Armor Permutations are the feature in Halo 3, allowing the player to aesthetically customize their multiplayer character (the armor doesn't have any effect on gameplay).
Introduction
Permutations allow a player to customize his/her multiplayer character (either a UNSC SPARTAN-II or a Covenant Elite) by choosing different helmets, shoulder pads, chestplates, and detailed colors (primary color, secondary color, and armor detail). All permutations are aesthetic only and do not change actual gameplay in any way.
They were originally discovered in the foremost release of the Halo 3 Beta in internal hexadecimal codes by modders and were later confirmed to provide high levels of player customization by GamePro's June magazine issue[1]. Calculated together, there are 187,947,000 possible combinations for permutation pieces for the player to choose from.
Armor Permutations are available only in Halo 3 (at the beginning of the game, the only parts unlocked are the Mark VI Spartan Armor CQB Variant, and the Elite combat and assault variants.), and are unlocked by achievements in both the Campaign and multiplayer modes of Halo 3 or by finding the hidden skulls.
NOTE: Bungie has confirmed that there will not be DLC armor permutations.
NOTE: Bungie has also confirmed that the armor permutations do not effect gameplay.
SPARTAN Armor Permutations
There are a wide variety of SPARTAN II armor permutations, with 11 helmets, 8 shoulder pieces, and 8 chest pieces for a total of 6,144 different SPARTAN armor permutations: one helmet, two shoulder pieces, and chest piece per permutation, with the exception of the Rogue, Mark V, and ODST, which do not have either chest nor shoulder pieces, and Security, which does not have a chest piece.
Helmets
- Mark VI: Unlocked by default.
- CQB: Unlocked by default.
- EVA: Unlock either Campaign Complete: Normal or Fear the Pink Mist.
- EOD: Unlock the Campaign Complete: Legendary achievement.
- Hayabusa: Collect all 13 Skulls in Campaign.
- Security: Unlock all Halo 3 achievements
- Scout: Unlock the Used Car Salesman achievement.
- ODST: Unlock the Spartan Graduate achievement.
- Mark V: Unlock the UNSC Spartan achievement.
- Rogue: Unlock the Spartan Officer achievement.
- Recon: Bungie employees, winners of tournaments/double exp weekends, and those that impress (or amuse) Bungie in any other way. You can also get this by doing something great for the Halo 3 community.
Shoulder Pieces
- Mark VI: Unlocked by default.
- CQB: Unlocked by default.
- EVA: Unlock the Refuge achievement.
- EOD: Complete the level The Ark on Legendary difficulty.
- Hayabusa: Collect at least 9 skulls.
- Security: Earn 750 of 1000 gamerscore on Halo 3. Due to inconsistency, this armor permutation is not always given at 750. There are some reports that the Security Shoulders need a minimum of 500- 995 gamerpoints, even though the official guide to Halo 3 lists the requirements as 750. Even then, the armor permutation may appear for a short time and then disappear, as has been reported.The only way to keep it permanently is to get all the achievements. This permutation may need the player's model to have accessed online to unlock it. Another way to unlock is to gain 30 achievements.
- Scout: Unlock the Mongoose Mowdown achievement.
- Recon: Bungie employees, winners of tournaments/double exp weekends, and those that impress (or amuse) Bungie in any other way.
Chest Armor
- Mark VI: Unlocked by default.
- CQB: Unlocked by default.
- EVA: Unlock the The Road achievement.
- Hayabusa: Collect 5 skulls in campaign.
- Katana (Add-On): Unlock all achievements in Halo 3. (NOTE: The Katana is a sword on the back of your armor, and when selected it is the same as having the Hayabusa chest plate. The katana itself is not a chest plate and the katana is not usable.) [2]
- EOD: Complete the level Tsavo Highway on Legendary difficulty.
- Scout: Unlock the Too Close to the Sun Achievement.although sometimes it may appear later it has been reported
- Recon: Bungie employees, winners of tournaments/double exp weekends, and those that impress (or amuse) Bungie in any other way.
- Bungie: Bungie employees. This piece is known as the Employees Of Bungie (E.O.B) chest. The Piece looks similar to the EOD piece, and makes any helmet piece appear to be on fire, by forming flames in the location of the player's head. This makes the flames seem bigger on smaller helmets like the Rogue permutation. The disadvantage is that the flames can be seen with the Active Camouflage on, lessening its popularity, even though it is the Bungie staff trademark.
Sangheili Armor Permutations
There are a wide variety of Elite armor permutations, with 5 helmets, 5 shoulder pieces, and 5 chest pieces for a total of 625 different Sangheili armor permutations: one helmet, two shoulder pieces, and chest piece per permutation.
Helmets
- Combat: Unlocked by default.
- Assault: Unlocked by default.
- Flight: Unlock either Campaign Complete: Heroic or Campaign Complete: Legendary achievements.
- Ascetic: Unlock the Steppin' Razor achievement.
- Commando: Unlock the Overkill Achievement.
Shoulder Pieces
- Combat: Unlocked by default.
- Assault: Unlocked by default.
- Flight: Complete the level The Ark on Heroic or Legendary difficulties.
- Ascetic: Unlock the Overkill achievement.
