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Mortal Kombat 1 gear system explained

All the details about Mortal Kombat 1 gear system, and how it allows you to assign customizable slots for color palettes, taunts, and even finishers.

Sub-Zero is wearing one of the many cosmetic items in the Mortal Kombat 1 gear system. He is freezing the air behind him, while Scorpion sets himself on fire.
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Mortal Kombat 1 

What is the Mortal Kombat 1 gear system? There are hundreds of different unlockable items you can acquire in Mortal Kombat 1 that allow you to customize your favorite characters.

In case you weren’t aware, there were a lot of leaks detailing some of the Mortal Kombat 1 cosmetic items, but for each of the Mortal Kombat 1 characters seen in the footage, there’s at least one known gear piece. Now that the Mortal Kombat 1 release date has arrived, here’s everything we know about the Mortal Kombat 1 gear system and the unlocks we’ve uncovered so far.

How to unlock Mortal Kombat 1 gear

We first learned about the Mortal Kombat 1 gear system via a Reddit post, which shows the character selection screen complete with the number of unlocked gear, color palettes, taunts, and finishers.

Please note that for the MK1 fatalities and MK1 brutalities, we will be listing them in separate guides, as you can actually perform them with the correct button combinations. Each character will be able to equip a piece of gear from a selection, switch their color palette, and equip up to two taunts and two finishing moves.

Both Scorpion and Frost are in their fighting stances while sporting some cool cosmetic items from their Mortal Kombat 1 gear selection.

All Mortal Kombat 1 character gear

Thanks to a separate Reddit leak, this time showing a video of the gear selection screen and one unlock for various characters; we know a handful of the full list of Mortal Kombat 1 gear for all the playable characters on the roster. When more entries are known, we’ll update this with the unlock conditions for every cosmetic item for each character. Until then, here’s the currently known MK1 gear list:

Ashrah

  • Blade of the Demon Slayer – weapon (default)
  • Ashrah’s Redeemer – weapon (story mode)
  • Kriss of the Elder Gods – weapon (story mode)
  • Instrument of Atonement  – weapon (story mode)
  • Iniquity’s Foe – palette color (default)
  • Heaven and Hell – palette color (story mode)

Baraka

  • Pestilence – weapon (default)
  • Noxious Carrier – weapon (story mode)
  • Harsh Affliction – weapon (story mode)
  • Corrupted Sinew – weapon (story mode)
  • Merchant of Fartakh – palette color (default)
  • Made to Suffer – palette color (story mode)

General Shao

  • Gregarian War Blade – weapon (default)
  • Markine Battle Hatchet – weapon (story mode)
  • Axe of the Furious Crusader – weapon (story mode)
  • Summoner of Absolute Ruin – weapon (story mode)
  • Daybreaker’s Axe – weapon (story mode)
  • B’Kurvigan Assault Axe – weapon (story mode)

Geras

  • Time Stands Still – jewel (default)
  • Without Measure – jewel (story mode)
  • Imperishable – jewel (story mode)
  • World Without End – jewel (story mode)

Havik

  • Agent of Unrest – bandana (default)
  • Open Dissent – turban (story mode)
  • Self-Determined – hat (story mode)
  • Kin of Apophis – helmet (story mode)

Johnny Cage

  • Cagealicious – sunglasses (default)
  • Action Icon – no glasses (premium edition)
  • Heartthrob – sunglasses (story mode)
  • Second Unit – sunglasses (story mode)
  • Gorgeous Glints – sunglasses (story mode)
  • Black Eagle – sunglasses (story mode)
  • Bankable Star – palette color (default)
  • Glitterati – palette color (story mode)
  • OG Action Hero – palette color (premium edition)
  • Muscles from Brussels – palette color (premium edition)
  • Movie Kombat – palette color (premium edition)
  • Sudden Death – palette color (premium edition)
  • Kick Boxer – palette color (premium edition)
  • Kumite – palette color (premium edition)

