Kanohi Modifications

Kanohi masks can be modified, altered, or adjusted in an incredible variety of ways. Although this page is not intended to be an exhaustive list, some of the most common modification types are listed here.

Modifying a Kanohi Mask

Making a change to a Kanohi, especially a Great or Noble mask, is rarely a simple feat, requiring the same knowledge, dexterity, and tools needed to forge a mask in the first place; as with mask-making, even a small error can leave a Kanohi cracked and powerless. Due to the difficulty involved, mask modifications tend to be somewhat expensive (although usually not as costly as buying a new Kanohi outright).

Cosmetic additions tend to be the smallest and cheapest alterations one can make to a mask. This can include making a given mask look more (or less) intimidating, exaggerating certain features, or simply changing its color; the last of these can be as complex as using certain additives during the forging process, or as simple as using paint (which can be applied by just about any being, although it may need upkeeping periodically in order to prevent fading over the years).

Functional additions are often specialized to make specific actions easier, or to enhance certain mask powers; they may require specialized parts or materials. These include various types of scopes, visors, filters, or modulators, and can often be made to fit an individual's needs.

Reforging is the most complex and challenging type of modification that a mask can undergo. Not every mask maker is willing to reforge Kanohi, particularly powered masks, due to the risks involved for the mask and the potential for deception on the part of the wearer. In the most extreme examples, a mask could theoretically be reforged back into a Kanoka disk, although this would be a highly unusual scenario with comparatively limited applications.

In the Doronai Nui

Much of the information below references the Equipment Index - see that document for more information about the terms used below. Kanohi have a certain number of Slots that can hold modifications, starting with 4 at Continental Quality. All Kanohi have a Armor Weight and Armor Type Component, though their Slot cost is 0. Kanohi can be modified by certain Components found under the Modular Item Component list. These Components are denoted as a Kanohi or Armor Component (these Components can be installed as Armor Component on a being’s helmet, provided they have the Slots for it). The amount of Components a Kanohi can fit into it is based on its power level: Great Kanohi can fit up to three additional Components, whereas Noble Kanohi can fit only two. If you select the Ultralight Armor Weight Component, you can fit an additional Kanohi Component onto the mask.

Utility Modifications

These modifications serve a specific function or purpose, whether they are combat-oriented or simply meant to assist in day-to-day activities.

Mask Hardpoint (1 Slot) -  When installed, you can mount a Modular Item (or other item at GM discretion) onto your Kanohi that doesn't have a Kanohi or Armor Component installed into it without the need for a Universal Interlock. This Component allows for up to two Modular Items to be mounted at a time.

Offensive Configuration (3 Slots) - You can perform a Strike Attack with this Component, making a headbutt against an opponent within melee Reach. Use your Strength modifier when attacking. You are treated as having a Proficiency with the attack. On a hit, you deal 1d6 damage; when you initially add this component, you can choose whether the mask is shaped to deal Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing damage. Opponents have ADV1 on checks made to remove your mask. You can install this Component more than once, increasing the damage by 1d6 per installation.

Straps (1 Slot) - Other beings make attempts to take your Kanohi off your face with DADV1. Increase the AP cost to switch masks by 1. You can install this Component more than once, increasing the DADV1 by one and the AP cost to switch masks by 1.

Airlock (6 Slots) - This Component allows you to siphon breathable oxygen from your environment; as a 2AP Action, you can open or close slits that crisscross your mask, filtering breathable oxygen into the mask. For every minute you keep the slits open, ten minutes of air are provided, to a maximum of six hours. If the Kanohi this Component is installed into is reduced to 0IHP, your oxygen supply will rapidly leak, depleting all remaining oxygen over the course of 1d6 rounds, at which point you must find breathable air or begin Suffocating. This Component also allows water-breathers to filter oxygen from terrestrial environments as though they were still underwater.

Particle Filter (6 Slots) - This Component filters toxic aerosols from the environment around you while keeping your oxygen supply steady, granting you immunity to airborne chemicals and toxins. After an hour of use, you must spend at least 10 minutes cleaning it out before it can be used again. This Component can be activated or deactivated as a 1AP Action.

Universal Language Translator (4 Slots) - The item this Component is installed into, when hooked up to a being’s audio receptors, allows them to hear beings speaking other languages as though they were speaking a language they understand.

Speaker (4 Slots) - This Component is outfitted over your mouth, allowing you to project your voice over other loud noises, even through the midsts of combat. This Component can be activated or deactivated as a 1AP Action. Can be installed as a Kanohi Component. Costs 4 Slots, and must be installed on the Head Body Unit.

