Weapon types

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v • d • e

Many different weapons exist across the Halo video games, all of which can be grouped together and classified in numerous ways. The following is an overview of classifications created by or officially recognized by the developers of Halo, and how they affect gameplay.

Weapon Classes

Main article: Weapon class

UNSC weapons and ammunition featured in the Halo Graphic Novel, all based on in game models.

The weapons tag folder of the Halo 3 Editing Kit.

Weapon classes are the means by which the Halo video games group together different weapons with similar animations. Characters can only hold weapons belonging to weapon classes supported by their own set of third person animations. Grunts can carry pistols and launchers but not rifles, Marines can carry rifles but not support weapons, and so on. Before being introduced in Halo 2 each weapon required its own set of animations per character. As such Grunts in Halo: Combat Evolved could carry plasma pistols and needlers, but not the human pistol. Weapon classes remove this restriction by having these three weapons share a simplified set of pistol animations. Weapons may still posses unique animation overlays such as an adjusted hand position for the SMG's vertical foregrip or the shotgun's staged reload. Halo Infinite formalized weapons classes as information presented by the user interface. In this context the use of weapon classes describes the intended role of a weapon, combining its appearance with its functionality.

Grenade

Grenades are a form of offensive equipment utilized by players and NPCs. Technically not a weapon themselves according to the Halo game engine, grenades are collected similarly to ammunition and powerups, which can then by thrown as projectiles.

Melee

Melee weapons do not possess firing animations and rely solely on melee attacks. There are two subcategories that exist for players, although more exist exclusive to NPCs.

• Energy Sword - Swords are melee weapons that can perform powerful lunge attacks in addition to dealing increased regular melee damage via the cutting damage type.
• Gravity Hammer - Hammers are melee weapons that create explosions in front of the user without inflicting self harm. The increased physics impulses are also useful for pushing enemies off of ledges, performing splatters with physics objects, and golfing.

Multiplayer

Essentially the same as melee weapons, multiplayer weapons are classified under their own category presumably for organizational purposes. Multiplayer weapons are divided up into two subcategories.

• Ball - Spherical multiplayer weapons held with sports influenced animations, and can also be thrown beginning with Halo 4. Originally comprised of just the oddball, the class now includes the assault bomb, throwable fusion coils, and power seeds.
• Flag - Pole shaped multiplayer weapons used for CTF gamemodes. Flags are dual wielded with magnums in Halo 4 and Halo 5: Guardians.

Pistol

Pistols are projectile weapons held either one handed or with both hands supporting the rear grip. Despite their appearance pistols can possess any level of destructive capability, from the low damage per shot of the plasma pistol to the explosive power of the target locator.

Rifle

Rifles are projectile weapons held with two hands, one hand supporting the barrel from underneath. It is the most common weapon class and has been divided into numerous subcategories.

• Assault Rifle - Mid-ranged weapons lacking scopes, which operate in a niche between tactical rifles and SMGs.
• Tactical Rifle - Mid-ranged, headshot capable weapons featuring magnified optics.
• SMG - Short-ranged weapons with high rates of fire.
• Shotgun - Short-ranged weapons that fire multiple projectiles at once in a spread pattern.
• Sniper Rifle - Long-ranged, headshot capable weapons with high power scopes and considerable damage.

Launcher

Also known internally as "support_high" and "missile" weapons, launchers have previously been any weapon carried over characters' shoulders. Halo Infinite now classifies any projectile weapon with explosive damage as a launcher but this does not affect support_high weapons as an animation class.

Support

Also known internally as "support_low" weapons, support weapons are any weapon held in first person down by the character's hips. Support weapon animations are very similar to those of the flamethrower from Halo: Combat Evolved, which may have directly inspired the category. Only two support weapons appear in the finalized games, being the brute shot and sentinel beam. Both weapons, along with the class itself, did not return in Halo: Reach, marking Halo 3 as the final appearance of the weapon class. Later appearances of the brute shot and sentinel beam use rifle animations with overlays positioning character arms to hold the weapons in their typical support location. It is because of this reason that Marines in Halo Infinite are able to use the sentinel beam for the first time.

Turret

Detachable turrets are essentially very powerful support weapons that switch the player camera to a third person perspective, do not count towards the player's weapon carrying limit, and restrict certain actions such as crouching, grenades, melee, and equipment. Because of their similar appearances, turret weapons are often called support weapons as well. The data core and power module featured in Invasion use turret animations, and thus its inherent restrictions, to make players more vulnerable while encouraging cooperative play in escorting teammates to objectives.

Damage Types

Clockwise from top-left: the Kinetic, Plasma, Shock, and Hardlight damage types from Halo Infinite.

Main article: Damage types

In addition to weapon classes, weapons may also be categorized by the type of damage they inflict.

Melee Damage

Main article: Melee

Most weapons are able to perform melee attacks, but for energy swords, gravity hammers, and multiplayer weapons this is their only means of attack. Some ranged weapons also feature increased melee damage, denoted by slow and heavy animations or by featuring blades and bayonets. The only games to feature ranged weapons with different melee damage types are Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, and Halo Infinite.

