Editing Promethean Watcher/Gameplay

{{Status|Gameplay}}
[[File:H4-SentinelWatcher-Requiem.jpg|thumb|A single Promethean Watcher in the jungles of [[Requiem]].]]
The '''[[Promethean Watcher]]''' is a variant of the [[Forerunner]] [[Sentinel]] serving in the [[Promethean]] army of the [[Ur-Didact]]. They act as primary defensive drones for the Prometheans and their allies in the ''Halo'' series.

== Combat ==
Watchers act in a supporting role, assisting Promethean ground units with aerial combat screening and often forcing enemies to engage the Watcher first. Deployable from [[Promethean Knight]]s, Watchers can heal and augment damaged allies, using [[Z-90 hardlight shield|Hardlight Shields]], and catch and throw back enemy ordnance (e.g. grenades). Their sole weapon is the [[Z-110 Boltshot|Boltshot]].

== Gameplay ==
=== ''Halo 4'' ===
[[File:H4-SpartanOps-WatcherCrawler.jpg|thumb|A Watcher and an [[Alpha Crawler]] attacking a duo of [[SPARTAN-IV program|Spartan-IVs]] on "[[Fortress (location)|Fortress]]", [[Requiem]].]]
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* Watchers can revive dead Knights once from the small glowing orbs of light they leave behind upon death.
* Watchers can create new [[Promethean Crawler|Crawlers]] from raw materials on the ground and summon [[Z-510 focus turret|Focus Turrets]].
* Watchers are equipped with [[energy shielding|energy shields]].

Watchers appear from the campaign mission ''[[Forerunner (level)|Forerunner]]'' onwards, where they are seen summoning new Crawlers and protecting Knights and other Crawlers. Watchers are a high-priority target, as if they are not dealt with on time, they can heal other nearby Prometheans. Players should think twice about using grenades near Watchers, as they can throw the grenades back. This is especially fatal if the player uses a [[Anskum-pattern plasma grenade|Plasma Grenade]]. However, they cannot deflect heavier explosive projectiles, like those from the [[M41 SPNKR|Rocket Launcher]], [[Elo'Nakada-pattern concussion rifle|Concussion Rifle]], [[Pez'tk-pattern fuel rod gun|Fuel Rod Cannon]], or [[Z-390 incineration cannon|Incineration Cannon]]. Watchers have small energy shields, and if they are damaged, they tend to fly away.

Killing Watchers with a fully automatic weapon, especially one that has hitscan properties (e.g. [[MA5D assault rifle|Assault Rifle]]), is highly recommended, as some precision weapons tend to not fire quickly or accurately enough to kill the Watcher before it can regenerate its shields. The red reticle range of the [[Type-25 plasma pistol|Plasma Pistol]] is sometimes too short to even make the [[Noob Combo]] viable on Watchers, which leaves sniper-type weapons (e.g. [[Z-750 binary rifle|Binary Rifle]]) as other good choices for killing Watchers. If a Watcher is killed quickly enough as it summons Crawlers or Focus Turrets, then the Crawlers or Focus Turrets it tried to summon will not appear. Also, if a Watcher is killed while throwing back projectiles at the player, the projectile it caught will then detonate either on the ground on in mid-air.

It is possible to [[assassination|assassinate]] a Watcher. This is most easily done when the Watcher is either reviving a Knight, summoning Crawlers, or building a Focus Turret. Look at it so you see both sides of its curved carapace but not its front "face", then jump and hold the melee button (default: RB) to assassinate the Watcher.

In the campaign, Watchers are most commonly seen with other Prometheans. In the mission ''[[Infinity (Halo 4 level)|Infinity]]'' and certain chapters of [[Spartan Ops]], though, Watchers can also be seen aiding [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant|Covenant]] troops. Players should prioritize killing Watchers over other enemies quickly because although Watchers may seem weak, they shouldn't be underestimated especially due to their unique defensive and supportive abilities.

=== ''Halo 5: Guardians'' ===
[[File:H5G-LegendaryWatcher&MythicWarden.png|thumb|A Legendary Watcher protecting a Mythic [[Warden Eternal]].]]
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'''Changes from ''Halo 4'' to ''Halo 5: Guardians'''''
* Watchers' abilities are now more limited. They can no longer create Crawlers or Focus Turrets nor revive dead Knights.
* Their energy shields are now removed.
* Watchers can now throw back [[MLRS-1 Hydra|Hydra Launcher]] missiles and {{Pattern|Tufasumo|plasma caster}} projectiles.
* Watcher assassinations have been removed.
* Watchers are no longer capable of speech.
* Watchers now fire their built-in Boltshots in bursts of three.

Watchers appear from the campaign mission ''[[Unconfirmed]]'' onwards. Unlike in ''Halo 4'', Watchers are now actually less dangerous, as they are deployed from Knights far less frequently, can no longer summon Crawlers nor build Focus Turrets, are completely unable to revive dead Knights, and are also completely deprived of their energy shields. In addition, Watchers can no longer be assassinated. With many useful abilities being removed, the player can now more easily focus on destroying any enemies in the area before focusing on Watchers, although Watchers should still be dealt with before taking down large bosses like the [[Warden Eternal]], especially on [[Attack on Sanctum]].

Warzone and Warzone Firefight introduce the Legendary and Mythic Watchers, both of which are heavily superior over standard Watchers but otherwise have the same armament. Legendary Watchers are colored orange and teal, while Mythic Watchers are colored black and red.

[[Category:Gameplay guides]]