diff --git a/code/__DEFINES/components.dm b/code/__DEFINES/components.dm
index 56cf681a27..ff0750a28c 100644
--- a/code/__DEFINES/components.dm
+++ b/code/__DEFINES/components.dm
@@ -255,6 +255,7 @@
 #define COMSIG_ITEM_IMBUE_SOUL "item_imbue_soul" 				//return a truthy value to prevent ensouling, checked in /obj/effect/proc_holder/spell/targeted/lichdom/cast(): (mob/user)
 #define COMSIG_ITEM_HIT_REACT "item_hit_react"					//from base of obj/item/hit_reaction(): (list/args)
 #define COMSIG_ITEM_WEARERCROSSED "wearer_crossed"                //called on item when crossed by something (): (/atom/movable)
+#define COMSIG_ITEM_WORN_OVERLAYS "item_worn_overlays"			//from base of obj/item/worn_overlays(): (isinhands, icon_file, style_flags, list/overlays)
 
 // /obj/item/clothing signals
 #define COMSIG_SHOES_STEP_ACTION "shoes_step_action"			//from base of obj/item/clothing/shoes/proc/step_action(): ()
diff --git a/code/__HELPERS/_lists.dm b/code/__HELPERS/_lists.dm
index f16b566b00..8887a2aa1d 100644
--- a/code/__HELPERS/_lists.dm
+++ b/code/__HELPERS/_lists.dm
@@ -550,6 +550,27 @@
 	for(var/thing in flat_list)
 		.[thing] = TRUE
 
+/proc/deep_list2params(list/deep_list)
+	var/list/L = list()
+	for(var/i in deep_list)
+		var/key = i
+		if(isnum(key))
+			key = "[key]"
+			continue
+		if(islist(key))
+			key = deep_list2params(key)
+		else if(!istext(key))
+			key = "[REF(key)]"
+		L += "[key]"
+		var/value = deep_list[key]
+		if(!isnull(value))
+			if(islist(value))
+				value = deep_list2params(value)
+			else if(!(istext(key) || isnum(key)))
+				value = "[REF(value)]"
+			L["[key]"] = "[value]"
+	return list2params(L)
+
 //Picks from the list, with some safeties, and returns the "default" arg if it fails
 #define DEFAULTPICK(L, default) ((islist(L) && length(L)) ? pick(L) : default)
 
diff --git a/code/controllers/subsystem/dcs.dm b/code/controllers/subsystem/dcs.dm
index faf95fd319..19a1ac26b5 100644
--- a/code/controllers/subsystem/dcs.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/subsystem/dcs.dm
@@ -16,7 +16,10 @@ PROCESSING_SUBSYSTEM_DEF(dcs)
 			if(istext(argument) || isnum(argument))
 				fullid += "[argument]"
 			else
-				fullid += "[REF(argument)]"
+				if(islist(argument))
+					fullid += deep_list2params(argument)
+				else
+					fullid += "[REF(argument)]"
 		element_id = fullid.Join("&")
 
 	. = elements_by_type[element_id]
diff --git a/code/datums/action.dm b/code/datums/action.dm
index f1df2a80d8..65db324b2b 100644
--- a/code/datums/action.dm
+++ b/code/datums/action.dm
@@ -6,13 +6,15 @@
 /datum/action
 	var/name = "Generic Action"
 	var/desc = null
-	var/obj/target = null
+	var/atom/target = null
 	var/check_flags = 0
 	var/required_mobility_flags = MOBILITY_USE
 	var/processing = FALSE
 	var/obj/screen/movable/action_button/button = null
 	var/buttontooltipstyle = ""
 	var/transparent_when_unavailable = TRUE
+	var/use_target_appearance = FALSE
+	var/list/target_appearance_matrix //if set, will be used to transform the target button appearance as an arglist.
 
 	var/button_icon = 'icons/mob/actions/backgrounds.dmi' //This is the file for the BACKGROUND icon
 	var/background_icon_state = ACTION_BUTTON_DEFAULT_BACKGROUND //And this is the state for the background icon
@@ -88,7 +90,7 @@
 /datum/action/proc/Trigger()
 	if(!IsAvailable())
 		return FALSE
-	if(SEND_SIGNAL(src, COMSIG_ACTION_TRIGGER, src) & COMPONENT_ACTION_BLOCK_TRIGGER)
+	if(SEND_SIGNAL(src, COMSIG_ACTION_TRIGGER, target) & COMPONENT_ACTION_BLOCK_TRIGGER)
 		return FALSE
 	return TRUE
 
@@ -116,7 +118,9 @@
 	return TRUE
 
 /datum/action/proc/UpdateButtonIcon(status_only = FALSE, force = FALSE)
-	if(button)
+	if(!button)
+		return
+	if(button_icon && button_icon_state)
 		if(!status_only)
 			button.name = name
 			button.desc = desc
@@ -134,11 +138,22 @@
 
