My Halo Weapons + Equipment Guide

This Halo Weapons Guide will be covering all Weapons and Powerups/Equipment from Halo: Combat Evolved to Halo Reach. Weapons not found by Normal Means like the H2 Silenced SMG are NOT included! This Guide will go over detailing each Weapon and noting their Stats, Strengths and Weaknesses; For Example the Halo CE Assault Rifle boasts high ammo and a fire rate but has Rubbish range and mediocre damage. Weapons or Equipment will then be given a ranking from 1 - 10. 1 Being Awful and 10 being amazing. Some weapons may even score below 1 or above 10 signifying they are the BEST or WORST weapon/s in that Game. This Guide assumes you are playing on Heroic or Legendary because its difficult to rank weapons when you're playing on Easy where the Enemies are weak as a Wet Arrowroot.

Make sure you realise that certain weapons do not grade higher in Different games for Example the Halo 2 BR is Incredible but in 3 and 4 its not as strong, Lastly images in this guide are either:

A: Images i found online, probably from the Wiki or
B: Screenshots i took in game.

I started Writing this Guide in January of 2020 and despite some Delays, Motivation issues and other things i'd rather not Discuss its finally READY!... mostly. I have yet to add the H2A Section + a Halo 4 Section, for now this Guide is partially incomplete. This took a very long time to make and if it helps you in any way i am happy, please enjoy, let me know any Criticism, Advice etc and have a good time!


Any Image online i do not own nor do i own the rights. Now! Lets equip our Mark V/VI Armour, dual wield some SMG's and High jack a Banshee and... lets just get into this.

Guide Image

"Lock and Load your Weapons! lets get ready to move!"

Updates to this Guide

============================================================================

Mon 24th Aug 2020: Guide Released, Yet to add Halo 4 and H2A Section. Removed Halo CE Tier List; Irrelevant and Incomplete.

Fri Aug 28th 2020: Cleaned some Errors.

Sat Aug 29th 2020: Removed the Remaster Weapon images in Halo 2, Added missing Halo 3 Sentinel beam Section! Fixed a few more spelling errors.
============================================================================

UNSC Weaponry Information

============================================================================

The UNSC Human Weaponry across the entire series all either use forms of Bullets, Rockets or Fuel for their Weapons and are very effective killing machines, some of them in Halo 2 and 3 can be dual wielded even with certain Covenant weapons. Few UNSC Weapons are truly effective against Shields so its important to use weapons such as the Covenant Plasma Pistol, Plasma Rifle, Beam Rifle for example to take down enemy shields.

============================================================================

Covenant Weapons Information

============================================================================

Covenant Weaponry across the entire series are usually powered by Power cells you can't reload which forces you to pick up a fresh weapon of the same type if you desire to continue using it, some weapons however actually use ammo such as The Carbine, Fuel Rod cannon and Spiker for example. Like the UNSC Weapons some of The Covenant weapons can indeed be Dual Wielded in Halo 2 and Halo 3. Covenant Weapons are definitely effective killing machines but some of them are meant as a Tool to assist you in weakening enemies rather than as a proper weapon like the Plasma Pistol to remove Shields or the Plasma Repeater in Reach.

============================================================================

Halo: Combat Evolved UNSC Weapons

The Assault Rifle

The Common Assault Rifle has 60 round magazines with a maximum of 600 in reserve, often used by Marine Allies, found on the ground or used by flood infection forms. It has a fast fire rate, quick reload speeds and has a decent amount of spread, making this a close to short range firearm. Its a really good weapon against grunts, mowing them easily, its also good for dealing with infection forms and is decent against Jackals, it is however a bit mediocre at dealing with Elites, it'll do fine against Minors and Camo elites at close range But the Red and Gold Elites will take a lot more bullets. The Assault Rifle also has the furthest melee attack in the game and the fastest which works great when combo'd with a rapid burst of bullets from close range. Its mediocre against The Flood too, it definitely performs better as a Secondary to your Shotgun or Plasma Weapon due to having a damage nerf against The Flood, surprisingly strong against Banshee's or Ghosts, can rip them apart quite quickly. The AR is a good weapon overall, its a master of none and does well in a lot of situations.

In Multiplayer you will spawn with the AR as your Primary depending on your Gamemode, its actually pretty underrated, it does unfortunately lose to a Pistol at mid or far range but at close range its fast fire rate combined with the far reach of the melee + the quick speed of it can allow you to shred a player quite fast as it does high damage even if they're using an OS. The AR also will allow you to camo much faster, pick up a camo, fire a bullet and you'll notice you will gain Camo much faster than if you tried this with any other gun. The ARs fast melee speed also allows you to do the double melee combo easily, to do this; First melee, throw a Grenade and immediately melee again, this will do massive damage and is extremely effective against players using OS, however the resulting Nade could kill you so watch out. Not the best gun but its utility and decent combat potential make it really underrated, unfortunately it is really outmatched in Pistol Starts and is only worth hanging on for Quick Camo or Double Melee.

Rating:

Campaign: 7/10
Multiplayer: 6/10

The Pistol


The Common Pistol is a very strong precision weapon, it deals instant death on headshots on unshielded covenant, even Hunters die in 1 hit if the bullet hits their Orange Flesh, the Pistol has a 2x scope, 12 bullets per magazine with a maximum of 120, holding the fire rate actually results in high spread so tap fire this instead. The Pistol also has a slow melee speed with bad range. The Pistol is especially deadly when used with a Plasma Pistol or Plasma Rifle to strip an Elite of their shields followed by a well placed headshot, making this a powerful and reliable combo on Legendary. The Pistol also can outrange grunts and jackals making them helpless as they cannot return fire, The Pistol also is good against Banshee's and decent against Ghosts, however I believe the AR is better for them and especially the Rocket Launcher at times. The Pistol is uncommonly wielded by Flood who spam it inaccurately at you, against The Flood The Pistol still deals high damage and some flood will temporarily "Die" in 2 shots only to get back up a short time later so be mindful. While The Pistol is very strong it cannot fight everything, being poor against large groups at close range, its mediocre against Elite Shields, Poor against Wraiths and Horrible against Sentinels. Regardless it is Extremely Good.

The Pistol is either spawned with you on Pistol Starts or can be found throughout the Map in MP. The Pistol is the most commonly used weapon in Multiplayer, requiring 3 shots (2 to the body, 1 head) to kill a normal player, good aim and good usage of cover will make This Weapon and its user very powerful indeed. It may lack Quick Camo synergy and also it is a bit inconsistent at close range but its still the 2nd best weapon in MP, so much so that back in the day on Halo PC, Tournaments had to force Pistol Starts for every player as back then it was never the case, leading to a Sole Player obtaining a Pistol and dominating the Lobby. Its powerful, its controversial, its The M6D Pistol.

Rating:

Campaign: 9/10
Multiplayer: 11/10

The Sniper Rifle


The Rare Sniper rifle is a lethal very long range weapon with 4 bullets per magazine and 24 in reserve except on TnR, where you spawn and have 64 bullets total. The Melee Range and Speed are both average. It is extremely effective against Covenant infantry, killing most in 1 headshot or more if they're an elite, it reloads fast and while the visual recoil seems strong its got none in practice, the SR also has a 2-10x scope and Night vision when pressing the flashlight button. The Sniper Rifle is very rarely used by Marines, unlike AR users, Marines with a SR are extremely deadly, they fire fast and a vast majority of the time will hit the Target, these guys are super useful to keep alive. Unfortunately the Sniper gets worse as the game goes on as it deals very low damage against The Flood, it also does very low damage to all Vehicles too, it just doesn't have a use once The Flood Show up, being outclassed by The Shotgun and Pistol. Thankfully Flood cannot use it.

In MP the SR is easily the strongest weapon in the game, especially if The User has good accuracy, it can outrange all weapons and on certain maps it can prevent players from even being able to engage at all, if a Team can maintain control of the Spawns of The Sniper they can become almost unstoppable. Its only weakness outside of The Users aim are Vehicles which The Pistol can handle fine. Best gun in the MP by far.

Rating:

Campaign: 8/10
Multiplayer: 11/10

The Shotgun


The Halo CE Shotgun is definitely up there with other Shotguns like the Doom 2 Super Shotgun, F.E.A.R 1 Shotgun, Blood Double Barrel and others. What I mean by this is that The Halo CE Shotgun is a very lethal and powerful firearm, 12 shells maximum with 60 maximum in reserve, good fire rate, fast reload, High damage and good range too, it rips apart enemies point blank and even at short range it still does high damage, only weak to strong elite shields or Vehicles, tears apart The Flood and virtually any infantry that is close enough. It only appears in the 2nd half of the game but is thankfully very common to find afterwards, The Shotgun is also sometimes used by The Flood who can be deadly to you. Outstanding gun.

In MP The Shotgun can be picked up off the floor and its fairly inconsistent, sometimes it will kill a player at close range in a couple shots, sometimes it seems to deal less than it should, this makes it not the best option for close range, the AR is still better, especially with its Quick Camo + Double melee superiority. Useful when Camo'd however.

Rating:

Campaign: 10/10
Multiplayer: 6/10

Halo: Combat Evolved Human Weapons Cont

Frag Grenades


The Human Grenade in all its glory, Frags can be found nearby human ammo caches or marine bodies throughout the campaign, Marines can occasionally toss them in a fight and drop them when killed allowing you to pick them up, Some human flood will drop them too upon being defeated. Frags have quite a large blast radius but will only explode when they come to a complete stop, this means if they are bouncing off walls or being blown away by explosions the time to explode will reset until they come to a complete stop again, be cautious as inactive grenades will explode should they come exposed to fire or a nearby explosion. The Damage is ludicrously high as well, clears groups of grunts or jackals when thrown well effortlessly, does amazing against groups of flood as well, However Frags are solid and can bounce off enemies should they get in your way, Frags also perform averagely against Elites that are Shielded, Unshielded elites take good damage however. Frags can be okay against ghosts but only to flip them over, same with Dormant Banshee's to stop Elites from boarding them, does awful against Wraiths, Sentinels and Mediocre against Hunters. Keep them for your basic Infantry and suppression needs.

In MP players will spawn with Frags by default however this can differ dependent on the Gamemode or map, Frags are extremely powerful in MP, able to kill groups of enemy players when thrown well, the blast radius and high damage makes them extremely potent on certain maps like Longest, Certain rooms or areas are also ideal for grenade usage such as corridors, hallways and whatnot. The Assault Rifles fast melee speed is also perfect to do the double melee exploit, simply melee, throw a grenade and you can melee almost instantly again, other weapons can do this too but the AR is by far the best and most consistent. Grenades can also be used to flip over vehicles as well, with good instincts on a Players part, Grenades can even be thrown from very far away to explode nearby potential enemies. The overall flexibility and usage makes the Halo CE Frags very strong.

