Overshield

The Covenant overshield being studied at the ONI Ilex Facility.

An overshield is a Covenant-developed technology that strengthens the user's energy shielding system. After the Human-Covenant War, research conducted by United Nations Space Command, such as work at the ONI Ilex Facility, culminated in an eponymous UNSC recreation.

Overview

Design details

Despite not being equipped with personal energy shielding, three Orbital Drop Shock Troopers of Alpha-Nine were granted overshield from Quick to Adjust.

Overshield can be applied to personal energy shielding through two methods, through either external power sources or Huragok support webs. The overshield leverages personal energy shielding's major components—the shield generator and waveguide—to be overcharged. The Covenant overshield module is a cuboid container holding a red sphere within. The UNSC overshield module in 2553 is considerably bulkier, being a large vertical container with a glowing green vertical panel, though by 2559, the UNSC module has drastically reduced in size into a palm-sized circular device, or even installed within modular cores.

Usage

Overshields are most commonly bestowed upon Covenant troops through Huragok's support web, rendering an extra layer of shielding to even those that do not have personal energy shielding. During the Battle of Mombasa in 2552, Quick to Adjust notably extended overshield from its body to the outer plating of a vehicle, an Oliphant. The cuboid module is an uncommon sight; though in one instance, when the Covenant was boarding the UNSC Pillar of Autumn during the Battle over Installation 04, the Brhi Xur-pattern Leechs each carried two overshield modules onboard.

Among the tactical roles under Spartan Operations, Spartans assigned to the "Offensive" skill grouping are usually equipped with prototype overshield capacitators. With how the MJOLNIR [GEN3] platform can readily integrate a wide range of offensive and defensive peripheral systems and components through modular cores, an overshield module can be installed to the armor spontaneously. For example, during the Battle for Zeta Halo, Spartan Bonita Stone acquired an overshield module and installed the module in her armor without the support of a technician, as was the case for John-117 when he recovered the module from Stone's body.

In-game information

The overshield is not a permanent upgrade to the player's shield, and it will not recharge past the normal capacity even after the overshield is fully depleted, thus another one must be acquired to regain the benefit. Like the standard energy shield, the overshield can be fully depleted by an overcharged Plasma Pistol.

Across its appearances in the campaigns of Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, and Halo Infinite, the overshield is reduced only when the player takes damage. In multiplayer modes and the campaign mode of Halo 5: Guardians, the overshield gradually depletes over prolonged duration. Due to its reductive nature, the overshield is only useful for a short period in multiplayer.

From Halo: Combat Evolved to Halo 4, it takes approximately three seconds to overcharge the energy shields once picked up. During this short period, the player is invulnerable to all forms of attacks, save for a melee attack from behind. The player's normal shield does not take damage until the overshield is completely depleted (although any damage overlapping from something destroying the overshield such as an explosion from a grenade will also do damage to the player's normal shield). In Halo 5: Guardians and Halo Infinite, the overshield's effects are instantly applied briefly after the player activates the power-up, although the player is still vulnerable while waiting for the shields to be overchaged.

In Halo 2, Halo 3, and Halo 4, the wearer is awarded a visual effect which gives off a full-body glowing effect. This visual effect negates the effects of an active camouflage and makes the wearer more visible to other players, often drawing unwanted attention. This glowing effect is also present in Halo 5: Guardians, although it should be noted that unlike in previous titles, it is actually hidden by the effects of active camouflage despite what the player's HUD may lead one to believe.

Halo: Combat Evolved

In Halo: Combat Evolved, the overshield appears as a glowing red orb of energy encased in a clear glass cube and boosts the player's shields to 300% of its base strength. The player picks up the overshield by making contact with the object; after picking up an overshield, the player's HUD shield display receives two additional layers of shield: first red, then green, atop the player's usual blue shield bar.

Halo 2

The overshield in Halo 2 functions like it did Halo: Combat Evolved; however, the orb and cube are gold in color.