 			ApplyIcon(button, force)
 
-		if(!IsAvailable())
-			button.color = transparent_when_unavailable ? rgb(128,0,0,128) : rgb(128,0,0)
-		else
-			button.color = rgb(255,255,255,255)
-			return 1
+	else if(use_target_appearance && target && button.appearance_cache != target.appearance) //replace with /ref comparison if this is not valid.
+		var/mutable_appearance/M = new(target)
+		M.layer = FLOAT_LAYER
+		M.plane = FLOAT_PLANE
+		if(target_appearance_matrix)
+			var/list/L = target_appearance_matrix
+			M.transform = matrix(L[1], L[2], L[3], L[4], L[5], L[6])
+		button.cut_overlays()
+		button.add_overlay(M)
+		button.appearance_cache = target.appearance
+
+	if(!IsAvailable())
+		button.color = transparent_when_unavailable ? rgb(128,0,0,128) : rgb(128,0,0)
+	else
+		button.color = rgb(255,255,255,255)
+		return 1
 
 /datum/action/proc/ApplyIcon(obj/screen/movable/action_button/current_button, force = FALSE)
 	if(icon_icon && button_icon_state && ((current_button.button_icon_state != button_icon_state) || force))
@@ -165,6 +180,7 @@
 /datum/action/item_action
 	check_flags = AB_CHECK_RESTRAINED|AB_CHECK_STUN|AB_CHECK_LYING|AB_CHECK_CONSCIOUS
 	button_icon_state = null
+	use_target_appearance = TRUE
 	// If you want to override the normal icon being the item
 	// then change this to an icon state
 
@@ -188,23 +204,6 @@
 		I.ui_action_click(owner, src)
 	return 1
 
-/datum/action/item_action/ApplyIcon(obj/screen/movable/action_button/current_button, force)
-	if(button_icon && button_icon_state)
-		// If set, use the custom icon that we set instead
-		// of the item appearence
-		..()
-	else if(target && current_button.appearance_cache != target.appearance) //replace with /ref comparison if this is not valid.
-		var/obj/item/I = target
-		var/old_layer = I.layer
-		var/old_plane = I.plane
-		I.layer = FLOAT_LAYER //AAAH
-		I.plane = FLOAT_PLANE //^ what that guy said
-		current_button.cut_overlays()
-		current_button.add_overlay(I)
-		I.layer = old_layer
-		I.plane = old_plane
-		current_button.appearance_cache = I.appearance
-
 /datum/action/item_action/toggle_light
 	name = "Toggle Light"
 
diff --git a/code/datums/components/storage/storage.dm b/code/datums/components/storage/storage.dm
index ea72a8a6dd..3ed66dcf92 100644
--- a/code/datums/components/storage/storage.dm
+++ b/code/datums/components/storage/storage.dm
@@ -790,7 +790,7 @@
 		user.visible_message("<span class='warning'>[user] draws [I] from [parent]!</span>", "<span class='notice'>You draw [I] from [parent].</span>")
 		return TRUE
 
-/datum/component/storage/proc/action_trigger(datum/signal_source, datum/action/source)
+/datum/component/storage/proc/action_trigger(datum/action/source, obj/target)
 	gather_mode_switch(source.owner)
 	return COMPONENT_ACTION_BLOCK_TRIGGER
 
diff --git a/code/datums/components/virtual_reality.dm b/code/datums/components/virtual_reality.dm
index 63e4f4f092..cd5820d21f 100644
--- a/code/datums/components/virtual_reality.dm
+++ b/code/datums/components/virtual_reality.dm
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@
 /**
   *The following procs simply acts as hooks for quit(), since components do not use callbacks anymore
   */
-/datum/component/virtual_reality/proc/action_trigger(datum/signal_source, datum/action/source)
+/datum/component/virtual_reality/proc/action_trigger(datum/action/source, obj/target)
 	quit()
 	return COMPONENT_ACTION_BLOCK_TRIGGER
 
