Steel occupies Graveyard Keeper 2’s highest material tier, but obtaining it works differently from the earlier metals. Mining yields no Steel Ore, and there is no furnace formula for it. Instead, the Bishop sells Steel Ingots at the Royal Foundry once Jack’s storyline has progressed far enough for you to reach the site.
Quick answer: Buy Steel Ingots from the Bishop at the Royal Foundry for 1 Silver each after finishing the Man of Steel dialogue, then research Steel Smithing at 70 reputation with Jack.
Buy Steel Ingots from the Bishop at the Royal Foundry
The Royal Foundry is the only source of Steel Ingots. Once you have finished the Bishop’s steel-supply conversation, his shop lists steel for purchase and never runs dry. The price is fixed and does not climb with demand, so there is no benefit to buying early or waiting for a discount.
Each Steel Ingot costs 1 Silver Coin, and you can buy in bulk lots. The bulk prices are the same rate per ingot, with the largest lot rolling over into Gold.
| Steel Ingots | Cost |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Silver |
| 10 | 10 Silver |
| 50 | 50 Silver |
| 100 | 1 Gold |
Steel Ingots cannot be sold to any trader, making each one a sunk purchase rather than cash you can get back. Match your order to the project ahead instead of building a stockpile, and use the ingots in finished items promptly.
A Waypoint unlocks inside the Foundry the first time you arrive, so you can fast-travel back from your base whenever you need to restock.
More Metallurgy technology will not grant early entry to the Foundry. Town quests and the combat campaign control access, so progress through them rather than constructing more furnaces.
Reach the Royal Foundry through the sewer battles
The sewers, swarming with undead, are the sole way into the Foundry. Clear a sequence of battles on either side of Town to make the passage available. Some fights may require a conversation with commander Herbert in the barracks or Jack at his workshop before they unlock.
After the Man of Steel dialogue, check the Bishop’s shop for Steel Ingots to confirm they are available. Seeing steel recipes without any ingots means you still have Foundry conversation steps to complete.
You must win each required battle, but a loss is not permanent. If you fail, you can try again the following week on Sloth Day (blue with a gold moon). The optional sewer arena battles are not required for the Foundry, though they hand out extra Town Gratitude and Looter Keys.
Win the floodgate and bathhouse battles
These fights have prerequisites, so you must satisfy them before they can begin. For Break Through to the Bathhouse Basement, your defense power must reach 88; you can field as many as three squads and construct barricades and archer towers. Recruit zombie soldiers, equip them with your strongest gear, and build defenses beforehand.
Around this point the mercenaries stop taking coin and ask for gold-tier Wine instead. You will need your Vineyard and Vineyard Basement running well, since grapes become grape juice there and then turn into wine in barrels.
- Make combat potions in good supply, with priority given to your most potent healing options, and assign them to the hot bar.
- Gain combat perks for both your character and your zombie soldiers.
- Let the enemy break against your defenses rather than charging out.
- Protect your archer towers and keep archers out of melee brawls.
Deliver 3 Steel Ingots to Jack for Man of Steel
Jack’s Man of Steel quest calls for exactly 3 Steel Ingots. Submit them at the Town Workshop to earn the reputation reward. This delivery also advances his industrial-show sequence and unlocks the Factory Tour inspection, which requires a factory rating of at least 20.
Steel remains in demand after Jack’s quest: upgrading the mercenaries’ equipment costs the Merc Leader 3 more ingots. Set aside six ingots or more before using the remainder for crafting.
Unlock Steel Smithing in the Metallurgy tree
Having Steel Ingots does not mean you can craft with them yet. In the Metallurgy branch, column 12 contains Steel Smithing, the technology required to work purchased steel.
- Requires 70 reputation with Jack.
- Needs Iron Products researched first.
- Costs 120 red and 15 blue tech points.
- Unlocks Steel Detail, Steel Screws, the Steel Anvil, and Lantern II.
Jack’s later Foundry quests are what carry his reputation to the required level, so his storyline feeds both the ingot supply and the tech gate. If his reputation seems stuck, check the combat and character quests around his workshop, since some of those gains come from clearing and restoring parts of Town. Once Steel Smithing is researched, the tree branches further into Steel Instruments I and II, Steel Casting, and Reinforced Barricades.
What to craft from Steel Ingots
After researching Steel Smithing and constructing the Steel Anvil, you can use ingots to make components and equipment. Every recipe has an individual mastery requirement in addition to its technology and station needs.
| Output | Inputs | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Steel Detail | 1 Steel Ingot | Steel Anvil; mastery 10 |
| 8 Steel Screws | 1 Steel Ingot | Steel Anvil; mastery 11 |
| 1 Steel Armor | 4 Steel Ingot + 4 Steel Detail + 4 Fabric | Steel Anvil; Steel Equipment; mastery 12 |
| 1 Steel Zombie Collar | 1 Steel Ingot + 1 Blue Crystal + 10 Faith | Jewelry Table; Reanimation III; mastery 12 |
Since Silver buys your ingots, prioritize uses that advance progression: required quest items, workstation improvements that unlock recipes, and advanced parts needed later for Factory expansion. Steel Screws and Steel Detail are used in numerous advanced construction and automation recipes, so saving a portion of your ingots is generally more valuable than immediately replacing every tool.
Steel tools provide a steady benefit: zombie workstation bonuses rise through Rusty, Bronze, Iron, and Steel for axes, pickaxes, hammers, and shovels. Upgrading a tool therefore accelerates every later craft at that bench. Consider steel an imported top-tier resource: obtain it from the Foundry, then supply your wider crafting network with it rather than trying to make it in your furnaces.
