Weapon Types

Weapon

Strengths

Weaknesses

Assault Rifle

This is the default spawn weapon.

Fast rate of fire, large reserve stock of bullets.

Solid and reliable (though not spectacular) in close to medium range skirmishes.

Very common.

Strong against armor.

Its clip size never seems to be quite large enough to put an opponent down, so it’s judicious to switch to a second weapon to finish, or use a melee attack.

Low accuracy when fired continuously. Use short, controlled bursts.

Weak against shields.

Battle Rifle

Excellent all-purpose weapon.

Headshots are instantly lethal once an opponent’s shield is down.

Works well over medium to long range.

Strong against armor.

Less effective at close range.

Slower fire rate than the Carbine. Each burst of bullets that misses is of greater consequence than a single misplaced Carbine shot, so the Battle Rifle is more suited for competent marksmen.

Weak against shields.

Beam Rifle

Headshots are instantly lethal.

Usually has a larger supply of ammunition than the Sniper Rifle.

Expert players insist that it’s easier to perform “no-scope” kills with a Beam Rifle.

Overheats very quickly.

Not practical at close range unless you can perform no-scope kills.

“Contrail” beam reveals your position to attentive players.

Has a very slow respawn

Brute Shot

Best used over close to medium range.

Accurate barrages are as disorientating as they are damaging.

Blade attachment makes it a viciously efficient melee weapon.

Enables you to perform high jumps to reach otherwise inaccessible heights.

Strong against light vehicles.

Torturously protracted reload time.

Respawn times vary from map to map, but it’s generally rather slow to appear (with Isolation the main exception).

Less effective over open ground – its projectiles are easy to dodge.

Carbine

Excellent all-purpose weapon.

Headshots are instantly lethal once an opponent’s shields are down.

Suited for medium to long range fights, but is perhaps marginally less accurate than the Battle Rifle over long distances.

Very fast fire rate.

Arguably better than the Battle Rifle when you face a jumping, cavorting opponent at close range, but it’s often still advisable to switch to a more appropriate weapon during toe-to-toe firefights.

Energy Sword

The main “lunge” attack generally leads to an instant kill, but can be parried by other sword users.

Basic melee attacks are very fast.

Energy Sword spawn points tend to be fiercely contested areas, so you’ll have to fight hard to earn the right to use it.

Is less immediately apparent on your person when “sheathed”, so you can switch weapons and use surprise lunges at any time.

Has a limited battery supply, as in Campaign mode.

You’ll need to put it away and switch to a different weapon while you cross open ground. If an opponent out of range sees you approaching with an Energy Sword, they’ll backpedal furiously and shoot you down before you can even get close. Oh, and expect your path to be strewn with grenades, too.

Flamethrower

Tremendously strong at close range, and very dangerous in confined spaces.

Can be used to “paint” areas with flames.

Although stealth attacks from behind are a threat, very few players will be foolish enough to attempt a frontal assault.

Very limited range.

Reduces the movement speed of the user.

Your enemies can continue to attack until the flames consume them, so last-ditch grenade throws are a constant peril.

Only a real threat in confined spaces – over open ground, you don’t have a hope.

Fuel Rod Gun

The Fuel Rod Gun doesn’t appear as standard on any of Halo 3’s maps, though you can add it to custom map configurations.

Devastating over short to medium range.

Excellent against land-based vehicles.

With the exception of its limited suitability for long-distance exchanges and the potential for accidental suicides in close combat situations, there’s very little to criticize about the Fuel Rod Gun. It’s a truly outstanding weapon in most scenarios – which is perhaps why Bungie has chosen to omit it from the standard map weapon layouts.

Gravity Hammer

Wide area of effect – you don’t have to hit an opponent directly to hurt them.

Effect penetrates thin barriers.

The force of an impact can send an opponent flying, with obvious applications on maps that feature deadly drops.

A standard melee attack doesn’t deplete its battery life and can be performed to dispatch weakened adversaries.

Highly visible, even when slung over the shoulder – if opponents can see you coming, they’ll react accordingly and keep a safe distance.

Much slower than the Energy Sword. Miss, and you may be made to pay the price for your haste.

Naturally, the range limitations that apply with the Energy Sword are almost as pertinent with the Gravity Hammer. Small rooms and winding corridors are the best hunting grounds; in external areas or open floor spaces, you won’t last long.

Machine Gun Turret

Incredibly high rate of fire once it gets up to speed, and its effective range is surprisingly far (though with an obvious incremental hit to accuracy).

It’s certainly not short of ammunition.

It takes a while to reach its full fire rate, which often gives opponents sufficient time to go on the offensive, or duck behind cover.

You’re exceptionally slow and vulnerable to grenades when you use it.

It makes a lot of noise, so don’t be surprised when you become the center of attention…

Magnum

Can be dual wielded.

Single headshots are instantly lethal on targets once their shield energy is depleted.

Excellent when combined with a Plasma Pistol or Plasma Rifle.

Weak against shields.

Definitely a weapon for accomplished players – it’s much harder to aim than other precision weapons.

Mauler

Very powerful at close range, and doubly so when dual wielded.

Fast fire rate – it makes the Shotgun seem almost pedestrian by comparison.

Accuracy and damage decreases rapidly with distance – at anything other than very close range, it’s completely toothless.

Missile Pod

Has an automatic lock-on feature, and its missiles track targets inexorably until they hit something, or run out of fuel.

Acts as a great Banshee deterrent – even if the pilot manages to dodge the missiles, you’re still taking them out of the game while they perform evasive maneuvers.

Small ammo supply.

Very slow respawn time on most default maps where it appears.

The usual turret drawbacks apply.

Excellent against vehicles, but you’ll need to pick your targets carefully. The more distant they are, the more likely it is that your rocket will simply hit the terrain and explode harmlessly.

