You yank open a crate and a plank snaps—the workbench you thought you’d finished is suddenly a problem. A neighbor shouts; the chapel needs a new door; you stare at the research tree and feel time slipping. That small, ugly moment tells you everything: research is the difference between a chaotic graveyard and a functioning economy.
I’ve mapped the Building tree so you don’t waste nights grinding the wrong nodes. I write from hours of play, Steam thread notes, and the kind of spreadsheet you’d keep in Notion or Google Sheets. Read this as a practical route map: I’ll point out cheap detours, high-return nodes, and where community posts on Reddit and PC Gamer saved my sanity.
The carpenter on the corner charges for pegs and patience. All Building Research nodes to unlock
The Building tree is the backbone of any efficient graveyard—think production lines more than decoration. Steam lists the game on its store page for $19.99 (€18), and the community on Reddit and the Steam forums is already testing creative shortcuts. Below I break the tree into two clean branches you’ll visit most: Wood and Stone. Follow the tables, then use the strategy notes to chain research so each costed node funds the next.
How do I access the Wood and Stone research branches?
You get access by progressing the main story and spending Red research points early. Talk with the Bishop for The Concept of Wood and spend the Red points listed in the tables to open the initial benches. If you’re impatient, focus on The Concept of Wood (saves time later) and The Concept of Stone (lets you make building kits and durable items).
What’s the fastest way to farm Red research points?
Sell crafted goods and run repeatable market stalls that the Market Stalls nodes expand. I treat early Red as working capital—turn raw boards into planks, then into simple furniture or supply pallets to flip for steady income. Think of the research tree like a clock: each small gear you buy should push a larger gear toward the parts you actually need.
Which early nodes give the highest immediate value?
Nodes that grant benches or simple blueprints—Woodworking 1, Pottery I, and Brick Making—pay back quickly because they let you craft sellable items immediately. Prioritize nodes that open a bench plus a material recipe; those double as production and income generators.
The rhythm of a saw echoes through every good workshop. Wood
| Technology | Unlocks | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| The Concept of Wood | BoardShort LogSawhorse blueprint | Speak with the Bishop |
| Woodworking 1 | Wooden PlankWoodworking Workbench 1 | 10 Red |
| Chopping | FirewoodWood WedgeChopping Spot blueprint | 8 Red |
| Suit Up! | Dresser with mirror blueprint | 15 Red |
| Tool Rack | Tool Rack blueprintSimple Chest blueprint | 35 Red |
| Zombie Assistant | Zombie Supplier Station | 35 Red5 Green |
| Oiled Wood | Oiled PlankWooden Kit IWooden Trinkets | 20 Red20 Green |
| Woodworking II | Bronze ChiselFurniture Kit IWoodworking Workbench II | 40 Red5 Green |
| Circular Saw | Circular Saw blueprintWooden beamOiled Beam | 35 Red10 Green |
| Wooden Joint | Wooden Joint | 90 Red25 Blue |
| Wood Carving | Carved WoodLarge Chest blueprint | 120 Red30 Blue |
| Conveyors | Conveyor Belt blueprintConveyor Splitter blueprintUnderground Conveyor blueprint | 70 Red20 Blue |
| Artisans I | Builder blueprintSmithy blueprint | 75 Red25 Green |
| Assembly bench | Wooden Kit IStone KitAssembly Bench I blueprint | 75 Red20 Blue |
| Crate | CrateSupply Pallet blueprint | 100 Red10 Blue |
| Wooden Kit I | Wooden Kit IAssembly bench: Auto-hammmer blueprintConveyor Chest I blueprint | 100 Red10 Blue |
| Zombie Delivery | Zombie Supply Porter blueprintSupply Station blueprint | 110 Red10 Blue |
| Building Kit I | Building Kit IBuilding materials IFactory Lantern blueprint | 110 Red10 Blue |
| Market Stalls II | Furniture Maker blueprintBaker blueprintFish stand blueprint | 130 Red30 Green |
| Assembly Bench II | Iron ToolsAssembly Bench II blueprint | 110 Red20 Blue |
| Artisans II | Tavern blueprintBrewery blueprint | 110 Red75 Green |
| Furniture Kit I | Assembly Bench: Drill Press blueprintFurniture Kit IFurniture I | 120 Red20 Blue |
| Wooden Kit II | Wooden Kit IIConveyor Chest IIPorter Station blueprint | 120 Red20 Blue |
| Kitchen Supplies | Cutlery IKitchen Utensils | 120 Red20 Blue |
| market Stalls III | Alchemist blueprintJeweler blueprint | 150 Red50 Green |
| Appliances I | Appliances ISupply Pallet II blueprint | 130 Red20 Blue |
| Bioreactor | Zombie PowerBioreactor blueprint | 130 Red20 Blue |
| Clothes I | Clothes IAssembly bench: Sewing Machine blueprint | 130 Red20 Blue |
| Zombie Mechanisms | Zombie MechanismEngineering mechanismLathe blueprint | 140 Red20 Blue |
| Assembly Bench III | Sculpture Kit IICutlery IIAssembly Bench III | 150 Red30 Blue |
| Furniture Kit II | Furniture Kit IIFurniture II | 160 Red30 Blue |
| Building Kit II | Building Kit IIBuilding materials II | 160 Red30 Blue |
| Clothes II | Clothes II | 160 Red30 Blue |
| Appliances II | Appliances II | 170 Red30 Blue |
Strategy notes for Wood: start with Woodworking 1 and Chopping to make planks and firewood. Use Wooden Kit I and Assembly bench nodes to scale production—these feed Market Stalls II and III rapidly. If you want automation early, prioritize Circular Saw and Conveyors to cut labor time and increase turnover.
The heft of a mallet tells you how a statue was made. Stone
| Technology | Unlocks | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| The Concept of Stone | Stonemason’s Workbench blueprintPiece of Stone | 15 Red |
| Tool Rack | Tool Rack blueprintSimple Chest blueprint | 35 Red |
| Pottery I | Clay PlatePotter’s Wheel blueprint | 10 Red5 Green |
| Stone Polishing | Polished StoneStone Kit | 20 Red5 Green |
| Brick Making | BrickKiln blueprint | 15 Red5 Green |
| Houses Repairing | Bulding Kit I | 45 Red10 Green |
| Stone Carving | Carved Stone | 60 Red |
| Ceramic Firing | Clay Urn | 55 Red |
| The Concept of Marble | Marble Plate | 80 Red30 Blue |
| Marble Polishing | Polished MarbleStone Marbles | 100 Red20 Blue |
| Marble Carving | Carved Marble | 175 Red50 Blue |
| Fabric | FabricSpinning Wheel blueprint | 100 Red10 Blue |
Stone branches reward patience: bricks, carved stone, and marble convert into higher-value items and decorative goods for stalls. Early investment in Brick Making and Pottery I gives steady income paths while you gather Blue points for marble upgrades.
If you’re tracking research on a spreadsheet, mark nodes that give production benches and blueprints first—those are immediate revenue engines. Use the bioreactor and zombie assistance nodes later to compress labor, and rotate priorities between Wood and Stone depending on resource abundance; treat each material run like assembling a patchwork quilt—small pieces that form a sellable pattern.
Want the exact node sequence I used for a fast, market-driven run, or the one for a slow, artisan-focused graveyard—which would you pick?