User:XScruffyDaSasquatchx/Sandbox

This article is about the weapon featured in most Halo games. For other uses of the term "sniper rifle", see its disambiguation page.

This article documents its subject as it pertains to the gameplay of the Halo games, rather than the lore.

Sniper Rifle
Gameplay role
Faction:	Human (UNSC)
Weapon tier (?):	Power weapon
Weapon class (?):	Sniper rifle
Weapon type (?):	Precision weapon
Firing mode:	Semi-automatic
Effective range:	Long to medium
Counterparts:	Covenant: Beam Rifle Focus Rifle Banished: Shock Rifle Skewer Stalker Rifle Forerunner: Binary Rifle
Weapon stats
Damage:	High (headshots)
Damage type (?):	Kinetic
Projectile speed:	Very high, near instantaneous
Rate of fire:	Low
Accuracy:	Very high
Magazine size:	4 bullets
Variants and attachments
Halo 5 REQ variant(s):	End of the Line Arrow of Time Nornfang
Halo Infinite variant(s):	S7 Flexfire Sniper

The Sniper Rifle, sometimes shortened to just Sniper or Snipes, and known in Halo Infinite as the S7 Sniper, is a human precision power weapon featured in all major Halo games, starting with Halo: Combat Evolved. It is a long-range weapon which typically has two levels of scope, and is best used to pick off enemies at a great distance. The Sniper deals a large amount of damage per shot, but has a slow rate of fire and usually only carries four shots per magazine.

Overview

The Sniper Rifle is a powerful precision weapon, featured in every notable Halo game since the series' inception in Halo: Combat Evolved. Typically dark grey or black in color, the weapon features one of the longest barrels of any weapon, as well as a large boxy scope and a prominent stock, making it very easy to identify. It is capable of killing enemy players in as little as one or two shots depending upon accuracy, and deals a large amount of damage. To compensate for this, it has a slow rate of fire compared to most weapons, usually only carries four shots per magazine, and is very rare.

Advantages

• Deals a significant amount of damage, allowing most enemies to be killed easily
  • Headshots can instantly kill an enemy player in multiplayer
• Damage does not fall off at longer ranges
• Multiple, very long-distance zoom options

Disadvantages

• Has a slow fire rate
• Often difficult to aim, particularly at short ranges and when using a controller rather than mouse and keyboard
  • In earlier games, it even lacks aim-assist when hip-fired
• Ammo is very rare

Tactics and strategies

• Save ammo where possible, as it is very rare
  • In campaign, prioritise more difficult enemies like Chieftains or Hunters with the Sniper, while using a more common weapon on easier enemies such as Grunts and Jackals
  • In multiplayer, if you have a mid-range weapon such as a Battle Rifle in reserve, and you hit an enemy with the Sniper but do not kill them, switch to the Battle Rifle to finish them with a headshot rather than waste a second Sniper bullet
• In multiplayer, controlling power weapons like the Sniper is important, as a skilled enemy Sniper could rack up many kills, or keep your team away from the objective with ease

Unlock and acquisition requirements

In the majority of Halo games, the Sniper Rifle does not need to be unlocked, and is simply acquired by finding it on the map, or, in the case of some game modes or campaign missions, spawning with it. However, there are three notable exceptions.

Variants

There are four variants of the Sniper Rifle, three of which are REQ variants from Halo 5: Guardians.

Counterparts

The most prominent counterpart to the Sniper Rifle is the Covenant's Beam Rifle, a long-range weapon with two levels of zoom, which is similar in operation to the Sniper Rifle. The Beam Rifle was first introduced in Halo 2, but has reappeared in several games since. It fires a beam of light with a practically instant travel time, which behaves similarly to a Sniper Rifle bullet; a hit to the body will remove an opponent's shields, whereas a headshot will instantly kill them. Unlike the Sniper, however, the Beam Rifle uses a battery system for its ammo, typically with ten shots in total, and the weapon cannot be reloaded. In most games, the weapon will overheat after two or three shots in rapid succession.

Another Covenant counterpart to the Sniper Rifle is the Focus Rifle, first introduced in Halo: Reach. Unlike the Sniper Rifle and Beam Rifle, the Focus Rifle fires a continuous beam not unlike that of the Sentinel Beam, which deals heavy damage to enemy units, but will overheat if fired continuously for too long. However, the Focus Rifle takes longer to kill enemies than the Sniper Rifle does, and the brightly colored beam will expose the location of the player. Like the Beam Rifle, the Focus Rifle uses a battery ammo system, and cannot be reloaded. It also has two zoom levels, similar to the Sniper and Beam Rifle.

The Forerunner counterpart to the Sniper Rifle is known as the Binary Rifle. This rifle operates using a similar ammunition system as the Sniper Rifle, albeit with two shots per magazine rather than four. It features two levels of zoom, just as the Sniper does, however with one major difference: whilst zoomed, a distinct red targeting laser will shine out from the barrel - even before the weapon is fired - which will alert enemies to the fact they're being targeted, and will also highlight the user's location. The projectile fired by the Binary Rifle varies by game. In Halo 4, it fires a bolt of light that travels instantaneously and will always immediately kill an enemy player regardless of where it hits them. In Halo 5: Guardians, it fires a continuous beam for a brief period of time, which deals very heavy damage and can easily kill an enemy player if held on them for long enough - though the strong recoil can make this difficult.

