Balaclava

Niko, Packie, Derrick and Michael wearing balaclavas during their bank robbery in GTA IV.

The balaclava, also known as a ski mask, is a recurring headgear in the Grand Theft Auto series often used to conceil a person's identity, and is primarily used in the series in robberies of various forms. The balaclava has appeared in various forms in at least three games, appearing as an individual clothing item in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Grand Theft Auto IV, and as part of an entire outfit in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories.

Description

GTA San Andreas

The balaclava is first featured in GTA San Andreas exclusively as an element in burglaries.

The balaclava is first featured in "Home Invasion" when the player character wears the headgear throughout the duration when he burgalizes a home and returns the loot to a garage. After the mission, the player will be able to don the headgear again whenever they activate the Burglar side mission unlocked after completing "Home Invasion", and will continue to wear it until they end the side-mission. The balaclava in the game is otherwise unavailable for the player's wardrobe.

Despite being a headgear, the balaclava does not remove any Shades (eyewear) or Hats the player character is wearing.

GTA Vice City Stories

In GTA Vice City Stories, the balaclava appears as part of the Hood outfit associated with Robbery empire sites, and can be unlocked by developing a High-roller Robbery empire site.

GTA IV

In GTA IV, the balaclava is once again an individual clothing item, first featured during "Three Leaf Clover" to mask the appearances of both the player and the rest of the bank heist team during a bank heist and the subsequent escape from the law enforcement. After completion of the mission, the balaclava is made available in the player's wardrobe. Although the balaclava added to the wardrobe is implied to be that worn during "Three Leaf Clover", the balaclava in the mission is portrayed as being grey while the balaclava from the wardrobe is black.

The balaclava in GTA IV also possesses several unusual quirks:

• Although it is a mask, it is categorized as a hat. However, unlike other headgears in the game, the balaclava will not become invisible the player enters a car or when a motorcycle helmet is worn.
• The balaclava will be removed from the player character after they die and respawn (the balaclava can still be worn again at the wardrobe).
• Wearing the balaclava at the wardrobe will also not clear any wanted level.
• Unlike the hospital scrubs and the Albanian biker jacket, the balaclava has no influence on gameplay outside of comments from girlfriends and friends.
• If the player sustains constant injury from gunfire while donning the balaclava, the balaclava will turn white. This is possibly a glitch.

Balaclavas of various colors may also be worn by player characters in The Lost and Damned's multiplayer mode.