
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,392
- BGG rating
- 6.9
The Thing
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2010

Rules assistance for Lifeform: Calibos
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Lifeform: Calibos is an expansion for Lifeform released in 2021 for 2–5 players, 60–120 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Mark Chaplin and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Point to Point Movement.
Lifeform: Calibos is a modular big-box expansion that adds many new elements to the main game: The option to add a fifth player - who starts on the Crew team... The occupants of Bay Twelve - six new Crew mining company characters, who have just been woken from their sleep-pods. An extra secondary role: a murderous Rogue Synthetic who helps the alien lifeform. Cooperative mode - so that ALL players are starship Crewmembers against the extraterrestrial threat. And many new cards to expand the existing decks.
Lifeform: Calibos supports 2–5 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Lifeform: Calibos is 60–120 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Lifeform: Calibos for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Lifeform: Calibos belongs to these categories: Fighting, Horror, and Bluffing. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Point to Point Movement. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Lifeform: Calibos are: Mark Chaplin. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Lifeform: Calibos as an expansion for Lifeform. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Lifeform to use it. Check that your edition of Lifeform is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.