Alchemy in Graveyard Keeper 2 is a rune-matching puzzle run from the Laboratory. The alchemy tutorial tells players to study items first at the Study Table to uncover each item's red, green, and blue alchemical properties — the runes.
More context
Laboratory I holds up to 2 ingredients; Laboratory II holds up to 3. The runes of the chosen ingredients must add up to match a known formula exactly, color by color, with a hard cap of 5 runes per color per brew. Every brew requires Alchemy Flasks (from the Flask Shelf) and Fuel.
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The Laboratory
Laboratory I holds up to 2 ingredients. Laboratory II holds up to 3 ingredients. The runes of the chosen ingredients must add up to match a known formula exactly, color by color, with a hard cap of 5 runes per color per brew. Every brew requires Alchemy Flasks (from the Flask Shelf) and Fuel.
Discovering formulas
The Folio records every formula the player has discovered. The Apothecary sells Alchemic Powders with known rune values that fill one-rune-short gaps in a formula — useful when you are missing one rune of a color.
Specialized workstations in the chain
Dream Dust
Produced at the Laboratory by combining a Leaf and Blood (it is also the first alchemy quest reward).
Alcohol
Produced at the Distillation Cube behind a separate technology unlock.
Formulation Bench
Charges the Hypno-device.
Rune rules
Nothing about an ingredient matters beyond its rune colors. For example, Clay and Sand are interchangeable — both contribute 1 Red rune. Cacao and Firefly are documented exceptions that the Laboratory refuses to accept despite having runes. Update 1.007 (September 28, 2026) also fixed missing Science rewards and items that previously could not be studied.