Alchemy in Graveyard Keeper 2
29 formulas, 62 ingredients and 6,755 working mixes, each decided by red, green and blue runes.
The Keeper's work
How a mix works
- 1
Flasks and fuel
Every brew uses Alchemy Flasks from the Flask shelf and fuel. The laboratory does not start without them.
- 2
Exact match
Up to two ingredients at Laboratory I, up to three at Laboratory II. The runes of the ingredients are added up colour by colour; one rune too many or too few makes nothing. 23 of the 29 formulas can be made from one or two ingredients, and 35 mixes are a single ingredient on its own.
- 3
The Folio
A mix brews its formula even while the formula is unknown; the first brew makes it known and writes it into the Folio. 25 of the 29 formulas are also made known by a technology; Healing Potion III, Damage Potion III, Zombie Motivator Potion III and Berserker Potion III only by brewing them.
The three runes
Carried by Clay, Flesh, Sand, Stone and Red Mushroom, among others.
Carried by Berry, Leaf, Stick, Water and Flour, among others.
Carried by Blueberry, Blood, Seed oil, Night flower and Minced Meat, among others.
Every formula
Dream Dust1 green / 1 blue
Paint2 green
Lacquer2 blue
Healing Potion2 red
Damage Potion1 red / 1 green
Zombie Motivator Potion1 red / 1 blue
Zombie Motivator Potion II1 red / 2 blue
Berserker Potion1 red / 1 green / 1 blue
Weak growth elixir1 red / 2 green
Preservative3 green
Healing Potion II4 red
Damage Potion II2 red / 2 green
Berserker Potion II2 red / 1 green / 1 blue
Rich growth elixir1 red / 3 green
Explosive Dust2 red / 2 blue
Spices2 green / 2 blue
Healing Potion III5 red
Organ ImproverOrgan Improver (red skull): 4 red / 1 green; Organ Improver (white skull): 4 green
Damage Potion III3 red / 3 green
Zombie Motivator Potion III3 red / 3 blue
Miracle growth elixir1 red / 5 green
Third Eye Salt1 red / 5 blue
Berserker Potion III3 red / 2 green / 2 blue
Reanimation Liquid2 red / 1 green / 4 blue
Tannin Liquid4 red / 2 green / 1 blue
Alkali1 red / 4 green / 2 blue
Umami4 green / 4 blue
Philosopher Stone3 red / 3 green / 3 blueEvery ingredient and its runes
Sorted by how many formulas an ingredient appears in. Each of the 19 Alchemic Powders carries exactly the runes shown in its name.
| Name | Red | Green | Blue | Formulas | Sells for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 ClayRed | 1 | 0 | 0 | 21 | No trader buys it |
 FleshRed | 1 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 26 bronze |
 Alchemic Powder (1 red)Red | 1 | 0 | 0 | 21 | Bought by Apothecary |
 SandRed | 1 | 0 | 0 | 21 | No trader buys it |
 BerryGreen | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18 | No trader buys it |
 LeafGreen | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18 | No trader buys it |
 Alchemic Powder (1 green)Green | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18 | Bought by Apothecary |
 StickGreen | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 1 bronze |
 WaterGreen | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18 | No trader buys it |
 BlueberryBlue | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | No trader buys it |
 BloodBlue | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | No trader buys it |
 Alchemic Powder (1 blue)Blue | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | Bought by Apothecary |
 Seed oilBlue | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | No trader buys it |
 FlaxMixed | 1 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 5 bronze |
 FlourGreen | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 4 bronze |
 Swamp mushroomGreen | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 | No trader buys it |
 OnionGreen | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 | Bought by Herm and Vegetable Stand |
 Alchemic Powder (2 green)Green | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 | Bought by Apothecary |
 Alchemic Powder (1 red, 1 green)Mixed | 1 | 1 | 0 | 13 | Bought by Apothecary |
 ToothMixed | 1 | 1 | 0 | 13 | No trader buys it |
 StoneRed | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | No trader buys it |
 Red MushroomRed | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | No trader buys it |
 Alchemic Powder (2 red)Red | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | Bought by Apothecary |
 Alchemic Powder (1 red, 1 blue)Mixed | 1 | 0 | 1 | 11 | Bought by Apothecary |
 Night flowerBlue | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | No trader buys it |
 Minced MeatBlue | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | No trader buys it |
 Alchemic Powder (2 blue)Blue | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | Bought by Apothecary |
 Zombie gooBlue | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 1 silver 12 bronze |
 AshMixed | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 8 bronze |
 BeeswaxGreen | 1 | 2 | 0 | 9 | No trader buys it |
Battle potions
12 of the formulas are potions that can only be drunk during a battle: health for the Keeper, extra damage on the Keeper's sword and bow hits (and on the mercenaries' hits once their equipment is upgraded), shorter pauses between the attacks of the Keeper's zombie fighters, and sword and bow attacks that cost the Keeper no stamina.