Rating:

Campaign: 10/10
Multiplayer: 10/10

The Rocket Launcher


The Rare Rocket Launcher appears in certain locations that have Current or Past Marine Activity, it fires slow speed rockets with a very large blast radius and very acceptable damage as most Infantry die instantly or on a direct hit, only the strongest ranking elites can survive a Direct Hit on higher difficulties and Hunters too. The RL can fire up to 2 rockets before needing to be reloaded, the RL also has a 2x scope as well, Reload and Melee speeds are both slow, it does have a decent melee reach however. The RL is honestly kind of average, it can be very destructive and obliterate crowds of your enemies but the weapon has very rare ammo pickups, due to the slow speed of fired rockets trying to take out an enemy vehicle can be tricky, especially because they will actively attempt to dodge the rocket. Ontop of that the RL is disastrous in close range combat, it has positive synergy with The Pistol or Shotgun though, the RL can be a good vehicle and Elite/squad counter despite its flaws. It also shows up much more when The Flood show up, occasionally wielded by them who have very precise aim. Its a good weapon but its rare ammo pickups and mediocre Anti Vehicle properties make it quite specialised.

In the MP however the RL is incredibly strong, it is weak at range but at close or moderate range its devastating, even if caught in the blast radius the damage is so high it will kill a player instantly or come pretty close, its especially strong against players who grabbed an OS and who are sticking together, leading to multi kills, if you can control the RL you can have a huge advantage and get plenty of easy kills, just be careful for its slow fire rate, reload and pull out speeds.

Rating:

Campaign: 6.5/10
Multiplayer: 10/10


The Flamethrower: (MULTIPLAYER ONLY)


The Flamethrower is only available in Multiplayer and shoots out high damaging flames which can obstruct the vision of yourself and hostiles, at close range the flamethrower rips through a Player in seconds dealing high shield and health damage, while the flames can travel a short distance the flamethrower is exclusively a close range weapon, the ability to self damage is also very high as the fire lingers on the surface of the map and also corpses, its a very fun weapon regardless and moderately effective.

Rating: 5.5/10

Halo CE Covenant Weapons

The Plasma Pistol


The PP is an absolute monster that is very common, most grunts and All Jackals are armed with this, It has a terrible melee range but is quick. Its a semi automatic battery weapon that fires green bolts of plasma which deal high damage, spam firing or firing normally will cause the PP to overheat, preventing you from shooting for a few seconds, the damage to all infantry units is very high, this is an excellent weapon to strip Elite shields or Jackal shields primarily due to its secondary method of attack, by holding the fire button you can charge up a green bolt which when released will home in on a target with inconsistent tracking, but upon landing the target takes massive emp damage, this is critical against Elite Shields, Jackal shields and Sentinels as it wipes the shields instantly and for Sentinels it blows them up, an Elite lacking their shield will stagger then attempt to flee or they can berserk, charging you kamikaze style. This Weapon is extremely useful on all difficulties and especially Legendary, it also is great against The Flood. Amazing weapon for any Infantry Encounter.

However in MP the PP is a big disappointment as its much trickier to land the PP shots on enemy players and the damage is lower, it can stun players which limits their movement and turning speed which is kind of nice but is not easy to consistently pull off, its better as a combo weapon to strip shields then follow with a Headshot or barrage of bullets. Worse yet is the tracking of the charged shot is inconsistent, its okay but there are better options to use. Sometimes you spawn with this or you have to find it in the Map.

Rating:

Campaign: 11/10
Multiplayer: 4/10

The Plasma Rifle


Only wielded by elites, rarely marines or The Flood, the PR fires slower than the PP with a fast trigger finger, has fair amount of spread when firing for extended periods and also can overheat, it also lacks the charged bolt that the PP has. However despite all this the PR is an awesome weapon, for starters the PP is ineffective at further ranges the PR is not thanks to faster projectile speed, it also does not strain your trigger finger and is easier on your fingers as a result, its also got a decent melee reach and swing speed. The PR is best viewed as a mid range weapon where it will excel, it deals good damage, its good for stripping shields and is a great flood or sentinel weapon. Its overall a weaker but still reliable weapon to fill the same niche the PP has.

In Multiplayer the PR is a fantastic weapon, the faster fire rate combined with fast projectile speeds and a little good tracking on the players part makes it a very strong weapon, especially if an enemy isn't focused on you, the stun mechanic applies here so repeated shots will make it nigh impossible to turn or move giving you a free kill, its decent melee reach also makes it a good double melee option, it also interestingly can land headshots, the only non precision weapon in the game to have this, Headshots will kill players faster.

Rating:

Campaign: 8/10
Multiplayer: 8.5/10

The Needler


Very fun and impractical, The Needler is uncommonly wielded by Grunts, Elites, your marine allies and sometimes the flood, it fires pink needles which slowly track to a hostile from the air, upon landing it will shortly shatter dealing low damage, a barrage of needles that land cause the enemy to panic and cause a pink mist chain reaction explosion dealing decent damage and potentially causing nearby grenades on the floor to explode, the unfortunate truth is the Needler is just not consistent, the needles are slow, can't travel far and often a chain reaction won't fully kill some elites, ontop of this the tracking isn't great, enemies that are moving around will often dodge most of the Needles, its best to spray this at nearby Grunts to cause a potential squad wipe or knock them around enough to let you finish them off with your 2nd weapon. The Needler is also pretty mid against The Flood too, while landing needles is easier cause of their more predictable movement you're going to be taking damage from their allies while trying to kill a couple with the chain reaction, melee swing is slow too as is the reload, its a fun weapon but not super useful.

Sadly The Needler doesn't improve in the Multiplayer, if an enemy player even slightly moves the Needles will just void their course which is frustrating, its the worst weapon in the sandbox unfortunately, even its damage is mediocre. Don't pick this up unless you want to mess around.

Rating:

Campaign: 4/10
Multiplayer: 1.5/10

The Plasma Grenades


The Plasma Grenades are dropped by all Covenant units minus the Jackals, some Elite Flood drop it as well. Plasma Grenades are unique as they can stick to hostile Infantry or Vehicles piloted or not, upon being stuck the Infantry unit will run screaming in fear before shortly exploding, the Plasma Nade does high emp damage which makes it extremely good against Elites, even if not stuck to them a nearby explosion will often drain their shields or heavily damage them, the Plasma Nades also won't explode when thrown unless sticking to a target or when coming to a complete stop, the Plasma Nades also explode slower compared to the Frag Nades. They're a strong explosive but lack immediate results and are a bit more specialised.

In MP the Plasma Nades will kill any stuck player, especially if they're piloting a Vehicle that you stick, the high EMP Damage means that being close to them will be very dangerous and often drain your shields, making you a much easier Target, both Grenades have their uses.

Rating:
Campaign: 9/10
Multiplayer: 7/10

The Fuel Rod Cannon (MULTIPLAYER ONLY)

The FRC is a rare weapon only found on certain multiplayer maps, its a battery operated explosive cannon that's essentially the Covenant Counterpart to the human Rocket Launcher, the Bolts fired deal massive explosive + emp damage and fire in an arc, firing this at range will require you to aim up so you can consistently ensure it lands on target or near it, plus the FRCs fast fire rate means in a pinch you can be quite a nuisance to Vehicles or groups of enemies, its a very strong option.

Rating: 9/10

===========================================================================

End of the Halo: Combat Evolved Section

============================================================================

Well that is Halo CE done and dusted up next we have Halo 2! The Sequel! Lets continue shall we?


Love this game so much...


============================================================================

Halo 2 UNSC Weapons

============================================================================

The Battle Rifle


The Common Battle Rifle is a lethal 3 round burst firing rifle with a 2x scope, fast melee speed's, moderate reload time and 36 bullets per magazine with 108 maximum for reserve, commonly wielded by Marines or found nearby deceased Marine ammo caches, the BR is the replacement for The CE Pistol essentially, it kills in 1 shot to the head on Unshielded enemies or when shooting the infection form on a flood form, the range is excellent too. The Battle Rifle also has positive synergy with the Plasma Pistol or Plasma Rifle to remove an Elites shields to make doming them easier. Ammo problems can arise however, especially on later levels, certain levels also rarely or never feature this weapon, instead being replaced by The Covenant Carbine or the Beam Rifle, Marines armed with BR's are really good shots and can deal good damage.

In MP The BR is your starting weapon in most situations depending on the gamemode and the map and it is ruthless here, 12 bursts to the head will kill most players, it also is exceptionally strong when you use the Plasma Pistol overcharge, thanks to improved consistent Tracking the Overcharge will often wipe out an enemy players shield making them an easy headshot for the BR, the BR is a consistent and reliable option at all ranges, although at close ranges it is weaker when fighting a player especially if they have a CQB weapon or are able to melee you.

Rating:

Campaign: 9/10
Multiplayer: 11/10

The SMG


The SMG is the games replacement for the AR which is strangely missing in Halo 2, the SMG has 60 bullets per magazine, 360 in reserve, reloads fast, fires fast, melee's fast, its overall a fast weapon, accuracy isn't the greatest however outside of mid range, the SMG is also unique in that its a Dual Wieldable weapon, this means you could wield the SMG and a different small weapon in your other hand like The Needler, Plasma Rifle etc. The SMG is extremely good when combined with a Plasma Pistol, but even better with the Plasma Rifle to wipe out elite shields while the SMG finishes the job, 2 SMG's are also quite good on Heroic, however the SMG is bad against Brutes, Flood, Vehicles and rubbish against Sentinels, its an average weapon overall that only gets worse on Legendary where it struggles to deal with more than a few weak enemies at once. Marines armed with the SMG are moderately effective, they also can stunlock enemies who aren't shielded.

The SMG in MP is your starting weapon dependent on the map and gamemode, its a decent close range firearm that also does decent at mid range when bursting, combines great with the Plasma Rifle, Plasma Pistol or another SMG to combat a player at close range, however dual wielding prohibits usage of grenades, melee and reloads become slower, one useful niche is the SMG is a solid anti vehicle option, so if enemy players are nearby using a Vehicle don't use your BR, spray your SMG!

Rating:

Campaign: 6/10
Multiplayer: 7/10

The Pistol


The Pistol is awful, its got pitiful range, damage, ammo problems and for some reason is really rare, at best it can kill groups of grunts and is mediocre at best against Jackals but fails spectacularly at doing anything to elites without assistance from a Plasma Weapon, worse yet is whether dual wielded or not the Pistol has really bad accuracy too unless you're close, Not worth using at all, especially considering its Rarity. Although the toxic lines from an Ally if you arm them with this is definitely chuckle worthy.

The Pistol is not much better in Multiplayer either especially because the days of dual wielding a Pistol and shredding a player is long, long gone, without assistance from the Plasma Pistol or Plasma Rifle the Pistol can barely do anything, The Pistol is also hilariously outclassed in everyway on BR Starts. Skip this one.

Rating:

Campaign: 2/10
Multiplayer: 1/10

The Shotgun


Gross. The Shotgun is significantly underpowered compared to its Glorious Halo CE counterpart, in fairness at very close range The Weapon can still do the job at killing enemy infantry but thats the problem. You have to be Very. Close the maximum range is very small unfortunately, ammo is down from 60 maximum to 36 and while The Shotgun still retains 12 shots maximum it now reloads slower too, this weapon is almost completely unusable on Legendary as well allies armed with The Shotgun seem to perform quite well though funnily enough. The Energy Sword is more common and almost a guaranteed drop from raging Elites and is a better weapon for CQB for the player. The Sword also rips apart The Flood with minimal effort, something The Shotgun bloody struggles with.

