Graveyard quality: how graves, headstones and skulls score
The exact rule behind every grave's number, every headstone and decoration, and what the score pays at Mass.
Mechanics
A graveyard's quality is the total of everything standing on its modules (each grave's own score, every bench, monument, lantern and columbarium, and a penalty for every tree, stump, stone and bush left there), plus the fence and path upgrades. A grave's score comes from two things only - the skulls of the corpse in it and the wreaths of the headstone and fence on it.
Every red skull on the corpse cancels one wreath before any white skull can count. A corpse with 5 red skulls under a Wooden Sign and a Wooden Fence I (2 wreaths) scores -3. Removing organs at the autopsy table and embalming change a corpse's skulls before burial.
How one grave is scored
Grave score = the lower of (headstone wreaths + fence wreaths - red skulls) and the corpse's white skulls.
- 1
Wreaths
The headstone's and the fence's wreaths are added together. Wood carries 1 to 3, stone 3 to 5, marble 5 to 7.
- 2
Red skulls
Each red skull on the corpse cancels one wreath. The wreaths left over are the ones that can reach the white skulls.
- 3
White-skull cap
Each remaining wreath lights one white skull. A grave never scores more than its corpse's white skulls - up to 7 on corpses whose burial pays a Burial Certificate III.
- 4
Graveyard total
The grave's score joins every decoration and upgrade in the graveyard's total quality.
- Example corpse
- 3 red skulls, 4 white skulls
- Decorated with
- Gravestone I (4) + Stone Fence I (3) = 7 wreaths
- After the red skulls
- 7 - 3 = 4
- Grave score
- 4 (capped at the 4 white skulls)
Headstones and fences are crafted items, set on a grave from its window. Stone and marble ones are made at the Stonemason's Workbench with a Tool Rack or Fine Tool Rack extension.
Headstones
- Wooden Sign1 wreath - Woodworking Workbench I - 2 Board and 2 Stick - Wooden Sign
- Wooden Cross I2 wreaths - Woodworking Workbench I - 2 Wooden Plank and 2 Bronze Nails - Wooden Gravestones I
- Wooden Cross II3 wreaths - Woodworking Workbench I - 2 Wooden Plank and 2 Iron Nails - Wooden Gravestones II
- Gravestone I4 wreaths - Stonemason's Workbench (Tool Rack) - 3 Polished Stone - Stone Gravestones I
- Gravestone II5 wreaths - Stonemason's Workbench (Tool Rack) - 2 Carved Stone and 2 Iron Detail - Stone Gravestones II
- Marble Cross I6 wreaths - Stonemason's Workbench (Fine Tool Rack) - 3 Polished Marble - Marble Gravestones I
- Marble Cross II7 wreaths - Stonemason's Workbench (Fine Tool Rack) - 2 Carved Marble and 2 Advanced Detail - Marble Gravestones II
Fences
- Wooden Fence I1 wreath - Woodworking Workbench I - 2 Wooden Plank and 2 Bronze Nails - Wooden Gravestones I
- Wooden Fence II2 wreaths - Woodworking Workbench I - 2 Wooden Plank and 2 Iron Nails - Wooden Gravestones II
- Stone Fence I3 wreaths - Stonemason's Workbench (Tool Rack) - 3 Polished Stone - Stone Gravestones I
- Stone Fence II4 wreaths - Stonemason's Workbench (Tool Rack) - 4 Carved Stone and 2 Iron Detail - Stone Gravestones II
- Marble Fence I5 wreaths - Stonemason's Workbench (Fine Tool Rack) - 5 Polished Marble - Marble Gravestones I
- Marble Fence II7 wreaths - Stonemason's Workbench (Fine Tool Rack) - 4 Carved Marble and 2 Advanced Detail - Marble Gravestones II
Benches, monuments, flower beds, lanterns, crypts and columbaria add their value straight to the graveyard, whatever corpse is buried next to them. They are placed on graveyard modules from the Blueprint Desk.
- Exterior Bench I+3 graveyard quality - 3 Wooden Plank and 5 Bronze Detail - Graveyard Keeper I
- Exterior Bench II+5 graveyard quality - 6 Polished Marble and 5 Steel Detail - Graveyard Decor II
- Monument I+2 graveyard quality - 5 Piece of stone - Graveyard Keeper II
- Monument II+4 graveyard quality - 4 Bronze Ingot, 3 Polished Bronze and 5 Polished Stone - Graveyard Keeper IV
- Monument III+6 graveyard quality - 4 Bronze Ingot, 2 Golden ingot and 6 Marble Plate - Mixed Graveyard III
- Flower Bed I+2 graveyard quality - 4 Oiled Plank, 3 Peat and 3 Rhododendron - Graveyard Keeper III
- Flower Bed II+4 graveyard quality - 4 Polished Stone, 6 Peat and 6 Rhododendron - Mixed Graveyard II
- Flower Bed III+6 graveyard quality - 4 Polished Marble, 12 Peat and 6 Night flower - Graveyard Decor II
- Lantern I+2 graveyard quality - 2 Oiled Beam, 2 Iron Detail and 2 Glass - Graveyard Decor I
- Lantern II+5 graveyard quality - 4 Steel Detail, 2 Polished Marble and 8 Glass - Graveyard Decor II
- Columbarium I+12 graveyard quality - 6 Piece of stone, 4 Bronze Detail and 8 Urn with Ashes I - Columbariums I
- Columbarium II+20 graveyard quality - 6 Polished Marble, 2 Golden ingot and 8 Urn with Ashes II - Columbariums II
- Crypt+10 graveyard quality - 6 Polished Stone and 2 Iron Detail - Mixed Graveyard I
The graveyard's own fence and paths are upgraded tier by tier, each tier unlocked by its technology. Each upgrade adds its value to the graveyard total.
