Perk Books are special items that, once read, permanently enhance your character and work independently of the perk tree. They do not require skill points or specific attributes – you simply need to find them and use them.
Most perk books belong to thematic series, such as melee combat, crafting, or exploration. Each book in a series provides a specific bonus, for example increased damage or reduced stamina usage. The bonuses from perk books stack and remain active at all times, which makes them some of the most important items for long-term character progression.
How to Find Books in 7 Days to Die
Perk Books are part of the loot system and can be found in specific locations throughout the world. The most important sources include:
- Libraries and bookstores, such as Crack-a-Book, as well as schools and universities.
- Bookshelves, shelves, and desks found in residential houses, bunkers, and shelters.
- Special loot containers, like Crack-a-Book Crates.
- Traders and quests – traders can sometimes offer perk books for purchase or as quest rewards.
List of All Perk Books in 7 Days to Die
Below you will find all available perk books, including all titles within each series and detailed descriptions explaining what you gain by reading every series.
The Art of Mining
The Art of Mining series is specifically designed for players who focus on mining and resource gathering. The books gradually increase the amount of ore harvested, boost the damage dealt by mining tools, and improve overall underground efficiency, which directly contributes to faster base development.
As the series is completed, players gain bonuses such as a chance to extract rare resources and gems from ore, the ability to use coffee as a booster to increase mining yield, access to Blackstrap Coffee, and additional effects that help protect against cave-ins and environmental damage while mining. Some books are especially valuable, including Vol. 1 – Lucky Strike, which can significantly increase mining profits even in the early stages of the game thanks to its chance for extra rare loot.
List of all volumes from The Art of Mining series:
- Vol. 1 – Lucky Strike
- Vol. 2 – Diamond Tools
- Vol. 3 – Coffee
- Vol. 4 – Blackstrap
- Vol. 5 – Resources
- Vol. 6 – Avalanche
- Vol. 7 – Damage
The Automatic Weapon Handbook
The Automatic Weapon Handbook is a series designed for players who rely on automatic weapons and prefer an aggressive combat playstyle. Individual volumes increase the damage dealt by automatic weapons, improve sustained fire effectiveness, and reduce weapon degradation.
The series also unlocks the ability to craft drum magazines, improves recoil control, and completing the full set grants a movement speed bonus after killing an enemy, making it a strong choice for fast-paced and high-intensity combat situations.
List of all volumes from The Automatic Weapon Handbook series:
- Vol. 1 – Damage
- Vol. 2 – Uncontrolled Burst
- Vol. 3 – Maintenance
- Vol. 4 – Drum Magazines
- Vol. 5 – Recoil
- Vol. 6 – Ragdoll
- Vol. 7 – Hip Fire
Batter Up!
Batter Up! is a series aimed at players who fight with blunt weapons such as clubs and bats, favoring close-quarters combat. Individual volumes increase damage dealt with clubs, reduce stamina usage while sprinting with a weapon drawn, and improve the effectiveness of power attacks, allowing them to slow down or knock enemies to the ground.
The series also reduces blunt weapon degradation, and completing the full set causes power attack kills to restore stamina, making it a strong choice for aggressive melee-focused gameplay.
List of all volumes from Batter Up! series:
- Vol. 1 – Big Hits
- Vol. 2 – Stealing Bases
- Vol. 3 – Hit and Run
- Vol. 4 – Knockdown
- Vol. 5 – Maintenance
- Vol. 6 – Foul Balls
- Vol. 7 – Metal Chain Mod
Bar Brawling
Bar Brawler is a series designed for players who prefer fighting with bare fists or knuckle-type weapons. Individual volumes increase unarmed damage, improve the effectiveness of sprinting attacks, and allow enemies to be knocked down during combat.
The series also introduces mechanics such as health regeneration during fights and increased movement and attack speed after taking damage. Completing the full series grants a powerful damage bonus on the seventh consecutive hit, making Bar Brawler one of the strongest choices for players who rely on unarmed combat rather than firearms.
List of all volumes from Bar Brawling series:
- Vol. 1 – Basic Moves
- Vol. 2 – Drop a Bomb
- Vol. 3 – Killer Instinct
- Vol. 4 – Finishing Moves
- Vol. 5 – Adrenaline Healing
- Vol. 6 – Rage Mode
- Vol. 7 – Boozed Up
The Fireman’s Almanac
The Fireman’s Almanac focuses on fighting fire, using axes, and surviving in dangerous biomes such as the burnt forest and wasteland. The volumes increase the chance to find water in loot, improve axe attacks, extend the duration of fire-based weapons, and reduce the risk of being set on fire.
Additionally, the series unlocks the fireman’s axe modification, increases damage dealt to burnt blocks and coal, and reduces vehicle damage. Completing the book series grants strong bonuses to stamina regeneration while sprinting, removes encumbrance in burnt biomes, and increases chainsaw damage.
