Strains are variations of the xenomorph you play as, changing up their play style to something either slightly or completely different to the normal xenomorph. This allows you to change your play style to experiment with.

With each Maturation (Young | Mature | Elder | Ancient) you will gain 6 points to spend on a strain of your choice. When you evolve you will lose the strain you previously picked. Each Xeno can purchase one Strain available to their caste. Under the Alien tab you can buy strains for yourself with the Purchase Mutators verb.

Strains

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, gains 1 tile extra range and you're able to move slowly while fortified. 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
Shatter Blob	Alter your acid cloud bombard for an acid bomb that spawns acid on the area of impact. Applicable Caste(s): Boiler
Spin Slash	Trade the ability to charge at your enemies for a spinning slash that deals damage to all hostiles around you. Applicable Caste(s): Ravager