Kenshi

  • Mamurogawa – weapon (default)
  • Assabu – weapon (story mode)
  • Hirosaki – weapon (story mode)
  • Hidaka – weapon (story mode)
  • Shikabe – weapon (story mode)
  • Second Sight – palette color (default)
  • Heightened Senses – palette color (story mode)

Kitana

  • Fans of Tevaria – weapon (default)
  • Tevarian Cutters – weapon (story mode)
  • Edenian Bladed Fans – weapon (story mode)
  • Rangkong Cutters – weapon (story mode)
  • Yumingzian Cutters – weapon (story mode)
  • Dragon Mountain Cutters – weapon (Invasions mode Season 1)
  • Right Hand of the Empress – palette color (default)
  • Outworld’s Eternal Flame – palette color (Invasions mode Season 1)
  • Union of Light – costume (Invasions mode Season 1)
  • Mileena’s Torchbearer – palette color (Invasions mode Season 1)

Kung Lao

  • Sharp-Dressed Monk – hat (default)
  • Fearless – hat (story mode)
  • Raiden’s Partner – hat (story mode)
  • Untempered Zeal – hat (story mode)
  • Fortune and Glory – palette color (default)
  • Shujinko’s Teacher – palette color (story mode)

Li Mei

  • Foe of Corruption – weapon (default)
  • Due Process – weapon (character mastery)
  • On the Beat – weapon (story mode)
  • Search and Seizure – weapon (story mode)
  • Common Law – weapon (story mode)
  • First Constable – palette color (default)
  • The Queen’s Hand – palette color (story mode)

Liu Kang

  • Fist of Fury – weapon (default)
  • Exalted Grasp – weapon (story mode)
  • Fists of the Anointed Guardian – weapon (story mode)
  • Firedrake – weapon (story mode)
  • Protector of Earthrealm – palette color (default)
  • Master of Truth and Fire – palette color (story mode)

Mileena

  • Manallisa Sais – weapon (default)
  • The Quamali – weapon (story mode)
  • The Artalis Empress’s Sais – weapon (story mode)
  • Garzamatara – weapon (story mode)
  • Imperial Tournament Blades (Invasions mode Season 1)
  • Reigning Empress – palette color (default)
  • Servant of Outworld – palette color (story mode)

Nitara

  • Famishment – wings (default)
  • Hope of Vaeternus – wings (story mode)
  • Hungry Eyes – wings (story mode)
  • Clinging Bite – wings (story mode)

Raiden

  • Gathering Storm – hat (default)
  • Stolen Thunder – hat (story mode)
  • Right as Rain – hat (story mode)
  • Chosen One – hat (story mode)
  • Youthful Radiance – palette color (default)
  • Spirit of Fengjian – palette color (story mode)

Rain

  • Storm Summoner – weapon (default)
  • Headwaters Staff – weapon (story mode)
  • Mavolix Mist Staff – weapon (story mode)
  • Rod of Varunuganga – weapon (story mode)
  • Royal Watamami Staff – weapon (story mode)
  • Rod of Alluvion – weapon (Invasions mode Season 1)

Reiko

  • Kommand and Kontrol – hair (default)
  • Siege Engine – bandana (story mode)
  • Order of Battle – helmet (story mode)
  • Tigrar’s Heart – helmet (story mode)

Reptile

  • Face of Zaterra – face mask (default)
  • Pao Chui Half-Mask – face mask (story mode)
  • Zikandurian Mask – face mask (story mode)
  • Sever Nahhan’s War Mask – face mask (story mode)
  • Half-Mask of Sykin Foh – face mask (character mastery)
  • Komodo – palette color (default)
  • Caiman – palette color (story mode)
  • Gecko – palette color (Invasions mode Season 1)
  • Thorny Devil – palette color (character mastery)
  • Iguana – palette color (character mastery)

