TEXT: COOL
  HARD
  HOT
  SHARP
  WEIRD
  do something 
  under fire
  go aggro;
  sucker someone;
  do battle
  seduce or 
  manipulate
  read a sitch; 
  read a person
  open your brain
  STATS
  MOVES
  IMPROVEMENT
  > >>improve
  experience
  HX
  help or interfere; session end
  — get +1weird (max +3)
  — get the other symbiote move
  — add an option to your colony
  — add an option to your colony
  — add an option to your colony
  — add a person to your colony
  — add a person to your colony
  — get followers (you detail) and fortunes
  — get a move from another playbook
  — get a move from another playbook
  When you and another character have sex, choose 1:
  • Your psyche fixes upon theirs. Next time they improve, 
  mark experience.
  • Ask them any 3 questions you want. They must answer 
  honestly.
  • They may use you for augury. You roll and they make all 
  the decisions.
  SYMBIOTE SPECIAL
  — get +1 to any stat (max stat+3)
  — retire your character to safety
  — create a second character to play
  — change your character to a new playbook
  — choose 3 basic moves and advance them.
  — advance the other 3 basic moves.
  SYMBIOTE
  THE 
  NAMES
  1-harm: cosmetic damage, 
  concussion, pain, fear.
  2-harm: wounds, unconsciousness, 
  bad pain, broken bones, shock, 
  often fatal.
  3-harm: Terrible wounds, shock, 
  sometimes immediately fatal, 
  otherwise death soon.
  4-harm: Mangled and ruined, 
  always fatal, usually instantly 
  fatal.
  5-harm and more: fatal and bodily 
  destructive.
  When your last self dies, mark 
  enough experience to improve and 
  continue play.
  HARM
  SYMBIOTE MOVES
   The health of the host (i): at the beginning of the session, roll+weird. On a hit, give +1 to 
  everyone else making a beginning-of-session move. On a 10+, for each of them who also hits their 
  move with a 10+, you mark experience. On a miss, give -2 to everyone else making a beginning-of-
  session move.
   The health of the host (ii): at the beginning of the session, roll+weird. On a 10+, choose 4. On 
  a 7–9, choose 3. You may choose an option more than once, but you must choose the first option at 
  least once:
  • Name an NPC, and explain how good luck has improved, eased, or enriched their life.
  • Name another player’s character. They get 1-barter to spend on their lifestyle. Tell them which one of you 
  is their benefactor.
  • Name another player’s character. They get 1-barter to spend on their lifestyle. None of your colony is their 
  apparent benefactor. By all evidence, the barter comes from their own efforts and/or good fortune.
  On a miss, instead choose 2. You must choose the first option at least once:
  • Name another player’s character, and explain how their luck has turned suddenly incredibly shitty.
  • Name an NPC, and explain how their luck has turned suddenly incredibly shitty.
  You can defer your choice to the MC, if you prefer.
  OTHER MOVES
  BARTER
  At the beginning of the session, spend 1- or 2-barter for your lifestyle. The options you chose for 
  your colony determine how much you have to spend for each of you.
  If you need jingle during a session, tell the MC you’d like to work a gig. Your gigs:
  • Brute labor for a wealthy NPC or population. 
  • Any of the gigs from your colony segments.
  • Others, as you negotiate them.
  As a one-time expenditure, and very subject to availability, 1-barter might count for: a night in 
  high luxury & company; any weapon, gear or fashion not valuable or hi-tech; a session’s hire of a violent 
  individual as bodyguard; a few sessions’ hire of simple labor; the material costs for crash resuscitation by 
  a medic; a few sessions’ tribute to a warlord; a few sessions’ maintenance and repairs for a hi-performance 
  vehicle well-used; bribes, fees and gifts sufficient to get you into almost anyone’s presence.
  For better stuff, you should expect to make particular arrangements. You can’t just wander around 
  the commons of some hardhold with oddments ajangle and expect to find hi-tech or luxe eternal.
  Introducing
  THE SYMBIOTE
  When the apocalypse came, it did not come as they expected it. Oh, they expected their world to 
  break down — feared it would, denied it would, planned for it, planned against it, whatever. But they 
  looked at their future and they could only see their own monsters. They couldn’t see, couldn’t even 
  guess, the creatures that would come that were not them.
