Penitent Scholar achievement

[Martin]

Hey, I'm curious if any of you have done this achievement, and if so how many areas you explored to find all the books. I'm currently 228 days into this run and I've explored all of:

• Broken Railroad
  
• Forlorn Muskeg
  
• Mystery Lake
  
• Bleak Inlet
  
• Coastal Highway
  
• Desolation Point

I've also fully explored the connecting regions of Ravine, Winding River and Crumbling Highway. I'm a bit surprised I've somehow not found them all yet.

I'm thinking I should either explore Mountain Town or Pleasant Valley next, in hopes of finding the last book, but not sure which is more likely to have it.

[Mr.D]

You should find plenty around mountain town, pleasant valley and mystery lake. I spend a lot of time around those 3 regions and have the achievement but it can be achieved over multiple play through's and RNG could mean any particular volume you are missing just doesn't spawn in your world or is somewhere off the beaten track you will never find.

You may want to head up Ash Canyon (I start here and videos on youtube to show you the route) for the backpack too.

[Martin]

Good to know. I just assumed you had to get them all in a single playthrough.

I've heard good things about Ash Canyon. Plan is to go there sometime soon, once I've fully explored all of PV and TM.

[Bobywan]

You don't need to find all of them but you to find and read one of each.
Some books like the guns guns guns and I think sewing books have some fix locations + RNG locations at least in interloper. I don't remember for other difficulties.
The guns book spawn on the summit in the nearby cave or inside the plane. Don't remember for the sewing book, I think I heard a youtuber say it always spawned somewhere.
If you know which book you are missing, someone may be able to help you.
Don't forget to research the book too. When you reach level 5 you can't research that topic. One of the gun book can't be researched past level 3 I think.

[IFIYGD]

Originally posted by Martin:

Good to know. I just assumed you had to get them all in a single playthrough.

It is all in one Survival save. Read one of each skill book in a single Survival Mode save. It was easier years ago before gunsmithing and the revolver were added to the game (which added 2 new books). And unfortunately, the game will not tell you which books you have read and which ones you are missing- keep track in your Journal or on a piece of paper, and make sure you read the Frontier Shooting Guide before you reach Rifle Skill lvl 4- that book can't be read once you've passed Lvl 3 skill.
The Fandom Wiki has a list of all book names: https://thelongdark.fandom.com/wiki/Research_Book

[Martin]

Thanks, yeah I should definitely write down next time if I screw this up, because now i'm at a point where im trying as hard as I can to not level up my skills to lvl 5 (and lvl 4 for rifle).

I should at least write down the books I've read very recently, and don't worry about lvling up those.

[IFIYGD]

Yeah, I think Mr.D may have been thinking of the Book Smarts Feat- that can be done over multiple saves.

[Mr.D]

Originally posted by IFIYGD:

Yeah, I think Mr.D may have been thinking of the Book Smarts Feat- that can be done over multiple saves.

Appears so. Didn't realise it was separate to the achievement. Thanks for the correction.

[IFIYGD]

Originally posted by Mr.D:

Originally posted by IFIYGD:

Yeah, I think Mr.D may have been thinking of the Book Smarts Feat- that can be done over multiple saves.

Appears so. Didn't realise it was separate to the achievement. Thanks for the correction.

No worries, there is a lot to keep track of, and the achievement description doesn't specify it like some other achievements do.

[Martin]

Turns out the one I was missing was indeed "Advanced Guns Guns Guns!". Found it in Three Strikers Homestead north-west in PV. Thanks guys.

Now I can finally level up my skills without worrying after 242 days of searching :)

[IFIYGD]

Hey! Congrats! :D

[Phoenix]

Originally posted by Martin:

Now I can finally level up my skills without worrying after 242 days of searching :)

I'm fairly sure you don't have to wait to level your skills up. If it ever was that way, it looks it's fixed by now. I got the achievement several weeks back. The last book that triggered the achievement wasn't able to progress corresponding skill since it was already too high.

The only thing you have to not forget is to "try" to research the book once, even if it fails.