV: "The Smell of Ivory: An African Adventure" |
|
7 to 8 | x12 | 340 | 11 h 20 min | /additem Base.BookTracking4
|
| Tracking V: "Understanding Animal Behavior Through Spoor Placement" |
|
9 to 10 | x16 | 380 | 12 h 40 min | /additem Base.BookTracking5
|
Set of Tracking Books bundles all five volumes in one item and unpacks into them.
| Item | Image | Spawn ID |
|---|---|---|
| Set of Tracking Books | 
|
/additem Base.BookTrackingSet
|
Using
The Set of Tracking Books packs the five volumes into one item. A set is a little lighter to carry than five loose books and keeps the series together. Unpacking the set gives back the five volumes for reading.
Locations
Book store shelves are the best bet, holding a volume about one time in five. University storage comes next at about one time in nine. Pawn shops and other book store containers hold one about one time in twelve. Bedrooms, closets and kid's bedrooms turn one up now and then. Post offices, attics, halls, living rooms and classroom shelves hold one less often.
The places where it spawns, with the rough chance per container. Each tab shows one kind of place.
| Location | Container | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Book store | Shelves | 21.4% |
| Book store | Other | 8.1% |
| Pawn shop | Other | 8.1% |
| Pawn shop | Shelves | 8.1% |
| Bedroom | Small box | 6.2% |
| Location | Container | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| University storage | Other | 11.4% |
| Post office | Other | 4.6% |
| Post office storage | Other | 4.6% |
| Classroom | Counter | 3.5% |
| Elementary classroom | Counter | 3.5% |
| Secondary classroom | Metal shelves | 3.3% |
| Secondary classroom | Shelves | 3.3% |
| Classroom | Metal shelves | 3.2% |
| Classroom | Shelves | 3.2% |
| Elementary classroom | Metal shelves | 3.2% |
| Location | Container | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Closet | Other | 6.2% |
| Kid's bedroom | Other | 6.2% |
| Bedroom | Cardboard box | 5% |
| Attic | Cardboard box | 3.7% |
| Attic | Crate | 3.7% |
| Attic | Other | 3.7% |
| Bedroom | Crate | 3.7% |
| Hall | Other | 3.7% |
| Living room | Other | 3.7% |
| Bathroom | Other | 2.5% |
| Location | Container | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Survivor safehouse | Fireplace | 0.4% |
| Survivor safehouse | Shelves | 0.4% |
| Survivor safehouse (late game) | Fireplace | 0.4% |
| Survivor safehouse (late game) | Shelves | 0.4% |
| Survivor safehouse (mid game) | Fireplace | 0.4% |
| Survivor safehouse (mid game) | Shelves | 0.4% |
Notes
- Read each volume before reaching its first level, not after.
- Reading progress is kept if the read is stopped partway.
- Book stores and pawn shops are the surest places to look.
- School classrooms are worth a check on a supply run.
- A spare volume burns for about fifteen minutes as fire fuel.
All Literature Categories
All Skill Books