List of all volumes from The Fireman’s Almanac series:
- Vol. 1 – Conditioning
- Vol. 2 – Mods
- Vol. 3 – Speed
- Vol. 4 – Fight Fire with Fire
- Vol. 5 – Fire Prevention
- Vol. 6 – Search and Rescue
- Vol. 7 – Emergency Driving
The Great Heist
The Great Heist is a series focused on break-ins, safes, and quietly acquiring loot during exploration. Individual volumes increase damage dealt to safes and allow you to find more jewelry, gold, and dukes while looting secured areas.
The series provides stealth-related bonuses such as no stamina usage while sneaking and the ability to safely fall from heights. Completing the series increases the number of lockpicks found in loot and speeds up lockpicking.
List of all volumes from The Great Heist series:
- Vol. 1 – Safes
- Vol. 2 – Gems
- Vol. 3 – Timed Charge
- Vol. 4 – Claimed
- Vol. 5 – Adrenaline Fall
- Vol. 6 – Stealthy Sprinting
- Vol. 7 – Motion Detection
The Hunter’s Journal
The Hunter’s Journal focuses on hunting and fighting wild animals. Each volume increases the damage dealt to specific species such as bears, wolves, coyotes, mountain lions, or vultures, making encounters with wildlife much safer.
Later entries also improve self-defense against hostile humanoid enemies, and completing the entire series allows you to harvest more meat, bones, and leather from hunted animals.
List of all volumes from The Hunter’s Journal series:
- Vol. 1 – Bears
- Vol. 2 – Wolves
- Vol. 3 – Coyotes
- Vol. 4 – Mountain Lions
- Vol. 5 – Deer
- Vol. 6 – Vultures
- Vol. 7 – Self Defense
Lucky Looter
Lucky Looter focuses on increasing both the quantity and quality of items found while looting. Individual volumes improve your chances of finding more dukes, ammunition, brass, lead, junk items, food, and medical supplies in loot containers.
It is an ideal series for players who focus on POI exploration, and completing the full set increases the chance that enemies will drop loot when killed, making it extremely valuable for long-term scavenging and progression.
List of all volumes from Lucky Looter series:
- Vol. 1 – Dukes
- Vol. 2 – Ammunition
- Vol. 3 – Brass
- Vol. 4 – Lead
- Vol. 5 – Junk
- Vol. 6 – Food
- Vol. 7 – Medical Supplies
Magnum Enforcer
Magnum Enforcer is a series aimed at players who use .44 Magnum revolvers, where each volume increases the damage dealt with .44 weapons, provides defensive bonuses while wearing the Enforcer Outfit, and enhances the final round in the cylinder, causing it to deal double damage.
The series also improves bartering while holding a .44, unlocks the ability to craft armor-piercing and HiPower ammunition, and completing the full collection allows .44 rounds to penetrate enemies, increasing combat effectiveness against groups of foes.
List of all volumes from Magnum Enforcer series:
- Vol. 1 – Damage
- Vol. 2 – Reload
- Vol. 3 – Armor Piercing
- Vol. 4 – Critical Hits
- Vol. 5 – Knockdown
- Vol. 6 – Stamina
- Vol. 7 – Mastery
The Night Stalker
The Night Stalker is a series focused on stealth and combat carried out at night. Individual books increase sneak attack damage at night, improve sneaking effectiveness, and remove encumbrance penalties during nighttime.
The series also grants additional experience for killing enemies at night, increases damage against sleeping enemies, and significantly boosts knife sneak attacks.
List of all volumes from The Night Stalker series:
- Vol. 1 – Sneak Damage
- Vol. 2 – Sneak Speed
- Vol. 3 – Light Armor
- Vol. 4 – Detection
- Vol. 5 – Silent Movement
- Vol. 6 – Shadow
- Vol. 7 – Master of the Night
Pistol Pete
Pistol Pete is a series for players who use pistols, where individual volumes increase the range of 9mm weapons, improve accuracy during rapid fire, raise the chance to cripple enemies, and even reduce weapon degradation.
Completing the full series causes close-range shots to ignore armor and inflict bleeding, making close-quarters combat significantly more effective.
List of all volumes from Pistol Pete series:
- Vol. 1 – Take Aim
- Vol. 2 – Swiss Knees
- Vol. 3 – Steady Hand
- Vol. 4 – Maintenance
- Vol. 5 – Hollow Points
- Vol. 6 – Armor Piercing
- Vol. 7 – Maximum Damage
Ranger’s Guide to Archery
Ranger’s Guide to Archery is a series designed for players who use bows and crossbows. Individual books give a chance to recover arrows and unlock the ability to craft exploding, flaming, and armor-piercing arrows and bolts.
The series improves the effectiveness of stealth attacks, reduces bow degradation, and completing the full set allows bulk crafting of arrows and bolts, making long-term use of ranged weapons much more convenient.
List of all volumes from Ranger’s Guide to Archery series:
- Vol. 1 – Arrow Recovery
- Vol. 2 – Exploding Arrows
- Vol. 3 – Crippling Shot
- Vol. 4 – Armor Piercing Arrows
- Vol. 5 – Flaming Arrows
- Vol. 6 – Maintenance
- Vol. 7 – Knockdown
Shotgun Messiah
Shotgun Messiah increases shotgun damage, unlocks the ability to craft breaching ammunition, slugs, and magazine-extending modifications, and improves combat effectiveness at close range.