• 

  Beam Rifle
  Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 4, Halo 2: Anniversary multiplayer, Halo 5: Guardians and Halo Online

• 

  Focus Rifle
  Halo: Reach, Halo: Spartan Assault and Halo: Spartan Strike

• 

  Binary Rifle
  Halo 4, Halo: Spartan Strike and Halo 5: Guardians

Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary

SRS99C-S2 Sniper Rifle
Gameplay role
Effective range:	1000 World Units
Counterparts:	None
Weapon stats
Damage:	101 (headshots)
Damage type (?):	Sniper Bullet
Projectile speed:	1000 World Units per second
Rate of fire:	2 rounds per second
Accuracy:	0.5 degrees 0 degrees zoomed
Reserve ammo capacity:	24
Variants and attachments
Base variant(s):	None

The SRS99C-S2 sniper rifle is extremely powerful, but with a small combat load, it is not good practice to use this weapon against weaker enemies (i.e. Grunts, Drones). However, the sniper rifle's penetration capabilities and superb, long range accuracy makes it excellent for killing higher ranking enemies at long range, which, in turn, disorganizes and demoralizes the enemy troops, making combat against a large ground force much easier.

This section needs expansion. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Campaign

• Take cover behind any rock or building (if any). Easily take aim and make sure you fire before the hostile sees you. Also stick to high ground (if any). Do not waste rounds on minor threats like Grunts or shield-bearing Jackals since ammo is usually scarce and you can kill them easily with other weapons too. Even from a distance, the pistol can usually take care of them in one headshot.
• A good setup in Covenant levels is to take sniper rifle for longer range and difficult foes, such as Elites. A secondary weapon can be anything you feel good to take out minor foes like Jackals and Grunts. The M6D magnum is an excellent secondary weapon, because of the accuracy, stopping power and zoom function. This pistol negates the need of sniper rifle for short range combat, thus saving its scarce ammo, so you can use it against Zealots, Ultras, Major Elites, etc.
• In Flood levels, the sniper rifle should be ignored, as the rounds pass through combat and carrier forms, doing little to no damage at all. However, in levels that include both enemies (Covenant and Flood units), one could bring the sniper rifle for Covenant enemies and the M90 shotgun (or other weapon that the player feels good to use against flood), to maximize damage against both foes.
• The sniper rifle is more than capable of killing in one or two shots on its own. One headshot from either weapon can kill an unshielded enemy (more shots from the pistol may be required for higher-ranking enemies, but its higher rate of fire and more plentiful ammo compensate for this).

This section needs expansion. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Multiplayer

• In Halo: Combat Evolved, effective use of the sniper rifle in multiplayer takes a lot of practice. It is necessary to aim in front of a target to accommodate for server lag, how far one should aim in front depends on their angle onto the target and the amount of lag in the server. Targets are shot easiest when they are head on, moving directly toward you.
• A head-shot will kill an enemy outright, regardless of shield. Night vision is best used in dark areas (obviously) but is useless in maps that have high color contrast. Good secondary weapons include the M6D Pistol which can, when shot accurately, dispose of an enemy in 3 shots regardless of shield. Its 2× zoom make it the perfect partner for the SRS99C-S2 AM.
• Use natural formations and buildings to snipe from, but move constantly and erratically (including jumping and crouching) to lower the effectiveness of counter-sniping. The fact that 14.5×114mm rounds leave a smoky trail is the weapons largest downside (apart from the small magazine capacity) it exposes one's position and alerts the enemy easily; constant position changing is advised to confuse the enemy. Find something to hide behind while you reload, and reload when not in a firefight. Good snipers cover teammates and kill anyone who is chasing the person on your team with the flag (note: this is only for CTF).

This section needs expansion. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Changes from prerelease Halo to Halo: Combat Evolved

This section needs expansion. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Changes from Halo: Combat Evolved to Halo PC

• Maximum telescopic zoom reduced from 10× to 8×.

Halo 2 and Halo 2: Anniversary

Sniper Rifle
Gameplay role
Effective range:	120 World Units
Counterparts:	Covenant: Beam Rifle
Weapon stats
Damage:	45 (headshots)
Damage type (?):	bullet_fast sniper
Projectile speed:	1200 World Units per second
Rate of fire:	0.5 fire recovery time (2 rounds per second)
Accuracy:	0.5 degrees 0 degrees zoomed
Reserve ammo capacity:	20
Variants and attachments
Base variant(s):	None

The SRS99C-S2 sniper rifle is extremely powerful, but with a small combat load, it is not good practice to use this weapon against weaker enemies (i.e. Grunts, Drones). However, the sniper rifle's penetration capabilities and superb, long range accuracy makes it excellent for killing higher ranking enemies at long range, which, in turn, disorganizes and demoralizes the enemy troops, making combat against a large ground force much easier.