In MP The Shotgun is really inconsistent and often needs a Melee swing after a shot to reliably kill a Player, other times it will kill someone outright in one shot at point blank range, Its not a terrible option, especially when utilising corners or running out to surprise your opponent, does terribly on larger maps however, The Shotgun is also a solid counter to The Sword if timed right or they're caught off guard, so its a solid weapon but is overall a niche pick.

Rating:

Campaign: 3.5/10
Multiplayer: 5/10

The Sniper Rifle


The Sniper Rifle returns from Halo CE and has a few changes, it has 4 less maximum bullets, reload is the same, fire rate is slightly slower and the Melee Speed is much faster, its a really great option for enemy infantry and does decent against Vehicles as well, but its much better reserved to deal with Infantry, rips into Elites very nicely when you land headshots and Shots can even multi kill enemies if lined properly The SR is also a great option to arm friendly marines with too, They're not as op as the CE marines but they're still fantastic shots. The SR also rarely appears during the 2nd half of the game, its a great option regardless.

In MP The SR is very powerful and is a very desirable weapon for its extreme power at far ranges. 1 shot to the head or 2 to the body on a player without Overshield, the fast melee speed can also allow this to be a solid threat if an enemy closes the distance, however do not rely on this, especially if they hit you first, have a Shotgun or have The Sword.

Halo 2 UNSC Weapons cont + Covenant Weapons

The Rocket Launcher


The RL has received big changes compared to CE, it has a somewhat reduced blast radius but still deals massive damage, the RL also has a new tracking ability, aim the crosshair at an Enemy Vehicle, hold the fire button and let go when the Crosshair highlights the Vehicle and the weapon makes a beeping sound, release and watch The Rocket track the Vehicle with very consistent tracking! Rockets fired travel fast and are effective at anti infantry or vehicles, they do deal less damage on Legendary however and can require a fair few to deal with ghosts and banshees so watch out. A Great option to arm allies with as well, especially if the RL is nearly empty, they have infinite ammo!

The RL is a monster in MP and is a fantastic counter to Players piloting Vehicles, otherwise it still remains a strong weapon for grounded players, just be mindful of splash damage.

Rating:

Campaign: 9/10
Multiplayer: 10/10


Machine Turret

The Very Rare Machine turret is a deployed turret that NPC's or The Player can use, while completely immobile the Turret has a good fire rate and deals solid damage, enough to kill grunts, jackals and drones with minimal fuss, it is less effective against Elites and inconsistent against Vehicles, The Turret is okay but being completely immobile while using it makes you vulnerable to grenade spam or being shot to death. I would never touch these on Legendary, the risks are too great.

In MP The Turret is largely better on SMG Starts on the few maps its featured on as its usable at far range, however the Turret is largely useless on BR starts as you're a sitting duck.

Rating:

Campaign: 4/10
Multiplayer: 3/10


The Plasma Pistol

The Halo 2 PP got nerfed and is more of a tool now as its very weak dealing low damage compared to the high damage it dealt in CE, the PP's overcharge attack is still the optimal way to remove an Elites Shield, even moreso than CE due to largely improved tracking that rarely misses, Grunts, Some Jackals and Drones are armed with the Plasma Pistol, as good as the PP is it largely loses effectiveness in the second half of the game when brutes show up, even moreso on Flood Missions, its primary fire is pathetically weak, Don't ever arm allies with this, they NEVER use the Overcharge and may as well be walking dummies.

In Multiplayer the PP is more useful than it was in CE because the overcharge tracking is hilariously busted, even moving sideways or bobbing and weaving won't help, followed by a quick BR headshot the Noob Combo is disgustingly simple and effective, especially on BR Starts, even overcharging and quickly meleeing the target while risky is a viable strat.

Rating:

Campaign: 7/10
Multiplayer: 10/10



The Plasma Rifle

The PR is a bit of a mixed bag in H2, its good but not great, unlike the CE Counterpart which did high damage and was accurate for ranged combat the Halo 2 counterpart is just simply... fine, commonly wielded by Elites its a fine shield stripper, is a decent combo tool with an SMG or a 2nd PR but it doesn't excel nor stand out outside of being a good shield stripper with an SMG, this strat is less effective on Legendary unfortunately, the PR is also a Mediocre flood weapon, especially since The Sword exists. Meh.

The PR is alright in MP too due to shield stripping capabilities and being a decent weapon with an SMG or on its own, the PR is awesome in SMG starts, however it has minimal use in BR starts. Decent.

Rating:

Campaign: 6.5/10
Multiplayer: 6.5/10


The Needler

The Needler is an uncommon weapon wielded by most Covenant Infantry and can be dual wielded, The Needler is... odd, the CE version was average at best due to having inconsistent tracking and slow projectiles, the H2 version has somewhat better tracking and faster projectiles but the Needles deal less damage as does The Pink mist explosion, but regardless a majority of infantry will die to a Super combine, quite a few enemies in H2 also aren't as mobile as they were in CE which helps The Needler be more consistent, actually really good during the 2nd half when Brutes show up. Dual Wielded the fire rate increases significantly making super combines faster, fun and somewhat effective.

UNFORTUNATELY Once again for MP The Needler is awful, The Tracking is onpar with its CE Counterpart which can be avoided by . . . Moving left or . . . Moving Right. Don't ever use this.

Rating:

Campaign: 6/10
Multiplayer: 1/10


Plasma Grenades: aka Sticky End

Plasma Grenades have had a big change in Halo 2, they explode quicker now and deal more damage and keep the same Blast Radius like in CE making them more useful than they were in CE, you can still use them to boost you to places but be cautious as its possible you can kill yourself. Watch out when you stick Elites because they may charge at you Kamikaze style!

The Faster Blast Radius makes Plasma Grenades very useful to forcibly flush out opponents and sticking a Vehicle will deal heavy damage. However they aren't able to damage incoming enemies like you can with Frag Grenades because they don't explode fast enough.

Rating:

Campaign: 8.5/10
Multiplayer: 8.5/10

Halo 2 Covenant Weapons Cont

Brute Plasma Rifle

The Brute PR appears near the 2nd half of the game occasionally wielded by Brutes, its unfortunately really bad dealing minimal damage to Brutes, the higher fire rate also means it overheats quickly, it does NOT Deal more damage in any way. Not useful outside of dealing with Grunts or Jackals. Skip.

The Brute PR only appears in one map in MP and unlike the Normal PR it doesn't have a damage reduction when dual wielding with any other weapon, thats all. Thats it. Still super mid.

Rating:

Campaign: 2/10
Multiplayer: 3.5/10



Covenant Carbine aka Covenant Rifle

The Covenant Carbine is a new precision weapon that fires green bolts and kills in one shot to the head while doing moderate damage everywhere else which makes it a very useful weapon if you can land those headshots, it comes with a scope as well which makes using it at range easier. Combo's great with the PP and is commonly carried by Elites and occasionally Brutes, good against The Flood if you shoot where the infection form is on their corpse and the Carbine also requires multiple headshots to kill a Brute on Heroic and more for Legendary. Maximum ammo you can have is 72 and only 18 shots per magazine. Melee speed and Reload times are both Moderate.

In Multiplayer you often don't spawn with The Carbine by default, i personally have found it largely inferior to the BR especially because it does less damage but it still can do the job in a pinch if you lose your BR or are out of ammo.

Rating:

Campaign: 8/10
Multiplayer: 7/10





Fuel Rod Cannon (CAMPAIGN ONLY BY DEFAULT) aka Green balls of Death

The Rare FRC in H2 is quite different from its CE counterpart, it can't overheat now and its shots don't travel in an arc, it keeps its fast fire rate and also uses ammo now. It is quite a Strong Weapon and is effective against tough enemies and will clear a group of weak enemies in a single shot, rarely carried by Grunts. Definitely recommend you use this thing, still powerful on Legendary but the rarity of the FRC and the increased enemy health means the weapon won't have much usage.

The FRC is a very deadly weapon for Multiplayer and can kill a Player in mere seconds thanks to its fast fire rate, high damage and good radius allowing it to have an edge over The RL for killing enemy players. Though its not obtainable by Default but this can change depending on The Gamemode.

Rating:

Campaign: 8.5/10
Multiplayer: 10/10




Energy Sword aka Say bye to your Friendship

Seen in CE but was unusable there the Energy Sword is the only melee weapon in halo 2 and its very very powerful, when your crosshair turns red you will lunge at your target when you attack dealing extremely high damage that is actually able to instantly kill most enemies on Heroic but may require another hit on Legendary, hitting or killing an enemy regardless of type will use up percentage of The Sword, when its emptied it becomes useless. The Lunge Range is quite far as well. Occasionally found from Elites or The Flood. Avoid fighting Hunters or heaps of Brutes with this thing. One tactic i won't be delving into that Speedrunners use is Sword Fly, using a combination of Y X R for controller users or whatever your keys are for these settings on Computer you're able to fly across the map. If you're really curious look it up, no you cannot do it in Multiplayer.

In Multiplayer The Sword has no Percentage so it essentially has infinite uses and will always kill a player in one lunge hit even if they have an Overshield. Obviously this means you'd be wise to stay at a Distance if you spot someone with this thing as being in close proximity is suicidal, if you're using The Sword try to avoid running out in the open with it, if a Target is further away just shoot them, save The Sword for close ranged encounters to score cheap and easy kills. Expect to receive a lot of Anger from your Enemy Players. This thing is overall pretty busted.

Rating:

Campaign: 8.5/10
Multiplayer: 9.5/10





Plasma Cannon aka Whats the Point?

Often you'll come across this Turret in use by Grunts, The Turret itself is effective against shields but is quite weak overall and you're a sitting duck while using it. I don't recommend using this at all really especially on Legendary. Often times when you CAN use it you've killed all the enemies anyways.

Though in Multiplayer a few shots from this can remove a Shield i still don't think the risk of being immobile is worth it, just use the PP BR combo if you want to be able to take out shields.

Rating:

Campaign: 3/10
Multiplayer: 2/10





Brute Shot aka Shaving Tool

The Brute Shot is a Grenade Launcher with 4 shots per reload and you can have 12 spare, the Balls you shoot out deal damage on impact but bounce off a Surface before exploding, a pretty effective Weapon on Heroic and Decent on Legendary but sadly the ammo problems means you'll be reloading Frequently and scavenging for ammo. Inferior to the FRC and RL but still has a use and yes The Blade does deal more melee damage but only a little more.

The Brute Shot is decent in Multiplayer being quite good for Hallway fights or damaging a Vehicle, it takes 2 direct hits to kill someone and 4 if all of them bounced off a Surface. The Blade also removes a Shield but still kills in 2 melee hits like any other weapon. Good weapon overall.


Rating:

Campaign: 6/10
Multiplayer: 7/10




The Beam Rifle aka Oh you're progressing on Legendary? would suck if that changed...

