diff --git a/include/obf/engine.hpp b/include/obf/engine.hpp
index 2f3f574..73f6a44 100644
--- a/include/obf/engine.hpp
+++ b/include/obf/engine.hpp
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@
 
 namespace theo::obf {
 
+/// <summary>
+///	callback used by obfuscation engine to run passes...
+/// </summary>
+using engine_callback_t = std::function<void(decomp::symbol_t*, pass_t*)>;
+
 /// <summary>
 /// singleton obfuscation engine class. this class is responsible for keeping
 /// track of the registered passes and the order in which to execute them.
@@ -59,11 +64,12 @@ class engine_t {
   void add_pass(pass_t* pass);
 
   /// <summary>
-  /// run all the passes on the symbol. this function will only run a pass if
-  /// the symbol is the same type as the pass requires.
+  /// invokes the callback for each pass in order.
   /// </summary>
-  /// <param name="sym">symbol to run all passes on.</param>
-  void run(decomp::symbol_t* sym);
+  /// <param name="callback">callback to be invoked. the callback is given a
+  /// pointer to the pass.</param>
+  /// <param name="sym">symbol to run callbacks on.</param>
+  void for_each(decomp::symbol_t* sym, engine_callback_t callback);
 
  private:
   std::vector<pass_t*> passes;
diff --git a/include/obf/pass.hpp b/include/obf/pass.hpp
index 0c9088f..a3f0a30 100644
--- a/include/obf/pass.hpp
+++ b/include/obf/pass.hpp
@@ -44,6 +44,21 @@ extern "C" {
 /// </summary>
 namespace theo::obf {
 
+/// <summary>
+/// a function which is called by recomp_t to copy symbols into memory.
+/// </summary>
+using copier_t = std::function<void(std::uintptr_t, void*, std::uint32_t)>;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// a function which is called to allocate space for a symbol.
+///
+/// the first param is the size of the symbol, the second param is the
+/// characteristics of the section which the symbol is allocated in.
+/// </summary>
+using allocator_t =
+    std::function<std::uintptr_t(std::uint32_t,
+                                 coff::section_characteristics_t)>;
+
 /// <summary>
 /// the pass_t class is a base clase for all passes made. you must override the
 /// pass_t::run virtual function and declare the logic of your pass there.
@@ -77,39 +92,38 @@ class pass_t {
   /// <param name="sym">The symbol that memory is being allocated for.</param>
   /// <param name="size">The size of the symbol that memory is being allocated
   /// for.</param>
-  /// <returns>returns the size of the symbol.</returns>
-  virtual std::uint32_t pre_allocation_pass(decomp::symbol_t* sym,
-                                            std::uint32_t size) = 0;
+  /// <returns>returns the optional address of the allocation, if the pass didnt
+  /// allocate space for the symbol than this optional value will have no
+  /// value.</returns>
+  virtual std::optional<std::uintptr_t> allocation_pass(
+      decomp::symbol_t* sym,
+      std::uint32_t size,
+      allocator_t& allocator) = 0;
 
   /// <summary>
-  /// This virtual method is invoked after the call to the "allocator". This
-  /// allows you to manipulate the symbol after memory has been allocated for
-  /// it.
+  /// This virtual method is invoked prior to calling the "copier". This allows
+  /// you to manipulate the symbol prior to it being copied into memory.
   /// </summary>
-  /// <param name="dest">Allocation address (can be linear virtual address or
-  /// file offset address)</param>
-  /// <param name="sym">The symbol for which allocation was made for.</param>
-  /// <param name="size">Size of the allocation.</param>
-  virtual void post_allocation_pass(decomp::symbol_t* sym,
-                                    std::uintptr_t dest,
-                                    std::uint32_t size) = 0;
+  /// <param name="sym">Symbol being copied into memory.</param>
+  /// <param name="copier">copier lambda that the pass can use. if it does, then
+  /// you must return true.</param> <returns>returns true if the copy was done
+  /// by the pass. false if copying still needs to be done.</returns>
+  virtual bool copier_pass(decomp::symbol_t* sym, copier_t& copier) = 0;
 
   /// <summary>
-  /// This virtual method is invoked prior to calling the "copier". This allows
-  /// you to manipulate the symbol prior to it being copied into memory.
+  /// This virtual method is invoked before the call to the "resolver". This
+  /// allows you the manipulate the relocation address and symbol before
+  /// relocations are made.
   /// </summary>
-  /// <param name="sym">Symbol being copied into memory...</param>
-  /// <param name="dest">Memory destination of the copy...</param>
-  /// <param name="size"></param>
+  /// <param name="sym">The symbol that has the relocation inside of it.</param>
+  /// <param name="reloc">The relocation be be applied.</param>
+  /// <param name="allocated_t">The address of the symbol pointed too by the
+  /// relocation.</param>
   /// <returns></returns>
-  virtual std::uintptr_t pre_copier_pass(decomp::symbol_t* sym,
-                                         std::uintptr_t dest,
-                                         std::uint32_t size) = 0;
-
-  virtual void post_copier_pass() = 0;
-
-  virtual void pre_resolver_pass() = 0;
-  virtual void post_resolver_pass() = 0;
+  virtual std::optional<std::uintptr_t> resolver_pass(
+      decomp::symbol_t* sym,
+      recomp::reloc_t* reloc,
+      std::uintptr_t allocated_t) = 0;
 
   /// <summary>
   /// gets the passes symbol type.
diff --git a/src/obf/engine.cpp b/src/obf/engine.cpp
index 37b7b81..0cce9a5 100644
--- a/src/obf/engine.cpp
+++ b/src/obf/engine.cpp
@@ -40,10 +40,10 @@ void engine_t::add_pass(pass_t* pass) {
   passes.push_back(pass);
 }
 