Kinetic

Being comprised of multiple projectile types such as bullets, spikes, and the impact damage of explosives, kinetic weapons are the most common form of projectile damage. Often times kinetic weapons deal consistent damage against a variety of different materials but usually lack the ability to significantly damage vehicles. In Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 3: ODST bullet damage is reduced against shields, and in Halo: Reach and the Reclaimer Saga games the sniper rifle deals extra damage against vehicles. In Halo Infinite kinetic weapons can be refilled with kinetic ammo.

Plasma

Plasma weapons are Covenant or Banished weapons that are very effective against energy shields. While they always deal reduced damage to player health, this trait is not mutually exclusive against the health of other characters. In Halo Infinite plasma weapons can be refilled with plasma ammo.

Hardlight

Hardlight weapons are Forerunner in origin and disintegrate targets upon inflicting critical damage. Their use differs slightly from game to game. Introduced in Halo 4 they glow orange and possess a damage type similar to the covenant carbine, having no bonus against any material but able to destroy Jackal shields and deployable cover. In Halo 5: Guardians they now deal bonus damage to vehicles and Promethean weakspots. In Halo Infinite hardlight is now purple, can kill vehicle occupants without destroying the vehicle itself, and can be refilled with hardlight ammo.

Shock

First introduced in Halo Infinite, shock weapons are extremely weak per shot but can chain damage to multiple targets, as well as EMP vehicles. Shock weapons can be refilled with shock ammo.

Headshot Damage

The Sniper Rifle, a precision weapon, in action during a match of Firefight.

"Particularly useful against delicate equipment—like brains."

— Halo: Reach manual description

Precision weapons, sometimes called "anti-materiel" weapons, are any weapon capable of instantly killing a character with a headshot. Depending on the character they may not actually have their head region marked as vulnerable and are thus immune, such as Drones in Halo 2 or the Warden Eternal, while other body regions may be marked as headshot vulnerable like the exposed backs of Hunters in Halo: Combat Evolved. In all games prior to Halo 5: Guardians precision weapons will always instantly kill when scoring a headshot on an unshielded enemy, regardless of how much health they had remaining. Halo 5: Guardians introduced weapons with headshot multipliers that deal bonus damage without performing instant kills. In Halo Infinite the shock rifle features a headshot multiplier that still applies while shields are active. With the introduction of these additional headshot parameters the term precision weapon is still used to describe weapons that can kill with a single unshielded headshot. Any form of headshot damage can be applied to kinetic, plasma, hardlight, and shock weapons. Even the impact damage of some explosives can cause headshot damage.

Explosive

Explosive weapons are any weapon or projectile that creates an area of explosive damage. Explosives can also detonate other explosive projectiles and are effected by the explosives support upgrade and grenadier armor mod. In Halo Infinite explosive damage can be applied to kinetic, plasma, hardlight, and shock weapons.

Roles

Over the years the Halo community has also created its own terminology based on the way weapons are obtained and used in multiplayer. The following are notable multiplayer weapon terms either created by Halo developers or officially recognized by them.

Loadout Weapon

Main article: loadout

Loadout weapons, also known as "starter weapons" and "initial weapons", are weapons given to players at the start of a match and upon respawning. Loadouts and starting equipment settings always grant at least a primary weapon, and may also contain a secondary weapon, grenades, and/or equipment. Certain gametypes in Halo: Reach, Halo 4, Halo 2: Anniversary multiplayer, and Halo 5: Guardians offer players a choice of preset loadouts, while Halo 4 also allows players to create up to 5 custom loadouts for use in Infinity gamemodes. Of all weapons that have occupied the loadout role the most common have been the assault rifle, magnum, and battle rifle.

Primary

Primary weapons are comprised of loadout weapons belonging to the rifle weapon class. Whenever a match starts or a player respawns, these weapons will immediately be available within the player's hands. An additional primary weapon may also be equipped to any Halo 4 custom loadout given the firepower tactical package is selected.

Secondary

Secondary weapons make up the remaining loadout weapons apart of the pistol weapon class. Secondaries are at the disadvantage of needing to be swapped to after every spawn, as players are unable to equip them to the primary custom loadout slot.

Utility Weapon

The Utility weapon is a contentious role, both in terms of gameplay balance as well as the definition of the role itself. Originating from the Halo community and adopted by 343i, utility weapon now officially describes any starting, mid-ranged, scoped, headshot weapon that remains viable both at close and long ranges alike. Other weapons are typically limited to specific engagement ranges such as the shotgun's close range and sniper rifle's long range, and are less effective or otherwise unusable outside of their intended ranges. While other weapons possess utility functions such as the plasma pistol with its ability to emp shields and vehicles, weapons like the battle rifle instead provide players themselves with utility by allowing them to engage in combat across multiple engagement ranges without the need to switch weapons. This allows players to adopt a "jack of all trades" play style and has led to utility weapons being viewed as essential pickups in multiplayer. For the weapons that have alternative utility functions, they have sometimes been described as "specialized" or "specialist" weapons

Dual-wield Weapon

Main article: dual wielding

Introduced in Halo 2, some weapons can be dual wielded to increase firepower or mixed and matched to create deadly combos without the need to switch weapons. While useful in some circumstances dual wielding is not without its drawbacks. Players cannot melee, throw grenades, or switch weapons without dropping the left hand weapon. Dual wield weapons are typically designed to be weak when used on their own, with plasma weapons having a noticeable decrease in power compared to their Halo: Combat Evolved incarnations. Even the stats of weapons are affected when held in dual wield: accuracy is decreased, damage is nerfed, and the dual wield animations use their own set separate from the weapon class, often resulting in longer reloads. In Halo 2 and Halo 2: Anniversary the penalties to weapon spread and dual wield damage are only active when two of the same weapon are fired at the same time. These same penalties are always active in Halo 3 regardless which weapon combinations are held or when they are firing.

