Strains

Mutations are straight buffs to certain aspects of a caste or hive. Each Xeno has mutators they can purchase for themselves, while the Queen also has the ability to obtain Mutators that affect the entire hive and those under her.

With each Maturation (Young | Mature | Elder | Ancient) you will gain 3 points to spend on a mutation of your choice. When you evolve you will lose all the mutators you previously picked. Each Xeno can purchase all Positive Mutations available to their caste once, while Keystone mutators are mutually exclusive - you can only ever buy one.

Under the Alien tab you can buy mutations for yourself with the Purchase Mutators verb. To buy mutations for the hive (as the Queen) click on the verb Purchase Hive Mutators. To view the Hive and your own currently active mutations click on the List Mutators verb.

Mutations

Positive MutationsKeystonesStrains Each Positive Mutation costs 6 points and can be bought only once. Mutation: Description: Faster Weeds Boosts weed growth speed and spread radius. Applicable Caste(s): Carrier | Drone | Hivelord | Burrower | Queen Increased Egg Production Faster egg production. Applicable Caste(s): Queen Infusion of Larva Gives the hive an additonal 5 stored larva. This is a hive mutator meaning it will affect the hive. Once the Queen dies this hive mutator will stop. If bought by a previous Queen this mutation cannot be purchased again. Applicable Caste(s): Queen More Leaders Adds 3 additional xeno leader slots. This is a hive mutator meaning it will affect the hive. Once the Queen dies this hive mutator will stop. Applicable Caste(s): Queen Each Keystone costs 6 points and each Xeno can only ever have one. Mutation: Description: Wider Gas Increases Boiler gas radius by 1 tile. Applicable Caste(s): Boiler Lingering Gas Makes boiler gas linger for longer before dissipating. Applicable Caste(s): Boiler Longer Pounce Increases the pounce range by two tiles. Applicable Caste(s): Runner | Lurker | Ravager Increased Storage Capacity Increases Carrier storage capacity by 2 for facehuggers and 2 for eggs. Applicable Caste(s): Carrier Acid Tipped Claws Reduces your brute damage and applies the reduction amount as burn damage. With this keystone you do brute and burn damage on each slash. Applicable Caste(s): Drone | Hivelord | Sentinel | Spitter | Praetorian | Boiler | Queen Faster Maturation The hive matures at a faster rate. This is a hive mutator meaning it will affect the hive. Once the Queen dies this hive mutator will stop. Applicable Caste(s): Queen Resilient Larva Larva gestate faster and there's a small chance of getting an additional larva. This is a hive mutator meaning it will affect the hive. Once the Queen dies this hive mutator will stop. Applicable Caste(s): Queen Faster Charge Buildup The Crusher's charge will start building up 1 tile sooner and will build up a bit faster. Applicable Caste(s): Crusher Regenerate Off Weeds Allows a xeno to heal and regenerate plasma as if they were on weeds even if they aren't. Applicable Caste(s): All Each Strain costs 6 points and will alter how you'll play the caste. All Strains are also Keystone Mutations. Strain: Description: Healer Trade the ability to build resin structures for an ability to transfer health to other xenomorphs and enhanced pheromones. Applicable Caste(s): Drone Steel Crest Trade the ability to tail sweep for the ability to use headbutt while your crest is lowered. Additionally, your headbutt does more damage and gains 1 tile extra range. Applicable Caste(s): Defender Boxer Trade the ability to fling and lunge for a lower cool down, increased damage and range on your punch ability. Punch loses the ability to immediately break bones. Gain a new ability, Jab: A stun ability that applies no damage but refreshes punch ability. Applicable Caste(s): Warrior Vomiter Trade your spit abilities in exchange for an acid spray that is similar to the Boiler's acid spray, only that is weaker. Applicable Caste(s): Spitter Tremor Trade the ability to make traps for a small AoE stun ability staggering everyone in range. Applicable Caste(s): Burrower Egg Sac Trade the ability to carry facehuggers for an ability to generate an egg once every 60 seconds for 50 plasma. Applicable Caste(s): Carrier Royal Protector Trade the ability to spit in exchange for increased pheremones, the ability to tail sweep (as Defender) and a shorter wind-up on your acid spray. Applicable Caste(s): Praetorian Railgun Trade the ability to bombard with gas clouds in exchange for a single acidic projectile that deals more damage against structures with perfect accuracy. The firing process of the railgun strain will be much quicker. Railgun projectiles can pass through barricades as well as cover, but it is possible to hit them if a boiler targets the cover manually. Applicable Caste(s): Boiler