This section needs expansion. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Campaign

• Take cover behind any rock or building (if any). Easily take aim and make sure you fire before the hostile sees you. Also stick to high ground (if any). Do not waste rounds on minor threats like Grunts or shield-bearing Jackals since ammo is usually scarce and you can kill them easily with other weapons too. Even from a distance, the pistol can usually take care of them in one headshot.
• A good setup in Covenant levels is to take sniper rifle for longer range and difficult foes, such as Elites. A secondary weapon can be anything you feel good to take out minor foes like Jackals and Grunts. The M6D magnum is an excellent secondary weapon, because of the accuracy, stopping power and zoom function. This pistol negates the need of sniper rifle for short range combat, thus saving its scarce ammo, so you can use it against Zealots, Ultras, Major Elites, etc.
• In Flood levels, the sniper rifle should be ignored, as the rounds pass through combat and carrier forms, doing little to no damage at all. However, in levels that include both enemies (Covenant and Flood units), one could bring the sniper rifle for Covenant enemies and the M90 shotgun (or other weapon that the player feels good to use against flood), to maximize damage against both foes.
• The sniper rifle is more than capable of killing in one or two shots on its own. One headshot from either weapon can kill an unshielded enemy (more shots from the pistol may be required for higher-ranking enemies, but its higher rate of fire and more plentiful ammo compensate for this).

This section needs expansion. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Multiplayer

• In Halo: Combat Evolved, effective use of the sniper rifle in multiplayer takes a lot of practice. It is necessary to aim in front of a target to accommodate for server lag, how far one should aim in front depends on their angle onto the target and the amount of lag in the server. Targets are shot easiest when they are head on, moving directly toward you.
• A head-shot will kill an enemy outright, regardless of shield. Night vision is best used in dark areas (obviously) but is useless in maps that have high color contrast. Good secondary weapons include the M6D Pistol which can, when shot accurately, dispose of an enemy in 3 shots regardless of shield. Its 2× zoom make it the perfect partner for the SRS99C-S2 AM.
• Use natural formations and buildings to snipe from, but move constantly and erratically (including jumping and crouching) to lower the effectiveness of counter-sniping. The fact that 14.5×114mm rounds leave a smoky trail is the weapons largest downside (apart from the small magazine capacity) it exposes one's position and alerts the enemy easily; constant position changing is advised to confuse the enemy. Find something to hide behind while you reload, and reload when not in a firefight. Good snipers cover teammates and kill anyone who is chasing the person on your team with the flag (note: this is only for CTF).

This section needs expansion. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Changes from Halo: Combat Evolved to Halo 2

• Minor cosmetic changes and shorter overall length.
• Decreased the maximum reserve ammunition capacity down from 28 to 24.
• Medium telescopic zoom increased from 2× to 5×.
• Night vision function has been removed.

Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST

Sniper Rifle
Gameplay role
Effective range:	500 World Units
Counterparts:	Covenant: Beam Rifle
Weapon stats
Damage:	80 (headshots) 120 in ODST
Damage type (?):	bullet_fast sniper
Projectile speed:	1200 World Units per second
Rate of fire:	0.7 fire recovery time (~1.4 rounds per second)
Accuracy:	0.5 degrees 0 degrees zoomed
Reserve ammo capacity:	20
Variants and attachments
Base variant(s):	None

Campaign

• In the mission Sierra 117, there is a downed Pelican at Rally Point Alpha. There is a UNSC supply box with two sniper rifles. These can be useful when you get to the dam.
• After the Hunter encounter on The Storm where you must face a hammer wielding Brute Chieftain the room to the far left contains a sniper rifle. Breaking the window will allow you to snipe Covenant forces.
• Because the sniper rifle is extremely powerful, but has a small combat load, it is not good practice to use this weapon against weaker enemies (i.e. Grunts, Jackals). However, the sniper rifle's penetration capabilities and superb, long range accuracy make it excellent for killing higher ranking enemies at long range like Brutes and Hunters, which, in turn, disorganizes and demoralizes the enemy troops, making combat against a large ground force easier.
• Sniping fallen grenades when enemies are close by is also an effective strategy.

Multiplayer

• If an enemy will be very difficult to snipe, don't waste a round on them. Wait until they're an easier target, or just switch your attention to another target.
• Have a sniper set their sights on the enemy base in a CTF match, as they can take out enemy snipers and other defenders. That way, their team mates can swoop in and grab the flag.
• If you can get a couple of players to cooperate, you can get to hard to access areas on maps like Valhalla, Longshore and Last Resort and snipe without worry that close range weapons like the shotgun flush you out.
• The Sniper Rifle shot can be used in close combat as a shield remover, followed by a melee which will kill your opponent.
• Always take your shots carefully with the sniper rifle. If you are unable to perform headshots, always aim for the body. The key to sniping is simply getting the kill and not wasting ammunition, not getting a headshot every time. A two-shot enemy is still a dead enemy.
• Always carry a secondary close ranged weapon such as an Assault Rifle or SMG. Even more preferable are a shotgun or a Battle Rifle.
• When playing Team Snipers, take your shot and then move elsewhere, so your location is not given away. This is also useful in standard multiplayer.

