Gameplay

Slayer

From Halopedia, the Halo wiki

Icon for Slayer.

Slayer is a popular and common gametype in the Halo video game series, and a staple of all Halo first person shooters. The object of the game is simply to kill as many opposing players as possible. Slayer is an extremely versatile gamemode, and can be played with a player count as low as 2 and as high as the maximum of 16 or 24 players (depending on the maximum number of players that the game allows for).

Built-in variants[edit]

Halo: Combat Evolved[edit]

Title Description
Slayer Classic deathmatch. 25 kills to win.
Team Slayer The first team to amass 50 kills wins this fragfest.
Classic Slayer Classic deathmatch. 15 kills to win.
Classic Team Slayer The first team to amass 50 kills wins. Kills make the players slower and dying make them faster.
Classic Slayer Pro Classic deathmatch. 25 kills to win. Players start with pistols, rifles and grenades.
Classic Elimination Each player has only one life. The winner is the last man standing.
Classic Phantoms All players are invisible. To win, follow the navpoints and kill your targets in order.
Classic Endurance Each player has 5 lives. Respawn growth and "Odd-Man Out" rules apply. 10 kills or the last man standing wins.
Classic Rockets Everybody has a rocket launcher and nobody has a motion tracker. 25 kills to win.
Classic Snipers Everybody has sniper and the respawn growth rules apply. 25 kills to win.

Halo 2[edit]

Title Description
Slayer Prepare for a classic Slayer duel to the death. 25 points to win.
Team Slayer Take on a small team of enemies in straight up Slayer throw down. 50 points to win.
Rockets Get ready for an explosive game of Rockets. All rocket launchers, no motion sensor. 25 points to win.
Swords Sharpen your Energy Sword and power up your overshields. 25 points wins this game.
Snipers Steady your shot and aim high. All weapons are sniper rifles and there's no motion sensor. 15 points to win.
Phantoms Everyone has active camo, so watch your back. 15 points wins this game.
Team Phantoms Everyone has active camo and you can organize into up to 8 teams. First team to 25 points win.
Elimination You have just one life per round. The last player standing wins a round. First to 3 rounds wins the game.
Phantom Elim You have just one life and everyone is invisible. Last player standing wins a round. First to win 3 rounds takes the cake.

Halo 3[edit]

Title Description
Slayer Free for all. 25 kills to win.
Team Slayer Form teams for greater glory. 50 kills to win.
Rockets Free for all, with nothing but rocket launchers. 25 kills to win.
Elimination Highly tactical Team Slayer. 5 rounds, each to 5 kills. Be careful out there.
Duel No camping! Free for all, but the leader cannot hide. 10 kills to win.

Halo: Reach[edit]

Title Description
Classic Slayer Score points by killing players on the opposing team.
Elite Slayer Score points by killing players on the opposing team. Players play as Sangheili, and are given Covenant weapon spawns.
SWAT Score points by killing players on the opposing team.
Slayer Score points by killing players on the opposing team.
Slayer Pro Score points by killing players on the opposing team.

Halo 4[edit]

Title Description
Infinity Rumble Kill Enemies, Earn Points
Infinity Slayer Kill Enemies, Earn Points, Call in Ordnance
SWAT Kill players on the enemy team.

Halo 2: Anniversary[edit]

Title Description
Team Slayer Take on a small team of enemies. Get kills together to score and win!
Slayer Pro Take on a small team of enemies. Get kills together to score and win!
Slayer Its a free for all! Be the first to score the highest.
Team Slayer BR Take on a small team of enemies. Get kills together to score and win!
Slayer BR Take on a small team of enemies. Get kills together to score and win!
Elimination You have just one life per round! Last player standing wins the round! Earn the most rounds won to with the match!
Phantom Elimination You have just one life and active camo. Last player standing wins the round! Earn the most rounds won to win the match!
Phantoms Everyone has active camo, so watch your back! Kill the invisible players to score!
Team Phantoms Everyone has active camo, and you can organize into up to 8 teams. Get kills as a team to win!
Rockets Get ready for an explosive game of Rockets! All rocket launchers, no motion sensor!
Snipers All weapons are sniper rifles and there is no motion sensor. Get kills to score!
Team Snipers All weapons are sniper rifles and there is no motion sensor. Get kills to score for your team!
Swords Active your Energy Sword and get slicin'. Slash and kill to score!
SWAT Headshots will kill instantly through shields. Aim straight, aim true, and get kills to score!
SWAT Arsenal SWAT rules. Hunt for shotguns, rocket launchers, and sniper rifles.