  
  CREATING THE SYMBIOTE
  As the symbiote, you are a psyche in some way native to the world’s psychic maelstrom. 
  You live there; it is the medium of your life the way that the earth and air are the medium 
  of others’. However, you are also embodied in this world, in the form of several otherwise 
  apparent human beings.  You all seem to live and act and move independently, but it’s an 
  illusion. You’re one creature, you, sharing experiences and thoughts and separated only 
  bodily.
  To create the symbiote, choose moves, colony, and Hx.
  MOVES
  You get all the basic moves. Choose 1 
  symbiote move.
  You can use all of the battle moves, and 
  you’ll find that your colony is better suited 
  to some than to others. If your colony tends 
  hard, look up seize by force; if it tends cool, 
  look up the subterfuge moves; if it tends 
  sharp, look up keeping an eye out.
  COLONY
  Print out supplemental: the colony and 
  bring it to the table with you.
  Create your colony.
  When you act, you act as one of your colony, 
  in that one’s body. For all practical purposes 
  you, your MC, and your fellow players can 
  treat all of your colony as full and separate 
  characters, with these exceptions:
  • You all share your moves.
  • You all share Hx, experience, and 
  advancement.
  • You each take harm as NPCs would, as 
  listed, not on a PC’s harm countdown. You 
  are individually fragile.
  • You can’t have sex with yourself.
  When you roll+a stat, the person you’re 
  acting as may give you +2 or -1, as listed. 
  Otherwise, roll +2 for weird and +0 for all 
  other stats.
  If the last person of your colony dies, mark 
  enough experience to improve, and take 
  your improvement right then.
  RIVAL COLONY
  Once during play, whenever you choose, you 
  can create a rival colony, too. 
  HX
  Everyone introduces their characters by 
  name, look and outlook. On your turn, 
  introduce all of the people in your colony.
  List the other characters’ names.
  Go around again for Hx. On your turn, 
  ask each of the others which of your 
  colony they know.
  • If they know none or only 1 of you, 
  write Hx=0.
  • If they know 2 of you, write Hx+1.
  • If they know more than 2 of you, write 
  Hx+2.
  On the others’ turns, answer their 
  questions as you like.
  At the end, choose one of the characters 
  with the highest Hx on your sheet. Ask 
  that player which one of your colony 
  is most interesting, and highlight it. 
  Instead of getting highlighted stats, you 
  get one of yourselves highlighted.
  The MC does NOT highlight a second.
  When everyone else changes highlighted 
  stats, you change highlighted selves. 
  Again, ask the player whose character 
  has the highest Hx on your sheet which 
  of you to highlight.
  IMPROVEMENT
  Whenever you roll when you’re acting 
  as the highlighted one of your colony, 
  and whenever you reset your Hx with 
  someone, mark an experience circle. 
  When you mark the 5th, improve and 
  erase. 
  Each time you improve, choose one of the 
  options. Check it off; you can’t choose it 
  again.
  By default, your colony consists of 3 people. You are each integrated into the surrounding population, 
  not by default distinctive or remarkable. Your individual homes, means, and livelihoods are typical 
  for this place, providing a 1-barter lifestyle at the beginning of every session. If you choose to fight 
  together in a coordinated fashion, you count as a small gang, by default with 2-harm 0-armor.
  Then, choose 2:
   Martyr: when you take a blow for another player’s character, mark experience. When anyone of 
  your colony dies, mark experience.
   Thriving: add a person to your colony.
   Sustaining: When anyone of your colony dies, erase their information from your colony and 
  create a new person to replace them. Use the same colony segment or an unused one.
   Tendrils: when 3 or more of your colony convene and act together, you can expand your reach 
  through the world’s psychic maelstrom. +Augury.
   Shared eyes: when you read a situation, roll+weird instead of roll+sharp.
  CREATING YOUR PEOPLE:
  To create one of your colony, choose one of the available colony segments, and choose name, looks 
  (selecting all that apply), and circumstances. 
  During initial character creation, don’t choose the blank segments. When you add someone new 
  to your colony, you can choose to use a blank segment then, to create someone to fit the current 
  circumstances of play. When you do use a blank segment, for your +2 and -1 stats, choose cool, hard, 
  hot, or sharp, not weird. You always have weird+2.