The Beam Rifle is the covenant variant of a Sniper Rifle and its very powerful, each shot leaves a beam which disappears shortly and firing to fast will make the Beam Rifle overheat, Sniper jackals (Which Halo 2 spams everywhere on Legendary...) always carry a Beam Rifle, its well worth using because the damage is extremely high and you can get multiple kills as well, useful on all Difficulties and is fairly common too! I prefer this over The Sniper Rifle especially because its more common and has better stats in my opinion for use in Campaign.

In Multiplayer the Beam Rifle is able to kill in one shot to the head unless the Target has an OS in which it will require two, with proper use the Beam Rifle is quite devastating, i'd recommend fighting at range though because overheating this thing in a close range battle is quite dangerous.

Rating:

Campaign: 11/10
Multiplayer: 10/10

Halo 2 Powerup + Sentinel Beam

The Overshield (MULTIPLAYER ONLY) aka Covered in Bubbles

The OS in Halo 2 functions the same in CE where it will give you 3x the Shields but it has Threedifferences; One the OS is shown on you as you'll have a bright bubbly texture on your Character; Two the time it takes for the OS to drain on its own is slightly faster and finally you cannot have an OS and AC active at the same time. Still a very useful powerup that can help give you the edge in any fight.

Rating:

9/10




Active Camo aka Active "Camo"

The Active Camo in Halo 2 is Just Terrible unfortunately because you stand out so much and unless you're at far range you won't be hidden that much by the Camo. I wouldn't recommend picking up the AC unless you wish to fight at far range.

Rating:

3/10





The Sentinel Beam aka Hot Laser!

The Sentinel Beam is an uncommon weapon that drops from Destroyed Sentinels, it fires a beam of hot laser that deals damage at any range, quite effective against The Flood and Shields, eventually The Ammo will be burnt away so you'll have to pick up a new one. Pretty solid weapon for Legendary too as it obliterates those pesky Sentinels and can kill flood fast at any range, very underrated. The Blue Beam Variant doesn't deal more damage and is just for Aethestic purposes.

In Multiplayer The Sentinel Beam is a very effective weapon when your Opponent can't get behind cover, however you probably won't be able to kill them before they kill you as the time to kill is pretty bad, just use it to remove their Shields then dome them. Aiming might be difficult on Console as well. The PP is a better Option for removing Shields.

Rating:

Campaign: 7/10
Multiplayer: 5/10


============================================================================

End of the Halo 2 Section

============================================================================

That concludes the Halo 2 Section! What a game... now onto the Finale; Halo 3! Lets move on




Too much Noise?

============================================================================

Halo 3 UNSC Weapons

=======================================================================

(Note i'll be including the two new Halo 3 ODST Weapons in this segment, mainly because the game reuses ALMOST every weapon from Halo 3 anyways, keep that in mind)


The Magnum (Halo 3 only) aka The Worst gun in Halo

The Halo 3 Magnum is common and is the weakest pistol and possibly the worst weapon in the entire series, it has no 2x scope, fires slowly and does pitiful damage with a lack luster 40 bullets for reserves... Blegh. worse yet it only has 6 bullets per magazine as well. To get best use of this weak Sidearm aim for The Head and combo with a PP to kill Brutes. An awful weapon overall, you can do so much better.

In Multiplayer you'll sometimes spawn with The Magnum as a Side arm, the best use for this thing aside from the PP combo is to dual wield two pistols and shoot both magazines at a players head. Aside from that i can't find any reason to use this thing, even the strategy i just suggested is pathetic.

Rating:

Campaign: 1/10
Multiplayer: 0.5/10



The Assault Rifle aka Its been 4000 years...

Well the AR is back in H3 and its pretty good. 32 bullets per magazine, fast fire rate and reload times, melee speed is quick too, the crazy high 600 maximum ammo limit from CE has been shortened to 288. The Spread is low so you're able to use this thing outside of Close Range. Quite good against most enemies and will do a fine job at killing weak enemies like Grunts and Jackals but you'll need a little more firepower when facing Brute Majors or higher. Okay against The Flood too but nothing special. Most Marine allies are armed with the AR for battle.

The AR is the default Primary in Multiplayer and its a lot better than its CE counterpart (especially because you aren't being insta killed by a Pistol) you can definitely get good kills with the AR and a good combo is to spray and go in for a melee (Watch out if your opponent is doing the same in a close ranged engagement). A Solid Weapon for close range or medium ranged combat.

Rating:

Campaign: 7.5/10
Multiplayer: 6.5/10



The SMG aka Not a Lawnmower

Nothing much has been changed with the SMG in H3 aside from slightly lower damage and a slower fire rate, despite that its fire rate is still pretty fast and the SMG retains its 60 bullets per magazine but its maximum ammo is reduced from 360 to 180. Combo's very well with another SMG or a PP to kill Brutes. I wouldn't recommend taking on Brute Chieftens with this though, they just have too much health.

In Multiplayer the SMG is still a very solid Close Ranged weapon but its worsened range makes it questionable using it unless you're in close quarters so because of this the AR is better, though an SMG is pretty strong when dual wielded with another SMG or a PP.

Campaign: 7.5/10
Multiplayer: 6/10





The Battle Rifle (Halo 3 only) aka Weird to use

In Halo 2 this weapon was a Beast, in Halo 3 it is still a beast but has been changed quite a bit, it still retains its same ammo stats and fire rate but its body shot damage has been reduced and it also now a Projectile Weapon. Basically the way it works is that if you aim at an enemy at a far range and shoot at them the Bullets will not hit them and will instead hit the terrain or their lower body depending on the range. This means in certain engagements you will have to aim up a bit if you're shooting at a far away target or you won't hurt them. At close range this usually isn't an issue at all. Practice and you'll soon get the hang of it, I'm not sure why Bungie changed it to function like this but its still quite powerful. In Campaign its very good against most enemies, against The Flood aim at their infection form to kill them.

In Multiplayer the BR will sometimes be your Secondary, naturally you'll want to use it for ranged engagements as few weapons can challenge it, because The Carbine has a spread to its shots the BR remains the best Precision Weapon for all engagements.

Rating:

Campaign: 9/10
Multiplayer: 9/10




The Sniper Rifle aka The Same as always

The Halo 3 Sniper Rifle is quite rare and retains its stats from Halo 2 aside from its slightly slower firing speed which kind of knocks this weapon down in effectiveness however its still excellent against Very Tough enemies such as Brute Chieftens where a few shots to the head is enough to end them. Ammo is quite rare and Marines seem to be better shots compared to Halo 2 but I'm not fully aware if they're THAT good.

I can't say anything different for Multiplayer that i haven't already said. Make sure its reloaded, don't stay scoped in all the time and with proper use you can control the map.


Campaign: 9/10
Multiplayer: 9/10



The Shotgunaka lol

The Halo 3 Shotgun is to be frank; Terrible. It was already crap in Halo 2 and its been made even worse in Halo 3; 30 maximum shells per reload and only 6 you can use at a time... worse of all is the reload time. Make sure you're okay ageing to a skeleton because The Halo 3 Shotgun reloads so SLOWLY! Its at least effective at extremely close range but outside of that tiny distance its like shooting a bloody barn. Skip this insult to Shotguns.

In Multiplayer The Shotgun really has no use except for Corner Camping to surprise your opponent. Its pathetic damage and awful range will often see you killed in most engagements unless you really close the distance which is really dangerous. I like most Halo 3 Weapons but i struggle to find uses for this awful gun.

Rating:

Campaign: 2/10
Multiplayer: 1.5/10





The Spartan Laser aka Firin mah Lazur!!

The Spartan Laser is a new UNSC Weapon and its extremely awesome and powerful, you charge up a Laser (Pay attention to the crosshair) and when its fully charged the Weapon will shoot out a Laser! The Charge time is a little lengthy and after each fire the SL needs a short time to cool down. The Damage is extremely high and can kill multiple enemies nearby the zone it hits, Sadly it is extremely rare in The Campaign, a nice trick to kill Wraiths easily is to aim at the core on their back, best way to save your limited uses with the Spartan Laser (4 Uses). Loads of fun and damn effective but its limited uses prevent it from getting a higher rating.

In Multiplayer the SL is an instant kill, timing the Laser is a little tricky but with enough practice you'll manage it each time and be able to earn a total of 4 kills or multiple if the enemy players are close enough, its also a great counter to enemy players piloting vehicles, I'd highly recommend using this at Range.

Rating:

Campaign: 9/10
Multiplayer: 9/10




The Rocket Launcher aka Click to Delete


The Halo 3 RL is nearly identical to its H2 counterpart but the Tracking has been completely removed which is a big shame as it was the best feature about it in Halo 2, still has a slow reload, melee and fire speed as well. Nothing much else to it. Still extremely powerful, the best counter to Vehicles and you can get easy kills with Splash Damage.

In Multiplayer the RL is better than the SL because it can have more ammo and is more useful overall, both weapons function differently but are both very strong.

Rating:

Campaign: 9.5/10
Multiplayer: 9.5/10

Halo 3 UNSC Weapons Cont

The Chaingun aka This costs $400.000 to fire this weapon for 12 seconds...

Occasionally in The Campaign you'll find the Chaingun on a Stand, using it will isolate you but you can rip it off you wish and will have 200 bullets to use, Accuracy is good and the fire rate builds up as well, damage is very high. Whenever you're holding off enemies or fighting a whole group its usually wise not to rip it off but if you have minimal cover then its probably a good idea to rip it off. Watch out though your movement speed is reduced and you can't use Equipment, Dual Wield or swap weapons without dropping The Chaingun. Its quite powerful but be cautious of your slowed Movement Speed. Oddly enough however in ODST you actually move at a decent speed when holding a Turret.

In Multiplayer sitting on a Chaingun is usually very dangerous so i would recommend ripping it off otherwise you'll be fragged out, make sure to not get to Cocky with the Chaingun, its very easy for a Player to throw a grenade at you and cause serious harm. Just leave it if its too risky.

Rating:

Campaign: 8/10
Multiplayer: 6/10






The Flamethrower (CAMPAIGN ONLY + HALO 3 ONLY!!) aka Toasty!

The Flamethrower is a very rare weapon in The Campaign that shoots out flames that deal high damage and travel for a short time, if they hit a surface they will stay on the Surface for sometime dealing extremely high damage to any enemy who touches it sadly though wielding this slows you down and you're prevented from dual wielding, using equipment or swapping weapons without dropping it. Its pretty powerful and effective against The Flood but you'll need to use a lot of your limited ammo (200) to kill the Juggernauts. Most of the other weapons you could use are much better though against The Flood, this thing also really blows on Legendary.

Rating:

Campaign: 5/10




Missile Pod aka Spam me at that Scarab!

The Rare Missile Pod is my personal favourite heavy weapon in the game because of its effectiveness in destroying enemy vehicles, when mounted it has infinite ammo, fires into the air and can track Vehicles as well dealing large damage, when ripped off you will sadly only have a low number of 8 missiles but the Tracking feature does stay which is excellent, quite rare to find but a great counter to enemy Vehicles.