Changes from Halo 2 to Halo 3 and ODST

• Overall higher damage and slower fire rate.
• New muzzle brake with front iron sight.
• Handguard, body, and stock has been altered.
• The scope now shows real-time with an LCD screen and infrared vision.
• It now has a trigger guard.
• The Sniper Rifle now has a new flat matte black color finish to it.
• Recoil now affects accuracy.

Changes from Halo 3 to ODST

• Bullet damage vs shields decreased by 50%
• Damage increased from 80 to 120.

Halo: Reach

Sniper Rifle
Gameplay role
Effective range:	500 World Units
Counterparts:	Covenant: Focus Rifle
Weapon stats
Damage:	80 (headshots)
Damage type (?):	sniper
Projectile speed:	6000 World Units per second
Rate of fire:	0.75 fire recovery time (~1.333 rounds per second)
Accuracy:	0.08 to 4 degrees 0 degrees zoomed
Reserve ammo capacity:	20
Variants and attachments
Base variant(s):	None

Campaign

This section needs expansion. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Multiplayer

This section needs expansion. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Advantages

The SRS99 series is designed to be used at medium to long ranges and is equipped with an electronic scope for precisely this purpose. It is tremendously useful in its designated role, considering its extraordinary range, which surpasses any other weapon of comparable size, and its incredible stopping power even against body armor and Covenant shielding system.

By far, one of its most useful applications is taking out higher-ranking targets from long range to destabilize their squad's discipline and morale. A headshot will kill any Covenant infantry except a high-ranking Elite or Brute. Hunters fall from two shots to their unarmored torso or neck. This does not account for The Flood, however, due to their morphology. The Flood can, however, be rendered harmless by removing their limbs or by placing a round into the embedded infection form. In multiplayer, the SRS99 series can be highly effective at close range in the hands of a skilled operator, as the highly damaging round is just as powerful at close range; a single round followed by a melee strike will kill a hostile almost instantly.

Disadvantages

The rifle's projectile has a slight travel time at great distances, and requires practice to use effectively at range. When used in close quarters, its precision nature, slow reload time, small magazine capacity, heavy recoil, and slow rate-of-fire leave precious little room for error. A small combat load and the relative scarcity of ammunition available for the weapon also make it bad practice to expend ammunition on smaller, less threatening combatants, such as Grunts. The SRS99 series is also largely ineffective against most Flood forms, due to their body organization; damage done by the SRS99 series/Gameplay is minimal to the Flood forms due to their biological constitution and would only cause the Flood form to flinch for a moment. It is often recommended for operators to simply switch to other weapons should they encounter a Flood form.

As in all previous games, rounds fired by the SRS99 series leave a trail that could be traced back to the sniper's location. When using the scope, the glare from the reflection will be visible to the enemy and may alert them to your presence. The rifle is ineffective against even light-skinned and unarmored vehicles unless a shot can be taken on the vehicle's occupants, except for Wraiths.

Changes from Halo 3 and ODST to Halo: Reach

• Increased damage against vehicles, destroying them with four to six rounds.
• Has a thumbhole stock rather than a pistol grip.
• Updated colors.
• Scope is smaller.
• Can neutralize a Scorpion tank in two shots, one to destroy the canopy, and a headshot to kill the now-exposed driver.

Changes from Halo: Reach to Title Update 1

• Bloom reduced to 85%.

Halo 4

Sniper Rifle
Gameplay role
Effective range:	500 World Units
Counterparts:	Covenant: Beam Rifle Forerunner: Binary Rifle
Weapon stats
Damage:	80 (headshots)
Damage type (?):	sniper
Projectile speed:	2799 World Units per second
Rate of fire:	0.7666667 fire recovery time (~1.3 rounds per second)
Accuracy:	0.05 degrees 0 degrees zoomed
Reserve ammo capacity:	16 20 with Ammo Mod
Variants and attachments
Base variant(s):	None

Campaign and Spartan Ops

• In the Campaign, the Sniper Rifle is first obtained in Requiem. It appears again in Reclaimer.
• The Sniper Rifle's usage against the Covenant and Prometheans in Halo 4 differs very little from its utilization in previous games. It is still the best weapon to take out enemies from far beyond retaliation range. Its power, however, has been significantly reduced. Even on Normal difficulty, a low-ranking Elite will survive a headshot from the weapon, unlike previous titles where one would instantly kill it straight through the shield. On Legendary, it can take an entire magazine.
• Don't waste sniper ammo on small targets (with, perhaps, the obvious exception of Jackal and Crawler Snipers). The Sniper in Halo 4 only has a reserve of 16 rounds of ammunition, meaning you will run dry very quickly against the hordes of foes you face with it. Save your shots for Elites and Knights, using other precision or even automatic weaponry to eliminate the lower foes.
• Relatedly, don't get too attached to your rifle. Unlike other games where upon you could carry a Sniper throughout the entire level, you will have to discard it eventually. With the low ammunition count, and the infrequency of the weapon's appearances, you will most likely run out of ammunition quickly, and reloads are unlikely to be found. Thankfully, the Rifle usually appears on levels where you can find the Covenant and Promethean equivalents (Beam and Binary Rifles respectively), so finding a replacement weapon to reach out and touch someone is not a supreme difficulty.
• If at all possible, reload when there is only one round left in the magazine. The empty reload for the rifle is a lengthy one, and while the sound of the player's character loading a new round into the chamber with a metallic rasp worthy of a blast door opening, its not the best thing to be forced to do when under fire from multiple enemies. Pace your shots, fire three, and then reload.