Low Frequency Transmitter (4 Slots) - This Component is wired across your face, covering your mouth and audio receptors with a microphone and speaker unit. When spoken into, the microphone has the ability to transmit your voice on a range of frequencies. You can alter the band at which your voice is transmitted as a 1AP Action. This Component has an associated Quality that determines the range at which others can receive your transmissions: Karzahnian (500ft), Continental (1,000ft), Metruan (1 mile), Xian (5 miles), Odinan (10 miles), Hagahn (100 miles), Artakhan (infinite within the Matoran Universe). This Component can be activated or deactivated as a 1AP Action.

Voice Modulator (3 Slots) - The item this Component is installed into, when hooked up to a being’s mouth or speaking port, allows them to change and disguise their natural voice into a voice modulated by the machine.

Lens Slider (1 Slot) - The item this Component is installed into is modified to allow for a viewer of it to switch between different types of lenses. Any Component denoted as a Lens can be fitted into this slider, and can be swapped manually as a 0AP Action. Lenses that have more than a single setting on them count as separate for the purposes of switching between lenses (e.g. the many lenses provided by multiple Microscopic or Telescopic Lenses). This Component can hold up to 6 Lenses per installation.

Lenses (Variable Slots) - These Components augment the user’s vision in various ways.

• IR Lens (1 Slot) - The item this Component is installed into, when viewed, allows the viewer to see infrared light. This lens can be toggled on or off as a 1AP Action.
• Microscopic Lens (1 Slot) - The item this Component is installed into, when viewed, allows the viewer to zoom in their short-range vision to see tiny objects by twice the normal amount. Objects seen at this distance can be seen at fine detail as though they were directly in front of the viewer. This lens can be toggled on or off as a 1AP Action. You can install this Component up to five additional times, increasing the zoom distance by x5, x10, x20, or x100 instead of x2.
• NV Lens (1 Slot) - The item this Component is installed into, when viewed, allows the viewer to filter ambient light and enhance their vision on the monochromatic spectrum, allowing them to see Bright Light and Dim Light normally. The lens can be toggled on or off as a 1AP Action. If you view this lens for more than 1 minute at a time and are exposed to Bright Light, you must make a FORT Save (DC 8, +1 per minute viewed); on a failure, you are Blinded for [(1d4)-1] (to a minimum of 1) Rounds.
• Photographic Lens (1 Slot) - The item this Component is installed into, when hooked up to its wearer’s eyes, allows them to take a precise picture as a 1AP Action. The amount of pictures taken during this period scale with this item’s Quality, where the wearer can take 1 picture at Continental, 2 pictures at Metruan, and so on.
• Telescopic Lens (1 Slot) - The item this Component is installed into, when viewed, allows the viewer to zoom in their long-range vision by twice the normal amount. Objects seen at this distance can be seen at fine detail as though they were directly in front of the viewer. This lens can be toggled on or off as a 1AP Action. You can install this Component up to five additional times, increasing the zoom distance by x5, x10, x20, or x100 instead of x2.
• UV Lens (1 Slot) - The item this Component is installed into, when viewed, allows the viewer to see ultraviolet light. This lens can be toggled on or off as a 1AP Action.
• Welding Lens (2 Slots) - The item this Component is installed into, when viewed, protects the viewer’s eyes from blinding sources of light. While this Component is active, the viewer sees Blinding and Bright Light as normal light, but views Dim Light as Total Darkness. The viewer also gains ADV1 on Saves made to resist being Blinded. This lens can be toggled on or off as a 1AP Action.

Visor (3 Slots) - This Component, when installed, has the eye slits of the mask it is installed into covered by a thin pane of protodermis glass, preventing wind, water, and other environmental buildup from blocking your ability to see clearly. Natural weather storms and environmental hazards that reduce visibility cannot be prevented with this Component, but more mundane effects can.

Pressurized Visor (3 Slots) - This Component is treated to prevent water from leaking inside your mask and obscuring your vision when swimming or moving through liquids, with this Component effectively serving as an advanced set of goggles.

Heads-Up Display (Variable Slots) - This Component is outfitted to interface with local geography, vehicles, or advanced weaponry you wield. Each of these HUD options can be selected as individual Components, or can be combined as a single visor when installed on a Kanohi. This Component can be activated or deactivated as a 1AP Action. Can be installed as a Kanohi Component. A single HUD option costs 4 Slots. Each subsequent option added costs 2 Slots. This Component must be installed on the Heady Body Unit.

• Artillery HUD - This HUD has the ability to interface with complex weaponry, particularly larger weapons that cannot be wielded conventionally. As a 4AP Action, you can link your HUD with a Ranged Format Heavy Grade weapon you are wielding. While wielding it, attacks made with it are 3AP Actions rather than 4. Additionally, when making Fire attacks within the Sweet Spot, you make them with ADV1. This Component also keeps track of Ammunition and Magazine counts.
• Geography HUD - This HUD allows you to scan your local environment in detail, learning the exact location of nearby quarry and points of interest up to 500ft away. While this HUD is active, you cannot be Surprised by opponents within 500ft of you, and you always know the location of Invisible beings within the same range. Additionally, make Knowledge (Geography) checks with ADV1.
• Vehicle HUD - This HUD is designed to hook up with a technologically advanced vehicle that requires multiple operators. While this HUD is active, you can view the core statistics of the vehicle, its current HP and fuel levels, weaponry options, and any other features needed to maintain the stability of the vehicle (GM discretion). Additionally, while active, you can fill both your designated vehicle Role as well as another Role simultaneously.