In Multiplayer The Missile Pod is never mounted so make those 8 shots count, same issues count with other heavy weapons if you're holding this; Limited movement speed and inability to use Equipment or other weapons. The Missiles are also pretty easy to dodge making this ill advised to use against Enemy Players on foot.

Rating:

Campaign: 8/10
Multiplayer: 6.5/10




The Silenced Pistol aka Shh... I'm Hunting Covies.. (Halo 3 ODST)

The Uncommon Silenced Pistol is more or less a reskin of the Halo 2 Pistol but with an added 2x scope and a silencer which obviously stops enemies from hearing your shots, damage is pathetic if you're not going for headshots though so keep this in mind, reload speed and melee speed are both quick and the Pistol itself carries 12 bullets per magazine and your limits are 60 which is quite good! Very effective if you are good at aiming to kill Weak enemies at range, very good against Brutes too if you combo the pistol with the PP to take out their power armour.

Rating:

7.5/10





Silenced SMG aka The Younger Brother (Halo 3 ODST)

The Silenced SMG in H3ODST is an uncommon find and isn't to different from its non silenced version, it does deal lower damage, has a 2x scope and a Silencer, its an uncommon find but overall it is a pretty decent weapon overall, the Scope gives it some sort use at range as well. I personally find the AR is a better weapon because it can also deal with weak enemies, is more common and isn't half bad against lower ranked Brutes. The Ammo limit is also pretty low for an smg at 198, reloads and fire rate remain fast however.

Rating:

6/10

Halo 3 Covenant Weapons

The Plasma Pistol aka Ol Reliable

The PP in Halo 3 has a slight damage increase compared to in H2 where it did miniscule damage now its damage is slightly better but also holding down an Overcharge will drain the PP's ammo charge fairly quick. Despite this however its still one of the best weapons in the game to remove a Brute's power armour and with how common the PP is this is always a reliable strategy. Like always most grunts, jackals and all Drones will carry a PP.

In Multiplayer the PP's overcharge tracking is still very solid and is a fantastic combo with your BR, Carbine or ... Pistol. On its own however its damage is pathetically weak, use it as a tool to assist your Primary.

Rating:

Campaign: 8/10
Multiplayer: 8/10





The Plasma Rifle aka An Elite's best Friend

The PR has received a few changes from how it was in H2, it does slightly more damage, overheats slower and also seems to have a slower fire rate, its fairly uncommon as well often found on your Elite Allies. For Combat its very effective against The Flood and your weaker Covenant enemies. Nothing much else to it, its a relatively simple weapon.

In Multiplayer the PR is unfortunately quite weak and ineffective against Enemy Players especially if they're shooting you with a Precision Gun, you can find many other better weapons than the PR. Does okay when dual wielded with an SMG or another one but isn't worthwhile.

Rating:

Campaign: 6.5/10
Multiplayer: 4/10





Brute Spiker aka Bindie Shooter

The Brute Spiker is a painfully average weapon in Halo 3 everything about it is so mediocre from its fire rate, ammo capacity (20 per magazine) and limits (128) and especially its damage which is borderline bad. Its commonly wielded by lower ranked brutes so ammo is common, dual wielded with another spiker its damage is okay but still quite low for a cool and damaging looking weapon. Sh**s for the birds on Legendary though, never use it on that difficulty.

In Multiplayer the Spiker is to blunt a piece of S*** even if you are holding two of them or a PP, there are many other weapons that are better than The Spiker and its upsetting a cool weapon is so bad, skip this unless you for some reason like to use it like me.

Rating:

Campaign: 5/10
Multiplayer: 3/10





Needler aka What a Comeback

After how mediocre this was in Halo CE and being useless unless dual wielded in Halo 2 the Needler bounces back to being very good in Halo 3, its fire rate and tracking are both much faster and the time for a chain reaction is quicker as well, damage is pretty good and the fire rate and reload speed are good as well. Very powerful when used properly but sadly is uncommon and you can't dual wield it whatsoever with anything. Ammo problems also quickly arise too.

Even if a Player is jumping The Needler's tracking is still pretty reliable, best used however when an Opponent isn't aware of you or distracted as the lightning fast Tracking and quick chain reaction is difficult to avoid. Very fun weapon to use, empty your ammo supply and grab something else hopefully snagging a couple kills too.

Rating:

Campaign: 8/10
Multiplayer: 7/10





The Covenant Carbine aka Covenant Rifle

The Uncommon Covenant Carbine makes a Return in Halo 3 but is a little unreliable compared to the BR though it still retains good stats but now has a Spread meaning not every shot will be a Headshot, tap firing seems to deal with this issue but its still not perfect. Occasionally carried by Sniper Jackals and often wielded by Jetpack flying Brute squads, aside from that your occasional Elite friend will carry one. Pretty decent weapon despite its issues.

In Multiplayer there isn't much of a reason to use The Carbine over the BR as its inferior to it in mostly every way, if you still want to use it however it can do the job fairly well, it is admittedly a good starting weapon if you're unfamiliar and needing to learn the BR's weird bullet physics.

Rating:

Campaign: 7/10
Multiplayer: 6/10




The Energy Sword aka Death Pokes

The Energy Sword returns in Halo 3 and has understandably had some changes, its lunge range has been reduced quite a bit but its damage remains largely the same as it deals huge damage to enemies and instantly kills the Weaker ones but its not worth wasting your limited charge on weak enemies, instantly causes a Flood to break apart when you hit them as well without using much charge! Despite the awesomeness of The Energy Sword its quite dangerous to try to take on Brute Chieftens with it. Occasionally your elite allies will have an Energy Sword or you can find it rarely in levels. Lots of fun and quite effective, good on Legendary but don't rush in or you'll die fast.

In Multiplayer The Energy Sword has a limited charge and is still an instant kill unless your opponent has an Overshield or melee's at the same time you hit him which negates the damage you deal to them, like in Halo 2 don't run with this out in the Open or you'll become a Prime Target.

Rating:

Campaign: 8/10
Multiplayer: 7.5/10





The Brute Shot aka Shaving Tool

The Brute Shot has received a few changes in Halo 3, it now has 6 shots per reload but does less damage and has the same 12 shots for your Maximum ammo, shots also now explode on impact rather than bounce around and it has the same blast radius. One tactic in H2 was to shoot the ground then jump to reach higher areas and you can still this in H3 with the Brute Shot, don't underestimate its effectiveness though as it still destroys groups of weaker enemies and isn't half bad against Vehicles, commonly carried by Brutes.

In Multiplayer the Concept of using the BS to launch yourself to higher ground is very useful on certain maps and if you're planning to fight at range with a Sniper Rifle, when facing opponents spam shots at them to deal quick damage, my favourite tactic is to fire 2 shots and swap to my BR to quickly dome them.

Rating:

Campaign: 7.5/10
Multiplayer: 6.5/10

Halo 3 Covenant Weapons Cont

The Mauler (Halo 3 only) aka Pocket Shotty

The Mauler is a pretty cool Concept and has good execution for a Pocket Shotgun, the range for this though is pretty bad but its damage is pretty good, it has low spread and a small clip of 6 shots and a Maximum of 30. Its a pretty good weapon if you like to get up close and personal but it really does more damage when you're using two of them, not recommended for Legendary. Rare too, only appears near the End of the game during Campaign, pretty good against The Flood.

In Multiplayer The Mauler is effective for close range combat and can kill a player quickly but the range you have to be to deal good damage is within lunge range so watch out.

Rating:

Campaign: 6/10
Multiplayer: 5/10





Spike Grenades aka Spikes everywhere!

The Uncommon Spike Grenade is a lot of fun to use, when thrown it will stick to whatever it touches and explode dealing high damage and sending spikes in the opposite direction, when used right you can kill an enemy and kill more enemies from the spikes it shoots out. The Spikes themselves aren't terribly strong but can deal good damage. Often dropped by Brutes.

Spike Grenades are tricky to use right in Multiplayer and also are a little situational but when things go just right they are lethal and can hurt multiple Players otherwise toss one at a Vehicle if you want to save your Plasma Grenades.

Rating:

Campaign: 8/10
Multiplayer: 7/10






Flame Grenades aka Instant Fire

The Flame Grenades are rare but extremely powerful, when thrown they will create a small fire that deals extremely high damage and if it hits an enemy they will die in seconds even if its a Chieften or Juggernaut. The Fire can also be used to ward off incoming Flood if you're out of shields or need to reload. Highly recommended you use them against Juggernauts or if possible try to set multiple enemies alight.

In Multiplayer the chances of an enemy player running through the flames are almost non existent plus they could just jump over it so its less useful in Multiplayer but if you're able to land a direct hit that Player won't last long before dying making it pretty handy against Overshielded players.

Rating:

Campaign: 8.5/10
Multiplayer: 6/10






Plasma Grenades aka Sticking it!

Halo 3 Plasma grenades haven't received any changes from Halo 2, they are still excellent against shields, explode quickly dealing high damage and will stick to targets. Dropped by Brutes, Elites or Grunts. Excellent against Wall Climbing Flood and Juggernauts too.

In Multiplayer Plasma Grenades are fantastic for flushing out enemies from their corners or safe places and the quick time to explode puts urgency on the enemy however they are easier to notice flying at them. Sticking any Vehicle will deal extreme damage.

Rating:

Campaign: 8.5/10
Multiplayer: 8.5/10




Brute Plasma Rifle aka Where am i?

The Very Rare Brute Plasma Rifle really isn't an improvement from the Elite Favoured Plasma Rifle. Its Rarity and slight improvements in fire rate doesn't make these worthwhile to use.

Same information as above for Multiplayer.

Rating:

Campaign: 3/10
Multiplayer: 2/10







Plasma Turret: aka It costs $400.000 in Covenant Dollars to fire this Weapons... for 12 Seconds.

The Plasma Turret is pretty identical to the Machine Gun Turret except its more effective against Shields and is more common to find, often in Covenant Checkpoints,Phantoms or carried by Brute Chieftains. Its got a good fire rate, low spread and good damage overall. When ripped off it will only have 200 shots and you will move slowly with it, just like the other Heavy Weapons meleeing, swapping weapons or throwing a Grenade will make you drop it. Useful on Heroic or Legendary but make sure you aren't getting too Ballsy or you will die.

In Multiplayer same information and advice for the Machine Turret Applies here; Be cautious for ranged engagements, drop it if grenades are thrown and be mindful of being rushed and flanked.

Rating:

Campaign: 8/10
Multiplayer: 6/10





The Gravity Hammer: aka Spartan SMASH! or... ELITE SMASH!!

The Gravity Hammer is an extremely powerful rare melee weapon with a slow swing speed and 12 hits on full charge. When swung it will deliver a powerful shockwave attack which obliterates weak enemies and sends them flying! Even strong enemies will take an As*ton of damage from this powerful weapon. Found rarely in a Level or carried by some Brute Chieftains. Try to flank your enemies so you are able to get in close to avoid taking a lot of damage. Powerful across all Difficulties and is a lot of fun and effective against The Flood!!