This section needs expansion. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Multiplayer

• Once more, the Sniper Rifle's usage against multiplayer opponents has changed very little; it is still the go-to weapon to stop people halfway across the map (or further on the larger ones) from getting in your face.
• The majority of the tips from Campaign apply to multiplayer, most especially the one regarding ammo. Normally a sniper rifle spawns with two extra magazines (8 rounds in reserve plus the four in the rifle itself), which, as any experienced sniper will tell you, go by incredibly fast. As soon as you run out of shots, grab any other weapon. Even a plasma pistol is more effective against an opponent than an empty sniper rifle.
• Keep a low profile; human opponents are much more observant than AIs, meaning that if they see you (even from halfway across the map) they WILL engage you. Take cover and pick off targets of oppertunity.

This section needs expansion. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Changes from Halo: Reach to Halo 4

• Spare ammunition reduced from 20 rounds to 16 (without ammo).
• Reticle bloom reduced marginally.
• Reloads slightly slower.

Halo 2: Anniversary Multiplayer

Sniper Rifle
Gameplay role
Effective range:	120 World Units
Counterparts:	Covenant: Beam Rifle
Weapon stats
Damage:	45 (headshots)
Damage type (?):	sniper
Projectile speed:	10000 World Units per second
Rate of fire:	0.5 fire recovery time (2 rounds per second)
Accuracy:	0.5 degrees 0 degrees zoomed
Reserve ammo capacity:	16
Variants and attachments
Base variant(s):	None

Multiplayer

This section needs expansion. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Changes from Halo 4 to Halo 2: AMP

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Halo 5: Guardians

Sniper Rifle
Gameplay role
Counterparts:	Covenant: Beam Rifle Forerunner: Binary Rifle
Weapon stats
Damage:	This section needs expansion. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.
Variants and attachments
Halo 5 REQ variant(s):	End of the Line Arrow of Time Nornfang

Campaign

• The SRS99-S5 AM is only featured in the following missions: Osiris (via the Flaming knives on Osiris easter egg only), Glassed, Unconfirmed, Evacuation, Genesis, and Guardians.
• The Nornfang variant of the SRS99-S5 AM is the preferred starting weapon of Linda-058. Co-op is the only way that the Spartans of Blue Team can access the SRS99-S5 AM in gameplay; in this case, if the player playing as Linda drops her Nornfang.
• The SRS99-S5 AM is not very powerful against most enemies on higher difficulties and is ineffective against Elites with the Tilt skull on. Ammo for it is scarce and other weapons like the Beam and Binary Rifles perform better. On lower difficulties, however, it becomes an invaluable tool. Be sure to take full advantage of it.

Multiplayer

• In Warzone, the SRS99-S5 AM is a powerful tool. With the long sight lines on each Warzone map, a properly-placed sniper can obtain some impressive kill streaks and help their team immensely. It comes with three extra variants that further increase its lethality.
  • End of the Line, which reduces the recoil and increases the firing rate with a tradeoff of a slightly lower damage output, making it easier to fire a second finishing shot if the first shot doesn't kill the enemy.
  • Arrow of Time, which has two extra rounds in its magazine and has no descope but with stronger vertical recoil. The stronger vertical recoil makes missed shots more punishing, but the extra rounds and lack of descope can prove useful in very heated situations.
  • Nornfang, which comes with a built-in damage boost and high-explosive ammunition that is capable of one-shotting any Spartan anywhere on the body as long as they don't have an Overshield or Enhanced Shield armor mod. While it may be tempting to do so, it is inadvisable to use it against bosses; their health pools are simply too large for using the Nornfang on them to be worth it. Instead, focus on the enemies attempting to take out the boss; a sniper with a good eye and a full weapon can turn the tide of a Legendary fight in their teams favor.
• The Sniper is a power weapon on several maps, and controlling it is an essential part of any winning strategy. On many of the larger, more open maps (Viking and Basin for example), a good Sniper can decimate entire enemy teams and shut down objective runs with ease.

This section needs expansion. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Changes from Halo 4 to Halo 5: Guardians

• Zoom reduced to 4× and 9×.
• While scoped in, the weapon's scope will glimmer bright white, giving away the user's position.
• Noticeably higher bullet magnetism, increasing ease of use.
• Anti-vehicle properties reduced.

Unlock and acquisition requirements

In Halo 5: Guardians' campaign and Arena multiplayer modes, the Sniper Rifle can be found on the level or map as usual, and does not need to be unlocked.

However, in Warzone, the weapon can only be acquired via the REQ system. To unlock the Sniper Rifle, the player must acquire a Sniper Rifle certification, an Uncommon REQ card that can be found randomly in any REQ pack that can contain Uncommon cards. Upon receiving the certification, the player will also be given a number of Sniper Rifle REQ cards, and will begin to randomly receive more when opening future packs. Each of these cards can be redeemed in a Warzone match to spawn a Sniper Rifle, at the cost of energy. Doing so will consume the card. Alternatively, the cards can be sold for 75 each.

