Gaussite Symbiote

 is an offensive unit  that also produces Green and can be sacrificed to create burst damage.

Strategy
 is comparable in functionality to a Tarsier + Conduit combination, which would cost (gold and red). At, it costs slightly more, but has a build time of only 1 compared to Tarsier's 2, which is a huge advantage.

Being more cost efficient and faster, is likely to be relevant in any game featuring green-red key units. It is even more relevant in low economy games where it allows you to speed up your growth in  constant damage while giving you access to the units you want to buy (Feral Warden, Protoplasm) also a button to Burst the opponent critically.

Using the ability of is not required to make it worthwhile, but it can help immensely in creating breaches. Make sure to use it at the right time though, as it both consumes a lot of and destroys both your  source and one of your constant  attackers, leaving you crippled both economically and offensively. You typically want to activate it to form a huge burst of attack in combination with other units (The Wincer comes to mind), or in the late game to be the last bit of damage needed to push through your opponents defence. You can also use it to create a brief spike in attack to stop your opponent from purchasing an important legendary unit such as Defense Grid. In general, it is good value while it pressures, and without exerting the Supply. Using the Ability and replacing is paying roughly 14 Gold for 6 Attack next turn, same cost ratio as Gauss Charges.

Getting the 4 s and then saving green for 1 or 2 turns so you can click them all at the same time to force a large breach can be a quite a strong strategy in some sets. You should have sufficient permanent Attackers before doing this however, as if the Symbiotes are your entire attack force then you will be without attackers after the breach and will likely lose if you failed to wipe out all or most of your opponent's attack. This strategy is especially strong if the opponent has converted all of their Drones to Vivid Drones for example as they will then not be able to buy Forcefields or hold back Drones. Counters to this strategy include redundant defense units such as Ossified Drone or Urban Sentry, and relying heavily on attackers that can also block such as Doomed Mech, Grimbotch or Borehole Patroller. If you have an army of these units, you can convert some of your attack to emergency defense and avoid being breached. It also may not work if the opponent has nothing extremely vulnerable but instead has sturdy attackers such as Iso Kronus and Omega Splitter.

Some units that synergize very well with the Symbiote explosion strategy are Scorchilla and Endotherm Kit.

All In Protoplasms (Outdated)
This build requires the presence of Protoplasm in the random set, and to be Player 2. It is probably the most powerful build that doesn't build any Drones, and the counter is pretty counter-intuitive.

As Player 2:
 * 1) Animus
 * 2) Protoplasm
 * 3) Protoplasm
 * 1) Protoplasm
 * 2) Protoplasm

Or a variant:
 * 1) Animus
 * TT
 * 1) Protoplasm
 * 2) Protoplasm
 * 1) Protoplasm
 * 1) Protoplasm

This build provides 6 (or 8) constant damage very early, which is really tough for most early economies to handle. The simplest counter for Player 1 is to go for Blastforge without cutting Drones, and try to get an economy able to produce the (or ) Health of defense required to not get breached every turn (assuming you absorb with Walls), while saving a little gold. Since Player 2 is locked and can't buy anything else than Protoplasm (Except TD plus click Symbiote), even saving 1 per turn can be enough to eventually increase the difference, get more Drones, then constant attack, and eventually breach and win.

Player 1 Symbiote Attack
This will punish Player 2 going for Fastimus, at the cost of losing 1 or 2 Drones. Also c
 * DD
 * DD
 * 1) ADD
 * 2) Gaussite Symbiote +C
 * 3) Gaussite Symbiote +EE (or C)

Player 2 Symbiote Attack
This benefits from a cost red unit. Provides an early burst of Attack vs a red-based opponent.
 * DD
 * DA
 * 1) TCD
 * 2) Gaussite Symbiote +D

Alternative line:

Allows 2 consecutive clicks or F for easy defending.
 * DD
 * DA
 * 1) TTD
 * 2)  +D
 * 3)  +C

Rush line:

Sets for a large Attack burst.
 * DD
 * CA
 * 1)  +E
 * 2) RT click x2
 * 1) RT click x2

Random Set Openings
Rushed attack burst (Immolite: 1)

8 Attack by Turn 5 then 0 Absorb.
 * DD
 * CA
 * 1) D11 +click
 * 2) TD1 or RE1
 * 1) TD1 or RE1

Player 2 Tia Thurnax rush: A strong rush with 10 then 15 Attack. Units like Perforator, Galvani Drone, enable it.
 * A
 * TD
 * 1) Tia Thurnax
 * 2) click
 * 1) Tia Thurnax
 * 2) click

Player 2 Cynestra Wastes one red.
 * DD
 * DA
 * 1)  +D
 * 2)  +D
 * 3) Cynestra

Player 1 Attack with Vivid Drone (1) Threatens a burst of 13 Attack.
 * DD
 * A1
 * 1)  +1
 * 2)  +1
 * 1)  +1

Change log

 * February 17th, 2016
 * Cost increased from to.
 * Ability now produces 6 Gauss Charges instead of 5 Gauss Charges.
 * November 1st, 2014
 * Cost decreased from to.