Bookcase mechanics

jmmonnat_ESO · May 2014

Do bookcases "reset" once you look inside them, hoping for a skill increase, or is it RNG each time. In other words, am I wasting my time looking into the same bookcases over and over?

Uzkul · May 2014

I've had skill upgrades from bookcases I visited before.
So, you're not actually wasting time, and I visit every bookcase I see when my character loads in again.

However, the bookcase should only 'respawn' or replenish when you have zoned out for a bit (for example a quest portal opens and loading screen appears) or if you have logged off for a bit.
Much like the barrels and trunks all over the world.

If you are playing the same map for about an hour, there is no real point in visiting the bookcases again because most likely they will still hold the same book you've read before.
Unfortunately I don't have a timmeframe for you when they do actually 'respawn'.
RNG it is ..

kaosodin · May 2014

I thought it was preset...and once I looked, that was it

Uzkul · May 2014

kaosodin wrote: »

I thought it was preset...and once I looked, that was it

Actually, you might be right.
I've been testing this a bit now with 3 bookcases in Coldharbour vault.
I got the same book so far after being logged off for about 30 mins.
I'll try this some more to see if I get another book or not.
(if they don't change at some point, it must mean I missed some bookcases while first running through, which would surprise me cause I'm quite methodical in opening them all).
We'll see what the testing brings

AlexDougherty · May 2014

kaosodin wrote: »

I thought it was preset...and once I looked, that was it

Seems to be, I did my fourth character, which meant he was following in one of my previous character's footsteps. He seemed to encounter the same books in the same places. There might be a few randomised bookshelves, but not many.

DenverRalphy · May 2014

Bookcases reset after a period of time (can't recall exactly how often but I'm pretty sure it's the same or similar to how often trunks/desks/cabinets/etc.. reset). Each time they reset, there's a random book in it. So you can theoretically get several skillups from the same bookcase. But it would take forever to do, since each skill book you get increases the chances that you'll just see a book you've already read.

Talmet · May 2014

Bookcases are random, and the proof is very simple.

There is lorebook that is possible to find in a bookcase, the totems of hicine. It does exist out in the open, but it also can be found in bookcases....and people have reported finding it in bookcases all over tamriel, even inside of delves.

Uzkul · June 2014

Well I did some more testing on my favorite bookcases in the Coldharbour Vault.

Conclusion they did change !
So they must be random.

First case I opened :

After a while this was in the same bookcase :

So they are random, but it take quite some more time for them to respawn then the trunks, baskets, ...
First screenshot was taken at 4PM, 2nd at 8AM.

jmmonnat_ESO · June 2014

But does the skill-up depend on what book you get or what attempt number you're on? Honestly, I never look at what the book title is when I check the bookcase.

DenverRalphy · June 2014

jmmonnat_ESO wrote: »

But does the skill-up depend on what book you get or what attempt number you're on? Honestly, I never look at what the book title is when I check the bookcase.

It depends on the book. Certain books give specific skill ups. There are 82 of them in total.

Merlin13KAGL · June 2014

Some skillbooks are set...You may always get a Light Armor increase from a particular location (only one time, though).

Some skillbooks are random...You may always get a skill increase from a particular location (one time only also, though), but the skill may vary from character to character...

Some skillbooks are not... I may pull a skillbook from a shelf, while the DK grouped with me may not pull one at all, or vice versa.

They (at this time, nor in the foreseeable future) do not continue to give skill increases. If they did, people would linger near bookcases and eventually have Skill 50's across the board.

Unless they add it via patch or new content, once you've read it, you've read it!