REQ information
Category	Power weapon
Rarity	Uncommon
Energy cost	energy
Sale price	75

• 

  Sniper Rifle certification REQ card.

• 

  Sniper Rifle REQ card.

Variants

End of the Line

End of the Line in Halo 5: Guardians.

Main article: End of the Line

"All good things must come to and end. Improved Sniper Rifle with reduced recoil, but emphasis on faster rate-of-fire has slightly reduced damage."

— REQ description

End of the Line is a Rare REQ variant of the Sniper Rifle, featured in Halo 5: Guardians. It boasts a faster rate of fire and significantly reduced recoil, but deals slightly less damage per shot - though it is still capable of killing an enemy player in two body shots or one headshot. Should the player have an End of the Line REQ card, the weapon can be acquired in Warzone via the REQ system for a cost of energy, or alternatively the card can be sold for 100.

REQ information
Category	Power weapon
Rarity	Rare
Energy cost	energy
Sale price	100

Arrow of Time

Arrow of Time in Halo 5: Guardians.

Main article: Arrow of Time

"There's no going back. Advanced Sniper Rifle with extended magazine and heavy-duty cyberlink that prevents descope. Unfortunately, the weapon does have extra recoil to compensate for."

— REQ description

Arrow of Time is an Ultra-Rare REQ variant of the Sniper Rifle in Halo 5: Guardians. It features a larger magazine than the standard Sniper, with 6 shots instead of 4, and the player will not be descoped when shot whilst zoomed in with the weapon. However, it also has increased recoil compared to the normal Sniper Rifle. Its REQ card costs energy to use in-game, or can be sold for 150.

REQ information
Category	Power weapon
Rarity	Ultra-Rare
Energy cost	energy
Sale price	150

Nornfang

Nornfang in Halo 5: Guardians.

Main article: Nornfang

"A master-crafter instrument of death and destruction. Mythic Sniper Rifle firing high explosive armor piercing (APHE) rounds that increases overall damage. In addition, Linda's modifications ensure the Motion Tracker is visible even when using Zoom."

— REQ description

Nornfang is a Mythic, Legendary REQ variant of the Sniper Rifle in Halo 5: Guardians, and is the personal sniper rifle of the SPARTAN-II Linda-058. The weapon fires rounds that explode on impact, dealing damage to any nearby enemies, and instantly killing them if hit directly. Additionally, when scoped in, the motion sensor will not be hidden while using Nornfang. To balance this out, the player gains the Damage Boost visual effect when they equip the weapon, making them very easy to spot. Nornfang can be requisitioned in Warzone for energy, provided the player has a spare Nornfang REQ card, or alternatively the card can be sold for 200.

Nornfang also appears in Halo 5: Guardians' campaign. It can be found abandoned in the troop bay of the ONI Acrisius on the level Unconfirmed, and on the Blue Team missions in co-op, the player playing as Linda-058 will spawn with the weapon at the start of the level (but not upon respawning). However, in campaign, the weapon is significantly less powerful, retaining none of its bonus abilities from the multiplayer.

REQ information
Category	Power weapon
Rarity	Legendary, Mythic
Energy cost	energy
Sale price	200

Halo Infinite

Sniper Rifle
Gameplay role
Counterparts:	Banished: Shock Rifle Skewer Stalker Rifle
Weapon stats
Damage:	This section needs expansion. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.
Damage type (?):	Kinetic
Variants and attachments
Halo Infinite variant(s):	S7 Flexfire Sniper

Campaign

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Multiplayer

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Changes from Halo 5: Guardians to Halo Infinite

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Unlock and acquisition requirements

In Halo Infinite's multiplayer modes, the Sniper Rifle can be found spawning on the map, as usual. In campaign, it can also spawn in certain locations on the open-world map and in missions, but to unlock it for on-demand spawning at FOBs, the player must earn 1,500 total Valor. After this, it can be summoned at any point from the weapon crates at any FOB, at no cost.

Variants

S7 Flexfire Sniper

The S7 Flexfire Sniper is a variant of the S7 Sniper, seen in Halo Infinite. Its magazine capacity is increased to 10, and it can hold 4 magazines (40 rounds) in reserve. The Flexfire can fire much more rapidly, at the cost of reduced damage and much greater bullet spread. It also only has one zoom magnification level, unlike the standard S7 Sniper. The variant is decorated in a yellow and white colour scheme, to distinguish it from the standard model.

Halo Spartan Assault and Halo Spartan Strike

Main article: Twin-stick shooter

Campaign

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Unlock and acquisition requirements

Halo: Spartan Assault

In Halo: Spartan Assault, the Sniper Rifle can only be acquired via the loadout screen. It does not need to be unlocked, but costs 25 or 500 to equip. Once equipped, you will spawn with the Sniper Rifle at the start of the level and every time you die, so long as you do not quit back to the menu. It is single use - that is, it will not carry over to the next level, nor will it be available next time you play the level on which you purchased it.