The series also reduces shotgun degradation, increases the chance to dismember enemies, and completing the full set allows bulk crafting of shotgun ammunition while significantly increasing damage dealt to wooden blocks.
List of all volumes from Shotgun Messiah series:
- Vol. 1 – Damage
- Vol. 2 – Pellet Spread
- Vol. 3 – Reload Speed
- Vol. 4 – Knockdown
- Vol. 5 – Armor Piercing
- Vol. 6 – Magazine Size
- Vol. 7 – Mastery
Sledge Saga
Sledge Saga is a book series designed for players who use sledgehammers and focus on brutal, close-quarters combat. The individual volumes increase the chance to knock enemies down, reduce sledgehammer durability loss, and strengthen power attacks. Additionally, the series grants bonuses to damage against weakened enemies, double experience for killing enemies with head hits, and the ability for power attacks to bypass armor.
List of all volumes from Sledge Saga series:
- Vol. 1 – Damage
- Vol. 2 – Power Attacks
- Vol. 3 – Stamina Reduction
- Vol. 4 – Knockdown
- Vol. 5 – Crowd Control
- Vol. 6 – Critical Hits
- Vol. 7 – Mastery
Sniper
Sniper is a series designed for players who prefer long-range combat and precise enemy elimination. Each book increases the damage dealt while aiming through a scope and improves shot effectiveness, giving a chance to stun, cripple, or dismember enemies. The series also speeds up rifle reloads, reduces stamina usage while aiming, and unlocks ammunition crafting, while reading all seven volumes allows you to bulk craft ammunition for sniper rifles.
List of all volumes from Sniper series:
- Vol. 1 – Damage
- Vol. 2 – Crippling Shot
- Vol. 3 – Head Shot
- Vol. 4 – Reload
- Vol. 5 – Zoom
- Vol. 6 – Stability
- Vol. 7 – One Shot One Kill
Spear Hunter
Spear Hunter is an ideal choice for players who fight with spears, focusing on dealing high damage from a distance and controlling enemies. Subsequent volumes increase spear damage, slow down weapon degradation, and grant a chance to inflict bleeding damage. The series also improves the effectiveness of power attacks, increases attack speed, and allows spears to penetrate multiple enemies with a single strike.
List of all volumes from Spear Hunter series:
- Vol. 1 – Damage
- Vol. 2 – Maintenance
- Vol. 3 – Steel Spears
- Vol. 4 – Strong Arm
- Vol. 5 – Rapid Strike
- Vol. 6 – Punctured Lungs
- Vol. 7 – Deadly Combo
Urban Combat
Urban Combat is a series focused on stealth, close-quarters combat, and engagements fought inside buildings and urban environments. Subsequent volumes reduce movement noise, allow silent movement over trash, and remove stamina penalties caused by wearing armor during combat. The series also provides bonuses to fighting indoors, slows down the activation of land mines, and removes the damage penalty when using suppressors.
List of all volumes from Urban Combat series:
- Vol. 1 – Military Stealth Boots
- Vol. 2 – Cigars
- Vol. 3 – Sneaking
- Vol. 4 – Jumping
- Vol. 5 – Land Mines
- Vol. 6 – Armor Adrenaline Rush
- Vol. 7 – Room Clearing
Tech Junkie
Tech Junkie is a book series focused on robotic weapons, robotic turrets, and stun batons, making it ideal for players who enjoy using technological gadgets in combat. Subsequent volumes increase the damage dealt by robotic weapons, reduce their durability loss, and unlock the ability to craft turret ammunition, including armor-piercing variants. The series also allows you to craft repulsor mods for stun batons, improves stun charge mechanics, and increases the fire rate of robotic sledges and turrets.
List of all volumes from Tech Junkie series:
- Vol. 1 – Robotic Damage
- Vol. 2 – Maintenance
- Vol. 3 – AP Robotic Ammo
- Vol. 4 – Robotic Shells
- Vol. 5 – Stun Repulsor
- Vol. 6 – Charged Strike
- Vol. 7 – Hydraulics
Wasteland Treasures
Wasteland Treasures focuses on making the most out of the resources available in the game world and teaches players how to extract valuable materials from environmental objects. While reading this series, you gain a chance to obtain honey from trees, the ability to harvest bones, gems, and metals from coffins, and increased chances of finding acid from vehicles and medical equipment.
Later volumes allow you to purify water, salvage brass from doors, turn plant fibers into cloth, and recover more lead and brass from sinks. Completing the full series increases the chance to find Legendary Parts, making Wasteland Treasures an excellent choice for players focused on looting and long-term resource gathering.
List of all volumes from Wasteland Treasures series:
- Vol. 1 – Honey
- Vol. 2 – Coffins
- Vol. 3 – Acid
- Vol. 4 – Water
- Vol. 5 – Door Knobs
- Vol. 6 – Weaving
- Vol. 7 – Sinks