  YOUR COLONY
  Once during play, whenever you choose, you can create a rival colony. Tell the MC which you 
  choose, and that they’re perversions of birth. She’ll know what you mean.
  Choose 1:
   The rival colony is like you.
   The rival colony is some kind of psychic & physical contamination. If the contaminated is in 
  play, ask that player what the contamination is like. Otherwise, create it yourself: 
  Affected people become (circle 3–4): bloodcrazed, cannibalistic, insatiable, inhumanly fast & strong, 
  inhumanly patient, unsleeping & tireless, a hive mind, contagious, nearly unkillable, blood-washed, 
  electricity-eating, memory-eating, terror-driven, death-intent.
   The rival colony are child-things. If the child-thing is in play, ask that player what child-things are 
  like. Otherwise, create them yourself:
  They are (circle 3–4): ravenous, omnivorous, mercurial in form, impossible to contain or restrain, many, 
  maelstrom-worshipping, silent & staring, ferocious, snarling & shrieking, quite possibly rabid.
  Their den includes (circle 2–3): parts of a plane, labyrinthine tunnels, ancient underground vaults, a 
  terrifying place of death, an alien place of luminous glass, other things of significance only to them.
   The rival colony are wolves of the maelstrom. If the child-thing is in play, ask that player what the 
  wolves of the maelstrom are like. Otherwise, create them yourself:
  They seem human, but under their disguise, like all of the maelstrom’s wolves, they look like 
  (cirlce 1): people, birds, beasts, insects, angels, shadows, machines.
  Except (choose 2):
   they don’t stand on the ground 
   they have no faces 
   they have awful voices
   they make terrible grinding noises  
   they have human faces 
   they’re invisible
   they are made of metal and plastic 
   they have wolves’ faces 
   they’re dripping gore 
   they come and go impossibly 
   they have no expression 
   they only howl
   they have empty holes for eyes
  A RIVAL COLONY
  The Symbiote © 2018 by D.Vincent Baker & Meguey Baker
  
  COLONY
  A PLAYBOOK SUPPLEMENT 
  for the symbiote
  APOCALYPSE WORLE:ETHE OLONYYY
  APOCALYPSE WORLD: THE COLONY
  The Colony
  a Playbook Supplement for the Symbiote
  ©2018 by Meguey Baker & D.Vincent Baker
  THE
  NAME & LOOK
  CIRCUMSTANCES
  highlight
  NAME & LOOK
  CIRCUMSTANCES
  highlight
  You take harm like NPCs, not like a PC:
  1-harm: cosmetic damage, concussion, pain, fear.
  2-harm: wounds, unconsciousness, bad pain, broken bones, shock, often fatal.
  3-harm: Terrible wounds, shock, sometimes immediately fatal, otherwise death soon.
  4-harm: Mangled and ruined, always fatal, usually instantly fatal.
  5-harm and more: fatal and bodily destructive.
  When your last self dies, mark enough experience to improve and continue play.
  HARM
  
  NAME & LOOK
  CIRCUMSTANCES
  Woodward, Murray, Gams, or Jastor.
  Woman, transgressing, or concealed.
  Scarred, broken-bodied, powerful, 
  curvaceous, aristocratic, slender, 
  rope-veined, velvet-skinned, gray, 
  rangy, and/or blunt-faced.
  highlight
  NAME & LOOK
  CIRCUMSTANCES
  Silk, Frans, Azaz, Rolfball, or Janis.
  Man, woman, or concealed.
  Old, pierced, willowy, golden-eyed, 
  barrel-chested, amputated, bearded, 
  lush-mouthed, elaborately-coiffed, 
  tiny, fat, and/or muscular.
  highlight
  NAME & LOOK
  CIRCUMSTANCES
  Past, Cass, Dutch, Echo, or Bow.
  Man or transgressing.
  Hulking, shaven, crooked-built, 
  dead-pale, slight, heavy-bearded, 
  one-eyed, handsome, smirking, vast, 
  mashed-faced, dapper, and/or tall.
  HOT
  HARD
  highlight
  Choose 3:
   I’m in —’s crew/cult/gang.*
   I have a brother, Jinte, who’s also a fuckin badass.
   I have a shotgun (3-harm close messy) and 
  impressive body armor (2-armor).