Scorpion

  • Into the Fire – face mask (default)
  • Man of Principle – face mask (story mode)
  • Fire-Breather – face mask (story mode)
  • Grandmaster’s Might – face mask (story mode)
  • Second Son of the Lin Kuei – palette color (default)
  • Burning Zeal – palette color (story mode)

Shang Tsung

  • Sorcerer’s Lacerators – weapon (default)
  • Brolloci Wrist Choppers – weapons (story mode)
  • Syzyz Hand Shearers – weapons (story mode)
  • Slashers of Faktar Moro – weapons (story mode)
  • Claws of the Taigore – weapons (story mode)
  • Rising Power – palette color (default)
  • Cunning Schemer – palette color (story mode)

Sindel

  • Worthy Monarch – face mask (default)
  • Tamer of the Shokan – face mask (story mode)
  • Master of the Osh-Tekk – face mask (story mode)
  • Empress of Outworld – palette color (default)
  • Her Majesty – palette color (story mode)

Smoke

  • Undercover – face mask (default)
  • Quiet Hunter – face mask (story mode)
  • In the Dark – face mask (character mastery)
  • Vapor Lock – face mask (story mode)

Sub-Zero

  • Whiteout – face mask (default)
  • Snowbound – face mask (story mode)
  • Koldstone – face mask (story mode)
  • Abominable Snow Man – face mask (story mode)
  • Polar Vortex – face mask (story mode)
  • Ice Tsunami – face mask (story mode)
  • Heart of Ice – palette color (default)
  • Scion of Cold – palette color (story mode)

Tanya

  • Parkotian Staff – weapon (default)
  • Vagpok’s Sanctified Staff – weapon (story mode)
  • Matron Superior’s Blessed Staff – weapon (story mode)
  • Q’barien Battle Batons – weapon (character mastery)

Stryker, wearing his classic MK3 outfit which has to be one of his Mortal Kombat gear system cosmetic items, is aiming a gun at someone off-screen.

All Mortal Kombat 1 Kameo gear

Another easily overlooked detail from the leak was that Kameo characters will also be getting their own gear, including the aforementioned color palettes, gear, and possibly even finishers. Here are the known MK1 gear items for Kameo fighters:

Darrius

  • Seidan Traitor – color palette (default)

Sareena

  • Shadow Sister – color palette (default)

Cyrax

  • LK-4D4 – color palette (default)
  • Arsenal of Freedom – color palette (character mastery)
  • Living Machine – color palette (character mastery)

Kano

  • Black Dragon  – color palette (default)

Sonya Blade

  • Special Forces – color palette (default)

Sektor

  • LK-9T9 – color palette (default)

Frost

  • Ice Queen – color palette (default)

Jax

  • Duty Bound – color palette (default)

Stryker

  • Beat Cop – color palette (default)

Scorpion

  • Hellfire – color palette (default)
  • Demon of Vengeance – color palette (character mastery)

Sub-Zero

  • Sastrugi –  – color palette (default)

Kung Lao

  • The Prodigy – color palette (default)

Shujinko

  • Transfiguration – color palette (default)

Motaro

  • Centaurian Might – color palette (default)

Goro

  • Prince of the Shokan – color palette (default)

That is all we know about Mortal Kombat 1 gear. While you’re here, our Mortal Kombat 1 system requirements guide has all the details for potential upgrades to your gaming rig. We also have an MK1 tier list if you only want to pick strong characters online.

Dave is a Guides Writer at PCGamesN. He's partial to a good Soulslike and is always up for a hunt in Monster Hunter Rise. If he's not playing fighting games like Street Fighter 6, you'll find him bashing badniks in Sonic games or demolishing demons in Diablo 4. Outside of guides, Dave also attends preview events, including Dragon's Dogma 2 and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, writing features about GTA 6 and the best Steam indies, and reviewing games, most recently WWE 2K24 and Mortal Kombat 1. Before PCGN, Dave wrote for Rock, Paper, Shotgun, and TheSixthAxis. Just don’t talk to him about old games, board games, pro wrestling, or birdwatching; he won’t shut up about any of them!