Armor permutations in Halo 3 allow players to customize their Spartan and Elite player model with a variety of armor pieces available to players. The feature is an improvement of Halo 2's player customization feature.
Overview
There are a total of 17 armor sets included in Halo 3, 12 of which for the SPARTAN-II character model and 5 for the Elite character model. These armor permutations are organized into three categories: Helmet, Chest and Shoulder. Certain armor permutations can only be unlocked by completing the game on certain difficulties, accumulate certain Gamerscore, or by obtaining certain multiplayer-specific achievements.
For the Halo 3 multiplayer component of Halo: The Master Chief Collection between the game's launch in 2014 and the launch of Halo 3 on PC in 2020, armor customization was limited to full sets with no mix-and-match customization, due to the difficulties of running multiple engines in the menu component. Following the launch of Halo 3 on PC and start of Season 2: Spark, this system was updated to display Halo 3 character models in Unreal Engine 4, with full customization in-game as it was at the launch of Halo 3. With the launch of Season 3: Recon, Halo 3 customisation was updated with the inclusion of skins for application on a player's weapon and several new visor colour options for use with all helmets. The full list of Halo 3 skins can be viewed here.
Unlocking armor permutations
Spartans
| Spartan armor | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Armor | Helmet | Chest | Shoulders |
 Mark VI |
Unlocked by default | Unlocked by default | Unlocked by default |
 CQB |
Unlocked by default | Unlocked by default | Unlocked by default |
 EVA |
Complete the entire Halo 3 campaign on Normal difficulty or higher (Campaign Complete: Normal) | Beat Tsavo Highway on Normal difficulty or higher (The Road) | Beat The Ark on Normal difficulty or higher (Refuge) |
 EOD |
Complete the entire Halo 3 campaign on Legendary difficulty (Campaign Complete: Legendary) | Beat Tsavo Highway on Legendary difficulty | Beat The Ark on Legendary difficulty |
 HAYABUSA |
Collect all 13 skulls | Collect 5 skulls | Collect 9 skulls |
 Scout |
Unlock the Used Car Salesman achievement | Unlock the Too Close to the Sun achievement | Unlock the Mongoose Mowdown achievement |
 Recon |
| ||
 Security |
Get 1,000 
|
N/A | Get 750
|
 ODST |
Reach the rank of  Private in multiplayer (Spartan Graduate)
|
N/A | |
 Mark V |
Achieve the rank of  Sergeant in multiplayer (UNSC Spartan)
|
N/A | |
 Rogue |
Reach the rank of  Lieutenant in multiplayer (Spartan Officer)
|
N/A | |
 Katana |
N/A | Earn 49 achievements or earn 1,000
|
N/A |
 Bungie Armor ("Flaming head") |
N/A | Be an employee of Bungie Studios | N/A |
Elites
| Elite armor | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Armor | Helmet | Chest | Shoulders |
 Combat |
Unlocked by default | Unlocked by default | Unlocked by default |
 Assault |
Unlocked by default | Unlocked by default | Unlocked by default |
 Flight |
Complete the entire Halo 3 campaign on Heroic difficulty or higher (Campaign Complete: Heroic) | Beat Tsavo Highway on Heroic difficulty or higher | Beat The Ark on Heroic difficulty or higher |
 Ascetic |
Unlock the Steppin' Razor achievement | Unlock the Up Close and Personal achievement | Unlock the Overkill achievement |
 Commando |
Unlock the Overkill achievement | Unlock the Triple Kill achievement |
|
Trivia
Production notes
- There was originally going to be an Arbiter armor permutation in Halo 3, but it was taken out before the game's release.Template:Fact
Mistakes
- In reusing tooltips from Halo: Reach's appearance menu, the updated customization menu for Halo 3 in Halo: The Master Chief Collection now erroneously states the choice between a Spartan and Elite player model is only applicable to appropriate, species-specific gametypes, despite the option being available regardless of gametype.
- Additionally, when hovering over the menu element to change Elite armor permutations, the game erroneously states the option is to change Spartan armor.
Miscellaneous
- The Bungie Armor is the only armor not obtainable by players as it is exclusively for Bungie employees.
- This would change in Halo: The Master Chief Collection, with players being able to use the armor freely, now dubbed "Flaming Head", and later "Legacy".
- In Halo 3, the neck of an Elite (regardless what armor permutation used) is completely immune to any form of damage except for a shot from an overcharged Plasma Pistol. In addition, the projectile will simply pass through the neck, as though the neck wasn't there, without a blood spatter. This is because both Elites and Spartans have similar models.
- Many people speculate that hitboxes of the Spartans and Elites are shared but this is not true. While Bungie has officially commented on the hitboxes, they regard the size of the hitbox not the arrangement. Hitboxes are an unseen registry mechanic, which fall into the player models. They determine whether or not something has collided with the player. If an Elite is facing profile (sideways), and a shot is fired underneath the head (to where a Spartan's chest would be), the game will not register a hit. The head "hitbox" is forward more on Elites than it is Spartans.
Gallery
Concept art
Four conceptual armor sets from The Art of Halo 3. The Scout helmet is visible.
Screenshots
All of the Spartan permutations in Halo 3. Note: If a part of the armor set doesn't exist, it has been substituted with its Mark VI counterpart.
All the Elite permutations in Halo 3.
A recreation of a Sangheili Zealot on Valhalla using the armor customization system.
The glitched armor from Floodgate, It appears to be a combination of the front part of the Assault permutation and the back of the Combat permutation.
Color choices for Halo 3 in Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
Sources
Note