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As more and more people are quick to point out these days, Warhammer 40K: Darktide is more than just Vermintide 2 in space, and that’s true. However, it’s hard to ignore the fact that the two games share a lot of similarities, one of the most obvious ones being that in both titles you can find special items that can be collected for extra cash and XP. Namely, grimoires and tomes, the latter of which has been renamed to scriptures in Darktide.
These special items work almost the same in Darktide as they did in Vermintide, but there are a few key differences you’ll need to be aware of before you decide to try to hunt them down. In some ways, it’s easier to find grimoires and scriptures in Darktide thanks to the game’s less convoluted maps and lack of hidden areas. On the other hand, there’s not a huge amount of map variety at the moment, which can make the location of some of these items more difficult to remember.
How Do Grimoires And Scriptures Work in Darktide?
Much like in Vermintide, players can only find a maximum of three scriptures and two grimoires per map. This time around, however, it seems like you can only find either scriptures or grimoires whereas in Fatshark’s previous games you can find both on the same map.
Another important thing to keep in mind is that only certain maps will contain these items. Maps that feature grimoires and scriptures are marked with a special icon in the mission selection menu. The icon looks the same in both instances, so you’ll need to click on the mission to find out whether it contains scriptures or grimoires.
Bear in mind that the items will only provide rewards if they are carried all the way to the end of the mission, so don’t pick missions that are too difficult for your current level. Missions rotate on a regular basis and it’s a good idea to wait for an easy one rather than attempt a difficult one that you might not be able to finish because you’re under-leveled. Having said that, punching above your pay grade can be worth your while as collecting grimoires or scriptures during higher-level missions will provide you with better rewards.
Also, it's worth noting is that you’ll need to complete the mission with the full set in order to reap the rewards. Finishing a mission with just one grimoire or two scriptures will earn you nothing. Since a player can only hold one book at a time, a lot of teamwork is required to get a full set to the end of the mission.
Differences Between Grimoires And Scriptures in Darktide
Grimoires and scriptures both look like books and take up an inventory slot when collected. In Warhammer 40K: Darktide they both go into third slot, which is usually reserved for medkits and ammo boxes. Thankfully, you can find ammo on the ground and you can use medicae stations to heal, so they won’t downright cripple you, but they’re still a bit inconvenient to carry around.
Scriptures are the easiest of the two to handle since they won’t negatively affect your party and can be dropped at any time and picked up later. Grimoires, on the other hand, are cursed books that behave a bit differently. While they can also be dropped, they instantly disappear once they leave the player’s inventory. Downed players who can still be rescued don’t lose their grimoires but if they’re dropped for good, their grimoire will be destroyed. You can equip grimoires and look at them but activating the book will destroy it as well.
Grimoires cause corruption that decreases the maximum health of all party members. With both grimoires equipped, the corruption is pretty significant. The good news is that corruption can be removed at a medicae station. The bad news is that you can also get corruption from other sources, and it stacks with the corruption from grimoires.
Where To Find Scriptures And Grimoires In Warhammer 40K: Darktide?
Finding scriptures and grimoires in Darktide is a bit tricky, especially at this stage. Whereas in Vermintide the books would always spawn in the same place, in Darktide each of them has multiple possible spawn locations. Generally speaking, they tend to show up in dark corners or places that are a bit off the beaten path.
Grimoires are particularly well hidden, however, they have a distinctive green glow that makes them stand out more than scriptures. Once you’re relatively near one of the books, it’s impossible to miss it as you’ll see a prompt similar to those you get for ammo or grenades, but with a different icon that looks like a hand. The prompt will let you know if you already have one of the books equipped, in which case you can tag it to have other players come to pick it up.
While they may seem to show up at random, the books have fixed spawn locations on each map, however, it’s unclear how many of them there are. As of this writing, the game is still in beta so it’s possible that this system will be removed at launch and replaced with the old one found in Vermintide. We’ll have grimoires and scriptures guides for each map once the game launches regardless of which system the developers go with, so check back often.
In the meantime, the best way you can go about finding scriptures and grimoires is to simply check every nook and cranny. Darktide maps can look very similar at times, but they’re not very complex, so you’re bound to find at least some of them just by exploring around a bit.
Another useful tip to keep in mind is that each map is split into a handful of sections with a transition in between that’s usually marked by an elevator ride or a ledge drop. You can only find one book per section so once you manage to locate it, there’s no need to explore that part of the map further. Just be careful not to proceed to the next section until you find the item because you won’t be able to go back afterward.