Illumination (1 Slot) - The item this Component is installed into is treated as being covered in Blinding Light. Casts Bright Light up to 5ft away, and Dim Light for another 10ft. This Component can be installed multiple times, increasing the range of Bright Light by 5ft, and Dim Light by 10ft.

Directional Lighting (1 Slot) - The item this Component is installed into casts light in a single direction. This Component requires the Illumination Component. This Component sheds an amount of Bright Light in a single direction in a 5ft radius, where the maximum distance is equal to twice the radius of the Bright Light created by the Illumination Component. Likewise, this Component sheds an amount of Dim Light in the same direction, where the maximum distance is equal to three times the radius of the Dim Light created by the Illumination Component.

Functional-Diode-Display (FDA) (1 Slot) - This Component transmits an array of lights projecting out away from the item it is installed into. Coming in a variety of six colors, these lights are primarily used for silent communication and can be turned on or off as a 0AP Action.

Laser Pointer (1 Slot) - The item this Component is installed into can project a harmless laser up to 120ft away as a 0AP Action.

Cosmetic Modifications

These modifications are almost entirely aesthetical (with several exceptions), and do not take up Component slots (e.g. they are all 0-Slot Components).

Additional Lighting - Pretty but mostly useless lighting that can be run along the contours of a mask. The color of the lighting can be changed at will. Can also be activated and deactivated at will, but cannot be controlled in a fine enough way for communication beyond Morse code.

Paintjobs - For when you need to be repping your favorite colors at all times, though that’s pretty much it. Helps fight rust and barnacles.

Helmet-Style - For when the mask goes on your head, not your face. Unconventional style, but it’s hard not to feel like more of a warrior than normal with this (canon example: Garai Mahri config).

Grill-Style - For when you need to feel the wind in your face. A mask in this configuration only covers the lower half of the face (canon example: Kakama Phantoka config).

Window-Style - The eye slits of the mask are merged into one hole, often for the application of glass or a HUD; the rest of the mask looks the same as before.

Stitched - An indecisive mask masker’s best try. Between two and six traditional mask styles have been seemingly sewn together by the undoubtedly insane mask artisan, creating an off-putting effect in the eyes of all but the most barbaric and mad beings.

Fearful Countenance - For when the fear of Tren Krom needs to be thrust into someone. Your mask has been exaggerated in all the most terrifying ways, had some cosmetic fangs added, maybe even some studs or taboo symbols embossed on it. This may add 1 to your Intimidation checks, per your description of the mask and your GM’s approval.

Kinder Eyes - For when hearts and minds are your real targets, but you left your Toa of Psionics friend at home. Your mask’s features have been softened, made kinder or perhaps more aged with the intent of putting others at ease. This may add 1 to your Diplomacy, per your description of the mask and your GM’s approval.

Blanked - For when you don’t want a soul recognizing you, your mask power, or anything else concerning your general face area. The mask is wrought out smooth, with only a basic, simple set of eye and mouth holes. Great if you want to paint something on the front too, if you’re looking to stand out instead of blend in.

Eyepatch - For when there’s buckles to be swashed. Can either be embedded in the eyehole of the mask or be a fabric/metal covering over it. In the case of a covering, it can be moved from one eye to the other in the hope of keeping low light sensitivity in one eye more accurate than the other. Y’arr.

Exaggerated Features - Adds “beards”, “eyebrows”, or other odd facial hair features, used to look all the wiser (or crazier) at your discretion.

Coppering - An honor reserved for sporting heroes and other distinguished persons. Shiny, comfortable, and not as heavy as brass. Sometimes bestowed by Turaga of a village.

Silvering - An honor reserved for scholars of great renown and other distinguished persons. A little bland to some, but it’ll catch the sun and a reflection like little else. Sometimes bestowed by a Turaga of a city.

Gilding - An honor reserved for warriors of countless battles and other genuine heroes. Worth its weight, as they say, and it’ll be the first thing anyone notices about you walking by. Usually bestowed as evidence of trials completed.

Metaling - Coloring your mask to fit a single metallic color, though often not with the effort involved of earning it the hard way. Some popular colors include Platinum, Cobalt, Rose Gold, and Orichalcum.

Colored Lenses - Tinted bits of glass for when you wanna change up your eye color, try something new. Think of it like paint, but for your eye slits.

Custom Config - Altering your mask’s traditional shape into that of the traditional shape of a different mask.