Although the overshield pick-up is not available in campaign, the Black Eye skull—which allows the player to restore shields through attacking enemies with melee—grants overshield to the player when they melee enemies while they possess full shields.

Halo 3

The design of the overshield in Halo 3 differs and shares some resemblances from previous titles: the orb appears as a glowing red orb of energy, larger than in previous appearances and without a glass cube encasing it. The standard overshield pickup only boosts the player's shields to 200% of its base strength; this is reflected in only a single green layer added to the shield bar.

Although the overshield does not appear in campaign, the similar Invincibility can be acquired from a defeated Jiralhanae Chieftain, provided he did not activate it before his death.

Halo 3: ODST

The overshield makes an appearance in the Halo 3: ODST as a white-blue shielding effect granted to those within the vicinity of a Huragok; friendly Covenant and UNSC units are provided an additional layer of protection because of the overshield ability.

Halo: Reach

Huragok-supplied overshield on Unggoy Ultras onboard the Long Night of Solace in Halo: Reach.

In Halo: Reach campaign, Huragok provide purple overshield to nearby allies. It is somewhat weaker than in Halo 3: ODST, as the shield fades on and off the wearer at various intervals. It also does not reduce recoil, meaning that enemies without shields underneath, such as Unggoy, will still react as if they have no shields when shot, albeit with more health.

Though left out of the base game's multiplayer, the overshield appears in Halo: Reach's Anniversary Map Pack in "Anniversary" gametypes; its physical appearance is similar to that in Halo 3. It once again boosts the player's shields to 300% of its base strength, with two full layers added to shield bar: first green, then purple. The player will also leave a trail of flames on the ground as they move (regardless of whether they are walking or on a vehicle), further revealing their position. ; this effect, known as "Super Shields," is default in matchmaking, but can be disabled in custom games under the gametype options.

Halo 4

Halo 4 features the overshield in a different capacity than in previous games. Rather than only being found on the map, the overshield can be earned though ordnance drops. Rather than an orb, it appears as a green upright slab of metallic material. It boosts the shields only 200% of its base strength, adding a single green layer of protection and removing the trailing flame effect. A player will also earn an overshield in certain circumstances in specific gametypes. For example, earning a Kingtacular in Regicide or finding yourself in a Last Stand in Dominion will result in players automatically equipping an overshield.

Halo: Spartan Assault

The overshield is found in Halo: Spartan Assault as a reusable armor ability. When used it is active for five seconds and requires a five-second cooldown period. Overshield is one of the three armor abilities which are not available by default, but instead can be purchased before starting each level to provide the player with an added advantage. A single-level use of the overshield costs 400 XP or 10 cR.

Halo 5: Guardians

Halo 5: Guardians features the overshield in both campaign and multiplayer. The effects of the overshield are automatically applied in campaign when a Spartan is revived by or revives another Spartan. However, in contrast to Halo 2, activating the Black Eye skull disables all overshields.

In multiplayer, the power-up appears in the form of a small piece of circular equipment that emits a hologram of a green cross when on the ground. Unlike in previous titles, it does not immediately activate when touched by a player; instead, it must be manually picked up when walking over it. Doing this will play a short animation during which the player can still take damage. Like other power-ups, it can be acquired at a requisition station in Warzone, but does not appear naturally in that game mode. The overshield in Halo 5: Guardians adds one additional layer, although this layer actually has 300% the strength of the ordinary shields, effectively boosting the player's shields to a massive 400% of its base strength.

In Warzone's Requisition system, there are three REQ cards for the overshield.

Image	Name	Rarity	Sale Price	Energy Cost	Description
	Overshield I	Uncommon	75	energy	Overshield adds an extra layer of shields that do not regenerate. This extra layer is displayed in green on the HUD's shield indicator. Short duration.
	Overshield II	Rare	100	energy	Overshield adds an extra layer of shields that do not regenerate. This extra layer is displayed in green on the HUD's shield indicator. Medium duration.
	Overshield III	Ultra Rare	150	energy	Overshield adds an extra layer of shields that do not regenerate. This extra layer is displayed in green on the HUD's shield indicator. Long duration.

