Item:Ability tome

An Ability Tome is a rare and powerful book that permanently grants an inherent bonus to one or all of a character's ability scores.

Sample ability tome: +2 Tome of Leadership and Influence (Charisma +2)

Ability tomes come in seven varieties - one for each Ability, plus one for all abilities:

Tome of Gainful Exercise (Strength)
Tome of Quickness in Action (Dexterity)
Tome of Bodily Health (Constitution)
Tome of Clear Thought (Intelligence)
Tome of Understanding (Wisdom)
Tome of Leadership and Influence (Charisma)
Supreme Tome (all 6 abilities) (see below)

Ability tomes come in the range of +1 to +8.

Ability tomes can come in unbound (mostly from normal treasure), Bound to Character (mostly from raids), and Bound to Account (mostly from the DDO store) variants. Upgrade tomes only come as Bound to Account.

Using a tome[edit]

Characters perform a unique animation while reading a tome.

Tomes are items in your inventory. Double-clicking them from a character's inventory will apply them to that character.

Ability tomes are consumed* when used - the book will disappear and the inherent numeric bonus will be permanently added to the appropriate ability on the character's character sheet. This can be seen by mouse-hovering over that ability.

(* Applying a tome is also commonly referred to as "consuming" or "eating" a tome)

Only the highest value + for a given ability tome will affect your character - the game will not even allow you to use a second tome if you have already consumed one of an equal or greater bonus. If you consume a higher value tome after you have consumed a lower value tome (such as +2 after a +1), the higher value will replace the lower value. Supreme tomes may be consumed if at least one existing value is lower than the supreme tome's value.

Bug: The game is not checking correctly if higher value ability tomes have already been consumed when the character's level is still too low to provide the total bonus obtained. In that case, the lower value tome is consumed and lost.

Ability tome inherent bonuses persist through reincarnation.

+6 Tome of Supreme Ability in the DDO Store

Supreme tomes[edit]

Supreme Tomes are available from the DDO Store only, they do not drop in quests. Supreme Tomes are Bound to Account. A +8 Tome of Supreme Ability is included in the 10th Anniversary of Free to Play Launch Bundle.

Once purchased, a supreme tome actually becomes 6 separate tomes, one for each Ability. These 6 tomes can be applied to different character in the same account (since they are all BtA), shuffling them to other characters via a Shared Bank.

Upgrade tomes[edit]

Since Update 16, Upgrade Tomes are available in game and from the DDO Store. Upgrade tomes were always bound to account (even if they're replacing an unbound or BtC tome when generated), but since Update 19 they now follow the same bind rules as other tomes (unbound in random gen chests, BtC in Raid chests).

Currently +1, +2, and +3 tomes of all types and +1→+2 and +2→+3 upgrade tomes of all types are permanently available in the store, with +4 and +3→+4 upgrade tomes available during special promotions. +1 and +2 supreme tomes come as a single book, while supreme upgrade "tomes" actually come as a set of six appropriate tomes which are all Bound to Account. You can't buy the supreme upgrade tome with a toon which has already used one of the tomes. In that case you have to switch to another toon, buy the supreme update tomes and trade them via the shared account bank.

Bonus at level[edit]

Since Update 28 Patch 1, all newly acquired tomes have a minimum level of 1, meaning any character can read and apply any tome of any value. Although the Tome itself can be consumed at any character level, the progressive bonuses (from +1 up to the max represented by that Tome) are applied as the character gains levels.

Since Update 37 Patch 1, the inherent bonuses are applied according to the following table:

+1 and +2 bonuses will be applied at character level 1 and higher
+3 bonuses will be applied at character level 3 and higher
+4 bonuses will be applied at character level 7 and higher
+5 bonuses will be applied at character level 11 and higher
+6 bonuses will be applied at character level 15 and higher
+7 bonuses will be applied at character level 19 and higher
+8 bonuses will be applied at character level 22 and higher

Example:

A Level 6 character applies a +4 stat tome. That stat will immediately enjoy a +3 bonus, and when the character reaches Level 7, they will enjoy a +4 bonus. If they then immediately apply a "+4-+5" Tome, the +5 bonus will not appear until character level 11, etc.

Note that the effects of a tome (especially Intelligence tomes, re Skill Points) don't apply until after you use the tome - if, for example, you use a +4 INT tome at level 7, you will have two additional skill points at level-up 8 and beyond, but will not receive retro-active skill points "owed" from earlier levels. (This does not hold true during Lesser Reincarnation - see next.)

All Tomes (now) persist through any Reincarnation (including Lesser), and inherent bonuses from tomes will be applied at the appropriate levels above. (In the above example, the consumed +4 tome will have two points applied at L1, a third point at L3, and a 4th at Level 8, every life, present and future.) Since the effect does not apply until they are "in the game" (i.e. Level 1), in the case of Intelligence tomes you get that additional skill point when you take Level 2, but not during Character (re-)Creation. So, if the above example reincarnated, they would not have to wait until level 8 (as they did when they initially applied that tome); the re-created Level 1 character would enjoy the bonuses of all previously existing Tomes, as appropriate to their level (according to the above table), starting at Level 1. (To be clear, they do not have to wait until the same level they previously applied the Tome.)

New Characters and bonuses[edit]

A tome cannot be applied until after a new character first logs into the game world, so the stat benefit is not available during character creation*. However, once in the game, you gain the benefit and thus qualify for feats.