   I get +1 to reading a situation.
   I have a gig doing violence for pay, worth 2-barter 
  for lifestyle at the beginning of every session.
   I have a fortified little double-room I call home. 
  +1armor in defense.
   I have oddments worth 3-barter.
  *Free if a PC, with that player’s approval.
  SHARP
  HARD
  SHARP
  COOL
  Choose 3:
   I’m in —’s crew/cult/gang.*
   I’ve got something big on —.*
   I have free passage through —’s holdings, no 
  questions asked.*
   I have a smg (2-harm close area loud) and fashion 
  worth 1-armor (you detail).
   I have a gig keeping and holding onto valuables for 
  —, worth 2-barter for lifestyle at the beginning of 
  every session.
   I’m one of the few who make my home in the upper 
  rooms.
   I have oddments worth 3-barter.
  *Free if a PC, with that player’s approval.
  Choose 3:
   I’m in —’s crew/cult/gang.*
   I have a hunting rifle with a good sight (3-harm far 
  loud reload).
   I have a spike-studded baseball bat (3-harm hand 
  messy) and bulky body armor (2-armor).
   I have a tempestuous, devoted, tough, beautiful 
  little family: Asso, Ki Yin, Quick, Limester, and me.
   I know basic first aid. I can’t heal harm, but I can 
  stabilize it.
   I make my house down in the maze.
   I have oddments worth 3-barter.
  *Free if a PC, with that player’s approval.
  NAME & LOOK
  CIRCUMSTANCES
  Dystart, Safire, Elba, Olive, or Jaim.
  Man, woman, or transgressing.
  Compact, long-legged, mild-eyed, 
  nervous, utterly bald, severe-faced, 
  quick-eyed, beautiful, thick-bodied, 
  lithe, flush-faced, and/or towering.
  highlight
  Choose 3:
   I’m in —’s crew/cult/gang.*
   I have access to —’s living space.*
   I have wicked knives (2-harm hand) and fashion 
  worth 1-armor.
   I have a distinctive presence in the local 
  population; I command attention when I come into 
  a room.
   When I die, mark experience.
   My rooms are above the autoshop.
   I have a bike (you detail).
   I have oddments worth 3-barter.
  *Free if a PC, with that player’s approval.
  HARD
  NAME & LOOK
  CIRCUMSTANCES
  Lee-On, Billy, Mox, or Bismark.
  Man, woman, or ambiguous.
  Slight, long-haired, smoky-eyed, 
  arresting, tattoed, disfigured, 
  angular, energetic, fat, calm-eyed, 
  stocky, and/or sharp-featured.
  highlight
  Choose 3:
   I’m in —’s crew/cult/gang.*
   I have access to —’s infirmary, and I can work on 
  people in it.*
   I’m  —’s lover.*
   I have a 9mm (2-harm close loud) and scrounged 
  armor (1-armor).
   I keep hives of bees (vicious, swarming little bitches 
  who love only me). 
   When I kill someone, mark experience.
   My rooms are atmospheric, cool, and well-appointed. 
  I get +1 to read a person within them.
   I have oddments worth 3-barter.
  *Free if a PC, with that player’s approval.
  HOT
  SHARP
  COOL
  COOL
  NAME & LOOK
  CIRCUMSTANCES
  November, Hyacinth, or Capella.
  Woman or transgressing.
  Stocky, shave-headed, grinning, 
  buxom, full-lipped, heavy-eyed, 
  dimpled, salt and peppered, soft, 
  lissome, angry, wounded.
  highlight
  Choose 3:
   I’m in —’s crew/cult/gang.*
   I have access to —’s garage and all their vehicles.*
   I’m  —’s lover.*
   I have a machete (3-harm hand messy) and fashion 
  worth 1-armor (you detail).
   I have a gig providing — with food, entertainment, 
  and drugs, worth 2-barter for lifestyle at the 
  beginning of the session. 
   I get +1 to go aggro. 
   The other PCs can come to me for insight.
   My rooms are poor, cramped, and claustrophobic.
   I have oddments worth 3-barter.
  *Free if a PC, with that player’s approval.
  HOT
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Apocalypse World (PbtA) [multi]/2nd Edition/Playbooks-Suplements/Patreon Playbooks/TheSymbiote.pdf