Dual wielding
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
Dual Wielding is a military technique where a gunner wields two weapons at once, one in each hand.
Advantages/Disadvantages
Advantages
When a player is dual-wielding, the player obviously has enhanced firepower, with double the damage. Because of the properties of plasma weapons and projectile weapons, dual-wielding a plasma weapon and a projectile weapon (say a Plasma Rifle and a M6C Magnum Sidearm) can confer a unique advantage: the Plasma Rifle can take down the shields of an enemy player, and the M6C Magnum can take down the armor of an enemy player, as plasma weapons are stronger against shields, and projectile weapons are stronger against armor.
Disadvantages
- Inability to Melee or Use Grenades: When a player is dual-wielding, the player must drop the left weapon in order to free a hand to melee or use grenades. This action of dropping a weapon takes time, and is disadvantageous.
- Reload/Overheat Window: When a player must reload their weapons, or if the weapons overheat, the player is vulnerable, and the reload time is also much higher than wielding a single weapon and reload it.
- Accuracy Decrease: Most weaponry are slightly more accurate when single-wielded than when dual-wielded, such as the Brute Plasma Rifle, Plasma Rifle, and the M7/Caseless Submachine Gun.
Changes in Halo 3
The major difference between Halo 2 and Halo 3's dual wield is that the player now can control the reloading far more accurately. In Halo 2, you had to reload the two weapons simultaneously. In Halo 3, you could reload the left, right or both, independent of each other. A minor difference is that Bungie is making it a lot less desirable by making you start out with a non-dual wieldable weapon. By doing this, multiplayer gameplay is balanced.
List of Dual Wieldable Weapons
Dual Wieldable weapons must be able to be used single-handed, and therefore are mostly those of closer range and less accuracy, as most accurate weapons, such as the BR55 Battle Rifle, are two-handed.
- M7/Caseless Submachine Gun - Halo 2, Halo 3
- M6C Magnum Sidearm - Halo 2
- M6G Magnum Sidearm - Halo 3
- Plasma Pistol - Halo 2, Halo 3
- Plasma Rifle - Halo 2, Halo 3
- Brute Plasma Rifle - Halo 2
- Needler - Halo 2
- Spiker - Halo 3
- Mauler - Halo 3
