Technological Manuals: are they worth it?

Ok so I bought the schematic for electrocution grenades but I didnt have enough points in explosive "knowledge" or whatever they call it to make the grenades. I had 20 points in explosives, or if you will I was two levels in (ie: I can make flash grenades). I spent $750 on explosives manuals and my knowledge in explosives went form 20 to 28. That doesn`t even take me to the next level. Even with the manuals I still can`t make electrocution grenades. And my knowledge only stays at 28 if I have the mauals in inventory or else it goes back to 20, and these manuals weigh a ton, leave me very encumbered.

My question is if I keep the manuals on me, does my knowledge keep increasing over time on its own in explosives ? If not then these manuals are a total waste of money.

 

No. It goes up for every manual you buy. It will go up a further 8 if you buy another manual, although I thought it brought it up 11...

 

It does bring it up 11. I purchased an explosives manual to start making bullets and went from 0 to 11.

Only carry the manuals when you need them. Stash them somewhere safe when you don't, like the warehouse you clear out near the docks in Tarant.

 

I'm pretty sure the technical manuals give you additional points toward an expertise based on what your intelligence is. You only got 8 points per manual because your INT is only 8.

If you can raise your intelligence (which you should be doing anyway as a technological character) you'll get more mileage per book.

 

I see. thanks.

 

yeah I finally get that now. You have to keep buying the same manuals over and over to cumulatively increase your expertise. I thought once you bought lets say "explosives" manuals ONCE you then had ALL the explosives manuals.

 

Put 2 points in intelligence, so that manuals will increase your tech skills by 10, not 8. Also, you will have the full 20 intelligence after an Essence of Intellect.

By the way, I'm also playing a techie at the moment.

I maxed out Electrical, Smithy and Gunsmithy and I robbed Ristezze, and spent a lot of money on manuals to make other things

 

It shouldn't be so easy to rob the shopkeepers

 

Yeah, in Shrouded Hills you can walk inside, ignore the guy, open his room, roam through his chest and sell the stuff back to him in order to get all the money in his inventory. Come to think of it, it's quite hilarious.

 

I guess making it more realistic would be too expensive.

 

I'd say it just take some long and complicated scripting!