In
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri (
SMAC), the
Pholus Mutagen is a
Secret Project. It may be built at a cost of 400 minerals, on discovery of
Centauri Genetics (E7). The Pholus Mutagen reduces ecological disruption due to high mineral production in your bases. More important, all your units gain bonuses in xenofungus squares as if they were native units, and any native units you build gain +1
lifecycle.
How useful is this? If you (or a hostile rival) are the Gaian (green, Deirdre) faction, by all means build this Project. It's a valuable boon to a Psi-oriented military. Otherwise, unless you just have a big base with nothing else to build, or you're having problems with ecological disruption, the effects are not all that valuable. This is one of those Projects that's difficult to evaluate in terms of energy credits; I'd roughly equate it to half the value of the Xenoempathy Dome (135), plus half the value of a Centauri Preserve base improvement at each of your bases (50 per base). In these terms, it's a fair price.
Secret Project animation narrative:
"We welcome you, earthdeirdre and earthwheat and earthtree as honored guests, for you add great power to our ancient song -- planetfungus and planetworm and planetmind sing and play here, and you are welcome among us."
-- Lady Deirdre Skye,
"Conversations with Planet"