Kanohi

For several species in the Matoran universe, Kanohi - specially-designed masks made from purified metallic protodermis - are an integral part of day-to-day life. Matoran, for example, must wear a Kanohi mask at all times; without one, they will grow weak and eventually fall comatose within a matter of hours.

When forged using rare and sufficiently-purified materials, Kanohi masks can grant their wearers all sorts of powers and abilities if the user is capable of accessing them. If a powered Kanohi is cracked or broken, its power will leak out, causing it to stop working entirely; a few particularly powerful masks may malfunction if damaged. Kanohi are attached to the faces of their wearers via a magnetic connection.

Properties

Power levels

Kanohi masks come in several different types: powerless, Noble, Great, and Nuva.

While powerless masks only provide the wearer the small amount of energy needed to prevent the adverse effects of masklessness, all other types of masks grant a specific power to their wearers if they are able to use them. Mask powers can only be accessed by certain species, and even then, require significant amounts of focus, mental discipline, and willpower to activate, often necessitating special training in order to do so.

Noble masks provide minor powers, and are sometimes more limited than their Great counterparts. Great masks offer substantial power, and some beings may choose to predicate their main strategies for battle off of a single Great mask. Nuva masks are special, powerful forms of Noble or Great masks, only usable by beings who have been transformed into Nuva; the abilities these masks provide often have additional advantages and benefits, and can be shared with beings near the user.

Three unique masks sit at a power level above all others: Legendary. These masks control fundamental aspects of the universe - Life, Creation, and Time - and will have devastating to catastrophic results if misused, or worse, broken.

Shapes

Each Kanohi power has a standard "shape" associated with it and its power level (other than powerless). Conventionally, most masks are forged in the shape that matches their power and power level for the sake of quick identification, but a mask can technically be made in a different shape for any number of reasons (for example, to honor an old hero or lost friend, or more nefariously, to hide the mask's true power). Powerless masks are generally forged in one of the standard shapes for their associated power.

Masks may vary from their standard shape in a variety of ways. Some are modified to be better-suited for specific environments, and a number of enhancements (such as scopes or visors) or cosmetic attachments can be added to a mask by a sufficiently-skilled mask maker. Individual mask-makers may also add certain flourishes or personal touches to their work, which in turn may be noticeable to other mask makers. Mask styles may also vary by region.

Most masks (unless modified, painted, etc.) are a dull gray when they are not being worn. When worn, a Kanohi mask will take on the colors of its user.

Other

Over time, Kanohi take on an inactive "imprint" of their wearer's consciousness, which then gradually dissipates when removed. A relatively recently-deceased being can be revived by infusing an imprinted mask with sufficient amounts of energy, although this process is almost unheard of and is considered by most to be no more than a legend.

In the Doronai Nui

Kanohi Use

In game terms, a being’s ability to activate a mask power is rationalized as a Kanohi Charge (often abbreviated as KC). Each Kanohi Charge represents a being’s ability to focus on activating a Kanohi mask and controlling the ability therein. Certain masks may allow you to spend additional KC to increase the duration of their power; in most cases (unless noted otherwise), for each additional KC you spend, add the length of the original duration to the total duration. The number of Kanohi Charges available to any given being is determined by their total bonus in the Use Kanohi skill. Some Kanohi additionally require Action Points (AP) to activate.

In order to activate a Kanohi mask, your character’s Species must have the Kanohi Wielder ability (certain Species are only capable of using Noble Kanohi - see the Species Index for specific information), and you must spend one or more Kanohi Charges to activate your mask power. Depending on the mask, its powers may be instantaneous (e.g. the Kualsi, which allows its wearer to teleport to a location in their line of sight) or remain active at a low level until either a set amount of time has passed or they are deactivated by the user.

When activating a Kanohi, you may not spend more Kanohi Charges in a single activation than your Proficiency Bonus - this is your Expenditure Limit. Any Charges required to activate the Kanohi are included in this count, along with any extra Charges for increased duration or effect. Unless an increased or altered effect for spending additional Kanohi Charges is specified in the mask’s description, spending additional Kanohi Charges when activating a mask only increases the power’s duration.

