should maxwell be allowed to keep reading wicker's books?

[Lumina]

The best thing imo would be to keep some synergy between the two, choosing a few books maxwell could read with normal effects, a few he could read with twisted effects, and most he can't read, while giving wickerbottom some perks so she can have other things than books to bring to the party, which will help with making her more distinct from maxwell even once books are crafted.

 

If Maxwell can read only some books it'll be more similar to characters gifting equipements to others, and the incentive to swap will also be less strong. And thematically Maxwell reading some books works well enough, so it's mainly a question of balance.

 

Another option (that can be paired with the first) is to have more chance for Maxwell to have failure while reading, like a different/reduced effect. Smaller radius/increased duration/etc

 

But i think a limited number of book is the best option : we have some flavor of Maxwell using books and Wickerbottoms stay interesting/keep her core element. If we reach the proper balance I think it's cool to have a Wicker player that will provide books, but keeps her precious sanity for the most important ones.

[Queron81]

My suggestion: put the ability to read Wickerbottom's books into Maxwell's skill tree. One insight point per book (or for a group of similar books), so people can decide, what books they want to use or if they want Maxwell's other skills, which could be stronger or more interesting than the books.

[Jakepeng99]

2 hours ago, Ridley said:

 

I don't intend to argue about this, but do you see a contradiction in these two statements?

I dunno how to explain myself I guess Im objectively wrong.

I see being able to spawn magic from books seperate from shadow magic.

In Wickerbottom’s short, she gained the same power Maxwell had when she was granted all the books knowledge.

[Well-met]

pre skill tree I would have voted Yes

post skill tree it's a definitive No

[Cruvimaster]

I think there should be restrictions for both Wicker's books and Warly's dishes.

Furthermore, anyone can simply use the portal to use Wickerbottom's powers and then return to Maxwell or any other character. And the purple gems are very easy to find in the game right now.

[Nikki Darks]

3 hours ago, Queron81 said:

My suggestion: put the ability to read Wickerbottom's books into Maxwell's skill tree. One insight point per book (or for a group of similar books), so people can decide, what books they want to use or if they want Maxwell's other skills, which could be stronger or more interesting than the books.

Welcome to Maxwell's Skill Tree! You can now use your skill points to use another character's perks! 

Okay.

[Tigris Nano]

No. If one character makes other completely obsolete and retains their main perk, there is something wrong.

[Cheggf]

I don't know why people act like this is a huge problem and it makes Wickerbottom really boring. If Wickerbottom is really boring, maybe Wickerbottom shouldn't be really boring. She's not gonna become fun if Maxwell stops being able to read her books. Literally nothing will change about her. I don't think anyone complaining about this interaction would start playing her, they'd just find something new to complain about. 

[Sorceress2024]

5 hours ago, Queron81 said:

My suggestion: put the ability to read Wickerbottom's books into Maxwell's skill tree. One insight point per book (or for a group of similar books), so people can decide, what books they want to use or if they want Maxwell's other skills, which could be stronger or more interesting than the books.

if it were to remain and have interactions with his skill tree i think it would be better to have it so having any skills invested as him removes his ability to read wickers books

but we cant know if thats even worth considering until they both have their trees, and chances are id just rather have it enteirly removed regardless

[Nikki Darks]

8 minutes ago, Cheggf said:

I don't know why people act like this is a huge problem and it makes Wickerbottom really boring. If Wickerbottom is really boring, maybe Wickerbottom shouldn't be really boring. She's not gonna become fun if Maxwell stops being able to read her books. Literally nothing will change about her. I don't think anyone complaining about this interaction would start playing her, they'd just find something new to complain about. 

Such a disingenuous comment... It's not about her being boring, it's about a Maxwell joining a server and suddenly your character has the same exact value as if you just logged off because Maxwell can use your core ability more efficiently than you.

Kind of vile* that the only purpose of your comment was to misrepresent genuine complaints with merit to them.

Edited Friday at 12:25 AM by Nikki Darks

[Cheggf]

10 minutes ago, Nikki Darks said:

Such a disingenuous comment... It's not about her being boring, it's about a Maxwell joining a server and suddenly your character has the same exact value as if you just logged off because Maxwell can use your core ability more efficiently than you.

Kind of vile* that the only purpose of your comment was to misrepresent genuine complaints with merit to them.

Maxwell joins the server and everyone becomes useless lol he makes almost everyone irrelevant. I can see why I had to click "Show post from blocked user" to read this comment. 

[gaymime]

hey, this thread is about books not about taking jabs at other users. please stay on topic so we don't get a visit from joew? 