- Commando: Unlocked by default after Auto Update 1 was applied on February 19, 2008. At first, the Steppin' Razor[3] achievement was needed to unlock the piece, but a bug prevented this. Some people reported getting the shoulder pieces, but then they relocked themselves after a certain amount of time without using them.
Chest Armor
- Combat: Unlocked by default.
- Assault: Unlocked by default.
- Flight: Complete the level Tsavo Highway on Heroic or Legendary difficulties.
- Ascetic: Unlock the Up Close and Personal achievement.
- Commando: Unlock the Triple Kill achievement.
Unlocking Permutations
| Body | Shoulder | Helmet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spartan Armor Permutations | |||
| Mark VI | (Default) | (Default) | (Default) |
| CQB | (Default) | (Default) | (Default) |
| EVA | Tsavo Highway (Normal) | The Ark (Normal) | Campaign Complete: Normal |
| EOD | Tsavo Highway (Legendary) | The Ark (Legendary) | Campaign Complete: Legendary |
| Hayabusa | Collect 5 skulls | Collect 9 skulls | Collect all skulls |
| Katana | Unlock all achievements | ||
| Security | Earn 750 G. | Unlock all achievements. | |
| Recon | Given to few people selected by Bungie. | Given to few people selected by Bungie. | Given to few people selected by Bungie. |
| Bungie | Given to Bungie employees. | ||
| Scout | Too Close to the Sun | Mongoose Mowdown | Used Car Salesman |
| ODST | Spartan Graduate | ||
| Mark V | UNSC Spartan | ||
| Rogue | Spartan Officer | ||
| Elite Armor Permutations | |||
| Combat | (Default) | (Default) | (Default) |
| Assault | (Default) | (Default) | (Default) |
| Flight | Tsavo Highway (Heroic) | The Ark (Heroic) | Campaign Complete: Heroic |
| Ascetic | Up Close and Personal | Overkill | Steppin' Razor |
| Commando | Triple Kill | Default | Overkill |
Note: The Arbiter's armor cannot be unlocked.
Note: The Recon Armor does in fact have Shoulder/Chest pieces, but they are not featured here.
Images
Human (Spartans)
- CQB-Halopedia.jpg
The finished image of the CQB armor.
The EVA permutation's finished image.
- MJOLNIR V Halo 3.jpg
The MJOLNIR Mark V in Halo 3.
- Halo-3-custom-armor.jpg
An EVA Spartan wielding an M6G.
- Halo3 Spartan-pistol-01.jpg
A CQB Spartan.
- Spartan Variants Ahoy.jpg
Different varieties of Spartan armor in battle.
- Blemo's Spartan.jpg
You can mix and match different armor parts to create your own Spartan as seen in this image.
- Recon.jpg
Recon Armor can be obtained by winning different competitions, or "performing valuable community service". By some it is believed that simply impressing(or amusing) Bungie is enough, but the Community must love it, like the one guy that shot himself in the head with a sniper rifle.
- Flaminghayabusa.jpg
Flaming Helmet. Note: It is the chestpiece that makes the Flaming helmet, and can be used with any helmet.
- ODST Spartan.jpg
An ODST Spartan with a Sniper Rifle
- 11RogueHelmetRightShot.jpg
A Profile view of a Spartan with Rouge helmet.
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Elites (Sangheili)
- Assaultarmor.jpg
The Elite Assault armor permutation.
The updated Elite Combat armor permutation.
An Elite in the Commando armor (Ascetic Shoulders due to the old bug).
- PlayerModel 2.jpg
An Ascetic Elite.
- 27269986-Medium.jpg
An Elite about to engage in combat.
- 17449890-Thumbnail.jpg
An Elite with a Assault Rifle.
- 27270070-Medium.jpg
An Elite attacking its foe.
Miscellaneous
- DSCF0943.JPG
Magazine scan of most of the known armor. The Arbiter's armor (not available in multiplayer) is included in this picture.
- 753777342 19c07c569a o.jpg
The Recon armor permutation.
- Modhelm.jpg
MJOLNIR Mark VI, EVA, CQB, and the Recon armor, without the skin.
The pre-skin form of the E.O.D. armor "leaked" from Bungie.
- Halo 3 Customization.jpg
An example of the multiplayer armor customization.
Trivia
- There was a prank pulled on April 11, 2008, on the 1UP show, which involved a falsified armor permutation called the Assassin Armor.
- Among the most popular helmets for the Elite armor classification is the Assault and Ascetic. Similarly, the most popular helmets for the Spartan armor classification is the Security, Rogue, and Hayabusa.
- Among the least popular helmets for the Spartan armor classification is the EVA.
- The EOD armor chest is surprisingly similar to the Mark V chest plate.
- The EOD and Rogue helmet are the only SPARTAN helmets that don't have a single viser, but instead they have two, one for each eyes.
External Links
http://php.badrouter.net/bnet/ - Player Generator
http://zaamit.com/content/h3modelgenerator.aspx - Player Generator
Sources
- ^ "Halo 3's online mode offers new armor permutations that allow players to redesign and customize their persona from head to toe." GamePro June 2007
- ^ http://www.xbox360fanboy.com/2007/09/30/the-hayabusa-saga-continues-sword-time/
- ^ http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=13233