Sneaking around in Bohemia is a nightmare. Honestly, if you've spent more than ten minutes trying to crouch-walk through a Cuman camp in Kingdom Come: Deliverance, you know exactly what I mean. Henry starts off as a loud, clanking disaster. You think you're being quiet, but every guard from Rattay to Skalitz can hear your gambeson swishing. That is why hunting down a Kingdom Come Deliverance 1 stealth skill book isn't just a completionist goal; it's a survival strategy.
Leveling Stealth manually takes forever. You have to knock people out, pick locks, and stay out of sight, all while praying the AI doesn't pull a 360-degree detection move on you. Books offer a massive shortcut. But they aren't exactly sitting on a silver platter. You have to know which vendors to bribe, which chests to rob, and exactly when your stats are high enough to actually read the damn things.
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The Struggle of the Illiterate Thief
Before you go hunting for The Joy of Gutting, remember that Henry is a peasant. If you haven't visited the Scribe in Uzhitz to learn how to read, these books are just expensive paperweights with pretty pictures. It's a bit of a trek, and it costs a few Groschen, but it's the most important investment you'll make.
Once you can actually decipher the letters, you'll realize the Stealth books—appropriately titled The Joy of Gutting—are spread across the map in places that make sense for a thief. You won't find them in a church. You'll find them in the pockets of shady millers and hidden in the backrooms of shops.
The progression is strict. You can't just jump into volume four. Henry’s brain would melt. You need to hit specific level caps for each tier.
Volume I: The Basics of Not Being Seen
The first book is your entry point. You can usually snag this one from any Miller who likes you enough to trade. Miller Peshek is the obvious choice since he’s the one who drags your half-dead body to Rattay in the first place. You need a Stealth level of 0 to start, but you won't gain much if you aren't already practicing your crouch-walk.
It’s cheap. Buy it early. Don't wait until you're level 5 to read it, or you've essentially wasted the easiest XP boost in the game. Some players report finding it in random bandit chests, but honestly, just buy it from Peshek or Miller Simon. It saves the headache.
Where to Find The Joy of Gutting II and III
This is where things get tricky. By the time you need volume two, you should be around level 5 in Stealth. If you're struggling to hit that, start choking out lonely wayfarers on the road. Just make sure no one is looking.
The Joy of Gutting II is typically sold by the Miller near Sasau, or sometimes by the Miller in Ledetchko. Millers in this game are basically the medieval version of a pawn shop for stolen goods and illicit knowledge. If they don't have it in their trade inventory immediately, come back after a few days or check their private chests if you’re feeling gutsy.
The Joy of Gutting III requires level 10. This is the "intermediate" hump. You can find this one sold by Miller Simon (the one south of Sasau who gives you the "Thinner than Water" quest).
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What most people get wrong is thinking they can just find all these in the wild. While KCD does have "treasure" maps that lead to high-end gear, the skill books are much more reliably tied to the Miller network. If you've been ignoring the "Good Thief" questline, you're making your life harder. Those quests build the reputation you need with the people who actually sell the Kingdom Come Deliverance 1 stealth skill book series.
The Level 15 Wall: Volume IV
Volume IV is the holy grail. You need level 15 Stealth to even understand what the author is talking about. At this point, Henry is basically a ghost, but that last stretch to level 20 is a grind.
This book isn't usually just sitting on a shop shelf. You often have to find it in specific "Hard" or "Very Hard" locked chests. One reliable spot is the scribe’s house or high-end merchant chests in large towns like Sasau or Rattay.
There's also a copy that occasionally spawns in the treasure chests associated with the DLC or the ancient maps. If you have the Treasures of the Past DLC, check Map V. It’s tucked away in a chest in the woods near Skalitz. Be careful, though; that area is crawling with high-level bandits who will end your career before you can open the lid.
Why Stealth Actually Matters in the Late Game
You might think, "I have plate armor, why do I need to sneak?"
Because the game cheats. If you walk into a camp of five bandits wearing full plate, they will surround you and master-strike you into oblivion. Stealth allows you to thin the herd. Poisoning the wine, sabotaging the arrows, or just stabbing the leader in his sleep makes the inevitable "honorable" fight much easier.
Reading a Kingdom Come Deliverance 1 stealth skill book doesn't just give you a flat XP bar increase. It teaches Henry the "flavour" of being a rogue. It feels earned.
The mechanics of reading are also a bit of a mini-game. You can't just click "Use" and gain the level. You have to find a bed or a comfortable chair, make sure there's enough light, and spend in-game hours passing time. It’s immersive, sure, but it's also a risk if you're in a "timed" quest. Don't sit down to read volume III if you're supposed to be saving someone from a burning building.
Hidden Locations and Mechanics
Aside from the Millers, there are a few odd spots where stealth-related loot drops.
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- Vranik: During the later stages of the main quest, keep your eyes peeled. There is a lot of high-level loot stashed in the tents.
- The Sasau Monastery: If you’re doing the "Pious" questline, the library is a goldmine. While you're supposed to be being a "good monk," there are plenty of forbidden books stashed away that can boost your mental and rogue skills.
- Wandering Traders: Occasionally, a "Faint-hearted Knight" or a "Wayfarer" might have something on them. It's rare for it to be a stealth book, but checking their inventory (via pickpocketing) is good practice anyway.
Skill Synergy: Don't Forget Reading and Lockpicking
You cannot separate Stealth from Lockpicking and Reading. They are a tripod. If one leg is missing, the whole thing falls over.
- Reading: Get to level 5 Reading as fast as possible. This unlocks the "Cartographer" perk, but more importantly, it makes reading the Stealth books faster.
- Lockpicking: You'll find more books in chests than anywhere else. Practice on the chest behind the mill in Rattay until you stop breaking picks.
- Maintenance: Oddly enough, keeping your clothes repaired helps stealth. Ragged, noisy clothes make more sound.
Actionable Steps for Your Stealth Build
If you want to max out your stealth without spending 100 hours lurking in bushes, follow this exact sequence.
First, get to Uzhitz and learn to read. Do not pass go, do not collect 200 Groschen. Just do it. Second, buy The Joy of Gutting I from Miller Peshek immediately. Even if you're playing a "noble knight," having a high stealth stat helps with the "At Your Service, Lady" quest and other social situations where you need to be somewhere you aren't invited.
Next, focus on your "Conspicuousness" and "Visibility" stats. Wear dark padded coifs, tight black hose, and avoid anything made of metal. Check your character sheet. You want those numbers as close to zero as possible. Once you hit Stealth level 5, 10, and 15, immediately go on a "shopping" trip to the Millers to find the next volume of the Kingdom Come Deliverance 1 stealth skill book.
Finally, use the "Couch Potato" trick. If you find a book you aren't high enough level to read yet, put it in your horse's saddlebags. Books are heavy. Henry doesn't need to carry three volumes of The Joy of Gutting while he's trying to outrun a Cuman ambush. Only pull them out when you're safe at an inn with a beer and a torch.
By the time you finish Volume IV, you'll be able to crouch-walk through the center of a camp in broad daylight. Well, almost. This is still Kingdom Come, after all. One wrong step on a dry twig and every guard in the province will still come running. But at least now, you’ll have the stats to hide in the shadows before they find you.
Make sure to check the Scribe's inventory in Sasau every time you pass through. His stock rotates slightly, and while he usually carries academic texts, he sometimes ends up with "confiscated" manuals that can save you a trip to a Miller. Stay quiet, keep your boots off, and keep reading.