Mechanics

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.

A graveyard's quality is the total of everything inside it: each grave's own score, every bench, monument, lantern and columbarium, the fence and path upgrades, and a penalty for every tree, stump, stone and bush left standing. A grave's score comes from two things only - the skulls of the corpse in it and the laurels of the headstone and fence on it.

7
Laurels on Marble Cross II: 7
Laurels on Marble Fence II: +20
Columbarium II: -3
An open or unfinished grave

Red skulls cancel laurels first

Every red skull on the corpse cancels one laurel before any white skull can count. A corpse with 5 red skulls under a Wooden Sign and a Wooden Fence I (2 laurels) scores -3. Removing organs at the autopsy table and embalming change a corpse's skulls before burial.

The rule

How one grave is scored

Grave score = the lower of (headstone laurels + fence laurels - red skulls) and the corpse's white skulls.

1
Laurels
The headstone's and the fence's laurels 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 laurel. The laurels left over are the ones that can reach the white skulls.
3
White-skull cap
Each remaining laurel 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 laurels
After the red skulls: 7 - 3 = 4
Grave score: 4 (capped at the 4 white skulls)

Sources

Everything that adds to the score

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

Fences

Every wild object inside the graveyard lowers its quality until it is cleared:

Graveyard quality lost to each object left standing inside the graveyard.

Graveyard quality lost to each object left standing inside the graveyard.
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.

Corpses

What each corpse brings to its grave

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.

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

Corpses and autopsy

Body parts

Payout

What the score pays at Mass

When a sermon succeeds, the Church pays a bonus for every point of graveyard quality on top of the donations: 5 to 60 bronze a point depending on the prayer, the most on Prayer for Likes III. At 200 graveyard quality a successful Prayer for Likes III pays 1 gold 20 silver from the graveyard alone.

Coins paid per point of graveyard quality when the sermon succeeds (more with the Performer perk; Excessive zombies lowers it on Prayer for Likes III, Prayer for Likes II and Prayer for Likes I).

Coins paid per point of graveyard quality when the sermon succeeds (more with the Performer perk; Excessive zombies lowers it on Prayer for Likes III, Prayer for Likes II and Prayer for Likes I).
Sermon	Per graveyard point	At 100 quality	Parishioners needed
Prayer for Likes III	60 bronze	60 silver	140
Prayer for Likes II	50 bronze	50 silver	90
Prayer for Prosperity III	50 bronze	50 silver	100
Prayer for Consumption III	50 bronze	50 silver	100
Prayer for Demand III	50 bronze	50 silver	140
Prayer for Likes I	40 bronze	40 silver	40
Prayer for Prosperity II	40 bronze	40 silver	50
Prayer for Consumption II	40 bronze	40 silver	50

Church and sermons

The six-day week

Graveyard questions

Why does a grave show a negative number?

The corpse has more red skulls than the grave has laurels. Each red skull cancels one laurel, 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-laurel 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 inside the graveyard.