Power Weapon

Power weapons, which were previously named "heavy weapons" in Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2, are any weapon with the potential to kill fully shielded players with a single shot (or extremely quickly in the case of the flamethrower and SAW). Similarly to dual wielded weapons, the advantage they offer is usually offset by a shortcoming. Slow firing speed, lengthy reloads, and limited range are some of the balancing tools used to prevent multiple one hit kills from occuring simultaneously or in quick succession. Due to their desirability power weapons are usually found at a central spawn location on multiplayer maps. Halo 5: Guardians and Halo Infinite further accentuate this by placing these weapons on marked weapon pads. Despite having its own icon in Halo Infinite power is not a damage type, instead it is displayed to notify players that power weapons can only be refilled with power ammo.

Weapon Sets

Weapon sets are a custom game option used in multiplayer gametypes to replace weapons spawned on the map. These can be by faction, role, weapon class, damage type, or any other form of organization the developers have made for the game. Some weapon sets also appear as category filters within the forge object library. Below are some examples of common and reoccurring weapon sets.

• Human / UNSC Weapons
• Covenant Weapons
• Forerunner Weapons
• Pistols (Pistol, Magnum, Plasma Pistol)
• Plasma Weapons (Plasma Pistol, Plasma Rifle, Brute Plasma Rifle)
• Dual-wield Weapons (Magnum, Plasma Weapons, Needler, SMG, Silenced SMG, Mauler, Spiker)
• Rifles (Assault Rifle, Plasma Rifle, Battle Rifle, Carbine, DMR, Storm Rifle, Lightrifle, Suppressor, Sentinel Beam)
• Sniping Weapons (Sniper Rifle, Beam Rifle, Focus Rifle, Binary Rifle)
• Heavy Weapons (Launchers, Flamethrower, Detached Turrets)
• Power Weapons (Heavy Weapons, Sniping Weapons, Shotguns, Melee Weapons, SAW)

Weapons by Game

Halo CE

• M6D Magnum (Magnum)
• MA5B Assault Rifle (Assault Rifle)
• M90 Close Assault Weapon System (Shotgun)
• M41 SPNKr (Rocket Launcher)
• SRS99C-S2 AM sniper rifle (Sniper Rifle)
• M7057 Flamethrower (Flamethrower)
  • Only present in MCC and PC.
• M9 fragmentation grenade (Frag Grenade)
• Eos'Mak-pattern Pistol (Plasma Pistol)
• Okarda'phaa-pattern Rifle (Plasma Rifle)
• Type-33 needler (Needler)
• Zasqi-pattern Flak Launcher (Fuel Rod Gun)
• Anskum-pattern Firebomb (Plasma Grenade)

Halo 2

• M6C Magnum (Magnum)
• M6D Magnum (Magnum)
• M90 Close Assault Weapon System (Assault Rifle)
• M41 SPNKr (Rocket Launcher)
• SRS99C-S2 AM sniper rifle (Sniper Rifle)
• M9 fragmentation grenade (Frag Grenade)
• BR55 battle rifle (Battle Rifle)
• M7 SMG (SMG)
• Eos'Mak-pattern Pistol (Plasma Pistol)
• Okarda'phaa-pattern Rifle (Plasma Rifle)
• Kewu R'shi'k-pattern plasma rifle (Brute Plasma Rifle)
• Type-33 needler (Needler)
• Anskum-pattern Firebomb (Plasma Grenade)
• Pelosus-pattern fireblade (Energy Sword)
• Sulok-pattern beam rifle (Beam Rifle)
• Jovokada Workshop Death Lobber (Brute Shot)
• Vostu-pattern carbine (Covenant Carbine)
• Pez'tk-pattern fuel rod gun (Fuel Rod Gun)
• Sentinel beam (Sentinel Beam)