Cost: 25 / 500

Halo: Spartan Strike

Halo: Spartan Strike is similar to Spartan Assault; the Sniper Rifle is unlocked by default, but costs 500 to equip for a single play session. The Sniper Rifle will not carry over to subsequent missions, and you will no longer spawn with it on that mission after quitting to the menu or beating the level.

Cost: 500

However in Spartan Strike, the Sniper Rifle also spawns in the campaign itself, exclusively on the final mission: E-6: Hold the Line. In total, four Sniper Rifles spawn on this mission, along with four Spartan Lasers and four Rocket Launchers, the two other previously loadout-exclusive weapons.

Skins and cosmetics

The Sniper Rifle has seen many equipable weapon skins and coatings across the various games it's been featured in.

Halo: Combat Evolved (MCC)

Main article: Skins (Halo: Combat Evolved)

Halo: Combat Evolved for Halo: The Master Chief Collection features weapon skins for all its weapons, including the Sniper Rifle. These were added into the game with an update on July 14, 2020, alongside the beginning of Season 2: Spark and the launch of Halo 3 for PC.

Sniper Rifle v • d • e
Icon	Name	Description	Unlock requirements
	Default	Default skin.	Unlocked by default
	Desert	Looks very stylish with a poncho.	Series 2, Tier 10 ( 1)
	Great Journey	Don't worry... I know what the aliens like.	Series 2, Tier 42 ( 1)
	Woodland	Camping is a legitimate strategy.	Series 2, Tier 52 ( 1)
	Avalanche	Like Sidewinder, but with more polygons.	Series 2, Tier 80 ( 1)
	Golden	Bling on the ring.	Series 2 Challenge: Zero Five Eight Defeat 150 opponents with the Sniper Rifle in any game mode. The Exchange ( 2)

Halo 2: Anniversary

Main article: Skins (Halo 2: Anniversary)

Sniper Rifle v • d • e
Icon	Name	Description	Unlock requirements
	Default	Default skin.	Unlocked by default
	Black Tiger	One shot, one kill. Or one shot, beat feet.	Series 9, The Exchange 3
	Bloodscorched	Seeing red. From very far away.	Series 9, The Exchange 3
	Chroma Blue	Looks can kill.	Series 9, The Exchange 3
	Sandstorm	A most vicious desert predator.	Series 9, The Exchange 3

Halo 3 (MCC)

Main article: Skins (Halo 3)

This section needs expansion. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Halo Infinite

Main article: Weapon coatings (Halo Infinite)

Weapon customization/Coating/S7

Medals

The following medals are exclusive to the Sniper Rifle and its alien counterparts. The Sniper Rifle does also inherit some other precision weapon and power weapon medals such as Headcase and Power Player, but these are not listed here.

Icon	Name	Games	Unlock requirements
	Sniper Kill	Halo 2 Halo 3 Halo: Reach Halo 4 Halo 5: Guardians	Halo 2: Kill an enemy with a Sniper Rifle or Beam Rifle. Halo 3, Halo: Reach: Kill an enemy with a Sniper Rifle (or Beam Rifle) headshot. Halo 4: Kill an enemy with a Sniper Rifle. Halo 5: Guardians: Kill an enemy with a Sniper Rifle, but not by a headshot.
	Sniper Headshot	Halo 5: Guardians	Kill an enemy with a Sniper Rifle headshot.
	Sniper Spree	Halo 3 Halo 3: ODST Halo: Reach	Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST: Kill 5 enemies consecutively with the Sniper or Beam Rifle, without dying. Halo: Reach: Kill 5 enemies with the Sniper Rifle without dying.
	Sharpshooter	Halo 3 Halo 3: ODST Halo: Reach	Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST: Kill 10 enemies consecutively with the Sniper or Beam Rifle, without dying. Halo: Reach: Kill 10 enemies with the Sniper Rifle without dying.
	Be the Bullet	Halo: Reach	Kill 15 enemies with the Sniper Rifle without dying.
	Snapshot	Halo 4 Halo 5: Guardians	Kill an enemy with the Sniper Rifle, Binary Rifle or Beam Rifle while not zoomed in. This is commonly known as no-scoping.
	Airborne Snapshot	Halo 5: Guardians	While airborne, kill an enemy with the Sniper Rifle, Binary Rifle or Beam Rifle while not zoomed in.
	Hat Trick	Halo 5: Guardians	Kill three enemies with Sniper Rifle or Beam Rifle headshots in a row.
	Snipeltaneous	Halo 5: Guardians	Kill two or more enemies with a single Sniper Rifle shot.
	Snipunch	Halo 5: Guardians	Shoot an enemy with the Sniper Rifle, then finish them off with a melee.
	Buckle Up	Halo 5: Guardians	Kill the driver of an enemy vehicle while it is moving, using the Sniper Rifle.

