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Pheromones are an aura-based buff available to the Drone, Hivelord, Carrier, Praetorian and Queen. There are three types of pheromones, Recovery, Warding and Frenzy, with effects and range scaling on the tier and upgrade level of the caste emitting them. If two castes in range are emitting the same pheromone, the stronger pheromone will override the weaker one. If they are emitting different pheromones, both will apply.
Pheromones require a steady amount of plasma to sustain, although all castes that have access to them usually have comfortable plasma reserves. It should be noted however that they will seriously dent plasma regeneration if used frivolously and should be turned off if not needed. It also costs a bit of plasma to start emitting pheromones. If you run out of plasma, you will immediately stop emitting pheromones.
Your pheromones will keep emitting if you end up falling into critical health with them emitting, but you will not be conscious enough to change them or turn them on or off.
List of Pheromones
| Pheromone | Effect |
|---|---|
 Frenzy |
Increases movement speed, tackle chance and damage from slashes. |
 Warding |
Grants more armor and a flat reduction on all incoming damage, can also slow and even prevent or reverse critical bleedout of affected Xenomorphs. |
 Recovery |
Increases health regeneration, increases plasma regeneration on weeds, reduces stun times of affected Xenomorphs. |
Pheromones Tactics
- The more powerful the caste emitting is, the stronger the effect. There is an obvious difference between the pheromones of a Young Drone and the pheromones of an Ancient Empress. A well placed high level pheromone can allow Xenomorphs to unlock their full potential in a specific area.
- Pheromones emitted by a stationary Queen apply to all Xenomorphs in her view, including any Xenomorphs she is viewing remotely if stationary. Use this to your advantage to put the right pheromone on at the right time to buff your Hive accordingly for the situation.
- Pheromones emitted by a stationary Queen are additionally applied through all Xeno Leaders in existence. These can be located by the star on their XenoHUD Status. They will emit identically to a Queen overwatch, and stack with any other pheromones emitted by the leader.
- A common pheromone duo is the Queen with a Praetorian emitting Warding and Recovery, with Frenzy left to the next best caste. This allows the Xenos to soak up large amounts of damage and recover their wounded very fast, making for better odds in large, messy stand-offs.
- Do not underestimate Frenzy. A powerful Frenzy pheromone can turn even a Runner into a mini Ravager. The added speed also acts as this defensive tool that some people think doesn't exist in the "offensive pheromone".
- Reducing or negating critical bleedout might sound like a lame effect, but it can actually be critical in big battles. A Xeno shot into critical has a life expectancy numbered in seconds, but a strong enough Warding pheromone can make it infinite as long as they don't take further damage, making it trivial to drag them to weeds to let them recover.
- Recovery pheromones will usually not grant more plasma than they take away to maintain. Of course, this is offset by the fact that all castes around you get said plasma for free, and that everyone gets extra health regeneration if damaged.
- It is actually perfectly debatable what pheromone is best if you are alone, but they are all useful. Frenzy makes you move faster and gives you a good desperation attack if ambushed. Recovery allows you to recover faster from stun sources like explosions or electrified gear, allows you to heal if tracked down and pays for itself partly. Warding allows you to soak up sudden gunfire while you scramble for an exit. Probably the worst choice is simply no pheromones.