Flood ranged form: Difference between revisions

Ranged form
General overview
Distinctions:	Can shoot infinite "regenerated" projectiles; Able to curl into a defensive ball; Is able to stick to walls; Can mutate to/from Stalker Form (common) and Tank Form (less common);
Height:	244 centmeters (8 ft 0 in)
Method of attack:	Fires spiked projectiles from long range

Latest revision as of 09:15, July 29, 2024

The Flood ranged form is a permutation of Flood pure form. Ranged Forms serve to provide suppressing fire, assaulting potential hosts from a distance with a hail of deadly spikes and allowing other Flood forms to attack at close range.^[1]

Description[edit]

The Ranged Form is formed when a Flood stalker form chooses to mount itself in a stationary position either on the walls, ceiling, or ground. The Stalker's body reconfigures itself into a tripodal configuration, and the abdomen morphs into a living missile platform of regenerating spikes. These spikes, constructed from scavenged bone and biomatter, can be shot out of the abdomen with extreme force and accuracy, relentlessly pelting targets from afar. They are also distinctive because of their eyespots on both sides.

When harassed, Ranged Forms will curl up to shield their heads, their weak point. In this state, they are far more resistant to damage, but are unable to fire. When a Pure Form is killed on a wall or ceiling, they will fall off.

Ranged form is the only Flood form that cannot move. Once the Stalker mutates into it, it will get stuck on that spot until it dies or mutates again.

Ranged Forms will also occasionally mutate to/from Tank Forms.

Tips and Tactics[edit]

Ranged Forms are an extremely powerful Flood form on the battlefield and thus are very 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 Okarda'phaa-pattern 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) 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 Brute Spikers 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 Grenades 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 close ranged weapons like the Brute Mauler, Shotgun, Gravity Hammer, Energy Sword or a melee attack with any weapon. As true with all Pure forms the Flamethrower is an excellent weapon, as do dual-wielding Spikers and Sentinel Beam. One good idea when dealing with Ranged Forms is to continually advance towards them, dodging their projectiles, and melee them though make sure this is only done 1 to 1, especially on higher difficulties. The Needler is very effective when attacking at medium to medium-long range. Another tactic which works 1-1 is the Unggoy method of, "shoot enough bullets and at least some of them will hit.", which can apply to the more primitive weapons like plasma pistols.

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. 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 levels Cortana and Floodgate for just this purpose.

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. On the level Cortana, dual-wielding Okarda'phaa-pattern plasma rifles are very effective due to the combined rate of fire and their weakness to Plasma. While Ranged Forms can absorb impressive volumes of damage while dormant, a few well-placed shots to the "mouth" area 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. Meleeing ranged forms is an instant kill on any difficulty. Two ways of noticing a dead ranged form, one, they tip over and two, they will always drop a spike grenade. The player also needs to take into account when stuck by a plasma grenade or spike grenade, a ranged form may survive by mutating into another form, causing the grenade to disappear without exploding, essentially "eating" the grenade. If this does not happen, the grenade will kill it.

Ranged forms are unaffected by the Tough Luck Skull, as they are unable to move.

Trivia[edit]

When it fires its spines, the area around it glows as though it was firing a bullet weapon.
Although it's not very common, it is possible to get the Stalker forms to mutate into Ranged forms as allies on the Covenant level when you team up with the Flood, they are gained as allies sometimes when the jump pack Brutes have not been killed till later.
A visual example, when a Tank Form takes a hit from a Gravity Hammer, the spike platform can be seen for a few seconds when the Tank Form jumps up. This most likely an oversight due to the lack of smoothness in the animation.
They make a similar screech when shooting their spikes to the noise the Stalker forms make when climbing.

Gallery[edit]

Profile view of the Flood Ranged Form.
Ranged forms on Installation 08.
John-117 attacking a Ranged Form on Halo.
Dormant Flood ranged form.

List of appearances[edit]

Halo 3 (First appearance)
Halo 3: ODST (Halo: The Master Chief Collection-only)
Halo Legends
- Origins

Sources[edit]