[Nikki Darks]

3 minutes ago, Cheggf said:

Maxwell joins the server and everyone becomes useless lol he makes almost everyone irrelevant. I can see why I had to click "Show post from blocked user" to read this comment. 

Being disingenuous is wild.... Maxwell doesn't have the ability to use Abigail, BERNIE!, mightiness, etc, etc...

Also, bragging about having someone blocked, really? 

Edited Friday at 12:42 AM by Nikki Darks

[GrapeVruit]

3 hours ago, Cheggf said:

Maxwell joins the server and everyone becomes useless lol he makes almost everyone irrelevant. I can see why I had to click "Show post from blocked user" to read this comment. 

Unfortunately, most Maxwell's that I've seen on pubs were either ghosts or skeletons. Turns out that 75 HP penalty might actually be impactful...

[Crazy Gorilla]

On 5/20/2026 at 11:30 PM, SpookyXy said:

Personally, I think it's cool and thematic fitting that Maxwell can use Wicker's books.

I feel like I am missing something when I see people say this. Why do people say it makes sense that Maxwell can read her books? What is the lore reason for this? Wasnt the ability to use her books something that was like transplanted into her brain (in her short) or did I misinterpret it?

4 hours ago, Cheggf said:

I don't know why people act like this is a huge problem and it makes Wickerbottom really boring. If Wickerbottom is really boring, maybe Wickerbottom shouldn't be really boring. She's not gonna become fun if Maxwell stops being able to read her books. Literally nothing will change about her. I don't think anyone complaining about this interaction would start playing her, they'd just find something new to complain about. 

I dont think wickerbottom is boring and thats certainly not why people take issue with maxwell being able to read her books.

[Mike23Ua]

I always found it weird that Maxwell could use Wickerbottoms entire book catalogue.

Yet…. No one but a Walter can use a slingshot, a frickin Slingshot… come on it doesn’t take rocket science to fling a few rocks by pulling back a rubberband.

My point is fairly strict: If no one but Walter can use his slingshots, then no one but Wicker should be allowed to use her books.

With that said, I hope Wicker & Maxwell both get interesting unique skill tree’s that are very different from one another.

(Maybe let Wicker actually read the Codex Umbra to do crazy stuff under her Shadow aligned affinity.?)

[Crazy Gorilla]

50 minutes ago, Mike23Ua said:

I always found it weird that Maxwell could use Wickerbottoms entire book catalogue.

Yet…. No one but a Walter can use a slingshot, a frickin Slingshot… come on it doesn’t take rocket science to fling a few rocks by pulling back a rubberband.

EXACTLY my thoughts aswell.

How am I supposed to believe that it makes SO much sense within the context of the story that maxwell can read her books that they had to sacrifice her primary character trait over to Maxwell, yet nobody is able to use a slingshot besides Walter.

As far as im concerned the only reason why they even gave Maxwell this ability was "lore" but if thats really true I think its a pretty bad one and the only thing thats making this stick for as long as it has is because its been here so long some people have become attached to it.

If Maxwell could hypothetically not be able to do this and it was something that would have only been implemented today people would be genuinely baffled at this decision.

If you thought wickerbottom was boring before, hooray I guess you get to play as Maxwell (who is somehow less boring..? I mean imo theyre both pretty fun but come on I feel like the minions are just playing the game for me sometimes) But it doesnt really fix the problem at all, it just makes it worse honestly.

[Ridley]

18 minutes ago, Crazy Gorilla said:

How am I supposed to believe that it makes SO much sense within the context of the story that maxwell can read her books that they had to sacrifice her primary character trait over to Maxwell, yet nobody is able to use a slingshot besides Walter.

At least one character has had a bad experience with the slingshot.

[Mysterious box]

6 hours ago, Cheggf said:

Maxwell joins the server and everyone becomes useless lol he makes almost everyone irrelevant. I can see why I had to click "Show post from blocked user" to read this comment. 

Does he? Like yeah pre skill trees he was way above the rest of the cast but now he's more so on par with later skill tree characters.

6 hours ago, Cheggf said:

I don't know why people act like this is a huge problem and it makes Wickerbottom really boring. If Wickerbottom is really boring, maybe Wickerbottom shouldn't be really boring. She's not gonna become fun if Maxwell stops being able to read her books. Literally nothing will change about her. I don't think anyone complaining about this interaction would start playing her, they'd just find something new to complain about. 