- Upgrade Fence I+10 graveyard quality - 12 Wooden Plank, 12 Bronze Nails and 12 Piece of stone - Graveyard Path and Fence I
- Upgrade Fence II+20 graveyard quality - 12 Polished Stone and 12 Marble Plate - Graveyard Path and Fence II
- Upgrade Road and Paths+10 graveyard quality - 24 Polished Stone - Graveyard Path and Fence I
Graveyard construction uses modules: a module is placed first and the graves and decorations are built on it. Only what stands on a module counts toward graveyard quality, and a module can be placed over trees, stumps, stones and bushes, which then count against it until they are cleared. Each module type can be placed 2 times, and each is unlocked by its own technology.
- Columbarium Area IUp to 2 - Columbariums I
- Columbarium Area IIUp to 2 - Columbariums II
- Grave Area IUp to 2 - Graveyard Keeper I
- Grave Area IIUp to 2 - Graveyard Keeper II
- Grave Area IIIUp to 2 - Graveyard Keeper III
- Grave Area IVUp to 2 - Graveyard Keeper IV
- Mixed Area IUp to 2 - Mixed Graveyard I
- Mixed Area IIUp to 2 - Mixed Graveyard II
- Mixed Area IIIUp to 2 - Mixed Graveyard III
- Walkway Area IUp to 2 - Graveyard Decor I
The quest Certificate, Please unlocks the first graveyard expansion, and each expansion unlocks the next one. Expansions are built at the graveyard's Blueprint Desk.
Trees, stumps, stones and bushes standing on a graveyard module lower the graveyard's quality until they are cleared:
| Object | Quality |
|---|---|
| Stones, ore, broken barrels and trash | -2 to -3 |
| Bushes | -1 to -2 |
| Trees | -1 to -3 |
| Stumps | -2 |
A dug grave with no body, and a grave with a body that is not yet buried, each count -3.
A corpse gets its red and white skulls from its body parts; removing organs and embalming change them. Every burial pays a Burial Certificate I, Burial Certificate II or Burial Certificate III, depending on the corpse.
Skull ranges of the corpses whose burial pays each certificate.
| Burial pays | Red skulls | White skulls |
|---|---|---|
| Burial Certificate I (1 silver) | 0 to 1 | 2 to 4 |
| Burial Certificate II (2 silver 50 bronze) | 1 to 5 | 1 to 5 |
| Burial Certificate III (5 silver) | 2 to 7 | 2 to 7 |
When a sermon succeeds, the Church pays a bonus for every point of graveyard quality on top of the donations: 5 to 30 bronze a point depending on the prayer, the most on Money Prayer III, Combo Prayer III and Prayer for Storms. At 200 graveyard quality a successful Money Prayer III pays 60 silver from the graveyard alone.
Money paid per point of graveyard quality when the sermon succeeds (more with the Performer perk, less on each of these prayers while Excessive zombies is on).
| Sermon | Per graveyard point | At 100 quality | Parishioners needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prayer for Storms | 30 bronze | 30 silver | 20 |
| Money Prayer III | 30 bronze | 30 silver | 50 |
| Combo Prayer III | 30 bronze | 30 silver | 120 |
| Money Prayer II | 25 bronze | 25 silver | 20 |
| Combo Prayer II | 25 bronze | 25 silver | 60 |
| Money Prayer I | 20 bronze | 20 silver | 7 |
| Prayer for Repose I | 20 bronze | 20 silver | 20 |
| Combo Prayer I | 20 bronze | 20 silver | 30 |
Graveyard questions
Why does a grave show a negative number?
The corpse has more red skulls than the grave has wreaths. Each red skull cancels one wreath, and anything below zero counts against the graveyard.
Does a headstone count beyond the corpse's white skulls?
No. A grave never scores more than its corpse's white skulls: a corpse with 4 white skulls scores at most 4, even under the 7-wreath Marble Cross II.
Can a zombie be buried?
No. An empty grave only accepts a corpse - a zombie or a wild zombie's body is refused.
Do decorations need a grave next to them?
No. A bench, lantern, monument or columbarium adds its value to the graveyard total wherever it stands on a graveyard module.
Related pages
- The six-day weekGluttony to Wrath: the event tied to each day and the quest that unlocks each day's wheel picture.
- ZombiesHow zombies look, resurrection on Envy, collars, masteries, perks, jobs and the zombie limit.
- Energy and insanityWhat costs energy, what causes insanity, and every food and drink with its values.
- Money and tradingBronze, silver and gold, trader purses, town orders on Pride, Likes caps and the sources of income.
- Tech pointsRed, green and blue points: what the tree costs and where each colour comes from.
- FAQShort answers with exact numbers: days, recipes, saving, zombies and fast travel.
- Pre-order bonusWhere the Sauna and the platform outfit are, and what they do.
