In Palworld 1.0, a Pal's work level matters more than ever: the cap went from 5 to 10, and higher levels unlock faster work and higher-tier stations. Books (the game calls them Applied Handbooks) are the most direct way to push a good worker up the ladder.
What the books do
Each book permanently raises one work suitability by +1. There is one per job:
| Book | Work suitability |
|---|---|
| Applied Kindling Handbook I | Kindling |
| Applied Watering Handbook I | Watering |
| Applied Planting Handbook I | Planting |
| Applied Generating Electricity Handbook I | Generating Electricity |
| Applied Handiwork Handbook I | Handiwork |
| Applied Gathering Handbook I | Gathering |
| Applied Lumbering Handbook I | Lumbering |
| Applied Mining Handbook I | Mining |
| Applied Medicine Production Handbook I | Medicine Production |
| Applied Cooling Handbook I | Cooling |
| Applied Transporting Handbook I | Transporting |
| Applied Ranching Handbook I | Farming (ranch) |
The one rule to remember: the Pal must already have that work suitability. Books improve a job; they don't teach one.
Where to get them
| Source | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Medal Merchant | 300 Dog Coins each. You pick the book. |
| Legendary Treasure Maps | Dig the marked spot for 3 random books. |
| Supply drops | Random chance. |
| Hack terminals | Random reward on completion. |
| Ocean salvage | Random chance at fishing and diving spots. |
| Moon Lord | Drops handbooks since patch 1.0.3 (it dropped Stat Fruits before). |
Medal Merchants trade in Dog Coins, so save them for the books you actually need rather than rolling random sources for a specific job.
Who to use them on
Books are scarce, so spend them where one level changes the most:
- Your main worker for a bottleneck job. If ingots or medicine are holding you back, level the Pal that does that job.
- A Pal with a high natural level. Starting closer to 10 means fewer books to hit the cap.
- A Pal you have condensed or will condense. Books, condensation and passives stack, so invest in one keeper, not in a Pal you will replace next week.
Use our ranked lists to pick the base Pal: Mining, Kindling, Handiwork and the rest on the work suitability hub.
Other ways to make a Pal work harder
- Condensation. Each star raises the Pal's highest work suitability by one; at four stars every other suitability goes up by one too. See the condensation guide.
- Work-speed passives. Artisan (+50% work speed) and Serious (+20%) are the big ones. Work Slave (+30% work speed, -30% Attack) suits a Pal that never fights. Avoid Slacker and Clumsy.
- Upkeep. Hungry or low-SAN Pals slow down. Workaholic (SAN drains slower) keeps a worker going longer.
- Partner skills. Some Pals boost a whole base's work while assigned there. Check each Pal's partner skill.
Reaching level 10 usually takes a mix: a naturally strong Pal, a few condensation stars, and books to close the gap.