I've got to ask why is it so important that Maxwell use Wickerbottom's books? Does he become a bad character because he can't make use of another character's entire identity? Surely there's some big reason you'd try to fight against this change and not just for the sake of it no? The thing is noone ever makes a good arguement for why it should stay. They either fall by on lore which is contradicted by the lore of other characters, bargin, try to distract from the conversation by making crap up, or just say he should have because he has it. The truth has always been the same this interaction has always been a harmful interaction it's very apparent in that people keep talking about how Wickerbottom needs her own abilities separate from books to distinguish her from Maxwell despite her being the librarian. It's like making Wortox able to use all of Willow's fire magic and saying rather than acknowledging this is a really stupid idea we instead changed her focus to being a farming character with a minor focus on fire.

 

1 hour ago, Crazy Gorilla said:

EXACTLY my thoughts aswell.

How am I supposed to believe that it makes SO much sense within the context of the story that maxwell can read her books that they had to sacrifice her primary character trait over to Maxwell, yet nobody is able to use a slingshot besides Walter.

As far as im concerned the only reason why they even gave Maxwell this ability was "lore" but if thats really true I think its a pretty bad one and the only thing thats making this stick for as long as it has is because its been here so long some people have become attached to it.

If Maxwell could hypothetically not be able to do this and it was something that would have only been implemented today people would be genuinely baffled at this decision.

If you thought wickerbottom was boring before, hooray I guess you get to play as Maxwell (who is somehow less boring..? I mean imo theyre both pretty fun but come on I feel like the minions are just playing the game for me sometimes) But it doesnt really fix the problem at all, it just makes it worse honestly.

The old excuse used to be was that he was just that much of a master of magic but even the game outright contridicts that. Wortox says that he doesn't even know how to use the codex umbra right which I always took as a jab from a character not too important to the lore until Maxwell's refresh trailer where Charlie proved him right giving him better access to his own book by way of her deal.

[Bumber64]

I maintain that the penalty should be a longer read time. Annoying enough to wonder if you should let a Wickerbottom do anything involving multiple reads. Largely impractical in combat.

4 hours ago, Crazy Gorilla said:

Wasnt the ability to use her books something that was like transplanted into her brain (in her short) or did I misinterpret it?

That's probably the ability to rewrite entire books from memory. Reading would've been from from whatever mystic librarian cult she was part of.

[Lumina]

55 minutes ago, Mysterious box said:

The thing is noone ever makes a good arguement for why it should stay.

A good argument for who? Wicker's players? Maxwell's players? The game? You?

I stand by my feeling that Maxwell keeping the ability to read some of her books is interesting for the first three categories, because it's encouraging cooperation : maxwell reads books he can read to spare wicker's sanity, wicker can focus on the book only she can read and make more use of her sanity, people can get a good synergy out of that, and there is still room to keep wicker as a character on the server because Maxwell can't replace her, because some books will never be as great as all books.

In term of gameplay it opens more interesting situations, it keeps some elements of fun for both characters, and it works well thematically too.

The main downside is that it's a bit more complex than removing ability entirely, and choosing which books would make sense is a bit of work but it's not something we have to do here, it's something for Klei to consider and balance.

 

 

[GetNerfedOn]

On 5/21/2026 at 10:30 AM, SpookyXy said:

I think it's cool and thematic fitting that Maxwell can use Wicker's books 

they're the only literate characters in the Constant

/j

[Tranoze]

2 hours ago, Lumina said:

cooperation : maxwell reads books he can read to spare wicker's sanity,

This. I think everyone should be able to read at least one of Wicker book. Wilson - science book, Willow - fire book...

If all book power only to herself, Wicker will have to go everywhere read every book when ever anyone need. That feel like more pain game play than anything, especially wicker cant map hop like Wortox and Winona.

Reading book is not a free power. You lost sanity, and you need to read book multiple times with book case full of book for them to actually worth something.

3 hours ago, Mysterious box said:

I've got to ask why is it so important that Maxwell use Wickerbottom's books? Does he become a bad character because he can't make use of another character's entire identity?

 

As maxwell i want to read wicker book to farm things faster for my friend.
As wicker i want maxwell to read my book so i can actually leave base and do my own things when base lack of grass/twigs or rain during important fight.
Maxwell still cant craft book. He doesnt have sleep immunity. When i play pub with friends he most likely only read 2 farm book, never touch bees book as his minions are way more flexible and enough for combat, and sometimes read lunar books and birb farm book when needed.

In 1000 ~ 10000 days solo world, sure, he is a swap character for Wicker.

In 100~1000 days public world? by the time you finish crafted all book cases and books, there no point to swap to maxwell anymore as all boss and quest already completed and you just chill in base hanging around.

[GetNerfedOn]

anyways yeah Wicker's whole kit becoming usable by another, far stronger character makes her useless

[Tranoze]

2 minutes ago, GetNerfedOn said:

they're the only literate characters in the Constant

Cant believe Wilsun Dah Gentilmun Scunsit! cant read!