- For other uses, see Skill Books.
The following is a list of skill books that increase specific skills in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. There are 109 skill books in total: 5 for most skills; 6 for Conjuration, Destruction, Illusion, Mysticism, and Heavy Armor; and 4 for Speechcraft. Reading the book once permanently increases a specific skill by one point.
Acrobatics[]
- Bravil - In S'krivva's House - upstairs on a bookshelf.
- Cheydinhal – In Ganredhel's House in the dresser.
- Kvatch – In Castle Kvatch, Great Hall on the hall table
- Brindle Home - In Torbal the Sufficient's house, the chest at the foot of his bed.
Mystery of Talara, Book I - Two Sides of the Coin
- Looted from boss-level bandits and vampires. You can also get it as a reward from the quest Two Sides of the Coin
- In the Shivering Isles, on top of an outdoor chest that is on the crest of a steep-sided ridge west and slightly north of Dire Warren.
Alchemy[]
- The Imperial City, Arcane University in the Lustratorium; bookshelf southwest corner, second shelf.
- In the Chorrol Mages Guild in the small room next to Angalmo the alchemist.
- You can find this in the shelf inside the Wizard's Tower in your living area.
- Imperial City, Arcane University: Mystic Archives inside a display case
- Skingrad: All Things Alchemical, 2nd floor shelf, northeast corner.
- Possibility of being found during the Two Sides of the Coin quest.
- As random loot on monsters.
Alteration[]
- Third floor of Skingrad Mages Guild on a bookshelf in the Room east of the door, smallest book on second shelf.
- Shelf in a table on second floor of Dovyn Aren's house in Elven Gardens District. The table is on the wall opposite to the bed and to the right of the bed, below a tapestry. The book is on top of a copy of the Followers of the Gray Fox, which must be taken or moved with telekinesis, before interaction with the book is possible.
- Shelf on second floor of Southern Books in Leyawiin. The shelf is in the section of the room to your right as you enter the second floor. It is the shelf to the left of the pillar. The book is on the top shelf, lying horizontally. It is likely you will have to jump to see/access it.
- Behind an overturned table in Henantier's Dreamworld during the Through a Nightmare, Darkly quest
- Received as a reward in Two Sides of the Coin quest
- Found in boss-level Conjurer and Necromancer loot.
- Desk in Leyawiin's Great Chapel of Zenithar - downstairs in a small room south of the Chapel Hall.
- In the bookshelves in the study room of Deepscorn Bastion.
Armorer[]
- Market District, First Edition – Sold by Phintias.
- Also in the Cheydinhal Fighters Guild, second floor lying flat on the top of a bookshelf near the stairs.
- Imperial City – At the A Fighting Chance in the Market District, in a shelf on the 2nd floor (beware of dog)
- Bravil – Inside Castle Bravil, on a shelf at the barracks.
- Imperial City - Market District in the First Edition bookstore, on a desk on the 2nd floor.
- Looted randomly from Marauder chests and tombs
Athletics[]
- Imperial City Arena Bloodworks, inside a cupboard
- Skingrad – Inside Uuras the Shepherd's House, in a bookshelf on the top floor.
- Anvil in Anvil Castle, desk in Baeralorn's bedroom in private quarters. When you enter the private quarters area, turn right and follow the hall, the locked door is the Baeralorn's bedroom, the door does not tell you that.
- Cloud Ruler Temple, Great Hall, on a shelf in the northeast corner of the room.
- Given as a random quest reward. One of the easiest ways to obtain this book then is to do a quest like Bear Season (which gives only combat skill books), save before getting the quest reward and reload until you are given this book.
Blade[]
- Chorrol – Inside Modryn Oreyn's House on a shelf
- In Castle Leyawiin in the Steward and Healer's Private Quarters.
- In Battlehorn Castle's bedroom area.
- In the Imperial City Arena – Branwen and Saliith's Chest
- In Castle Bravil, Private Quarters East Wing - first room on left, far left corner on shelf
- In Arch-Mage Private Quarters in the Arcane University - on top of shelf left of entrance.
- In a Ayleid Cask in the Hall of Epochs either during or after the quest The Ultimate Heist.
- Bravil, Castle Bravil – behind the throne in a locked display case (Very Hard lock).
- It is looted randomly from marauder chests and tombs.
- It is part of the reward from the quest Two Sides of the Coin.
- One of the possible rewards from the quest Bear Season.
Block[]
- Cloud Ruler Temple, Great Hall, on a table
- Given to you by one of the priests at Weynon Priory, after accepting the quest Find the Heir and asking the priest for support.
- Randomly looted.
- Anvil Fighters Guild, in a chest on top of a dresser in a locked second floor bedroom off the dining hall.