-void engine_t::run(decomp::symbol_t* sym) {
+void engine_t::for_each(decomp::symbol_t* sym, engine_callback_t callback) {
   std::for_each(passes.begin(), passes.end(), [&](pass_t* pass) {
     if (sym->type() & pass->sym_type())
-      pass->run(sym);
+      callback(sym, pass);
   });
 }
 
diff --git a/src/recomp/recomp.cpp b/src/recomp/recomp.cpp
index eb6b166..9b92f65 100644
--- a/src/recomp/recomp.cpp
+++ b/src/recomp/recomp.cpp
@@ -40,12 +40,23 @@ recomp_t::recomp_t(decomp::decomp_t* dcmp,
 void recomp_t::allocate() {
   // map code & data/rdata/bss sections first...
   //
+  static const auto engine = obf::engine_t::get();
   m_dcmp->syms()->for_each([&](theo::decomp::symbol_t& sym) {
     switch (sym.type()) {
       case decomp::sym_type_t::section:
       case decomp::sym_type_t::function:
       case decomp::sym_type_t::instruction: {
-        sym.allocated_at(m_allocator(sym.size(), sym.scn()->characteristics));
+        engine->for_each(&sym, [&](decomp::symbol_t* sym, obf::pass_t* pass) {
+          if (sym->allocated_at())
+            return;
+
+          auto res = pass->allocation_pass(sym, sym->size(), m_allocator);
+          if (res.has_value())
+            sym->allocated_at(res.value());
+        });
+
+        if (!sym.allocated_at())
+          sym.allocated_at(m_allocator(sym.size(), sym.scn()->characteristics));
         break;
       }
       default:
@@ -83,7 +94,17 @@ void recomp_t::allocate() {
         prot.mem_read = true;
         prot.mem_write = true;
 
-        sym.allocated_at(m_allocator(sym.size(), sym.scn()->characteristics));
+        engine->for_each(&sym, [&](decomp::symbol_t* sym, obf::pass_t* pass) {
+          if (sym->allocated_at())
+            return;
+
+          auto res = pass->allocation_pass(sym, sym->size(), m_allocator);
+          if (res.has_value())
+            sym->allocated_at(res.value());
+        });
+
+        if (!sym.allocated_at())
+          sym.allocated_at(m_allocator(sym.size(), sym.scn()->characteristics));
       }
     }
   });
@@ -112,6 +133,15 @@ void recomp_t::resolve() {
                               ? reloc_sym.value()->allocated_at()
                               : m_resolver(reloc.name());
 
+      // run passes related to post symbol relocation...
+      //
+      static const auto engine = obf::engine_t::get();
+      engine->for_each(&sym, [&](decomp::symbol_t* sym, obf::pass_t* pass) {
+        auto res = pass->resolver_pass(sym, &reloc, allocated_at);
+        if (res.has_value())
+          allocated_at = res.value();
+      });
+
       if (!allocated_at) {
         spdlog::error("failed to resolve reloc from symbol: {} to symbol: {}",
                       sym.name(), reloc.name());
@@ -128,23 +158,12 @@ void recomp_t::resolve() {
                                              reloc.offset()) = allocated_at;
           break;
         }
+        case decomp::sym_type_t::instruction:
         case decomp::sym_type_t::function: {
           *reinterpret_cast<std::uintptr_t*>(sym.data().data() +
                                              reloc.offset()) = allocated_at;
           break;
         }
-        case decomp::sym_type_t::instruction: {
-          auto& transforms = reloc.get_transforms();
-          std::for_each(
-              transforms.begin(), transforms.end(),
-              [&](std::pair<obf::transform::transform_t*, std::uint32_t>& t) {
-                allocated_at = (*t.first)(allocated_at, t.second);
-              });
-
-          *reinterpret_cast<std::uintptr_t*>(sym.data().data() +
-                                             reloc.offset()) = allocated_at;
-          break;
-        }
         default:
           break;
       }
@@ -155,8 +174,19 @@ void recomp_t::resolve() {
 void recomp_t::copy_syms() {
   // copy symbols into memory using the copier supplied...
   //
+  static const auto engine = obf::engine_t::get();
   m_dcmp->syms()->for_each([&](theo::decomp::symbol_t& sym) {
-    m_copier(sym.allocated_at(), sym.data().data(), sym.data().size());
+    bool cpy = false;
+    engine->for_each(&sym, [&](decomp::symbol_t* sym, obf::pass_t* pass) {
+      if (cpy)
+        return;
+      // returns true if the copy was done for this symbol...
+      //
+      cpy = pass->copier_pass(sym, m_copier);
+    });
+
+    if (!cpy)
+      m_copier(sym.allocated_at(), sym.data().data(), sym.data().size());
   });
 }
 
diff --git a/src/theo.cpp b/src/theo.cpp
index ef00722..90afaa3 100644
--- a/src/theo.cpp
+++ b/src/theo.cpp
@@ -57,7 +57,11 @@ std::uintptr_t theo_t::compose() {
   // run obfuscation engine on all symbols...
   //
   auto engine = obf::engine_t::get();
-  m_sym_tbl.for_each([&](decomp::symbol_t& sym) { engine->run(&sym); });
+  m_sym_tbl.for_each([&](decomp::symbol_t& sym) {
+    engine->for_each(&sym, [&](decomp::symbol_t* sym, obf::pass_t* pass) {
+      pass->pre_recomp_pass(sym);
+    });
+  });
 
   m_recmp.allocate();
   m_recmp.resolve();