Slayer

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

Halo: Combat Evolved

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.
Slayer HCS	Control Power Weapons to eliminate the enemy.
Snipers	Put your sniper skills to the test.
Super Fiesta	Chaos at its finest!
SWAT	Aim for the head!

Halo Infinite

Title	Description
Arena:Slayer	Slay the enemy team.
Arena:FFA Slayer	Slay the enemy team.
BTB:Slayer	Slay the enemy team.
Ranked:Slayer	BR loadouts, Friendly-Fire enabled, Motion Tracker disabled. Slay the enemy team.
Fiesta:Slayer	Spawn with random loadouts. Slay the enemy team.

Popular Variants

Infinity and Legendary Slayer

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

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

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

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, 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

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.

Other Notable Variants

Bro Slayer

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

Trivia

Hammerzeit ("zeit" being German for "time") is a reference to MC Hammer's song U Can't Touch This. See also Hammer Time.

Gallery

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  Slayer in Halo Infinite.

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  Fiesta Slayer in Halo Infinite.

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  Escalation Slayer in Halo Infinite.