Halo 3

• M41 SPNKr (Rocket Launcher)
• M7057 Flamethrower (Flamethrower)
• M9 fragmentation grenade (Frag Grenade)
• M7 SMG (SMG)
• M6G2 magnum (Magnum)
• M6C (Automag)
  • Only present in MCC.
• MA5C assault rifle (Assault Rifle)
• BR55HB battle rifle (Battle Rifle)
• M90A Close Assault Weapon System (Shotgun)
• SRS99D-S2 AM sniper rifle (Sniper Rifle)
• W/AV M6 G/GNR "Spartan Laser" (Spartan Laser)
• AIE-486H heavy machine gun (Machine Gun)
• LAU-65D/SGM-151 (Missile Pod Turret)
• Eos'Mak-pattern Pistol (Plasma Pistol)
• Okarda'phaa-pattern Rifle (Plasma Rifle)
• Kewu R'shi'k-pattern plasma rifle (Brute Plasma Rifle)
  • • • Only present in MCC.
• Type-33 needler (Needler)
• Anskum-pattern Firebomb (Plasma Grenade)
• Sulok-pattern beam rifle (Beam Rifle)
• Jovokada Workshop Death Lobber (Brute Shot)
• Vostu-pattern carbine (Covenant Carbine)
• Ukala Workshop Breach Pistol (Mauler)
• Paegaas Workshop Spiker (Spiker)
• Fleet of Retrobution Energy Sword (Energy Sword)
• Akelus Workshop War Hammer (Gravity Hammer)
• Jovokada Workshop Spike Bomb (Spike Grenade)
• Pek-pattern Sweeping Turret (Plasma Cannon)
• Pez'tk-pattern fuel rod gun (Fuel Rod Gun)
• Sentinel beam (Sentinel Beam)

Halo Wars

• MA5B Assault Rifle (Assault Rifle)
• M90 Close Assault Weapon System (Shotgun)
• M41 SPNKr (Rocket Launcher)
• SRS99C-S2 AM sniper rifle (Sniper Rifle)
• M9 fragmentation grenade (Frag Grenade)
• BR55 battle rifle (Battle Rifle)
• M6C Magnum (Magnum)
• M7 SMG (SMG)
• W/AV M6 G/GNR "Spartan Laser" (Spartan Laser)
• Eos'Mak-pattern Pistol (Plasma Pistol)
• Okarda'phaa-pattern Rifle (Plasma Rifle)
• Type-33 needler (Needler)
• Anskum-pattern Firebomb (Plasma Grenade)
• Pelosus-pattern fireblade (Energy Sword)
• Sulok-pattern beam rifle (Beam Rifle)
• Jovokada Workshop Death Lobber (Brute Shot)
• Vostu-pattern carbine (Covenant Carbine)
• Sentinel beam (Sentinel Beam)

Halo 3: ODST

• M41 SPNKr (Rocket Launcher)
• M7057 Flamethrower (Flamethrower)
• M9 fragmentation grenade (Frag Grenade)
• M7 SMG (SMG)
• MA5C assault rifle (Assault Rifle)
• BR55HB battle rifle (Battle Rifle)
• M90A Close Assault Weapon System (Shotgun)
• SRS99D-S2 AM sniper rifle (Sniper Rifle)
• W/AV M6 G/GNR "Spartan Laser" (Spartan Laser)
• AIE-486H heavy machine gun (Machine Gun)
• LAU-65D/SGM-151 (Missile Pod Turret)
• M6C (Automag)
• Eos'Mak-pattern Pistol (Plasma Pistol)
• Okarda'phaa-pattern Rifle (Plasma Rifle)
  • MCC only.
• Kewu R'shi'k-pattern plasma rifle (Brute Plasma Rifle)
• Type-33 needler (Needler)
• Anskum-pattern Firebomb (Plasma Grenade)
• Sulok-pattern beam rifle (Beam Rifle)
• Jovokada Workshop Death Lobber (Brute Shot)
• Vostu-pattern carbine (Covenant Carbine)
• Ukala Workshop Breach Pistol (Mauler)
• Paegaas Workshop Spiker (Spiker)
• Fleet of Retrobution Energy Sword (Energy Sword)
• Akelus Workshop War Hammer (Gravity Hammer)
• Jovokada Workshop Spike Bomb (Spike Grenade)
• Pek-pattern Sweeping Turret (Plasma Cannon)
• Pez'tk-pattern fuel rod gun (Fuel Rod Gun)

Halo: Reach

• M41 SPNKr (Rocket Launcher)
• M9 fragmentation grenade (Frag Grenade)
• M6G magnum (Magnum)
• M45 shotgun (Shotgun)
• M392 DMR (DMR)
• MA37 assault rifle (Assault Rifle)
• SRS99-AM sniper rifle (Sniper Rifle)
• M319 Individual Grenade Launcher (Grenade Launcher)
• Eos'Mak-pattern Pistol (Plasma Pistol)
• Okarda'phaa-pattern Rifle (Plasma Rifle)
• Type-33 needler (Needler)
• Gadulo-pattern Needle Launcher (Needle Rifle)
• Anskum-pattern Firebomb (Plasma Grenade)
• Paegaas Workshop Spiker (Spiker)
• Pek-pattern Sweeping Turret (Plasma Cannon)
• Pez'tk-pattern fuel rod gun (Fuel Rod Gun)
• Korva-pattern Flak Launcher (Fuel Rod Cannon)
• Nakata'vho-pattern rifle (Plasma Repeater)
• Paegaas Workshop War Hammer (Gravity Hammer)
• M'tara-pattern Fire Rifle (Focus Rifle)