For example, you can start a level 1 character with 11 Strength and a random (undesired) feat, apply a +2 Tome of Strength, then go to Fred and retrain that Level 1 feat to Power Attack (which requires "minimum Str 13").

Reincarnating characters enjoy appropriate benefits from all pre-existing tomes from character re-creation as if they were "Level 1" characters.

(* Some DDO Store or Market offers give accounts a free Tome for every character - that tome will be found in their inventory upon first entering the game world.)

Unwanted tomes[edit]

Unwanted tomes can be traded in for Purified Eberron Dragonshard Fragments, a rare item which is highly prized for advanced Cannith Crafting recipes. Speak to any vendor in one of the Crafting Halls, select "Trade Essences", and when the UI pops up drop the tome(s) (one at a time) in the window.

Drop locations[edit]

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Update 19 changed these values in unknown ways - at least the Ascension Chamber raid's tomes were reduced by one level.

Type	Ordinary chests	Raid chests	Other
+1 Tomes	UnboundUnbound: This item is Unbound, and may take permanent damage.: In loot level 4-14	-	Bound to Account on AcquireBound to Account on Acquire: This item is Bound to Account on Acquire: Silver Daily Dice, small chance on roll of 97-99 and 100
+2 Tomes	UnboundUnbound: This item is Unbound, and may take permanent damage.: In loot level 15-22	Bound to Character on AcquireBound to Character on Acquire: This item is Bound to Character on Acquire: In the heroic raid chests and 20th list of: Ascension Chamber (all difficulties) Plane of Night The Titan Awakes Zawabi's Revenge if 20th completion is run on heroic ONLY, NOT if 20th completion is run on epic	Bound to Character on AcquireBound to Character on Acquire: This item is Bound to Character on Acquire: For a character's 1750 favor reward, you can select a +2 tome of your choice. Bound to Account on AcquireBound to Account on Acquire: This item is Bound to Account on Acquire: Silver Daily Dice, small chance on roll of 100.
+3 Tomes	UnboundUnbound: This item is Unbound, and may take permanent damage.: In loot level 23-26	Bound to Character on AcquireBound to Character on Acquire: This item is Bound to Character on Acquire In the heroic raid chests and 20th list of: The Reaver's Fate (all difficulties) A Vision of Destruction/Hound of Xoriat (hard and elite) The Shroud (end reward only) Bound to Account on AcquireBound to Account on Acquire: This item is Bound to Account on Acquire: In Epic Zawabi's Revenge, at a very low chance.	UnboundUnbound: This item is Unbound, and may take permanent damage.: During Festivult, the Jester of Festivult has an extremely small chance of rewarding you one for a gold coin. Bound to Account on AcquireBound to Account on Acquire: This item is Bound to Account on Acquire: Silver Daily Dice, small chance on roll of 100. Anniversary Card Collection card trade-ins.
+4 Tomes	UnboundUnbound: This item is Unbound, and may take permanent damage.: In loot level 27+ In specific Epic Elite Menace of the Underdark (U14) quest chests, such as The Portal Opens. In any Epic Elite The Druid's Deep (U15) or High Road of Shadows (U16) quest chest.	UnboundUnbound: This item is Unbound, and may take permanent damage.: In any Caught in the Web chest on any difficulty. In The Fall of Truth on any difficulty. Bound to Character on AcquireBound to Character on Acquire: This item is Bound to Character on Acquire: In the epic chest of Epic Zawabi's Revenge, The Lord of Blades and Plane of Night. In Tower of Despair in either end chest and in the 20th completion list.	UnboundUnbound: This item is Unbound, and may take permanent damage.: During Festivult, the Jester of Festivult has an extremely small chance of rewarding you one for a gold coin.
+5 Tomes	-	Caught in the Web and The Fall of Truth on Epic Elite difficulty, with a very small chance. Fire on Thunder Peak and Temple of the Deathwyrm named-item chests on Epic Normal/Hard/Elite difficulties. In Tower of Despair in the Suulomades chest.	Bound to Character on AcquireBound to Character on Acquire: This item is Bound to Character on Acquire: Available in Mimic Hunt in exchange for a card IX and a card X For a character's 5000 Favor reward, you can select a +5 tome of your choice. Bound to Account on AcquireBound to Account on Acquire: This item is Bound to Account on Acquire: Gold Daily Dice, small chance on roll of 98-100.
+6 Tomes, +5 to +6 upgrade	-	Defiler of the Just Fire on Thunder Peak Temple of the Deathwyrm The Mark of Death	Festival of the Traveler Bound to Account on AcquireBound to Account on Acquire: This item is Bound to Account on Acquire: Gold Daily Dice, small chance on roll of 100.
+7 Tomes, +6 to +7 upgrade	UnboundUnbound: This item is Unbound, and may take permanent damage.: The Temple of Elemental Evil Epic Elite end chests have a chance of dropping 6->7 ability upgrade tomes (NoWorries). (Note: it is unknown whether this still applies after Update 56.needs verification)	Legendary Hound of Xoriat Legendary Shroud Legendary Tempest's Spine Riding the Storm Out
+8 Tomes, +7 to +8 upgrade		Killing Time Old Baba's Hut The Curse of Strahd Hunt or Be Hunted The Dryad and the Demigod Skeletons in the Closet Fire Over Morgrave	Bound to Character on AcquireBound to Character on Acquire: This item is Bound to Character on Acquire: For a character's 7500 Favor reward, you can select a +8 tome of your choice.

Item:Ability tome

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