Halo 5: Guardians[edit]

Title Description
Big Team Slayer Control Power Weapons to eliminate the enemy.
FFA Rockets Say hello to my little friend!
Fiesta Classic Slayer with random weapons. This is madness!
Free-For-All Slayer Control Power Weapons to eliminate the enemy.
Rocket Slayer Slayer with amped rocket launchers, shields, jumping, and thrusters.
Shotty Snipers Spray and slay with a Sniper and Shotgun.
Slayer Control Power Weapons to eliminate the enemy.
Classic Team Slayer Control Power Weapons to eliminate the enemy.
Slayer HCS Control Power Weapons to eliminate the enemy.
Free-For-All HCS Every Spartan for themselves!
Snipers Put your sniper skills to the test.
Super Fiesta Chaos at its finest!
Big Team Super Fiesta Super Fiesta and Big Team Battle meet at last!
SWAT Aim for the head!

Halo Infinite[edit]

Title Description
Arena:Slayer Slay the enemy team.
Arena:Team Slayer Assault Rifle and BR75 loadouts. Slay the enemy team.
Arena:Slayer BR BR75 loadouts. Slay the enemy team.
Arena:FFA Slayer Slay the enemy.
Arena:Kong Slayer Infinite fusion coils, big jumps, and grappleshots. Slay the enemy team.
Arena:FFA Kong Slayer Every Spartan for themselves! Infinite fusion coils, big jumps, and grappleshots. Slay the enemy.
BTB:Slayer Slay the enemy team.
Ranked:Slayer Bandit Evo loadouts, Friendly-Fire enabled, Motion Tracker disabled. Slay the enemy team.
Ranked:FFA Slayer Bandit Evo loadouts, Motion Tracker disabled. Slay the enemy.
Ranked:Bandit Slayer First to 50 kills wins. Assault Rifle primary, Bandit secondary. Radar is enabled. Friendly fire is enabled.
Fiesta:Slayer Spawn with random loadouts. Slay the enemy team.
Fiesta:FFA Slayer Spawn with random loadouts. Slay the enemy.
Super Fiesta:Slayer Spawn with random legendary loadouts. Slay the enemy team.
BTB Heavies:Slayer Slay the enemy team.
BTB:Fiesta Slayer Spawn with random loadouts. Slay the enemy team.
BTB:Super Fiesta Spawn with random legendary loadouts. Slay the enemy team.
Doubles:Slayer Slay the enemy team.
Ranked:Doubles Slayer Bandit Evo loadouts, Friendly-Fire enabled, Motion Tracker disabled. Slay the enemy team.
Tactical:Slayer No shields, no Motion Tracker. Slay the enemy team.
Ranked:Tactical Slayer Bandit Evo loadouts, Friendly-Fire enabled, Motion Tracker disabled. Slay the enemy team.
HCS:FFA Slayer Official HCS Free-for-All settings. BR loadouts, Motion Tracker disabled. Slay the enemy.

Notable Variants[edit]

Infinity and Legendary Slayer[edit]

A Halo 4 Slayer variation, with several notable mechanics changes. Players spawn with customised loadouts (including tactical packages and support upgrades), and are able to call in ordnance. Due to the changes imposed by this mode, Halo 4 later introduced Legendary Slayer, a mode more resembling the Slayer gameplay of prior titles - with preset loadouts and no Ordnance.

Fiesta Slayer[edit]

Fiesta Slayer is a Slayer variant where all players spawn with random primary and secondary weapons, which range everything from basic loadout weapons to power weapons. In Halo 3, Fiesta Slayer was used in the Cinco de Mayo Double EXP weekend hopper, and was an FFA mode. Halo 4 features team-based Fiesta modes in Team Action Sack. Fiesta Slayer was added to Halo 5: Guardians in the Hammer Storm update. Super Fiesta is a gamemode in Halo 5: Guardians that features all the power weapon REQs that were previously exclusive to Warzone and campaign.

Team SWAT[edit]

Main article: Team SWAT

SWAT is a small-team mode designed around fast-paced and tactical gunplay. Players spawn with headshot-capable weapons such as the DMR, battle rifle, Covenant carbine, LightRifle and Pistol, with no additional weapons spawning on the map. Players have no energy shields, and are thus susceptible to being killed in only one headshot.

Team Snipers and Shotty Snipers[edit]

Team Snipers is another Slayer variant designed around getting headshots. This time, players spawn with only a Sniper Rifle. Due to the Sniper Rifle's long range and high damage output, players will find taking advantage of power positions on the map while hiding in the shadows is key to success. Very skilled players may opt for running around the map killing opponents with no-scopes instead.

Shotty Snipers is a variant of Team Snipers. Here, the player spawns in with a Sniper Rifle as well as a shotgun—or, exclusive to Halo Infinite, a Bulldog.

Bro Slayer[edit]

Bro Slayer is a Slayer variant that makes use of Invasion-style respawns.[1] The Big Team Battle version of this gamemode is called Big Bro Slayer. Both modes are exclusive to Halo: Reach.

Mini Slayer[edit]

Mini Slayer is a Slayer variant that makes everyone very small. To compensate for the reduced size, players move very fast. This mode was introduced in Halo 4 in the Action Sack playlist[2] and returns in Halo Infinite in the Social Slayer playlist.[3]

Gallery[edit]

Sources[edit]