- Leyawiin – In the City Watch Barracks, in a shelf in the storage room on the ground floor.
- Imperial City – At the Elven Gardens District in a guard house, on the northeast section on a table at the ground floor.
- In Castle Leyawiin in the Lords' Manor Private Quarters in the Countess's bed chamber, the book case is up against the wall, to the north east.
- In Battlehorn Castle (requires purchase of the Fighter's Stronghold plug-in) after you purchased the Battlehorn Bedroom upgrade from Nilphas Omellian
Blunt[]
- In Goblin Jim's Cave, turn left at the entrance, go down the hallway turn right and go down the long hallway that leads to the dead end, its on the top shelf on one of the shelves (there are alchemy tools in the room)
- A possible reward from the mission Bear Season.
- Random Loot
- Chorrol – On the third floor of Vilena Donton's house, located on a shelf near the balcony door (must be stolen).
- Bravil – In Castle Bravil, on a table in the first room of the dungeon
- Anvil – In Anvil Castle, on a shelf in the royal quarters
- In Battlehorn Castle (requires purchase of the Fighter's Stronghold plug-in) after you purchased the Battlehorn Bedroom upgrade from Nilphas Omellian.
Conjuration[]
- Castle Bravil, in East Private Quarters, sitting on a small table against the southern-most wall.
- Ulen Athram's House, in his study on the top floor. It can be found with Mythic Dawn Commentaries 2.
- It can be found in the underneath section of Jearl's house in Bruma during the Main Quest.
- Anvil Mages Guild library, on the shelf to the right of the fireplace in the second floor library
- Table in the Great Hall of Cloud Ruler Temple
- Tower above Fort Caractacus on north side of Lake Rumare
- Imperial City, Arcane University Mystic Archives upper Level in a display case on the west wall
- Bruma's Great Chapel of Talos on a Shelf in the Chapel Hall near dining table.
- Anvil's Chapel of Dibella, in a room at the eastern side of Chapel Hall, lying on a desk.
- Jorundr's chest in Two Sides of the Coin quest; found in boss level Necromancer and conjurer loot
Destruction[]
- Third floor of Bravil Mages Guild on the bookshelf right in front of you when you enter the door, large dark red book, in the second shelf leaning to the right.
- The Imperial City's Arcane University in the Mystic Archives; bookshelf on east wall, middle shelf, smallest on standing up on the right.
- Third floor of West Weald Inn in Skingrad
- On the bed in Ranaline's House in Bravil
- Basement of Eugal Belette's House in Chorrol
- Basement of Jearl's House in Bruma
- Third floor study of Ulen Athram's House in the Elven Gardens District
- Castle Skingrad, on bottom shelf in bedroom of Lord's Manor laying alone in the far north west corner past the bed and the pillar.
- Leafrot Cave on a shelf in a room just after entrance around the alchemy equipment
- Jorundr's chest in Two Sides of the Coin quest
Hand-to-Hand[]
- Commoner In the basement of Seridur's House on a bookshelf
- In a tent outside of Vilverin
- In J'Ghasta's House in Bruma - bookshelf on the south wall.
- Jalbert's Room in Vilverin (possibly as random loot).
- Chest in secret room of Hrotanda Vale (possibly as random loot).
- Chest in Fanacasecul (possibly as random loot).
- As a Quest Reward from Thorley Aethelred in Shardrock after completion of the Bear Season quest.
- Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary in Cheydinhal
- In the Secret Training Room of J'Ghasta's House in Bruma.
- Skingrad in Castle Skingrad, on a tall bookshelf in Hassildor's room in the Lord's Manor
- Fieldhouse Cave in the Black Balconies of Fieldhouse in the south-westernnmost little enclave under a huge Cairn Bolete mushroom. It is a small room with a lot of roots coming out from the ceiling.
Heavy Armor[]
- Chorrol at the Fighters Guild, in a chest on the top level of the tower
- Chorrol in Fire and Steel, on shelf, 2nd floor, second shelf, on top of a stack of two other books.
- Imperial City in the Imperial Legion Compound, inside a shelf at the barracks of the Imperial Legion Offices.
- Bruma at Castle Bruma, on a desk at the center of the Lord's Manor
- Fort Homestead, outside the Imperial City. Found inside a chest in the dungeon's last room. (This appears to be a random skillbook; you may also find another title in this chest rather than the History of the Fighters Guild.)
- In Battlehorn Castle (requires purchase of the Fighter's Stronghold plug-in) after you purchased the Battlehorn Bedroom or Battlehorn Library Area upgrade from Nilphas Omellian
Fighters Guild History, 1st Ed.