diff --git a/code/datums/elements/polychromic.dm b/code/datums/elements/polychromic.dm
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4301a280f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/code/datums/elements/polychromic.dm
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+#define POLYCHROMIC_ALTCLICK		(1<<0)
+#define POLYCHROMIC_ACTION			(1<<1)
+#define POLYCHROMIC_NO_HELD			(1<<2)
+#define POLYCHROMIC_NO_WORN			(1<<3)
+
+/datum/element/polychromic
+	element_flags = ELEMENT_BESPOKE|ELEMENT_DETACH
+	id_arg_index = 3
+	var/list/overlays_by_atom = list()
+	var/list/overlays_states //also used for worn/held overlsays
+	var/icon_file
+	var/list/overlays_names //wrap numbers into text strings please.
+	var/list/actions_by_atom = list()
+	var/poly_flags
+	//item variables
+	var/worn_file //used for boths held and worn overlays if present.
+
+/datum/element/polychromic/Attach(datum/target, list/colors, list/states, _icon, _flags = POLYCHROMIC_ALTCLICK|POLYCHROMIC_NO_HELD, _worn, list/names = list("Primary", "Secondary", "Tertiary", "Quaternary", "Quinary", "Senary"))
+	. = ..()
+	var/states_len = length(overlays_states)
+	var/names_len = length(names)
+	if(!states_len || names_len || !isatom(target))
+		return ELEMENT_INCOMPATIBLE
+	var/atom/A = target
+
+	overlays_states = states
+	icon_file = _icon
+	worn_file = _worn
+	poly_flags = _flags
+
+	var/mut_icon = icon_file || A.icon
+	var/list/L = list()
+	for(var/I in overlays_states)
+		var/col = popleft(colors) || "#FFFFFF"
+		L += mutable_appearance(mut_icon, I, color = col)
+		A.add_overlay(L)
+	overlays_by_atom[A] = L
+
+	if(_flags & POLYCHROMIC_ALTCLICK)
+		RegisterSignal(A, COMSIG_PARENT_EXAMINE, .proc/on_examine)
+		RegisterSignal(A, COMSIG_CLICK_ALT, .proc/set_color)
+
+	if(!overlays_names && names)
+		overlays_names = names
+		var/diff = states_len - names_len
+		if(diff > 0) //It will be ugly, but still functional.
+			for(var/i in 1 to diff)
+				overlays_names += "[names_len + i]"
+		else if(diff < 0)
+			overlays_names.len += diff
+
+	if(isitem(A))
+		if(_flags & POLYCHROMIC_ACTION)
+			RegisterSignal(src, COMSIG_ITEM_EQUIPPED, .proc/grant_user_action)
+			RegisterSignal(src, COMSIG_ITEM_DROPPED, .proc/remove_user_action)
+		AddElement(A, /datum/element/update_icon_updates_onmob) //Since we can change the overall aspect of the item.
+		RegisterSignal(A, COMSIG_ITEM_WORN_OVERLAYS, .proc/apply_worn_overlays)
+	else if(_flags & POLYCHROMIC_ACTION && ismob(A)) //Not safe until mob icon updating procs are standarized and stop using cut_overlays()
+		var/datum/action/polychromic/P = new(A)
+		RegisterSignal(P, COMSIG_ACTION_TRIGGER, .proc/activate_action)
+		actions_by_atom[A] = P
+		P.Grant(A)
+
+/datum/element/polychromic/Detach(atom/A)
+	. = ..()
+	A.cut_overlay(overlays_by_atom[A])
+	overlays_by_atom -= A
+	var/datum/action/polychromic/P = actions_by_atom[A]
+	if(P)
+		qdel(P)
+	actions_by_atom -= A
+	if(poly_flags & POLYCHROMIC_ALTCLICK)
+		UnregisterSignal(A, list(COMSIG_PARENT_EXAMINE, COMSIG_CLICK_ALT))
+
+/datum/element/polychromic/proc/apply_worn_overlays(obj/item/source, isinhands, icon_file, style_flags, list/overlays)
+	if(poly_flags & (isinhands ? POLYCHROMIC_NO_HELD : POLYCHROMIC_NO_WORN))
+		return
+	var/f_icon = worn_file || icon_file
+	var/list/L = overlays_by_atom[source]
+
+	for(var/I in 1 to length(overlays_states))
+		var/mutable_appearance/M = L[I]
+		overlays += mutable_appearance(f_icon, overlays_states[I], color = M.color)
+
+/datum/element/polychromic/proc/set_color(atom/source, mob/user)
+	var/choice = input(user,"Polychromic options", "Recolor [source]") as null|anything in overlays_names
+	if(!choice || QDELETED(source) || !user.canUseTopic(src, BE_CLOSE, NO_DEXTERY))
+		return
+	choice = overlays_names.Find(choice)
+	var/ncolor = input(user, "Polychromic options", "Choose [choice] Color") as color|null
+	if(!ncolor || QDELETED(source) || !user.canUseTopic(src, BE_CLOSE, NO_DEXTERY))
+		return
+	var/list/L = overlays_by_atom[source]
+	if(!L) // Ummmmmh.
+		return
+	var/mutable_appearance/M = L[choice]
+	M.color = sanitize_hexcolor(ncolor, 6, TRUE, M.color)
+	source.update_icon()
+	return TRUE
+
+/datum/element/polychromic/proc/grant_user_action(atom/source, mob/user, slot)
+	if(slot == SLOT_IN_BACKPACK || slot == SLOT_LEGCUFFED || slot == SLOT_HANDCUFFED || slot == SLOT_GENERC_DEXTROUS_STORAGE)
+		return
+	var/datum/action/polychromic/P = actions_by_atom[source]
+	if(!P)
+		P = new (source)
+		actions_by_atom[source] = P
+		P.check_flags = AB_CHECK_RESTRAINED|AB_CHECK_STUN|AB_CHECK_LYING|AB_CHECK_CONSCIOUS
+		RegisterSignal(P, COMSIG_ACTION_TRIGGER, .proc/activate_action)
+	P.Grant(user)
+
+/datum/element/polychromic/proc/remove_user_action(atom/source, mob/user)
+	var/datum/action/polychromic/P = actions_by_atom[source]
+	P?.Remove(user)
+
+/datum/element/polychromic/proc/activate_action(datum/action/source, atom/target)
+	set_color(target, source.owner)
+
+/datum/element/polychromic/proc/on_examine(atom/source, mob/user, list/examine_list)
+	examine_list += "<span class='notice'>Alt-click to recolor it.</span>"
+
+/datum/action/polychromic
+	name = "Modify Polychromic Colors"
+	background_icon_state = "bg_polychromic"
+	use_target_appearance = TRUE
+	button_icon_state = null
+	target_appearance_matrix = list(0.7,0,0,0,0.7,0)
diff --git a/code/datums/elements/update_icon_updates_onmob.dm b/code/datums/elements/update_icon_updates_onmob.dm
index ca0e8b1641..5c71547f62 100644
--- a/code/datums/elements/update_icon_updates_onmob.dm
+++ b/code/datums/elements/update_icon_updates_onmob.dm
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 	. = ..()
 	if(!istype(target, /obj/item))
 		return ELEMENT_INCOMPATIBLE
-	RegisterSignal(target, COMSIG_ATOM_UPDATED_ICON, .proc/update_onmob)
+	RegisterSignal(target, COMSIG_ATOM_UPDATED_ICON, .proc/update_onmob, override = TRUE)
 