Some Kanohi powers require Kanohi Attack rolls, which are made with your Wisdom modifier. If you are Proficient in the Use Kanohi skill, you may add your Proficiency Bonus to any attack rolls made with a Kanohi. Some mask powers (as well as many other abilities) also require the user to maintain Focus and Concentration, or the effect will end. In order to maintain Focus, the wearer must succeed on a Focus skill check to Concentrate, with a DC determined by the scenario (see the Focus skill and Concentration description in the Rules Guide under the Terminology section for additional information). Many types of distractions can interrupt or break Focus, including the use of another ability, a separate activation of a Kanohi, the removal of a Kanohi, failing a Focus check after taking damage or being distracted, being knocked unconscious, or dying. Whenever you take damage while maintaining an ongoing effect that requires Focus, you must make a Focus check (DC 5 + damage taken); on a failure, you lose control of the power, causing it to immediately end. Certain ongoing powers (such as the Kanohi Artamu) are not subject to Concentration checks - these exceptions are noted in the description of the mask power, and the GM may add exceptions at their discretion. Additionally, whenever you activate a power while maintaining concentration on another power, you must make a Focus check (DC 20 + situation modifiers); on a failure you lose control of the maintained power, causing it to immediately end.

Kanohi powers use a unified Save DC system equal to [8 + PROF + X + Attribute Modifier]. When a Kanohi power requires a saving throw, it is listed as Save Type (DC + X Attribute). The numeric modifier in brackets is added to your Kanohi Save DC as the X value, while the listed Attribute is the Attribute Modifier that is added to the Save DC; if the Kanohi does not list an Attribute Score, you add the highest of your INT, WIS, or CHA modifiers. For example, if a Toa activates their Makoh, the DC is equal to 8 + 2 (their PROF) + 2 (the Kanohi modifier) + 3 (their WIS, as specified by the mask power).

Mask Rarity

Kanohi masks, especially those of higher power levels, are extremely difficult to produce due to the skill, precision, and special materials required to do so, and are often rather expensive. Therefore, Mask Rarity is the primary influencer in overall Kanohi price and availability. This can also be affected by aspects such as the value of a specific mask power in a given environment - for example, a Kaukau is virtually useless in a desert - as well as sentimental or iconographic values, such as purchasing a mask designed in the likeness of a great Toa hero or a lost friend. By default, Mask Rarity does not come into effect during character creation, though GMs may decide otherwise for their campaign.

Kanohi Categories

Each Kanohi falls into a Category based on its powers and utility. Additionally, most Categories have one or more Subcategories that allow for further clarification of a Kanohi’s specific powerset. Certain Archetypes, Supertypes, or abilities may reference Kanohi Categories or Subcategories in their description.

• Legendary - These three unique Kanohi each control a fundamental aspect of the Matoran universe.
• Eclectic - These masks each have the ability to grant their wearer a variety of powers, and defy easy categorization.
• Elemental - These special masks give the unique benefit of granting their user an elemental power, regardless of their Tribe (or if they were a member of a Tribe to begin with).
• Mental - These masks allow their users to tap into a special set of mental skills, such as reading minds or telekinesis.
• Physical - These masks give the user physical advantages that they would not normally have in combat or exploration.
• Pseudo-Elemental - These masks allow the user to wield limited, but specialized elemental powers.
• Pseudo-Legendary - These masks are immensely powerful, and immensely rare. Their abilities dance close to the Legendary Powers of Life, Time, and Creation, or are simply too powerful to be made carelessly. The knowledge and ability to craft these Kanohi is a deeply-guarded secret. These masks are generally not obtained in the course of normal gameplay, and are not recommended for new players or new GMs due to their complexity and potentially campaign-derailing power level.
• Sensory - These masks aid in heightening the user’s senses to make them more apt to their surroundings.
• Support - These masks are specially made to protect, heal, or give passive benefits to the user in their journey.
• Transient - These masks deal with matters of body and spirit, allowing their wearer to tread the boundaries of life and death, and beyond.

Reading a Kanohi Statblock

Every Kanohi has a statblock associated with it that defines many of its basic characteristics; this section explains how to read a Kanohi statblock.

• Name: The name of the Kanohi (in Matoric) and its translation.
• Category and Subcategory: The Category is repeated here, and the Subcategory listed here.
• Rarity: How hard the mask is to find in the world.
• Kanoka Combination: Refers to the specific Kanoka disks required to create a new instance of this Kanohi.
• Always Active: Defines whether the mask is active at all times while being worn.
• AP Cost: Defines how many Action Points (AP) the Kanohi costs to activate; if the Kanohi has multiple modes, it will direct the reader to the rules text.
• Power Duration: Some masks require the focused attention of a user to use their powers, and under combat conditions, these powers are a little harder to access. The time-per-charge-spent of these masks are measured in rounds (six seconds) of combat, and have different values of time-per-charge-spent outside of combat. Great and Noble masks will usually have slightly different values outside of combat, with Great masks lasting longer than Noble masks in most circumstances. In a mask’s data rubric, these values will be listed as:
• In-Combat Charge Duration (ICCD): - Note that if the ICCD value is followed by a (FO), this means that the mask power requires Focus to maintain.
• Great Out-of-Combat Charge Duration (GooCD): How long the Great version of this mask power lasts outside of combat.
• Noble Out-of-Combat Charge Duration (NooCD): How long the Noble version of this mask power lasts outside of combat.
• Great Power (GP): What a Great version of this mask will do.
• Noble Power (NP): What a Noble version of this mask will do.