^ Halo 3

[1] Halo 3

[1]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Ratings}}
+{{Status|Canon}}
-{{Era|H3|LE}}
+{{Flood infobox
-{{Flood Species Infobox
+|name = Ranged form
-|name = Ranged Form
+|image = [[File:TLJ Flood Ranged Form.png|250px]]
-|image = [[File:Ranged Form.jpg|300px]]
+|height = 244 centmeters (8 ft 0 in)
-|height = Approximately 8 feet
+|distinctions = *Can shoot infinite "regenerated" projectiles
-|distinctions = *Can shoot "natural" projectiles
 *Able to curl into a defensive ball
 *Is able to stick to walls
-|species = [[Flood]]
+*Can mutate to/from [[Flood stalker form|Stalker Form]] (common) and [[Flood tank form|Tank Form]] (less common)
+|species = [[The Flood|Flood]]
 |attacks = Fires spiked projectiles from long range
-|notable = Can form into [[Tank Form|Tank]] and [[Stalker Form]]
+|notable =
 }}
+The '''Flood ranged form''' is a permutation of [[The Flood|Flood]] [[Flood pure form|pure form]]. Ranged Forms serve to provide suppressing fire, assaulting potential hosts from a distance with a hail of deadly spikes and allowing other Flood forms to attack at close range.{{Ref/Game|H3}}
-==Background==
+==Description==
-The '''Flood Ranged Form''' is a type of [[Flood]] [[Pure Form]] 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, ceiling, or, with less frequency, on the ground. It has a mouth-like protrusion that opens up to reveal a living missile platform of regenerating spikes. These spikes will relentlessly pelt the player if exposed. They also exhibit a behavior unlike any other in the Flood arsenal. When fired upon these forms will curl up to shield their heads, their weak point. To fully disable them the player must stop firing until they reveal their weak point once more, or continue firing until they die, regardless of their defensive posture. When the Pure Form is killed on a wall or ceiling, they will fall off. They can be compared directly with [[Carbine]]-carrying [[Sniper Jackals]] earlier in the game in regards to range, damage, accuracy and relative annoyance and it is not unreasonable to mistake them for infected drones due to their insectile nature.
+The Ranged Form is formed when a [[Flood stalker form]] chooses to mount itself in a stationary position either on the walls, ceiling, or ground. The Stalker's body reconfigures itself into a tripodal configuration, and the abdomen morphs into a living missile platform of regenerating spikes. These spikes, constructed from scavenged bone and biomatter, can be shot out of the abdomen with extreme force and accuracy, relentlessly pelting targets from afar. They are also distinctive because of their eyespots on both sides.
-==Killing Ranged Forms==
+When harassed, Ranged Forms will curl up to shield their heads, their weak point. In this state, they are far more resistant to damage, but are unable to fire. When a Pure Form is killed on a wall or ceiling, they will fall off.
-[[File: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 Brute Spikers&nbsp;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 close ranged weapons like the [[Brute Mauler]], [[Shotgun]], [[Gravity Hammer]], [[Energy Sword]] or a melee attack with any weapon. As true with all Pure forms the [[Flamethrower]] is an excellent weapon, as do dual-wielding [[Spiker]]s and [[Sentinel Beam]].
-[[File:MC RangedFlood.jpg|right|thumb|[[John-117]] attacking a Ranged Form on [[Halo (Halo 3 Level)|Halo]].]]
+Ranged form is the only Flood form that cannot move. Once the Stalker mutates into it, it will get stuck on that spot until it dies or mutates again.
-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.
+Ranged Forms will also occasionally mutate to/from [[Flood tank form|Tank Forms]].
-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. Meleeing ranged forms is an instant kill on any difficulty because they tip over.
+==Tips and Tactics==
+Ranged Forms are an extremely powerful Flood form on the battlefield and thus are very 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 {{Pattern|Okarda'phaa|plasma rifle}} and the [[Paegaas Workshop Spiker|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 [[BR55HB SR Battle Rifle|Battle Rifle]], and are more common on a [[The Flood|Flood]] infested battlefield so they may be your only choice. Note that Plasma Rifles and Brute Spikers 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 [[Anskum-pattern plasma grenade|Plasma Grenades]] and/or [[Type-2 Antipersonnel Fragmentation Grenade|Spike Grenades]] work well, and so does a [[Orgudam Workshop firebomb|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 close ranged weapons like the [[Type-52 Pistol|Brute Mauler]], [[Shotgun]], [[Gravity hammer (fiction)|Gravity Hammer]], [[Type-1 Energy Weapon/Sword|Energy Sword]] or a melee attack with any weapon. As true with all Pure forms the [[M7057/Defoliant Projector|Flamethrower]] is an excellent weapon, as do dual-wielding [[Paegaas Workshop Spiker|Spikers]] and [[Sentinel Beam]]. One good idea when dealing with Ranged Forms is to continually advance towards them, dodging their projectiles, and melee them though make sure this is only done 1 to 1, especially on higher difficulties. The [[Type-33 Guided Munitions Launcher|Needler]] is very effective when attacking at medium to medium-long range. Another tactic which works 1-1 is the Unggoy method of, "shoot enough bullets and at least ''some'' of them will hit.", which can apply to the more primitive weapons like plasma pistols.