In Multiplayer the Gravity Hammer is an instant kill on hit but like with The Energy Sword running out in the Open with this thing will make you a Prime Target, its also difficult to conceal due to its size and it can be seen on your back, flank your opponents or reserve this to deal large damage to Vehicles.

Rating:

Campaign: 9/10
Multiplayer: 7.5/10








The Beam Rifle is a Rare powerful weapon in The Campaign but it can only fire 2 shots in succession before overheating so you will have to pace your shots more, aim for the Head and reserve shots for tougher enemies. Like in Halo 2 you are able to kill Multiple Enemies with 1 shot at head level as well.

In Multiplayer the Beam Rifle kills in one shot to the head but its weakness of Overheating means it'll be weaker when killing enemies in rapid succession compared to the Sniper Rifle. Still a great weapon however.

Rating:

Campaign: 8.5/10
Multiplayer: 8.5/10






The Sentinel Beam aka Hot...Laser?

The Sentinel Beam retains similar stats to how it was in Halo 2 however its notably more Rarer now as you often aren't finding it around so you'll have to destroy a Sentinel to get it, while it can be used at very far range and is effective against Shields its rarity makes it questionable using over other weapons, decent against The Flood.

In Multiplayer the Beam is very rare but melts Shields fast while dealing good damage, aiming on Console will be difficult though, will lose to a PP overcharge + headshot combo. Quite situational.

Rating:

Campaign: 5.5/10
Multiplayer: 4/10

Halo 3 Equipment

Bubble Shield aka Safe Space

(That Moment in the Trailer where Master Chief Deploys a Bubble Shield... amazing)

The Bubble Shield is one of the best out of all the Equipment in Halo 3. Upon deployment it will create a small bubble dome that anyone can go through, anyone inside is unable to be harmed and The Bubble Shield is also unbreakable, the bubble shield has to be destroyed from the inside by destroying the Gadget or waiting 30 seconds. Extremely useful to give you time to regenerate your shield, enemies may at times walk in however so it doesn't make you completely safe. Occasionally dropped by Brutes or found in the Level.

In Multiplayer The Bubble Shield is incredibly useful for a lot of Situations however be cautious as if an enemy knows you're low they can still go through to finish you off, the best Tactic is to walk backwards out of the shield forcing them to go fully through, if your shield recharges by then you can then surprise them! pretty useful too if you need cover from vehicle fire BUT make sure they aren't coming to ram you!

Rating:

Campaign: 9/10
Multiplayer: 9/10






Regenerator aka Deployable Health Station

The Rare but useful Regenerator restores your shields rapidly when placed and if you take damage you will barely be effected even upon taking a Plasma Charge, however the Regenerator doesn't last long and if shot at it will break instantly making it risky if you're facing enemies with explosive weapons.

In Multiplayer the Regenerator is very easy to counter as all you have to do is shoot it and it'll explode so try to use it when you're behind Cover or when there aren't any enemies around and try to use it with fellow allies to help them get back their shields as well. Watch out for Grenades!

Rating:

Campaign: 8/10
Multiplayer: 9/10





The Power Drain aka The Frustrating Ball of Doom

The Power Drain is an uncommon gadget but is incredibly strong as when thrown any Brute will instantly lose their Power Armour in a small radius making it so helpful when versing large groups HOWEVER the same also counts for you so don't get close! The Brutes themselves don't even attempt to destroy it so you can reliably kill them without hassle, The Power Drain can be shot to be destroyed instantly or explodes after a short while, also causes Vehicles of all kinds to shut down and be immobile for a short time which is super useful against Wraiths or Prowlers when you lack power weapons.

In Multiplayer The Power Drain is a Nightmare to go up against because a couple seconds in its radius will instantly sap your Shields and you'll be very vulnerable to a headshot, very effective against opponents who have an OS equipped as well however due to it being very fragile the Power Drain can at times not be helpful, make sure to use it against players driving a Warthog or Banshee HOWEVER make sure they're at range so they can be effected. Very strong gadget.

Rating:

Campaign: 9/10
Multiplayer: 9.5/10





Active Camo: (CAMPAIGN VARIANT) aka Now you See me now you Don't

The Very Rare Active Camo in Campaign will render you Invisible to enemies for a short time. Its very useful for difficult sections or places full of enemies but its rarity means you won't use it very much. Pretty Handy on Legendary.

Rating: 8/10





Invincibility: (CAMPAIGN VARIANT) aka I am Strong! You are Babies!

The Invincibility in the H3 Campaign is the rarest gadget in the whole game and naturally is very strong as you cannot take any form of damage for a short time, this is extremely useful when you have to take on a large brute team especially on Legendary, sadly because of its extreme rarity you won't often get to use it, the most fun way to use this is to whack everyone with a Gravity Hammer sending hordes of enemies flying! It is technically the best gadget of them all but it loses points due to its rareness.

Rating: 9/10




The Flare: aka MY EYEEES!!

The Flare is completely pointless in The Campaign because it doesn't effect enemies whatsoever and throwing it will just blind you and put you at a bad disadvantage, brutes may use it against you during battle. Don't ever use it unless you're just messing around with a mate.

In MULTIPLAYER however The Flare has use as you can throw it to blind your opponents however make sure you're at a distance otherwise you're at risk of blinding yourself, if shot it will explode and you won't be blinded. Alternatively you could throw on at a player in a Vehicle but they can escape the radius faster. Doesn't have much use outside of this, its very situational.

Rating:

Campaign: 0/10
Multiplayer: 5.5/10

Halo 3 Equipment Cont

<---Inactive
Active --->

Trip Mine aka Discus

The Trip Mine is a pretty powerful Gadget but is better when thrown at an enemy, when thrown it'll activate and make a loud beeping noise and deal a lot of damage to anyone who touches it or gets close, a little disastrous though as its possible for an Ally to set it off and possibly kill you if you're close. Occasionally found throughout a Level or dropped by brutes. The best way to use The Trip Mine is to get close and throw it at the enemy, if they're close enough you can kill multiple enemies, aside from that though its got limited use.

In Multiplayer the Concept of setting down this Beeping Trap is pointless, however at close range try to throw it at a Player to instantly kill them or an approaching Vehicle though timing + the range can make this difficult.

Rating:

Campaign: 7.5/10
Multiplayer: 7/10




Active Camo: (MULTIPLAYER VARIANT) aka ...Invisible?

The AC in H3 Multiplayer is a lot better than in H2, it still lasts 45 seconds and how effective it is depends on where you are, obviously being in the sunlight is a bad idea but hiding in corners or darker places will make you very difficult to spot.

Rating: 7/10






Overshield: (MULTIPLAYER VARIANT) aka Moar Shields!

The OS in H3 Multiplayer will give you 3x shields when touched just like it always has however it also drains overtime which prevents you from hogging more shields during a Match, This will allow you to survive 1 hit from power weapons such as the RL, gravity hammer and energy sword as long as its still fresh.

Rating: 9/10





Gravity Lift: aka up up and away!!

The Rare Gravity Lift is a handy utility item to carry around, deploying it will send anyone touching it flying in the air, its useful to reach higher areas or to get a different angle on your enemies, the Glift won't last forever however and will eventually break overtime or if shot. A Funny tactic is to deploy one of these at an incoming Brute Chieftain to send him flying! The Gravity Lift can also launch Vehicles too which has its uses and you can really mess around with these. Found throughout a level.

In Multiplayer the Gravity Lift serves roughly the same purpose as in The Campaign, one new Tactic is to use it to ward off ghosts or warthogs hoping to ram you, be careful though you can still get killed this way if you mess up the timing or placement, not the best use for a Gravity Lift but its there.

Rating:

Campaign: 8/10
Multiplayer: 6/10





Forerunner Turret: (CAMPAIGN ONLY) aka Floating Sentinel Beam

The Very Rare Turret is a stationary sentinel beam that deals low damage but is good against shields and the weakest of enemies. Its got very low Health making it prone to quickly being Destroyed and it cannot turn directions meaning it will only be able to attack whats in front of it, you can nudge it by moving into it but its a mediocre Gadget Overall.


Rating:

Campaign: 5/10





The Radar Jammer aka Who's Who?

The Radar Jammer is... pointless. It will fill your Radar with fake Red Dots of Enemies but it never confuses your Enemies and they can use it against you at times. Do not ever pick this up.

In Multiplayer The Jammer is more a Detriment to you Rather than your enemies as they can simply Corner Camp or safely still wander about while you're trying to figure out which of the now many red dots are actually enemies. Funny for trolling Teammates but not something for serious use. Skip

Rating:

Campaign: 0/10
Multiplayer: 1/10




Deployable Shield aka Deployable Cover

The Deployable Shield is a moderately sized shield that deflects all damage minus Plasma or Explosive damage, excessive Plasma Damage will weaken the shield before it eventually breaks and explosives will destroy it quickly. There is also a small Metal Frame on the front that can be shot to destroy it fast. Handy for giving you breathing room but not much else.

In Multiplayer the Shield is easy to counter so its more or less handy for warding off a Power Weapon Shot or grenades. Timing the Deployment correctly is key here. You can also jump on the actual Shield which can be used to help you get to higher ground.

Rating:

Campaign: 7.5/10
Multiplayer: 5.5/10

End of the Halo 3 Section

============================================================================

And that Concludes the Lengthy Halo 3 Section! Now moving onto the Prequel to Combat Evolved: Halo Reach!



No food Nipple for me back at the Starship!


============================================================================

Halo Reach UNSC Weapons

============================================================================

The Assault Rifle: aka The Mediocre Rifle

The AR in Reach is painfully average boasting moderate spread, fire rates, reload and melee times with low damage, good against Grunts but very weak against everything else. Almost any other weapon you could find will serve you much better, practically NEEDS to be comboed with the PP to take care of Elite shields otherwise you will waste a lot of ammo. 32 bullets per magazine and 288 is your Maximum. Pretty Shallow weapon overall.

In Multiplayer the AR will require a good amount of its Magazine to kill an opponent and killing them at range may be tricky because of the Spread, good luck winning if they are armed with a Precision weapon, just get up close, spray and try to land a melee hit. There are better weapons though you can find, you'll spawn with the AR by default depending on the Gamemode.

Rating:

Campaign: 5/10
Multiplayer: 4/10






The DMR: aka Battle Rifle rip off

The DMR is definitely the best gun in Halo Reach by far as it deals high damage and instantly kills on headshot while being very precise, it has 15 bullets per magazine and can have a maximum of 60, like any Precision weapon in the Franchise it is very strong when you use a PP to deplete shields allowing you to freely dome elites. Ammo is quite low but fortunately the weapon is pretty common. Great against skirmishers, Grunts and especially Jackals from any range. Comes with a scope too, pace your shots or the Bloom will reduce damage and chances of a Headshot.

By Default you will spawn with the DMR as your Secondary in Multiplayer and its definitely very strong here, 5 shots to the head will kill the average player by default and its flexibility makes it strong for all ranges. It is fairly mediocre against enemies in Vehicles though so you'll need to counter them with Heavy Weapons. Don't drop this, keep it for all engagements.