Achievements

The following achievements involve the use of the Sniper Rifle:

Name	Game	Description	Gamerscore	Image
Sniper Kill	Halo 2 for Windows Vista	Kill an opponent with the sniper rifle or the beam rifle.	10
Headshot Honcho	Halo 3	Killed 10 enemies with headshots in a ranked free for all playlist or in campaign.	5
Close Quarters Combat	Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Halo: The Master Chief Collection	Complete the level "Truth and Reconciliation" with at least four rounds left in your Sniper Rifle.	25 (CEA) 10 (MCC)

Production notes

"Robert McLees is definitely the go-to guy for the gun stuff. I wanted to come up with an animation for the sniper scope, an 'idle cycle'. If you activate the scope, and then sit too long without doing anything, the animation would kick in periodically, just to keep things interesting... Simple, right...? He replied, 'No way. If you adjust your scope in the field, you're dead. Snipers don't do that.' That's how detailed his weapon designs are -- not just guns, but how they work, and how a sniper would fire them. Amazing."

— Animator William O'Brien, regarding the Robert McLees and his weapon designs for Halo 2.

The earlier games' depictions of the Sniper Rifle, notably those from Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST, bear significant resemblance to and were likely inspired by the real-world Denel NTW-20, an anti-material rifle developed in the 1990s by Denel Mechem.

Robert McLees was known within Bungie for being the expert to consult when doing work related to the games' weapons during Halo 2's development. At one point, animator William O'Brien sought to create an idle animation for the Sniper Rifle, in which the player character would adjust the scope if the player zooms in and then remains idle for a while. McLees shot down this idea, claiming that in reality, no sniper would ever adjust their scope on the field.

Trivia

• In the original Xbox 360 version of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary the Sniper Rifle's reticle is far larger than it is in the original Halo: Combat Evolved on Xbox and PC. In the Halo: The Master Chief Collection version of Halo: CEA, the reticle returns to its original size.
• In the Halo: Reach Multiplayer Beta, the scope shows the identity of the weapon's user as "ID-NOBLE6", regardless of who wields it. This is not present in the final build.

Gallery

Concept art

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  Concept art of the rebel sniper unit and their sniper rifle, from Halo Wars.

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  Concept art of the Sniper Rifle as it appears in Halo: Reach.

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  Concept art of the Sniper Rifle's scope in Halo 4.

Renders

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  The Sniper Riflae, as it appears in Halo: Combat Evolved.

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  Halo 2's version of the Sniper Rifle.

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  The Sniper Rifle's appearance in Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST.

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  A render of the Sniper Rifle from Halo Wars.

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  The Sniper Rifle as it appears in Halo: Reach.

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  A render of the Sniper Rifle in Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary.

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  An image of the Halo 4 Sniper Rifle.

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  Halo 2: Anniversary's Sniper Rifle.

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  The Sniper Rifle in Halo 5: Guardians.

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  Halo Infinite's Sniper Rifle.

HUD icons

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  The Sniper Rifle HUD icon in Halo: Reach.

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  The Sniper Rifle HUD icon in Halo 4.

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  The Sniper's HUD icon in Halo: Spartan Strike.

Screenshots

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  A player holding the Sniper Rifle on Blood Gulch.

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  The Sniper Rifle's night vision mode in Halo: CE.

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  Master Chief holding a Sniper Rifle in a Halo 2 promotional image.

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  Zooming in with the Sniper Rifle in Halo 2.

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  A first-person view of the Sniper Rifle, on Guardian in Halo 3.

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  Zooming in with the Sniper in Halo 3.

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  Halo Wars' rebel sniper unit, equipped with a pair of Sniper Rifles.

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  A player with a Sniper Rifle, on Lost Platoon in Halo 3: ODST's Firefight.

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  Zooming in with the Sniper Rifle in Halo 3: ODST.

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  A player holding a Sniper Rifle in the Halo: Reach campaign mission Nightfall.

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  The Sniper Rifle in first person in the Halo: Reach multiplayer beta.

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  Holding the Sniper Rifle in first person, in Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary.

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  Zooming in with the Halo: CEA Sniper Rifle.

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  Two players with Sniper Rifles on Ragnarok, in Halo 4.

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  A player with a Sniper Rifle in a Halo 4 match of Capture the Flag on Exile.

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  The Sniper Rifle in first person in Halo 4's campaign.

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  A first person view of the Sniper Rifle in Halo 2: Anniversary campaign.

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  A first person view of the Sniper Rifle in its multiplayer.

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  A player with the Sniper on Lockdown.

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  A player crouching with the Sniper Rifle on Shrine.

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  Holding the Sniper Rifle in Halo 5: Guardians.

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  The Sniper's scope in Halo 5.

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  A first-person view of the Sniper Rifle in Halo Online.

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  A sniper unit in Halo Wars 2, equipped with a Sniper Rifle.

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  A close-up of the Halo Wars 2 Sniper.

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  A player holding the Sniper Rifle on Fragmentation in Halo Infinite.

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  Reloading the Sniper Rifle in Halo Infinite.

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  The glare visible when a player zooms in with the Sniper in Infinite.

List of appearances

• Halo: Combat Evolved (First appearance)
  • Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
• Halo 2
  • Halo 2: Anniversary
• Halo 3
• Halo Wars
• Halo 3: ODST
• Halo: Reach
• Halo 4
• Halo: Spartan Assault
• Halo: Spartan Strike
• Halo 5: Guardians
• Halo Online
• Halo Wars 2
• Halo Infinite