-[[File:Dormant Flood Ranged.jpg|thumb|Dormant Flood Ranged]]
+The [[Type-25 Grenade Launcher|Brute Shot]] is a good choice for these Pure Forms as one or two [[grenade]]s 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. 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 levels [[Cortana (level)|Cortana]] and [[Floodgate]] for just this purpose.
+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. On the level Cortana, dual-wielding {{Pattern|Okarda'phaa|plasma rifle}}s are very effective due to the combined rate of fire and their weakness to Plasma. While Ranged Forms can absorb impressive volumes of damage while dormant, a few well-placed shots to the "mouth" area 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. Meleeing ranged forms is an instant kill on any difficulty. Two ways of noticing a dead ranged form, one, they tip over and two, they will always drop a spike grenade. The player also needs to take into account when stuck by a [[Anskum-pattern plasma grenade|plasma grenade]] or [[type-2 Antipersonnel Fragmentation Grenade|spike grenade]], a ranged form may survive by mutating into another form, causing the grenade to disappear without exploding, essentially "eating" the grenade. If this does not happen, the grenade will kill it.
+Ranged forms are unaffected by the [[Halo 3 skulls#Tough Luck|Tough Luck]] [[Skull]], as they are unable to move.
 ==Trivia==
-*The Ranged [[Flood]] Form is universally labeled 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 last statement.
-*They are first seen on [[Floodgate]].
-*They are almost always killed by a melee attack from any weapon.
-*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 levels [[Cortana (Level)|Cortana]] and [[Floodgate]] for just this purpose.
-*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]].
 *When it fires its spines, the area around it glows as though it was firing a bullet weapon.
-*They are unaffected by the [[Tough Luck]] [[Skull]].
+*Although it's not very common, it is possible to get the Stalker forms to mutate into Ranged forms as allies on the Covenant level when you team up with the Flood, they are gained as allies sometimes when the jump pack Brutes have not been killed till later.
-*Usually, a [[Stalker Form]] will crawl onto the wall or ceiling, and then transform into a Ranged form.
+*A visual example, when a Tank Form takes a hit from a Gravity Hammer, the spike platform can be seen for a few seconds when the Tank Form jumps up. This most likely an oversight due to the lack of smoothness in the animation.
-*Ranged Forms create its spikes from combat detritus.
+*They make a similar screech when shooting their spikes to the noise the Stalker forms make when climbing.
-*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<ref>[[Halo 3: The Official Strategy Guide]]</ref>.
-*Ranged Forms fire spikes that look similar to the [[Brute Spiker]].
+==Gallery==
-*A good strategy when dealing with Ranged Forms is to continually advance towards them, dodging their projectiles, and melee them. This is quite effective since it usually takes one melee to dispose of them.
+<gallery widths="150" orientation="landscape">
-*Another good battle technique is relentlessly firing at them from far range with a Carbine or Battle Rifle until they go down, it is key to make sure you can see them however.
+File:Floodrangedform.png|Profile view of the Flood Ranged Form.
-*Ranged Forms can be killed by one melee or one grenade stick from any grenade.
+File:H3_FloodRangedForms.jpg|Ranged forms on [[Installation 08]].
-*On the level Cortana, dual-wielding [[Plasma Rifle]]s are very effective due to the combined rate of fire and their weakness to Plasma.
+File:H3 John117 RangedFlood.jpg|[[John-117]] attacking a Ranged Form on [[Halo (Halo 3 level)|Halo]].
-*They are the only Pure Form that cannot walk. Once the Stalker mutates into it, it is stuck in that spot until it dies or mutates again.
+File:Dormant Flood Ranged.jpg|Dormant Flood ranged form.
-*Spike and fire bomb grenades are very effective on this species of Flood.
+</gallery>
-*Although it's not very common, you can gain Ranged Forms as allies on the Covenant when you team up with the flood, they are gained as allies sometimes when the jump pack Brutes have not been killed yet.
-*Ranged forms are sometimes incorrectly deemed by players as infected [[Unggoy|Grunts]], though this is wrong because they are a pure form.
+==List of appearances==
-*You can make them go dormant by shooting them in the face, located at the front near the bottom. This will cause them to stop shooting, making it easier to kill them.
+*''[[Halo 3]]'' {{1st}}
-*When you kill a Ranged Form, they will always drop a spike grenade.
+*''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'' {{MCCo}}
+*''[[Halo Legends]]''
+**''[[Origins]]''
 ==Sources==
-<references/>
+{{Ref/Sources}}
 {{Flood}}
-[[Category:The Flood]]
+[[Category:Flood forms]]