Rating:

Campaign: 10/10
Multiplayer: 10/10





The Pistol: aka Pocket DMR

The Common Pistol is pretty strong in Halo Reach after being weak in H2 and useless in H3, it has 8 bullets per magazine, a 2x scope, quick reloads and a speedy fire rate but bloom will settle in and mess up your aim and ammo is very low with a maximum of 40. Despite this though its a very competent weapon and is great when you are out of ammo for your DMR or can't? find one.

The Pistol is either something you spawn with by default or have to find, it kills players in 5 shots to the head and bloom isn't as harsh on it so you can pace your shots better as well and the 2x scope makes it suitable for mid range combat and beyond. Great weapon.

Rating:

Campaign: 8/10
Multiplayer: 9/10





The Shotgun: aka Finally good again!

The Rare Shotgun has the exact same ammo stats from Halo 3 and a faster firing speed and reload times plus has better range and good damage, very strong with Sprint allowing you to quickly close the Distance and kill those Elites, don't get cocky though as they are very strong, dangerous strategy on Legendary too and its ammo issues make it questionable against Cannon Fodder enemies.

In Multiplayer The Shotgun is brutal at close range and is very strong if you use Sprint but this forces you to stay on the ground and will cause you to lose against Ranged Fights or players using the Jetpack. Like in Halo 2 make sure to smack as soon as you fire to secure a kill and block a possible lunge from your Opponent. Not a great weapon and you do need a Precision weapon to compensate for your reduced ranged as well or you will be very vulnerable.

Rating:

Campaign: 7.5/10
Multiplayer: 6.5/10





The Sniper Rifle: aka Jun's weapon of Choice

Aside from a Slower fire rate plus reload speed The Sniper Rifle in Reach is very identical to its other variations. Still a solid weapon to damage vehicles, powerful at all ranges and fantastic against tough enemies. 4 Bullets per magazine and max is 20.

In Multiplayer The Sniper Rifle is almost overshadowed by the DMR but is still very very strong when used properly. Its poor reload times mean you will have to be careful being caught when reloading.

Rating:

Campaign: 9/10
Multiplayer: 8/10






The Grenade Launcher: aka 1 shot per Reload? Who designed this?

The Grenade Launcher is a very strong explosive weapon in Halo Reach that fires grenades which explode on Impact dealing extreme damage otherwise they will bounce off a surface and explode dealing moderate damage, the Radius is moderately sized too and this makes it useful against groups of weaker enemies. Holding down the fire button will cause the Grenade to activate an EMP function which shuts down Vehicles making it very useful against fast moving Vehicles like Banshees. Very Rare to find but worth carrying. Sadly though you can only fire 1 grenade at a time and the Maximum is 15.

In Multiplayer The GL is very rare but if you can get your hands on it its a very strong weapon, it kills in a direct hit and is good against Vehicles, use the EMP function against groups of enemies or incoming Vehicles to surprise them and then take them out.

Rating:

Campaign: 8/10
Multiplayer: 8/10






The Rocket Launcher: aka Blow them to HeII!

The Rare Rocket Launcher in Reach retains similar stats from Halo 3 but now also has Tracking! like back in Halo 2. Aiming at a Vehicle zoomed in or not will cause a Rhombus to appear and soon flash red and beep. Firing will cause your Rocket to track the Vehicle, annoyingly the Tracking is pretty unreliable and fails easily. Quite rare and i'd recommend reserving it for Tough enemies or Sections with lots of Vehicles.

The Best use for the RL in Multiplayer is splash damage or to take out vehicles otherwise equip Jetpack and fly above your enemies and blow them up!

Rating:

Campaign: 9/10
Multiplayer: 9/10






Frag Grenades: aka Kaboom!

The Frag Grenade in Reach is pretty similar to how it was in H2 and H3 but it does have a bigger blast radius and still deals great damage, its good against groups of weak enemies, not recommended against Shielded Enemies because they are more vulnerable to Plasma Grenades. Overall these are still effective for use.

In Multiplayer Frags are great to flush out campers or to deal lots of damage to groups of enemies, ineffective against users that have Jetpack or Sprint equipped however, if a Pest is using Armour Lock chuck a Grenade after 3 seconds have passed as this will damage them when they manually exit or when the timer runs out giving you a head start to kill them but Plasma Grenades are better for this as they will guarantee a kill.

Rating:

Campaign: 8.5/10
Multiplayer: 8.5/10



Continued Below

Short Section for the Machine Turret

Machine Turret: aka No lame Turret Pun here. Its been done 400.000 times.

The Machine Turret in Reach has more spread than back in Halo 3 but it'll still deal great damage making it pretty useful whenever you can find it. When Detached you have 200 shots and are able to take it with you, it'll be handy for mowing down weak enemies but the toughest ones will require a fair chunk of your ammo. Pretty good overall.

In Multiplayer its Risky to carry this thing around but its very powerful and can kill a Player in Seconds or deal heavy damage to a Vehicle.

Rating:

Campaign: 7.5/10
Multiplayer: 5.5/10

Halo Reach Covenant Weapons

The Plasma Pistol: aka Still Useful as HeII

The PP in Reach is Surprisingly damn strong and is not only a useful tool to take away an Elites shield but on its own can deal some good damage! not as strong as CE's PP but still pretty good! though to compensate for this it also runs out of charge a lot quicker but thankfully with how common it is this usually isn't a huge problem. Holding down an Overcharge will drain your Ammo VERY fast so watch out!

In Multiplayer the PP is not only useful for depleting an enemies shield thanks to its good tracking but also its power makes it a useful weapon for fighting, i do reckon it is somewhat situational and you probably won't win against a DMR or Pistol but if you are desperate it will do the job. Its a great counter to Jetpack users thanks to its tracking.

Rating:

Campaign: 9/10
Multiplayer: 7/10






The Plasma Rifle: aka The Mediocre Plasma Rifle

The PR in Reach is very Mediocre with a slow fire rate and poor damage making it inferior to the PP, Repeater and well most weapons really. Its commonly carried by Elites.

It takes the PR almost to overheating level before it will kill a Player and you often will die to most other weapons before this happens, don't use this as you will put yourself at a downside.

Rating:

Campaign: 4/10
Multiplayer: 2.5/10






The Plasma Repeater: aka The Decent Plasma Rifle

The Plasma Repeater is the Plasma Rifle but with better stats and you can manually cool it down whenever you feel like it however watch out as it has a lot of Spread! On top of this the Repeater has good damage and is great against Shields. I recommend this as a weapon but the PP and DMR or Pistol combo will still be the best for Legendary.

The Repeater is pretty good for Multiplayer and is effective at close or mid range but its large spread makes it pretty weak beyond that. Keep it cooled down after any fight so you won't overheat it.

Rating:

Campaign: 7/10
Multiplayer: 5.5/10






Brute Spiker aka lol.

You thought the H3 Brute Spiker sucked? Atleast it could be dual wielded... in Reach the Spiker is a truly awful weapon with terrible damage and an average fire rate and reload speed. It does have a bit of ammo with 40 shots per magazine and a maximum of 120 but it is not worth it at all, commonly carried by lower ranked Brutes.

You think its Useful for Multiplayer? lol.

Rating:

Campaign: 1.5/10
Multiplayer: 0.5/10





The Needler: aka Beware the Occasional Pink Mist

The Uncommon Needler has bad ammo with 24 shots per magazine and 96 maximum but its a solid weapon with okay tracking, quick fire rate and a very quick chain reaction, its better to use it against tough enemies rather than the weaker ones unless they are close so you can get multiple kills from a Chain Reaction. Carried by Grunts.

The Needler is a good weapon for Multiplayer but its tracking is not as good as H3's so it is a little unreliable and this could get you killed, its more effective when your opponent is unaware or hasn't got room to get to cover or jump away from you.

Rating:

Campaign: 6.5/10
Multiplayer: 5/10






The Needle Rifle: aka Covenant DMR

The Needle Rifle is pretty similar to the DMR with some differences, it has 21 shots per magazine and 84 maximum and comes with a scope, it deals good damage, instant kills on Headshot, fires fast with minimal bloom and if you shoot an enemy enough times the needles will chain react and explode making this extremely strong against Brutes who lack Shielding, if an enemy is shielded they won't chain react. The Weapon is occasionally carried by Elites or Skirmishers. The DMR and Needle Rifle are both excellent weapons in Halo Reach and your preference will debate in what is the better option, Personally i prefer the Needle Rifle.

For Multiplayer the Needle Rifle will take 7 shots to kill a player with 6 to remove the shield and the 7th being the Headshot but it mostly kills at the same speed as a DMR with the added bonus of a Chain Reaction against players without a Shield, however its weaker if you are shooting at players in a Vehicle. Still a very strong weapon.

Rating:

Campaign: 10/10
Multiplayer: 10/10






The Focus Rifle: aka Sentinel Beam Rip Off

The Focus Rifle is an Uncommon weapon that fires a beam of hot laser that melts Shields very fast and deals decent damage, it also has 2 scopes you can choose from and can overheat, it does take a while before it drains too, its often carried by Skirmishers or Jackal snipers. Its a pretty neat weapon to use but its not very reliable for killing mass amounts of enemies unless they are weak like Grunts.

In Multiplayer The Focus Rifle kills a Player pretty fast without getting too close to Overheating but you also have to consistently be damaging them as the Laser is very precise, its a pretty good weapon and is more effective at range but kind of pales compared to the other Weapons in Reach.

Rating:

Campaign: 7/10
Multiplayer: 4.5/10





The Concussion Rifle: aka Tennis Ball Launcher

This frustrating weapon is a royal pain to deal with during The Campaign as it can easily knock you about even in a Vehicle, wielded by higher ranked elites or brutes who love to spam it at you, ammo is bad as you have 6 shots per magazine and 24 maximum and its got almost no splash damage forcing you to land direct hits which isn't always easy. It atleast has a good projectile speed but is also bad against Vehicles. Damage itself is moderate but this is better used to kill weaker enemies, bad on Legendary.

In Multiplayer the CR will kill an enemy in 3 direct hits or even more from Splash Damage, its very weak against Vehicles but can be used to send them about leaving them very vulnerable to grenades or other heavy weapons. Rare to find and moderately useful.

Rating:

Campaign: 6/10
Multiplayer: 6.5/10







The Fuel Rod: aka Green Balls of Death

The FRC in Reach is a very strong rare weapon that is occasionally carried by Grunts or higher ranked Elites, shots fired will bounce off surfaces but instantly explode if they touch an enemy or ally even if they bounced. Shoot one shot into a group of grunts and watch them all die, while it may seem logical to spam this thing its best to make your shots count especially on Legendary. Just as Strong to damage vehicles as the RL or the Spartan Laser. Ammo is the best out of the power weapons; 5 per magazine and 25 maximum.

The FRC is an instant kill on Impact against Enemy Players unless they have an Overshield where it will require 2, explosion radius is moderately sized and the FRC is strong against Vehicles but aiming may be tricky as the projectile speed isn't that fast. Spam a couple shots down a hallway if versing groups of enemies.