2 red runes. Restores 20 of the Keeper's 100 health.
4 red runes. Restores 40 of the Keeper's 100 health.
5 red runes. Restores the Keeper's health in full (100).
1 red, 1 green runes. Grants Fighter: +3 damage per hit for 30 s with the Keeper's swords and bows and, once the Merc Leader has upgraded their equipment, the mercenaries' pikes and bows; zombie fighters and archer towers do not gain it.
2 red, 2 green runes. Grants Fighter II: +6 damage per hit for 30 s with the Keeper's swords and bows and, once the Merc Leader has upgraded their equipment, the mercenaries' pikes and bows; zombie fighters and archer towers do not gain it.
3 red, 3 green runes. Grants Fighter III: +9 damage per hit for 30 s with the Keeper's swords and bows and, once the Merc Leader has upgraded their equipment, the mercenaries' pikes and bows; zombie fighters and archer towers do not gain it.
1 red, 1 blue runes. Grants Zombie Motivation: the Keeper's zombie fighters wait half as long between attacks for 15 s.
1 red, 2 blue runes. Grants Zombie Motivation II: the Keeper's zombie fighters wait half as long between attacks for 30 s.
3 red, 3 blue runes. Grants Zombie Motivation III: the Keeper's zombie fighters wait half as long between attacks for 1 min.
1 red, 1 green, 1 blue runes. Grants Berserk: the Keeper's sword and bow attacks cost no stamina for 15 s.
2 red, 1 green, 1 blue runes. Grants Berserk II: the Keeper's sword and bow attacks cost no stamina for 30 s.
3 red, 2 green, 2 blue runes. Grants Berserk III: the Keeper's sword and bow attacks cost no stamina for 45 s.
Alchemy questions
What happens when the runes are one short?
Nothing is brewed. The match has to be exact in every colour - a mix at 2 red and 1 green is a different formula (or none) from one at 2 red. An Alchemic Powder adds exactly the runes in its name.
Which formulas need Laboratory II?
Laboratory I takes up to two ingredients, Laboratory II up to three. 6 formulas have no mix of one or two ingredients - Berserker Potion III, Reanimation Liquid, Tannin Liquid, Alkali, Umami and Philosopher Stone - so they need Laboratory II.
Do body parts carry alchemy runes?
Only 5 do: Blood (1 blue), Brain (3 blue), Flesh (1 red), Guts (1 green, 2 blue) and Heart (1 red, 2 blue). Only the gold-quality Heart, Brain and Guts carry them; no other organ does.
How are the mixes on each formula page ordered?
By the combined base price of their ingredients, lowest first. 22 of the 62 ingredients have no base price, among them Clay, Sand, Berry and Swamp mushroom.
How it works
Every alchemy ingredient carries red, green and blue runes. A mix holds up to two ingredients at Laboratory I or up to three at Laboratory II, and when their runes add up exactly to a formula's runes, the mix brews that formula. Nothing else about the ingredients matters: Clay and Sand are interchangeable in every formula, because each is one red rune.
An ingredient's runes are uncovered by studying one of it at the Study Table. The study uses up Science, plus 1 to 5 faith for 38 of the 43 ingredients that need it, keeps the item and pays tech points. Until then the laboratory refuses the ingredient. The Alchemic Powders are known from the start. Cacao carries runes, but the laboratory never takes it. A mix never goes above 5 runes of any one colour.