Halo CE: Anniversary

• M9 fragmentation grenade (Frag Grenade)
• M45 shotgun (Shotgun)
• SRS99-AM sniper rifle (Sniper Rifle)
• M6D magnum (Magnum)
• MA5B assault rifle (Assault Rifle)
• M41 SPNKr (Rocket Launcher)
• Okarda'phaa-pattern Rifle (Plasma Rifle)
• Type-33 needler (Needler)
• Anskum-pattern Firebomb (Plasma Grenade)
• Pek-pattern Sweeping Turret (Plasma Cannon)
• Pez'tk-pattern fuel rod gun (Fuel Rod Gun)
• Eos'Mak-pattern Pistol (Plasma Pistol)

Halo 4

• M41 SPNKr (Rocket Launcher)
• M9 fragmentation grenade (Frag Grenade)
• W/AV M6 G/GNR "Spartan Laser" (Spartan Laser)
• M45 shotgun (Shotgun)
• BR85HB battle rifle (Battle Rifle)
• MA5D assault rifle (Assault Rifle)
• M395 DMR (DMR)
• SRS99-S5 AM sniper rifle (Sniper Rifle)
• M6H magnum (Magnum)
• ARC-920 railgun (Railgun)
• M739 SAW (SAW)
• M363 sticky detonator (Sticky Detonator)
• Eos'Mak-pattern Pistol (Plasma Pistol)
• Type-33 needler (Needler)
• Anskum-pattern Firebomb (Plasma Grenade)
• Pek-pattern Sweeping Turret (Plasma Cannon)
• Pez'tk-pattern fuel rod gun (Fuel Rod Gun)
• Korva-pattern Flak Launcher (Fuel Rod Cannon)
• Paegaas Workshop War Hammer (Gravity Hammer)
• Mosa-pattern carbine (Covenant Carbine)
• Domotos-pattern fireblade (Energy Sword)
• Kelos'vaarda-pattern Rifle (Storm Rifle)
• Zubo-pattern Long Rifle (Beam Rifle)
• Zebando'Taa-pattern Firebomb Launcher (Concussion Rifle)
• Sentinel beam (Sentinel Beam)
• Z-750 binary rifle (Binary Rifle)
• Z-110 Boltshot (Boltshot)
• Z-390 incineration cannon (Incineration Cannon)
• Z-250 lightrifle (Lightrifle)
• Z-040 pulse grenade (Pulse Grenade)
• Z-180 Scattershot (Scattershot)
• Z-130 Suppressor (Suppressor)

Halo: Spartan Assault

• M41 SPNKr (Rocket Launcher)
• M9 fragmentation grenade (Frag Grenade)
• M7 SMG (SMG)
• M6G2 magnum (Magnum)
• M6H magnum (Magnum)
• W/AV M6 G/GNR "Spartan Laser" (Spartan Laser)
• M45 shotgun (Shotgun)
• MA37 assault rifle (Assault Rifle)
• MA5D assault rifle (Assault Rifle)
• SRS99-AM sniper rifle (Sniper Rifle)
• M319 Individual Grenade Launcher (Grenade Launcher)
• BR85HB battle rifle (Battle Rifle)
• M395 DMR (DMR)
• SRS99-S5 AM sniper rifle (Sniper Rifle)
• ARC-920 railgun (Railgun)
• Eos'Mak-pattern Pistol (Plasma Pistol)
• Okarda'phaa-pattern Rifle (Plasma Rifle)
• Type-33 needler (Needler)
• Anskum-pattern Firebomb (Plasma Grenade)
• Jovokada Workshop Death Lobber (Brute Shot)
• Akelus Workshop War Hammer (Gravity Hammer)
• Nakata'vho-pattern rifle (Plasma Repeater)
• Gadulo-pattern Needle Launcher (Needle Rifle)
• M'tara-pattern Fire Rifle (Focus Rifle)

Halo 2: Anniversary

• M90 Close Assault Weapon System (Shotgun)
• M9 fragmentation grenade (Frag Grenade)
• BR55 battle rifle (Battle Rifle)
• M6C Magnum (Magnum)
• M7 SMG (SMG)
• SRS99-AM sniper rifle (Sniper Rifle)
• MA5D assault rifle (Assault Rifle)
• M41 SPNKr (Rocket Launcher)
• Type-33 needler (Needler)
• Anskum-pattern Firebomb (Plasma Grenade)
• Pelosus-pattern fireblade (Energy Sword)
• Sulok-pattern beam rifle (Beam Rifle)
• Zubo-pattern Long Rifle (Beam Rifle)
• Okarda'phaa-pattern Rifle (Plasma Rifle)
• Kewu R'shi'k-pattern plasma rifle (Brute Plasma Rifle)
• Pez'tk-pattern fuel rod gun (Fuel Rod Gun)
• Korva-pattern Flak Launcher (Fuel Rod Cannon)
• Mosa-pattern carbine (Covenant Carbine)
• Eos'Mak-pattern Pistol (Plasma Pistol)
• Jovokada Workshop Death Lobber (Brute Shot)
• Sentinel Beam (Sentinel Beam)

