Editing Flood ranged form

{{Ratings}}
{{era|H3}}
{{Flood Species Infobox
|name=Ranged Form
|image=[[Image:Ranged Form.jpg|300px]]
|height=About 8 feet
|distinctions=*Can shoot "natural" projectiles
*Able to curl into a defensive ball
*Is able to stick to walls
|species=[[Flood]]
|attacks=Fires spiked projectiles from long range
|notable=Can form into [[Tank Form|Tank]] and [[Stalker Form]], too.
}}

The '''Flood Ranged Form''' is a type of [[Flood Pure Forms]] from ''[[Halo 3]]''. It is formed when a [[Flood Stalker Form]] is damaged or chooses to mount itself in a stationary position either on the walls or on the ground. It has a mouth-like protrusion that opens up to reveal a living missile platform of regenerating spikes that they relentlessly pelt the player with whenever exiting cover. They also exhibit a behavior unlike any other in the Flood arsenal, when firing upon these forms they will curl up to shield their heads, which would normally result in an instant kill. To fully disable them the player must stop firing until they reveal their weak point once more, or keep firing until they die regardless of defense. When the [[Pure Form]] is finally killed they fall off the wall they are normally attached to (it is far less common to see a Ranged Form on the ground). They can be compared directly with [[Carbine]]-carrying [[Sniper Jackals]] earlier in the game in regards to range, damage, accuracy and relative annoyance.

== Killing Ranged Forms ==
[[Image:Flood Ranged Form.jpg|thumb|left|Ranged Forms make close range weapons no longer the only weapons needed to face the Flood in Halo 3.]]
Ranged Forms are very powerful on the battlefield and thus are extremely difficult to dispatch, without first exposing yourself to fire. Your first goal should be to close the distance as normally you can, only tell which direction they are firing from- they blend in quite well in the dark places they inhabit and are hard to see. When you are within sighting range, any weapon with any sort of range will do, the [[Plasma Rifle]] and the [[Brute Spiker]] used in short bursts (long bursts with the [Plasma Rifle causes it to overheat, not good on the level [[Cortana (level)|Cortana]]) seem to do just as well as more accurate weapons like the Carbine and the [[Battle Rifle]], and are more common on a [[Flood]] infested battlefield so they may be your only choice. Note that Plasma Rifles and assault rifles are found easily therefore, one should be kept as a precaution. The Ranged Form is an anomaly in the mostly [[melee]]-based Flood combat and are normally hard to kill due to the simple fact that you do not normally have the ranged weapons required to take one out. In this case, well-placed [[Plasma Grenade]]s and/or [[Spike Grenades]] work well, and so does a [[Firebomb]], which requires much less accuracy as it explodes on impact next to the enemy. Ultimately, if you get within melee distance of a Ranged Form they are just as easily destroyed as any other combat form with weapons like the [[Brute Mauler]], [[Shotgun]], [[Gravity Hammer]], [[Energy Sword]] or a melee attack with any weapon. As true with all Flood forms the [[Flamethrower]] is an excellent weapon.
[[Image:MC RangedFlood.jpg|right|thumb|The Master Chief attacking a Ranged Form.]]
The [[Brute Shot]] is a good choice for these Pure Forms as one or two [[grenades]] will, while not killing them out right (on [[normal]], it is possible to kill a Ranged Form with 2 well placed shots), knock them off the wall they tend to be stuck to allowing you to get close enough to kill them effectively. The Brute Shot's higher melee attack damage should kill them in one hit after knocking them off.

Like many Flood Forms, Ranged Forms possess a small cluster of sensory appendages emitting from their "mouths". These are located at the base of the abdomen, below the rows of projectile spines. One of the simplest ways to dispatch a Ranged Form is to target this sensory cluster while it is in a dormant state. While Ranged Forms can absorb impressive volumes of damage while dormant, a few well-placed shots to the "mouth" will kill them. It should be noted that on higher difficulties, killing a Ranged Form with the [[Flamethrower]] will sometimes result in a [[Spike Grenade]] explosion.

== Trivia ==
*The Ranged [[Flood]] Form is universally, contracted by most players (along with the [[Drones]]) as the "Most Annoying Enemy", due to their extremely high rate of fire, accuracy, and relative resistances to many weapons (such as the [[assault rifle]]).
*When they transform into another [[Flood]] Form, their habit of "eating" a [[grenade]] tagged to them and making it disappear has earned them a reputation, as an "even cheaper and more annoying" foe, complying entirely with the latter statement.
*They are almost always killed by a melee attack from any weapon, and are weak to any sparse forms of Plasma, which makes the [[Plasma Rifle]] a rather deadly weapon against it.
*A very helpful strategy is dropping [[Deployable Cover]] because the shield cannot be weakened or penetrated by the needles they shoot. There are many deployable covers on the level [[Cortana (Level)|Cortana]]. 
*On the level [[Cortana]], a very helpful strategy is to hide from them and pick them off the wall with the [[Brute Shot]].
*When attacking at medium to medium-long range, it is very effective to use the [[Needler]]. 
*With the [[Catch Skull]] on, they will sometimes drop two spike [[grenade]]s.
*When it fires its spines, the area around it glows as though it was firing a bullet weapon.
* To help themselves, Ranged [[Flood]] can hang upside down on ceiling and roofs, but will be on the ground.
*They are unaffected by the [[Halo_3_Skulls#Tough_Luck|Tough Luck]] [[Skull]].
*Usually, a [[Stalker Form]] will crawl onto the wall or ceiling, and then transform into a Ranged form.
*Ranged Forms create its spikes from combat detritus.
*If you are having trouble noticing when a Ranged Form is dead, take note in this fact: They tend to drop to one side when fatally injured.
*Ranged Forms fire spikes similar to the Brute Spiker.
*A good strategy when dealing with Ranged Forms is to continually advance toward them, dodging their projectiles, and melee them. This is effective since it usually takes one melee to dispose of them.
*Ranged Forms can be killed by one melee or one grenade stick from any grenade.
*Ranged forms will sometimes drop spike grenades.
{{Flood}}
[[Category:The Flood]]