- Ground floor of the Mystic Archives in the Arcane University, in a display case
- Ground floor of Chorrol Fighters Guild, in a display case
- Anvil Fighters Guild Company Offices, in a display case
Illusion[]
- Purchase in First Edition in Market District as part of the Main Quest. You can also get two copies of it in the Dagon Shrine which is also a part of the Main Quest
- If you are too late to purchase the book, Gwinas may have already bought the book. You will have to persuade or steal from Gwinas to get the book back.
- There is a copy in the Mythic Dawn base in the sewers where you meet the Sponsor
- In the downstairs part of the Bruma Mages Guild. Note: Book may be unavailable after the guild is destroyed in the quest A Plot Revealed.
The Argonian Account, Book III
- Mystic Archives of the Arcane University. Upper level, southwest wall, left side of the bookcase on the second shelf up from the bottom
- Dresser on second floor of Willow Bank in Cheydinhal
- Table in the bedroom of Pinemoon Cave.
- On a table at the final level of Arkved's Tower (south of Lake Poppad)
- Jorundr's chest in the Two Sides of the Coin quest
- Found in boss level Necromancer and conjurer loot
- Under a table in tower above Fort Caractacus.
Light Armor[]
- Imperial City Market District First Edition bookstore – On a bookshelf to your left.
- In Bleak Flats Cave, on a wooden table in the southern area of the cave. (Near Erthor during the Skingrad Recommendation Mages Guild quest)
- Cheydinhal in Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary, in chest in training room
- Leyawiin inside Ahdarji's House, in a chest at the foot of the bed on the second floor of the west wing.
- Randomly looted from bandits and vampires.
- In Deepscorn Hollow's Deepscorn Bastion on top of a bookshelf in the study area. (You may have to jump to find it) (requires The Vile Lair plugin)
Marksman[]
- Regner's House in Bruma – Sitting atop a small table in the downstairs bedroom area
- Cheydinhal in Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary, in chest in training room
- Chorrol in Renoit's Books, on bookshelf on ground floor.
- Castle Bravil Lord's Manor, North Wing. In the room at the end of the hall.
- Found in Teinaava's chest inside the Dark Brotherhood living quarters.
Mercantile[]
- Chorrol in Casta Scribonia's House, on shelf on 2nd floor
- Looted from boss-level vampires and bandits
- It is also a reward from the quest Two Sides of the Coin
- Imperial City Market District, in the Office of Imperial Commerce, on the counter
- Elven Gardens District in Fathis Ules' House, on shelf on 2nd floor
- Found in the Black Horse Courier building, in the Market District, on top of a desk in the back corner.
Mysticism[]
- Imperial City Arcane University - Chironasium - sitting on an Altar of Enchanting, on the southwest wall
- Imperial City, Market District – Sold at the Mystic Emporium is sitting on counter right in front of Calindil.
- Picked up in the sewers after fighting Raven Camoran and his Mythic Dawn Guards.
- Cheydinhal Mages Guild - on a bookshelf in the cellar.
- Skingrad's Great Chapel of Julianos – On a desk downstairs in Chapel Hall, in a small room to the north from where you just entered the area.
- Second level of Fort Cuptor
- Echo Cave in a chest where you defeated Mannimarco in the Confront the King mage guild quest.
- Randomly found in loot.
Restoration[]
- Library in Leyawiin Mages Guild, Second Floor-East. Through the left entrance, south wall on the narrow high bookshelf, top shelf. The green book.
- A chest in the room to the right in the Chapel Hall of Chorrol's Chapel of Stendarr
- Second shelf in the chapel hall of Skingrad's Great Chapel of Julianos. Through the door on the right, into the room that looks like a dining room.
- Bravil's Great Chapel of Mara – On a shelf in the Chapel Hall in the northeast corner of the first chamber.
- Boss level Necromancer and conjurer loot.
- Reward from Two Sides of the Coin quest
Security[]
- Bravil inside Dro'shanji's House on a shelf
- Imperial City Waterfront in Dareloth's house, on desk on 2nd floor (complete the Thieves Guild quest line for access)
- Cheydinhalin Mach-Na's Books
- Fingerbowl Cave, at the top level on a slab of rock
- By pickpocketing Mach-Na herself.
Sneak[]
- Loot on the main questline quest Dagon Shrine, in the Lake Arrius Caverns, specifically in the Shrine Living Quarters.
- Cheydinhal at the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary, on a bookshelf in the large entrance lobby with a table and two chairs nearby.
- Bravil inside City Swimmer's House, on a dresser.
- Random Loot
Speechcraft[]
- Reward from the quest Caught in the Hunt and in Imperial City Waterfront in Armand Christophe's House, in chest
- Hastrel Ottus' House, on a table on the ground floor
- Imperial City Palace in Chancellor Ocato's quarters, on a bookshelf.
- Cheydinhal in the Castle, on a bookshelf at the lord's quarters