Note: Some Kanohi descriptions use “you” while others use “the wearer”. Those that refer to “you” assume that the person reading the text is the wearer of the Kanohi; “you” is used for the sake of linguistic simplicity, as “the wearer” is preferred and used wherever possible.

List of Kanohi

Legendary Masks

• Arta, Mask of Creation
• Ignika, Mask of Life
• Vahi, Mask of Time

Eclectic Masks

• Artamu, Mask of Adaptation
• Faxon, Mask of Kindred
• Kahmutil, Mask of Conjuring
• Mahiki, Mask of Illusion
• Mutuku, Mask of Emulation

Elemental Masks

• Akikoki, Mask of Ice
• Asodexi, Mask of Sand
• Avohkii, Mask of Light
• Botroi, Mask of Plantlife
• Ceauti, Mask of Psionics
• Efotaui, Mask of Fire
• Fedaki, Mask of Iron
• Gakaui, Mask of Water
• Garai, Mask of Gravity
• Kafai, Mask of Magnetism
• Kaketo, Mask of Elemental Energy
• Kapoi, Mask of Stone
• Kraahkan, Mask of Shadow
• Lehrodi, Mask of Air
• Radavoi, Mask of Lightning
• Stadehi, Mask of Sound
• Suiphui, Mask of Plasma
• Uwonui, Mask of Earth

Mental Masks

• Atuma, Mask of Charisma
• Ceveli, Mask of Memory
• Isima, Mask of Possibilities
• Kamawai, Mask of Rebounding
• Komau, Mask of Mind Control
• Koramau, Mask of Rahi Control
• Kurzika, Mask of Anger
• Matatai, Mask of Bravery
• Matatu, Mask of Telekinesis
• Oroha, Mask of Messages
• Rau, Mask of Translation
• Turama, Mask of Fear
• Ururau, Mask of Incomprehension
• Vaamaku, Mask of Psychometry
• Valumi, Mask of Clairvoyance
• Zatth, Mask of Summoning

Physical Masks

• Awai, Mask of Growth
• Calix, Mask of Ability
• Huna, Mask of Concealment
• Kadin, Mask of Flight
• Kakama, Mask of Speed
• Kaukau, Mask of Water Breathing
• Kualsi, Mask of Quick Travel
• Miru, Mask of Levitation
• Onweku, Mask of Intangibility
• Pakari, Mask of Strength
• Pehkui, Mask of Shrinking
• Volitak, Mask of Stealth

Pseudo-Elemental Masks

• Lezemi, Mask of Vacuum
• Makoh, Mask of Frost
• Suletu, Mask of Telepathy

Pseudo-Legendary Masks

• Olmak, Mask of Dimensional Gates

Sensory Masks

• Akaku, Mask of Piercing Vision
• Arthron, Mask of Sonar
• Elda, Mask of Detection
• Rode, Mask of Truth
• Ruru, Mask of Night Vision
• Sanok, Mask of Accuracy
• Waheldu, Mask of Sensory Aptitude

Support Masks

• Amatkau, Mask of Slingshot
• Axopakar, Mask of Durability
• Gurakara, Mask of Disintegration
• Hau, Mask of Shielding
• Kiril, Mask of Regeneration
• Konomau, Mask of Biomechanics
• Kualhai, Mask of Shield Surge
• Lerkamoa, Mask of Poison
• Rupanu, Mask of Shattering
• Urmukari, Mask of Scrambling

Transient Masks

• Amana, Mask of Healing
• Avsa, Mask of Hunger
• Iden, Mask of Astral Projection
• Kakamana, Mask of Quick Healing
• Mohtri, Mask of Duplication
• Tryna, Mask of Reanimation
• Urafowa, Mask of Undeath
• Urleh, Mask of Antidote
• Vahmu, Mask of Aging

Uncategorized

• Crast, Mask of Repulsion
• Eyi, Mask of Fusion
• Felnas, Mask of Disruption
• Ikuvora, Mask of Scavenging
• Jutlin, Mask of Corruption
• Kabomo, Mask of Tracking
• Mohtrek, Mask of Time Duplication
• Olisi, Mask of Alternate Futures
• Shelek, Mask of Silence
• Vorthron, Mask of Radar
• Mask of Light and Shadow
• Mask of Mutation