Halo: Spartan Strike

• M41 SPNKr (Rocket Launcher)
• M9 fragmentation grenade (Frag Grenade)
• M7 SMG (SMG)
• MA5C assault rifle (Assault Rifle)
• MA37 assault rifle (Assault Rifle)
• MA5D assault rifle (Assault Rifle)
• W/AV M6 G/GNR "Spartan Laser" (Spartan Laser)
• M45 shotgun (Shotgun)
• M319 Individual Grenade Launcher (Grenade Launcher)
• BR85HB battle rifle (Battle Rifle)
• SRS99-S5 AM sniper rifle (Sniper Rifle)
• M6H magnum (Magnum)
• Eos'Mak-pattern Pistol (Plasma Pistol)
• Okarda'phaa-pattern Rifle (Plasma Rifle)
• Type-33 needler (Needler)
• Anskum-pattern Firebomb (Plasma Grenade)
• Kopasa'mada-pattern Firebomb Launcher (Plasma Launcher)
• Jovokada Workshop Death Lobber (Brute Shot)
• Akelus Workshop War Hammer (Gravity Hammer)
• Nakata'vho-pattern rifle (Plasma Repeater)
• M'tara-pattern Fire Rifle (Focus Rifle)

Halo 5: Guardians

• M6D Magnum (Halo CE Magnum)
• M6H magnum (Magnum)
• M6H2 magnum (Whispered Truth)
• M41 SPNKr (SPNKr)
  • And M41 SPNKr EM and M41 SPNKr Prime variants.
• M9 fragmentation grenade (Frag Grenade)
• BR55 battle rifle (Halo 2 Battle Rifle)
• BR85 battle rifle (Battle Rifle)
• W/AV M6/E G/GNR "Spartan Laser" (Spartan Laser)
• M45 shotgun (Shotgun)
  • And Lawgiver shotgun and Blaze of Glory shotgun variants.
• M319 Individual Grenade Launcher (Grenade Launcher)
• MA5D assault rifle (Assault Rifle)
• M395 DMR (DMR)
• SRS99-S5 AM sniper rifle (Sniper Rifle)
• ARC-920 railgun (Railgun)
• M739 SAW (SAW)
  • And Appetite for Destruction SAW and The Answer SAW variants.
• M20/PDW (SMG)
• M70 Electromagnetic Launcher (Gauss Cannon)
• MLRS-1 Hydra (Hydra)
• M57 Pilum (Rocket Launcher)
  • And M57 Ad Victoriam Pilum and M57 High Five Pilum variants.
• M80 Multiple Rocket Launch System (Rocket Pod Turret)
  • And ONI Rocket Pod Turret variant.
• M49 Vulcan (Chaingun Turret)
• Etilka (George's Chaingun)
• Anskum-pattern Firebomb (Plasma Grenade)
• Kopasa'mada-pattern Firebomb Launcher (Plasma Launcher)
  • Present as the result of a glitch.
• Sulok-pattern beam rifle (Halo 2 Beam Rifle)
• Zubo-pattern Long Rifle (Beam Rifle)
• Kewu R'shi'k-pattern plasma rifle (Blood-hand)
• Kelos'vaarda-pattern Rifle (Storm Rifle)
• Mosa-pattern carbine (Covenant Carbine)
  • And Blood of Suban carbine variant.
• Domotos-pattern fireblade (Energy Sword)
• Prophets' Bane (Prophets' Bane Energy Sword)
• Gespu-pattern flak launcher (Fuel Rod Cannon)
• Sepulo'tez Workshop War Hammer (Gravity Hammer)
• Type-56D needler (Needler)
• Tufasumo-pattern plasma caster (Plasma Caster)
  • And White Scar plasma caster variant
• Assault Cannon (Hunter Cannon)
• Zo'klada-pattern Pistol (Plasma Pistol)
  • And Void's Tear Plasma Pistol variant.
• Shea'p-pattern Sweeping Turret (Plasma Turret)
• Safeguard Sentinel beam (Sentinel Beam)
• Z-750 binary rifle (Binary Rifle)
• Z-110 Boltshot (Boltshot)
• Z-390 incineration cannon (Incineration Cannon)
• Z-250 lightrifle (Lightrifle)
• Z-040 pulse grenade (Pulse Grenade)
• Z-180 Scattershot (Scattershot)
• Z-130 Suppressor (Suppressor)
• Splinter Turret (Splinter Turret)

Halo Wars 2

• MA5B Assault Rifle (Assault Rifle)
• MA37 assault rifle (Assault Rifle)
• MA5D assault rifle (Assault Rifle)
• M90 Close Assault Weapon System (Shotgun)
• M41 SPNKr (Rocket Launcher)
• M7057 Flamethrower (Flamethrower)
• M9 fragmentation grenade (Frag Grenade)
• BR55 battle rifle (Battle Rifle)
• M6C Magnum (Magnum)
• M6C (Automag)
• M7S SMG (SMG)
• W/AV M6 G/GNR "Spartan Laser" (Spartan Laser)
• AIE-486H heavy machine gun (Machine Gun)
• ARC-920 railgun (Railgun)
• MLRS-1 Hydra (Hydra)
• Eos'Mak-pattern Pistol (Plasma Pistol)
• Okarda'phaa-pattern Rifle (Plasma Rifle)
• Kewu R'shi'k-pattern plasma rifle (Blood-hand)
• Anskum-pattern Firebomb (Plasma Grenade)
• Pelosus-pattern fireblade (Energy Sword)
• Domotos-pattern fireblade (Energy Sword)
• Sulok-pattern beam rifle (Beam Rifle)
• Zubo-pattern Long Rifle (Beam Rifle)
• Jovokada Workshop Death Lobber (Brute Shot)
• Pek-pattern Sweeping Turret (Plasma Cannon)
• Pez'tk-pattern fuel rod gun (Fuel Rod Gun)
• Korva-pattern Flak Launcher (Fuel Rod Cannon)
• Paegaas Workshop War Hammer (Gravity Hammer)
• Mosa-pattern carbine (Banished Carbine)
• Tufasumo-pattern plasma caster (Plasma Caster)
• Sentinel beam (Sentinel Beam)