Halo Infinite

“

An enhanced shield module that increases capacity to 115% of base shield strength.

”

In Halo Infinite's multiplayer, the overshield boosts the player's shields to 200% of its base strength all the while recovering all health and shield damage. It adds an additional yellow bar on the shield bar and a translucent white effect over the armor.

Overshield is available in campaign as the Shield Core. It is acquired from the body of Spartan Stone in the level Foundation; then it can be upgraded by collecting and spending Spartan cores, like the other equipments. Initially, the Shield Core provides a permanent, passive benefit, boosting the player's shield capacity to 115% of base strength. Each upgrade enhances the shield capacity by an additional 15%, to a maximum capacity of 175% of base strength.

List of Upgrades

Name	Spartan core cost	Description
Fortress	1 SC	Increases shield capacity by an additional 15% of base strength.
Bastille	2 SC	Increases shield capacity by an additional 15% of base strength.
Redoubt	3 SC	Increases shield capacity by an additional 15% of base strength.
Citadel	3 SC	Increases shield capacity by an additional 15% of base strength.

Trivia

Production notes

• The overshield, as well as active camouflage, were requested by Hardy LeBel as a feature for Halo: Combat Evolved's multiplayer. After seeing their inclusion in multiplayer, the designers for the campaign added both pickups to the campaign.
• The overshield was most likely inspired by a similar gameplay mechanic in the Marathon series. In Marathon, the player character's shield energy can be restored or even boosted by picking up Power Cells or interacting with Energy Recharges. There are three levels of Energy Recharges; the first level restores the standard shield bar, while the second level adds an additional shield bar and the third level adds a third shield bar. Similar to the overshield in Halo, the additional layer of shields have different colors; whereas the default shield bar is colored red, the first additional shield is yellow, and the second shield bar is purple.

Glitches

• In Halo 3 matchmaking, the player can pick up the overshield (or active camouflage) as an equipment if they have a piece of equipment and hold their equipment change button (default RB) without touching the overshield. Though, if the player character dies, they drop the overshield; they will drop the overshield too if they walk into another piece of equipment.

Gallery

Concept art

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  Initial sketches of a Forerunner "power core", later used as the basis for a Forerunner ordnance pod design.

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  Conceptual variations of a resupply canister in Halo 4.

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  Concept art of the overshield Power-up in Halo 4.

Screenshots

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  An overshield in Halo: Combat Evolved.

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  An overshield in Halo 2.

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  The effects of the overshield in Halo 2's multiplayer.

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  An overshield in Halo 3.

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  A Huragok granting overshield to its allies in Halo 3: ODST.

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  A cloaked SpecOps Sangheili with overshield in Halo: Reach.

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  An overshield in Halo 4.

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  The effects of the overshield in Halo 4's multiplayer.

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  An overshield in Halo 2: Anniversary multiplayer.

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  Frederic-104 with an overshield after reviving John-117 in the Halo 5: Guardians campaign.

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  A Spartan-IV with an overshield in Halo 5: Guardians.

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  HUD icon for the overshield in Halo Infinite.

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  The Shield Core icon in Halo Infinite's Campaign upgrade menu.

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  John-117 picks up a core containing an overshield in Halo Infinite.

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  A Spartan-IV activating an overshield in Halo Infinite.

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  HUD of a player using an overshield in Halo Infinite.

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  A Spartan-IV with an overshield in Halo Infinite.

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  The Covenant overshield on Illusion in Halo Infinite.

List of appearances

Halo: Combat Evolved (First appearance) Halo 2 Halo 3 Halo 3: ODST Halo: Reach Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Halo 4 Halo: Spartan Assault

Halo 2: Anniversary Halo: Spartan Strike Halo 5: Guardians Halo Wars 2 Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual (Mentioned only) Halo Infinite Halo: The Rubicon Protocol