Where to find skill books in Starfield

A spaceship flies over a sandy planet in Starfield
(Image credit: Bethesda)

While you have a wealth of skills to choose from and upgrade in Starfield, picking up skill books lets you add a variety of permanent buffs to certain skills. Unlike other loot, skill books are some of the fixed items that can be found in Starfield's sprawling universe, so here are all the books I've found so far and what bonuses they give you.

Constellation Guide

(Image credit: Bethesda)

Issue 01

  • Location: This can be found at The Lodge on the counter next to the Artifact station. 
  • Buff: Permanently decreases fall damage amount by 5%.

Issue 04 

  • Location: Found on the table next to chairs in the waiting room on The Clinic space station at Deepala in the Narion system.
  • Buff: Permanently use 15% less oxygen while moving when over-encumbered.

Mining Monthly

(Image credit: Bethesda)

Issue 05

  • Location: Found on Tau Ceti 6-a mining complex. 
  • Buff: Permanent increases tool-grip weapon damage by an additional 2%.

Issue 07 

  • Location: Head to the residential area on Cydonia then to the mining section. In the canteen area, you'll find this on a table. 
  • Buff: You get a permanent increase in tool-grip weapon damage by 2%.

Issue 10 

  • Location: Inside Deserted Robotics Lab on Bessel 2 in the Cafeteria breakroom. 
  • Buff: This book will permanently increase tool-grip weapon damage by 2%.

Combatech Catalogs

Issue 05 

  • Location: This can be found on Procyon III at the spacer camp near Forgotten Mech Graveyard. 
  • Buff: Slightly increases the range and accuracy of Combatech weapons.

Peak Performance

(Image credit: Bethesda)

Issue 01 

  • Location: Found on The Eye space station orbiting Jemison. It's in the Physical Training Room on the counter. 
  • Buff: Increases carrying capacity by 5G.

Va'Ruun Scripture

(Image credit: Bethesda)

Scripture 4 

  • Location: Found in Eren's Camp on Hyla 2 in the Hyla system, located on the top floor of the camp as part of Andreja's personal quest, Divided Loyalties. 
  • Buff: Permanently increase sneak bonus by 1% and melee sneak attack damage by 5%.

Scripture 8 

  • Location: Found on Sirius 3-a in an abandoned hangar ahead of the launch pad. Before reaching the building, you can free two robots and set them to friend mode who will join your fight.
  • Buff: Permanent increase to sneak bonus by 1% and melee sneak attack damage by 5%.

UC Defense Manual

(Image credit: Bethesda)

Manual 2 

  • Location: Found on The Den in Chthonia in the Wolf system.
  • Buff: Slight increase in magazine size and weapon bash critical for all Allied Armaments guns.

Gunslinger's Guide

Guide 1 

  • Location: On the third floor of Freestar Collective HQ at top of the stairs outside the Marshal's office.
  • Buff: Permanently reload and draw Laredo Weapons faster

Tracker's Alliance Preparedness Primer

Primer 02 

  • Location: Found on Indum II, Pilgrim's Rest, inside the Pilgrim's locked room during the main Unity quest. Look for it on the counter by the window.
  • Buff: Permanently increases EM weapon damage by 5%

Primer 05 

  • Location: Found on a bedside table when you go to fix the comms inside the Argos Extractor's Mining Outpost on Vectera.
  • Buff: Permanently increases EM weapon damage by 5%.

Nova Galactic

(Image credit: Bethesda)

Manual 1

  • Location: Space station/casino Almagest orbiting planet Nesoi, in Olympus system. Look in the manager's office next to the computer
  • Buff: Permanently reduces fuel needed for a grav jump by 1%

(Image credit: Bethesda)

Manual 2

  • Location: Found in Nova Galactic Staryard.
  • Buff: Permanent reduction of fuel needed for grav jump by 1%

Kryx's journal entry

(Image credit: Bethesda)

Entry 01

  • Location: Found on a crate to the left of the room just before you rescue Barrett.
  • Buff: Store prices are permanently reduced by 2% and you permanently sell items for 2% more (on top of any other bonuses).

Grunt

(Image credit: Bethesda)

Issue 06

  • Location: Found on Aranae 1 at deserted ecliptic garrison in a building opposite where you land upstairs.
  • Buff: Ballistic weapons permanently do 5% more crit damage.

Issue 07

  • Location: Found in the Abandoned Cryo Lab on Niira in the Narion system.
  • Buff: Ballistic weapons permanently do 5% more crit damage.

Soloman's Adventures

(Image credit: Bethesda)

Solomon's adventures 01

  • Location: Found in Coe estate in the bedroom on the table during The Empty Nest questline. 
  • Buff: Gives  you a permanent increase to weapon damage at night by 5%.

Solomon's adventures 05

  • Location: Altair 3-b abandoned mineral refinery living quarters. 
  • Buff: Permanently add 5% to melee weapon critical damage.

Cyber Runner's Cipher

(Image credit: Bethesda)

Cipher 01 

  • Location: Slayton Aerospace on the coffee table to the left of reception. 
  • Buff: Adds a bankable auto-attempt for hacking.

Cipher 04

  • Location: On Neon, at the Hotel Volii, in your room if you rent for a day. 
  • Buff: Laser weapons permanently do 5% more crit damage. 
Starfield guideStarfield traitsStarfield companionsStarfield romance optionsStarfield console commandsStarfield mods

Starfield guide: Our hub of advice
Starfield traits: The full list, with our top picks
Starfield companions: All your recruitable crew
Starfield romance options: Space dating
Starfield console commands: Every cheat you need
Starfield mods: Space is your sandbox

Guides Editor

The first three games Lauren played on PC were Star Wars: X-Wing, Zoo Tycoon and Barbie Fashion Designer, which explains her love of all things space, strategy and aesthetically pleasing. Lauren recently took over as PC Gamer's Guides Editor after three years of writing many dozens of Destiny 2 guides at VG247, as well as casually trying to shoehorn in The Witcher 3 articles wherever possible. When she's not trying to force everyone to play as a Warlock in Destiny 2, Lauren is either mastering her SEO abilities to help smash the competition, or patting one of her red sons.