Graveyard Keeper 2 Inspiration: Why Your Perk Points Stall

Short answer

Inspirations are 71 running counters — bury bodies, cut trees, brew beer — split into Building, Smithing, Farming, Book writing and Anatomy. Reaching a goal does nothing until you claim it, and most claims cost Faith (level I is free for 52 of them). Each claim adds 1 or 2 notches to that colour's bar; a full bar is one perk point. The bars grow: 2 notches for the first point, then 3, 4, and 5 for every point after.

The Building tab shows connected wood and stone technology unlocks in the game's tech tree. — The Building tech tree
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Official promotional screenshot · © Lazy Bear Games / tinyBuild · Official media kit · Material credits

From action to perk point

Each inspiration counts one kind of action as a running total — Last Respects counts burials, Lumberjack counts felled trees, Distiller counts Distillation Cube batches.

When a goal is reached, claim it for the Faith shown. That adds notches to the bar of its colour and opens the next level.

A full bar turns into one inspiration point of that colour. Every node in that colour's perk tree costs one point, and a node needs the nodes above it.

Why points slow down

The first point takes 2 notches, the second 3, the third 4, and every point after that 5.

Faith is the other limit: claiming every level costs 551 Faith for Building, 254 for Farming, 570 for Book writing, 1,232 for Anatomy and 1,728 for Smithing.

If points stall, look for reached goals you have not claimed, and hold Mass for Faith.

Unlock the Temple, improve Splendor, Gratitude, Prayers and Theology, then hold weekly Mass to earn Faith. — An original summary of the weekly Faith routine. Claiming inspirations spends the Faith that Mass earns.
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Original diagram · Graveyard Keeper 2 Wiki · editorial illustration · Original wiki diagram

The five colours

Building — 15 inspirations, 75 levels, 90 notches. Its tree has 11 perks and 5 mastery upgrades (16 points).

Smithing — 13 inspirations, 73 levels, 86 notches. Tree: 13 perks + 5 upgrades (18 points).

Farming — 13 inspirations, 74 levels, 87 notches. Tree: 16 perks + 5 upgrades (21 points). The cheapest colour in Faith.

Book writing — 13 inspirations, 70 levels, 84 notches. Tree: 13 perks + 5 upgrades (18 points).

Anatomy — 17 inspirations, 90 levels, 106 notches. Tree: 15 perks + 5 upgrades (20 points).

Inspirations you fill by playing normally

Anatomy: Last Respects (bury bodies), Undertaker (crosses and fences), Necromancer (resurrect corpses), Researcher (Study Table), Alchemist (craft potions), Bottle Tester (drink everything).

Building: Lumberjack, Woodcutter, Rock Breaker, Carpenter, Home Sweet Home (restore Town buildings), Shop Owner (bring shops back).

Farming: Gardener, Earth Power (grow plants), Cook, Brewer, Winemaker, Fisher.

Book writing: Prayer Writer, Holy Routine (sermons), Older Scrolls, Milestone Hunter (unlock every map milestone).

Smithing: Firelord, Bronze Age, Iron Worker, Steel Maker, Key Collector (keys found in battles), Undead Power (zombie power items).

Inspiration and achievements

The Stroke of Genius achievement asks for 150 Inspirations, so claiming steadily also works toward it.

Sources

The keeper stands among gravestones on an autumn path below the church entrance.

The red-bearded keeper raises a shovel beside undead companions against a purple sunset and medieval town.