The official Elder Scrolls Online “survival guide” is packed with Skyrim lore and useful real-life tips like “how to not drown” and “do not drink (excessively)”

The hardcover book was written by an ESO dev

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Bethesda has teamed up with Insight Editions to release a hardcoverElder Scrolls Online survival guidepacked with tips and tricks for survival across Tamriel and the real world.

The $40 hardbound guide includes new artwork made just for the book, as well as plenty of lore to sink your teeth into when you aren’t fighting for your life. Speaking of which, the product page for The Elder Scrolls: The Official Survival Guide to Tamriel includes preview pages so that you can dive in before you pull the trigger, and already I’ve learned so much about the harsh landscapes of Skyrim and what to do in case of emergency.

For example, if you find yourself lost and exhausted in the bitter cold, you’ll naturally want to find shelter. But Skyrim is a massive place and there won’t always be a Lonely Troll or Withered Tree nearby, and in those times a cave will be your next best option. Absent a cave, you can always dig yourself a little shelter out of the snow itself, and the guide has a step-by-step on just how to do that, whether you’re roleplaying an Elder Scrolls adventure or, heaven forbid, are actually lost in the real-world wilderness. In that case, I would hope you have a more appropriate survival guide handy, but if you don’t, this Elder Scrolls one is probably better than nothing.

There’s also an excellent section on “how to not drown,” including some tips that I think are broadly applicable in real life whether or not you’re drowning. For example, the book tells you to “learn to swim,” “stay calm,” “stay near a friend (with rope),” and “do not drink (excessively)”. Again, all around wise advice generally. You’ve got to keep a friend and rope handy at all times, everyone knows that.

The book was written by Tori Schafer, a narrative designer currently under Blizzard as a senior narrative designer on the World of Warcraft team and with previous credits on Elder Scrolls Online and Spellbreak. The lovely artwork, meanwhile, featuring the in-universe Bandaari Khajiit author, was done by Erika Hollice, a freelancer illustrator with experience contributing to tabletop role-playing games, books, and magazines.

Find out where Elder Scrolls Online landed on our ranking of thebest MMOsto play right now.

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After scoring a degree in English from ASU, I worked as a copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. Now, as GamesRadar’s west coast Staff Writer, I’m responsible for managing the site’s western regional executive branch, AKA my apartment, and writing about whatever horror game I’m too afraid to finish.

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