My hands were blistered after cutting wood until dawn — Complete Graveyard Keeper 2 Research Tree unlocks and how to get them
I found myself staring at the Research Tree like a map with half the routes crossed out. I write guides because I want you to spend more time crafting and less time guessing. You’ll get clear priorities, exact costs, and the short path from “what now?” to “done.”
How do I earn Research points in Graveyard Keeper 2?
You gather research materials — the red, green and blue tokens the game asks for — by crafting, scavenging, and finishing quests. Talk to characters (the Bishop and Gunter matter early), raid resource nodes, and craft the blueprints you already have sitting in your inventory. If you use community resources, check Steam forums, GOG threads, and the Graveyard Keeper Discord for farm routes shared by creators.
What do the Research tree costs mean?
The cost columns list the colored research tokens required to clear a node: red, green and blue. Think of the Research Tree as a coffin-shaped map of priorities — some nodes are cheap and useful now, others are expensive but change your whole rhythm. Plan the ones that give repeatable supplies first and defer the prestige nodes until you actually need them.
My neighbor rebuilt his fence with salvaged planks last month — All Building Research nodes to unlock
Buildings are the backbone of your plot: the stockpiles, benches, and workstations that turn raw resources into steady production. You don’t need every single upgrade immediately; you need the ones that stabilize your resource flow.
Which research should I prioritize first?
Start with the basics that produce repeatable resources or blueprints you can actually use day-to-day. For Building, that usually means Woodworking and Stoneworking paths that let you craft repair kits, planks, and stockpiles. Get the Carpenter’s Workbench and Stone Cutter early — they repay their cost by saving trips and wasting fewer materials.
The Building research is split into Wood, Stone, and Clay. Below are the in-game nodes and what they open. Use these tables to plan a 3–5 node sprint that gives immediate returns.
Wood
| Technology | Unlocks | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| The Concept of Wood | Timber Stockpile BlueprintSmall tree fellingWooden Stick | Speak with the Bishop |
| Sawing | Sawhorse BlueprintFlitchWood Billet | 5 Red2 Green |
| Firewood | Chopping SpotFirewoodWood Wedge | 10 Red5 Green |
| Woodcutter | Big Tree fellingAxeman perk | 50 Red20 Blue |
| Zombie Woodcutting | Start building sawmill | 10 Red10 Green5 Blue |
| Woodworking | Carpenter’s Workbench blueprintWooden plankWood repair kit | 20 Red10 Green |
| Assembly Stand | Carpenter’s Workbench IIJointing | 200 Red50 Green20 Blue |
| Fine Woodworking | Carved Wood | 300 Red50 Green50 Blue |
| Circular Saw | Circular Saw blueprintWooden beam | 200 Red20 Green10 Blue |
| Tricks of the Trade | Prayer for ExcellenceCarpenter perkMason perk | 50 Red50 Blue |
Stone
| Technology | Unlocks | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| The Concept of Stone | Stone Stockpile blueprintStone Rock | Speak with the Bishop |
| Stoneworking | Stone cutter blueprintA piece of stoneStone Repair Kit | 15 Red5 Green |
| Stone Carving | Stone Cutter IIA polished brick of stoneA carved piece of stone | 150 Red70 Green50 Blue |
| Marble Quarrying | A piece of marbleMarble Repair kitBig Marble Rock | 200 Red200 Green50 Blue |
| The Art of Stone | Polished Brick of MarbleCarved Piece of Marble | 300 Red50 Green50 Blue |
| Zombie Quarrying I | Zombie Stone Quarry | Speak with Gunter and dig up the zombie10 Red10 Green5 Blue |
| Zombie Quarrying II | Zombie Marble Quarry | Speak with Gunter and dig up the zombie20 Red10 Green |
| Mining | Iron Ore stockpile blueprintCoalIron Ore | 10 Red10 Green |
| Zombine Mining | Zombie Ore mine | Speak with Gunter and dig up the zombie10 Red10 Green5 Blue |
| Precious Metals | GraphiteGold OreSilver Ore | 10 Red50 Green10 Blue |
| Related Ore | PyriteSulfurLimestone | 10 Red100 Green10 Blue |
| Scent of Gold | Miner perk | 50 Green100 Blue |
| Gems | Diamond | 100 Red200 Green50 Blue |
| Best Friend | Jeweler perk | 150 Blue |
Clay
| Technology | Unlocks | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| The Concept of Dirt | SandClay | Make clay bowls for the bishop |
| Clay | Potter’s Wheel blueprintCeramic BowlsPolishing Paste | 5 Red5 Green |
| Ceramic Firing | Ceramic JugPorcelain Pitcher | 20 Red10 Green5 Blue |
I once stood at a forge while sparks flew — All Smithing Research nodes to unlock
Smithing changes how you fight, how fast your tools work, and what gear you can trade. A few well-timed upgrades remove hours of grind.
If you want faster progression, prioritize: Iron → Primitive Forging → Tools → Advanced Forging. Then branch toward Steel and Jeweler once you can secure consistent ore and coal.
| Technology | Unlocks | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | Furnace blueprintIron IngotSwamp Iron | Talk to hte blacksmith |
| Primitive Forging | Wooden anvil blueprintNailsSimple iron parts | 10 Red |
| Tools | Shovel 1Pickaxe 1Axe 1 | 20 Red |
| Advanced Forging | Anvil blueprintComplex iron partsIron Chisel | 40 Red5 Green |
| Inborn Blacksmith | Blacksmith perk | 20 Red30 Blue |
| Weapons | SwordIron Armor | 55 Red25 Green |
| Martial Skills | Prayer for RetributionPrayer for ProtectionBig Guy perk | 10 Red75 Blue |
| Steel | Anvil II blueprintSteel chiselIron hammer | 100 Red50 Green10 Blue |
| Steel Weapons | Steel SwordSteel Armor | 100 red20 Green10 Blue |
| Skilled Casting | Steel sword with gemDamask sword with gem | 300 Red50 Green50 Blue |
| Sword Master | Sword Master perk | 50 Red100 Blue |
| Engineer | Prayer for ExcellenceWater Pump blueprintEngineer perk | 50 Red100 Blue |
| Steel Tools | Axe IIShovel IIPickaxe II | 100 Red |
| Advanced Smelting | Furnace II blueprintSteel ingot | 50 Red20 Green10 Blue |
| Rules of Burning | Lantern network blueprintPlace for lantern blueprintFireman perk | 10 Red50 Green30 Blue |
| Iron Castings | Furnace III blueprintSteel parts | 200 Red50 Green20 Blue |
| Jeweler | Silver ingotGold ingot | 100 Red50 Green20 Blue |
| Precious Little Things | Jewelry table blueprintGold jewelry detailsJewelry | 150 Red50 Blue |
| Glass | Glass | 10 Green10 Red |
| Glass-blower | Conical flasks | 30 Red10 Green10 Blue |
| Glass-blower II | Advanced conical flasksLens | 50 Red10 Green30 Blue |
I recommend using community-made spreadsheets on Google Sheets (search the Graveyard Keeper 2 research planner on Reddit or Steam) to track which tokens you still need. Steam Workshop and YouTube creators also publish optimized routes for token farming; pairing those with in-game blueprints saves hours.
This is strategy, not ceremony: pick the nodes that close loops in your economy first — stockpiles, basic workbenches, and the small production chains that feed everything else. Each choice is a tombstone pointing a path to either convenience or extra work, so choose with an eye toward what you want this save to feel like.
Want to argue whether Tools or Woodworking should come first on a fresh save?