Great damage against infantry, but it’s very hard to aim – and, emergencies aside, a great waste.

Needler

Utterly deadly over close to medium range. Everyone, irrespective of the weapons at their disposal, has ample reason to fear the Needler.

Positioned in intriguingly close proximity to key power weapons on a few maps. You’ll often find that the smart money is on the soldier with the Needler to triumph.

If an opponent is too far away (or even too close) for the needles to start tracking, you’ll probably inflict more damage by shouting at people.

It’s a very trivial weakness, but the Needler is unsuited to setting off explosive devices.

Plasma Pistol

Can be dual wielded.

Charged shots disable shields immediately.

Experienced players will fully appreciate how effective it can be when combined with a Battle Rifle, Carbine or Magnum; newcomers to the Halo series should take the time to learn.

Overcharge shots also disable vehicle engines for a short period of time on impact.

Laughably ineffective as a weapon in its own right – its primary fire mode just isn’t cut out for the rigors of multiplayer combat.

It can take a great deal of practice until you can regularly hit opponents or vehicles with charged shots.

While you hold a charged shot in place, the Plasma Pistol’s battery level will steadily drain.

Its incessant humming during an overcharge provides ample warning of your intentions to anyone within the immediate vicinity.

Plasma Rifle

Can be dual wielded – ideally with a ballistic weapon for maximum effect.

Excellent against shields.

Very fast fire rate.

Respawns quickly on maps where it appears.

Weak against armor.

Prone to rapidly overheating if fired continuously – use measured bursts to avoid this.

Its range isn’t too bad, but accuracy is always an issue with the Plasma Rifle.

Plasma Turret

Doesn’t appear on any maps by default, but can be added to custom weapon layouts.

Its attributes are very similar to the Machine Gun Turret, but it’s better at stripping shields.

Again, it’s very similar to the Machine Gun Turret. However, it’s less effective against armor, and lacks accuracy over medium distances.

Rocket Launcher

Direct hits invariably lead to an instant kill.

Large blast radius makes it effective at taking out vehicles, groups of enemies, and jumping targets.

Rockets are easy to dodge over medium to long range.

Painfully slow reload time.

As many Halo 2 players will testify, the blast radius is both a blessing and a curse – even great players occasionally fall afoul of the rocket’s prodigious splash damage after shooting at a nearby assailant, or after accidentally hitting intervening scenery.

Sentinel Beam

The Sentinel Beam doesn’t appear on the launch maps by default.

Great at stripping shields quickly.

Weak against armor.

Prone to overheating.

Shotgun

As you might expect, the Shotgun is utterly brutal at close range.

You can interrupt the reloading process at any time once the first cartridge is in the chamber.

Slow reload time.

Poor range.

Experienced players know to backpedal if faced by an opponent with a Shotgun. It’s sometimes beneficial to keep it hidden until you draw close.

SMG

Can be dual wielded

Has an extremely high rate of fire, and a respectably large clip size.

Respawns quickly on the maps where it appears.

Strong against armor.

Only effective at close range.

Suffers from high recoil when used on its own, but much more so when dual wielded.

Weak against shields.

Sniper Rifle

Headshots are instantly lethal.

Can make four shots in rapid succession, which is impossible with the Beam Rifle.

Very slow reload time.

Next to useless at close range unless you can perform no-scope kills.

White contrail reveals your position to attentive players.

Long respawn time on all default maps.

Spartan Laser

A direct hit is an instant kill.

You can cancel the firing process at any time before the shot is made, with no battery penalty.

Effective over long distances.

It’s the most accurate anti-vehicular weapon in the game. It inspires a special brand of terror in Banshee pilots – they will often not even hear or see the shot coming.

Due to its sheer novelty and raw power, ownership of the Spartan Laser is contested vigorously, so be prepared for a furious fight to gain possession of it.

It’s painfully slow to fire, especially when you’re dodging bullets as you take aim, and its battery life expires in a flash. Or, to be precise, five of them.

Spiker

Can be dual wielded, and is incredibly powerful over short distances if you have a pair.

Has a venomous fire rate, and a healthy clip size.

The decaying trajectory and relatively slow speed of the spikes make it a weapon that is only suited to enclosed spaces, where you can surprise enemies within its functional range.

Set

Piece

Unlock Condition

EVA

Body

Complete Tsavo Highway on Normal, Heroic or Legendary

Shoulders

Complete The Ark on Normal, Heroic or Legendary

Head

Complete Campaign mode on Normal

EOD

Body

Complete Tsavo Highway on Legendary

Shoulders

Complete The Ark on Legendary

Head

Complete Campaign mode on Legendary

Security

Shoulders

Earn 750 Gamerscore points

Head

Earn 1000 Gamerscore points

Scout

Body

Unlock “Too Close to the Sun” Achievement

Shoulders

Unlock “We’re in for some Chop” Achievement

Head

Unlock “Used Car Salesman” Achievement

Mark V

Head

Unlock “UNSC Spartan” Achievement

ODST

Head

Unlock “Spartan Graduate” Achievement

Rogue

Head

Unlock “Spartan Officer” Achievement

Set

Piece

Unlock Condition

Flight

Body

Complete Tsavo Highway on Heroic or Legendary

Shoulders

Complete The Ark on Heroic or Legendary

Head

Complete Campaign mode on Heroic

Ascetic

Body

Unlock “Up Close and Personal” Achievement

Shoulders

Unlock “Overkill” Achievement

Head

Unlock “Steppin’ Razor” Achievement

Commando

Body

Unlock “Triple Kill” Achievement

Shoulders

Unlock “Killing Frenzy” Achievement

Head

Complete “Overkill” Achievement