 /datum/element/update_icon_updates_onmob/proc/update_onmob(obj/item/target)
 	if(ismob(target.loc))
diff --git a/code/game/objects/items.dm b/code/game/objects/items.dm
index fd6ae1bb43..7a155ca932 100644
--- a/code/game/objects/items.dm
+++ b/code/game/objects/items.dm
@@ -425,6 +425,13 @@ GLOBAL_VAR_INIT(rpg_loot_items, FALSE)
 	item_flags |= IN_INVENTORY
 	user.update_equipment_speed_mods()
 
+//Overlays for the worn overlay so you can overlay while you overlay
+//eg: ammo counters, primed grenade flashing, etc.
+//"icon_file" is used automatically for inhands etc. to make sure it gets the right inhand file
+/obj/item/proc/worn_overlays(isinhands = FALSE, icon_file, style_flags = NONE)
+	. = list()
+	SEND_SIGNAL(src, COMSIG_ITEM_WORN_OVERLAYS, isinhands, icon_file, style_flags, .)
+
 //sometimes we only want to grant the item's action if it's equipped in a specific slot.
 /obj/item/proc/item_action_slot_check(slot, mob/user, datum/action/A)
 	if(slot == SLOT_IN_BACKPACK || slot == SLOT_LEGCUFFED) //these aren't true slots, so avoid granting actions there
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/update_icons.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/update_icons.dm
index e5483e8d73..0d6195e4dd 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/update_icons.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/update_icons.dm
@@ -195,15 +195,6 @@
 /mob/living/carbon/proc/update_hud_back(obj/item/I)
 	return
 
-
-
-//Overlays for the worn overlay so you can overlay while you overlay
-//eg: ammo counters, primed grenade flashing, etc.
-//"icon_file" is used automatically for inhands etc. to make sure it gets the right inhand file
-/obj/item/proc/worn_overlays(isinhands = FALSE, icon_file, style_flags = NONE)
-	. = list()
-
-
 /mob/living/carbon/update_body()
 	update_body_parts()
 
diff --git a/icons/mob/actions/backgrounds.dmi b/icons/mob/actions/backgrounds.dmi
index 3697fe4ff5..07839588ce 100644
Binary files a/icons/mob/actions/backgrounds.dmi and b/icons/mob/actions/backgrounds.dmi differ
diff --git a/tgstation.dme b/tgstation.dme
index 7ce9569f9a..b12baa9c47 100755
--- a/tgstation.dme
+++ b/tgstation.dme
@@ -501,6 +501,7 @@
 #include "code\datums\elements\firestacker.dm"
 #include "code\datums\elements\ghost_role_eligibility.dm"
 #include "code\datums\elements\mob_holder.dm"
+#include "code\datums\elements\polychromic.dm"
 #include "code\datums\elements\swimming.dm"
 #include "code\datums\elements\sword_point.dm"
 #include "code\datums\elements\update_icon_blocker.dm"