Rating:

Campaign: 9/10
Multiplayer: 8/10


Continued Below

Halo Reach Covenant Weapons cont + Powerups

The Plasma Cannon: aka Loud Blue Balls of Death

The Rare Plasma Cannon is a weapon that charges up plasma balls which track onto enemies and when the fire button is released they will home on the Target, on full ammo you are able to fire a total of 12 shots overall with the Weapon. The Damage is extreme and will kill the toughest of enemies quickly. Rarely carried by Elites, the weapon also has a Scope but this doesn't improve or worsen the Tracking, the actual charge up is quite loud and is a little slow.

In Multiplayer the Weapon only needs 1 Plasma Ball to stick to kill someone unless they have Armour Lock or a fresh Overshield and the Mediocre Tracking doesn't guarantee a Kill all the time and when charging up the Plasma Cannon will make a loud whirring sound so watch out. Still an effective power weapon. I've seen people combo Jetpack with this Weapon and it isn't a half bad strategy.

Rating:

Campaign: 8/10
Multiplayer: 7.5/10




The Energy Sword: aka Death by Pokes

The Reach Energy Sword shares the same stats as it did in Halo 3, 10 uses on full charge, extreme damage and is effective against Tough Enemies, rarely carried by Elites who are able to one hit you on any Difficulty, Armour Lock CAN save you but they will remain close so watch out.

For Multiplayer the Energy Sword has pretty bad range like in H3 so you will have to get close, watch out because if a player Melee's at the same time you hit them your damage will be reduced significantly which is very useful for Infection to save yourself from Zombies. Sprint combos really well with The Energy Sword and Jetpack is a good way to get the high ground and avoid being poked.

Rating:

Campaign: 8/10
Multiplayer: 7.5/10







The Gravity Hammer: aka Stop... HAMMER time!

The Gravity Hammers only change in Halo Reach is its faster swing speed allowing you to deal more damage fast, aside from that small change it performs the same. Extremely useful with Sprint and not half bad with Jetpack too, great against groups of enemies, watch out for the tougher ones especially on Legendary.

For Multiplayer the Gravity Hammer will perform well with Sprint or Jetpack both options are solid giving you more flexibility and helping compensate for the short range the GHammer is useful at.

Rating:

Campaign: 9/10
Multiplayer: 8/10






Plasma Grenades: aka Stickier End

The Reach Plasma Nades are definitely the best in the entire series because they explode very fast (2.5 seconds) deal extreme damage and can instantly kill enemies that are close to it, only the toughest enemies in Halo Reach will survive one but no enemy can survive being Stuck except the toughest enemies such as Hunters or Chieftains. Carried and dropped by most Covenant enemies, if you get stuck by a Plasma Grenade use the Armour Lock to save yourself if you have it.

In Multiplayer the Plasma Grenades are very effective against players using Armour Lock as it'll kill them as they are forced to exit, timing is key here. Stuck Vehicles will take a lot of damage like always. What really gives the Reach Plasma nades an edge is their increased damage, being too close will kill you Regardless of Health and Shield unless you have a Fresh Overshield.






Plasma Turret: aka Covenant Turret

The Plasma Turret in Reach is often found in Covenant Checkpoints or will be carried by Chieftains, its a pretty mediocre weapon as its damage isn't that high and it has a lot of Spread making it quite ineffective at range, firing too long will also overheat it as well but thankfully this shouldn't occur as it takes a while. When ripped off it'll have 200 shots and you can take it anywhere, Spread remains an issue though and its impossible to use your Equipment with this thing.

The Plasma Turret is pretty rare in Multiplayer and its Spread makes it too Impractical to use combined with its mediocre damage, unless you're at close range prepare to die often.

Rating:

Campaign: 6/10
Multiplayer: 4.5/10






Overshield: MULTIPLAYER ONLY aka Shield Related Pun Har Har!

The OS charges slowly but you immune to all forms of damage while its charging and can't even be Assassinated either! It does drain pretty quick though and you only have 2x shields not 3x like in the rest of the franchise, very useful and combo's great with Sprint.

Rating: 9.5/10





Active Camo: (MULTIPLAYER ONLY) aka Might fool a Grunt

The AC powerup in Reach is not to be confused with the Equipment you are able to use freely, the Powerup functions largely the same which is NOT a good thing, you are partially revealed while moving even when slowly walking or crouch walking which makes this unlikely to fool anyone. At a Distance or Corner Camping maybe but aside from that its an awful powerup that is very rare to find as well.

Rating: 1.5/10

Halo Reach Equipment

Sprint: aka Highly Trained Warriors running out of breath fast... hmm.

The Most Common Equipment you will find in Halo Reach is Sprint, it basically allows you to move much faster which is handy when advancing or retreating but the Sprint only lasts for a short time and will recharge slowly, jumping while sprinting will still drain it as well. Combo's well with the Shotgun, Gravity Hammer or Energy Sword.

In Multiplayer Sprint is the 2nd most commonly used Equipment aside from Jetpack and then Armour Lock in 3rd, its overall a solid choice as it can help you quickly get to cover or advance on your enemies but it loses a bit to Jetpack which allows you to reach pretty much anywhere and get new angles on your foes.

Rating:

Campaign: 8/10
Multiplayer: 7/10





Jetpack aka Hey down there!

The Rare Jetpack allows you to fly and get to higher ground or get a different angle on your enemies, the few times you can use this during Campaign it is very useful indeed but sadly its quite rare and you can be shot dead while flying so watch out.

In Multiplayer Jetpack is by far the best Equipment to use for many reasons, sure you can get a new angle or reach high ground but think of how enemies are now unable to reach you while you're flying away or getting to high ground, a great way to counter enemies using Explosives as well and extremely handy to bypass campers or engage a fight from different angles. Jetpack is very loud and you are very vulnerable while flying but its still the best by far.

Rating:

Campaign: 7/10
Multiplayer: 10/10





Armour Lock aka Totally not Controversial

The Uncommon Armour Lock is a simple concept with mediocre execution, when activated your Character will kneel and be covered in an invincible shield, when the charge runs out or you manually quit all nearby enemies will take EMP Damage and you will then stand up, you're prone to damage in the short animation of your character standing up so this isn't always a Get out of Jail free card. Still very useful for all Difficulties.

In Multiplayer you will commonly see Armour Lock being used if Sprint or Jetpack isn't a Player's choice and its a real pain to fight against especially if another enemy player is attacking you then his Mate exits armour lock and then kills you and ONTOP of that the Armour Lock can be used against incoming Vehicles hoping to ram the individual which'll cause them to explode on impact! If you see a Player use Armour Lock pull out your Explosive Weapon and wait or alternatively throw grenades when you've counted how long the Armour Lock has been in use for to cause great damage or even score a kill once they are forcibly exited out of Armour Lock. ALSO DO NOT GET CLOSE! The resulting emp charge will drain you of your shields and leave you very Vulnerable. Frustrating sure but counterable.

Rating:

Campaign: 8/10
Multiplayer: 9/10




Cloak aka Mind Games

Cloak in Reach is very rare in The Campaign and is ineffective at actually concealing you unless you remain still or move very slowly and sneak up on your enemies, not worth using over any of the other Equipment, ontop of that it will show fake enemy dots on your Radar, Pass.

For Multiplayer The Cloak is best used to screw about with your Opponents as both yours and their radar will show fake red dots, actually being Invisible is difficult as any form of Movement will Reveal you ever more, i don't like The Cloak and its difficult to see how its useful beyond Meming. Drains slowly atleast...

Rating:

Campaign: 2/10
Multiplayer: 4/10





Hologram (MULTIPLAYER ONLY) aka Magic Mirror

The Hologram when used will send a fake copy of your Character running in the Direction you were looking and moving at, when shot it will dim which will reveal its a fake. The Best way to use the Hologram is to block shots from players allowing you to get an upper hand or get to cover, can be used to distract snipers too but skilled players won't be fooled, not half bad but hard to pull off.

Rating: 6/10



Evade (MULTIPLAYER ONLY) aka Commando Roll

Evade allows you to dash in any direction to dodge attacks or quickly roll to cover but it has a lot of other interesting uses... Evading + Jumping is a way to Long Jump and evading backwards + Jumping will actually send you flying quite far! Handy to reach a part of the Map quickly and why not get Creative by also using The Concussion Rifle combined with Evade to send yourself flying even more! Watch out for Health Damage. Simple to use but the Tricks and Exploits can take a while to get the hang of. Often you can't choose Evade by Default depending on your Gamemode.

Rating: 8/10

End of Halo Reach Section

============================================================================

The End of the Reach Section is here! Continue on to Halo 4! (When i have a Section for it...)





The Iconic Noble Team (Except Jun)


============================================================================

Forerunner Weapons (Halo 4) Incomplete.

Currently In Development, Sorry!

Special Thanks/Milestones

Thank You to all my Mates who viewed this guide, notified me of helpful advice and also told me of any items i missed such as the Halo 3 Beam Rifle, The Halo 2 Sentinel Beam and also for helping me Test certain weapons as well.

Thanks to YOU for reading this Guide from here to the End, this was a lot of work, a lot of time, tears and stress was spent as i wrote this guide but it is finally (Mostly) finished! If you appreciated this Guide and if it helped you please share it with friends!


Sep 7th 2020; 20 Favourites and 905 Viewers!!

Sep 13th 2020 25 Favourites and 1004 Viewers!! You all Flatter me.

[Glam Stachee☆]

Almost 4 years and no Halo 4 section :(

[DIAMONDMASK1211]

we want halo 4 weapons!!!!!!!!!!

[FuSioN_408]

the halo 3 pistol has 8 bullets not 6, but anyways good guide

[RSIBoi]

I've not had the time lately to do through research but I'll see what I can do now it's out (Christ has it already been Two Months?!)

[Tommy Gray x Land Raider]

Any progress on Halo 4 weapons?

[RSIBoi]

Nope i Admittedly did not know these... *Agh* Reading these comments have shown I still have testing and editing to Do. Thanks for the Feedback too xD

[Lt Simon "Ghost" Riley]

Excellent guide, but keep in mind that every gun in Halo series is a projectile-based weapon , doesnt matter if its a Sentinel Beam, Spartan Laser, Sniper, Beam Rifle or a Halo 2 BR. What makes Halo 3 unique is that they intentionally slowed down the projectile speeds across the board. Spread the word and end this long-running myth for good!

Also, the Fuel Rod Gun actually does shoot in an arc in H2, 2A, 3, Reach, it is only noticeable at long range though. And did you know the FRC also has tracking just like the Needler or charged Plasma Pistol albeit very very slight?

[[TG] deepplane82142]

also, not sure if this also applies to controller users, but in halo 3 if you hold any movement combination that results in diagonal movement while carrying a turret, you seem to walk at normal speed (if not slightly slower, but still faster than just holding W)

[[TG] deepplane82142]

crap, forgot editing comments isn't a thing on guides. forgot to say good guide before sending.

[[TG] deepplane82142]

you simply called the CE hand grenades "mini nukes" I think there's a "tactical" missing from that.