Halo Infinite

• M41 SPNKr (SPNKr)
  • Including M41 Tracker Variant
• M9 fragmentation grenade (Frag Grenade)
• M392 Bandit (Bandit)
  • Including Bandit Evo variant.
• MA40 AR (Assault Rifle)
  • Including Longshot Assault Rifle variant.
• MLRS-2 Hydra (Hydra)
  • Including Pursuit Hydra variant.
• Mk50 Sidekick (Pistol)
  • Including Striker Sidekick variant.
• CQS48 Bulldog (Bulldog)
  • Including Convergence Bulldog variant.
• S7 Sniper (Sniper Rifle)
  • Including Flexfire Sniper variant.
• BR75 battle rifle (Battle Rifle)
  • Including BR Breacher variant.
• VK78 Commando Rifle (Commando)
  • Including Impact Commando variant.
• M247 Heavy Machine Gun (Turret)
• Anskum-pattern Firebomb (Plasma Grenade)
• Erudo'ma'keth-pattern pulse carbine (Pulse Carbine)
  • Including Rapidfire Pulse Carbine variant.
• Shea'p-pattern Sweeping Turret (Plasma Cannon)
• Meluth'qelos-pattern fireblade (Energy Sword)
  • Including Duelist Energy Sword, Bloodblade, and Infected Energy Sword variants.
• Rohakadu-pattern Pistol (Plasma Pistol)
  • Including Unbound Plasma Pistol variant.
• Posu'gelka-pattern needler (Needler)
  • Including Pinpoint Needler variant.
• Elutuzem-pattern long shooter (Stalker Rifle)
  • Including Stalker Rifle Ultra variant.
• Jovokada Workshop Spike Bomb (Spike Grenade)
• Veporokk Workshop Plasma Tosser (Ravager)
  • Including Ravager Rebound variant.
• Halbashi Workshop War Hammer (Gravity Hammer)
  • Including Rushdown Hammer and Diminisher of Hope variants.
• Sicatt Workshop Disruptor (Disruptor)
  • Including Calcine Disruptor variant.
• Ukala Workshop Spike Revolver (Mangler)
  • Including Riven Mangler variant.
• Sentinel beam (Sentinel Beam)
  • Including Arcane Sentinel Beam variant.
• Sicatt Workshop Shock Rifle (Shock Rifle)
  • Including Purging Shock Rifle variant.
• Flaktura Workshop Heavy Speargun (Skewer)
  • Including Volatile Skewer variant.
• Grenflekt Workshop Meat Shredder (Scrap Cannon)
• Cindershot (Cindershot)
  • Including Backdraft Cindershot variant.
• Heatwave (Heatwave)
  • Including Scatterbound Heatwave variant.
• Scorpion Tail (Scorpion Tail)
• Normal Sandwich (Sandwich)
  • Mythic Sandwich (Golden Sandwich)
• Skull (Skull/Oddball)

Cut Weapons

• Chaingun (Chaingun)
  • Cut from Halo CE. The concept was later revived with the AIE-486H machine gun in Halo 3.
• Pattern-2 Composite Sword (Machete)
  • Cut from Halo CE. Although the machete was cut, it did live on in-game and in-lore as the Machete - a UNSC bladed weapon for use in jungle environments and found on all variations of the difficulty sigils for Normal, Heroic and Legendary difficulties.
• Lamprey Sub-Ed (Spear Gun)
  • Cut from Halo CE. The concept was revived in Halo Infinite with the Flaktura Workshop Skewer.
• 12.7mm MP-99 Para (SMG)
  • Cut from Halo CE. The weapon's concept was later revived in Halo 2 as the M7 SMG.
• c concussion gun (Concussion Gun)
  • Cut from Halo CE.
• Energy shield (Energy Shield)
  • Cut from Halo CE. A similar device known as the Sangheili point defense gauntlet lives on in Halo canon.
• c excavator (Excavator)
  • Cut from Halo CE and Halo 3. The Excavator would eventually form the basis for the design of the Mauler in Halo 3.
• Gravity rifle (Gravity Rifle)
  • Cut from Halo CE. The gravity rifle appears to be somewhat of a spiritual successor to the microwave gun featured in the 1999 builds, and somewhat of a precursor to the Disintegrator later cut from Halo 2.
• Gravity wrench (Gravity Wrench)
  • Cut from Halo CE.
• c microwave gun (Microwave Gun)
  • Cut from Halo CE.
• c particle beam rifle (Particle Beam Rifle)
  • Cut from Halo CE. It presumably fulfills a role of a Covenant sniper rifle, and presumably evolved into the particle beam rifle weapons later included in Halo 2 and subsequent entries.
• Covenant sniper rifle (Covenant Rniper Rifle)
  • Cut from Halo CE.
• Flamethrower (Flamethrower)
  • Cut from Halo CE and Halo 2. The weapon was eventually realised in Halo 3.
• General-purpose machine gun (GPMG)
  • Cut from Halo 2. The weapon was not seen physically until the release of Halo 2 on PC as part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection, when the GPMG was added to the game's shared directory, allowing it to be spawned in and used via modding.
• Machine gun turret with grenade launcher (Grenade Launcher Chaingun)
  • Cut from Halo 2. The model file for the turret was recovered by the Digsite project, and used as a basis for making the weapon functional in the retail build of Halo: The Master Chief Collection - though in the original Halo 2 this weapon was purely a nonfunctional prop.
• M7S SMG (Silenced SMG)
  • Cut from Halo 2. The M7S would later make its in-game debut in Halo 2 for Windows Vista as a weapon spawn on the map Example, before being prominently featured in Halo 3: ODST. The later release of Halo 2: Anniversary would see the Suppressed SMG included in the game's updated multiplayer component.
• Brute Grenade (Spike Grenade)
  • Cut from Halo 2. They would later return in Halo 3 as the spike grenade. This weapon is one of many recovered and restored to functionality by the Digsite project.
• Disintegrator (Disintegrator)
  • Cut from Halo 2.
• Plasma mortar (Knee Mortar)
  • Cut from Halo 2. The model was recovered and released in a mostly-unfinished state by Digsite, with the model itself based on the older Combat Evolved gravity wrench design.
• Sentinel Needler (Sentinel Needler)
  • Cut from Halo 2.
• Sentinel Grenade Launcher (Sentinel Grenade Launcher)
  • Cut from Halo 2.
• Sentinel Enforcer Charged Bolt (Sentinel Enforcer Charged Bolt)
  • Cut from Halo 2.
• G4H-DuSH (Missile Launcher)
  • Cut from Halo 3.
• Spike Pepperbox (Brute Spiker)
  • Cut from Halo 3 in favor of the Brute Spiker.
• Guardian eye (Guardian Eye)
  • Cut from Halo 3 along with the Guardian.
• Attach beam (Attach Beam)
  • Cut from Halo 4. With the release of Halo 4 on PC as part of The Master Chief Collection, files for this weapon - now named the "storm attach beam" - were added to the game's shared file directory, allowing them to be spawned in via modding.
• Bishop beam (Bishop Beam)
  • Cut from Halo 4. This weapon was one of several made available for use in modding, following the release of Halo 4 on PC in The Master Chief Collection.
• Burst pistol (Burst Pistol)
  • Cut from Halo 4. This weapon was one of several made available for use in modding, following the release of Halo 4 on PC in The Master Chief Collection.
• Disintegrator (Disintegrator)
  • Cut from Halo 4.
• Homing rifle (Homing Rifle)
  • Cut from Halo 4.
• Hunter LMG (LMG)
  • Cut from Halo 4.
• Mortar launcher (Mortar Launcher)
  • Cut from Halo 4.
• Stasis rifle (Stasis Rifle)
  • Cut from Halo 4. This weapon was one of several made available for use in modding, following the release of Halo 4 on PC in The Master Chief Collection.
• Arm-mounted railgun (Arm-mounted Railgun)
  • Cut from Halo 5: Guardians.
• Glass cutter (Glass Cutter)
  • Cut from Halo 5: Guardians.
• Grenade launcher CLUSTER (Cluster Grenade Launcher)
  • Cut from Halo 5: Guardians.
• Brute sniper rifle (Brute Sniper)
  • Cut from Halo 5: Guardians.
• Brute magnetic missile (Brute Rocket Launcher)
  • Cut from Halo 5: Guardians.
• Brute gatling mortar (Brute Turret)
  • Cut from Halo 5: Guardians. Interestingly, the gatling mortar has some broad similarities to the Grenflekt Workshop Scrap Cannon featured in Halo Infinite.

Power Level

Tiers, also known as power levels, are a categorization method utilized by Halo 5: Guardians which scales weapons by lethality. This also generally serves as a measurement of desirability, informing players to grab higher level weapons in order to become more effective damage dealers in multiplayer and warzone. Power level is also represented by a point system in warzone. Players can requisition more destructive weapons via the points they have accumulated during the warzone match.

Tier 1

Spartan-II equiped with battle rifle and assault rifle, both tier-1 loadout weapons.

"Basic starter weapons"

— Halo 5: Guardians forge description

• Loadout Weapons
• Plasma Rifles
• Sentinel Beam

Tier 2

Spartan-IV's with various tier-2 and tier-3 weapons.

"More specialized weapons"

— Halo 5: Guardians forge description

• Shotguns
• Plasma Pistol
• Needler
• Melee Weapons
• Grenade Launchers
• Hydra

Tier 3

"Power weapons"

— Halo 5: Guardians forge description

• Launchers
• Sniper Rifles
• SAW
• Detached Turrets

Weapon Variants

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