**************************************************** * Halo 2- Weapon guide **************************************************** * Notice: This Halo 2 weapon guide was written by DrugMunky and is for personal use only, it may not be reproduced, re-posted or republished without the express consent of the author. If you wish to publish this guide on any website gain my permission by emailing DrugMunky@hotmail.co.uk . Any use of this guide without my permission will be viewed upon as theft. Version History 18/12/2004 - Draft 1.00 Completed ******************************************************************************* Contents ******************************************************************************* I. Introduction II. Weapons - Magnum - Plasma pistol - SMG - Needler - Battle rifle - Plasma rifle - Brute Plasma rifle - Shotgun - Covenant Carbine - S2 AM Sniper rifle - Particle Beam rifle - Photon Cannon - Sentinel Beam - Plasma Sword - Brute Shot III. Grenades ******************************************************************************* I. Introduction ******************************************************************************* Well, first things first. Weapons, the shiny things found throughout levels used to inflict pain on your opponents. Some weapons have more uses then others all though most will come in handy in certain situations and knowing when best to use these weapons is your first step to becoming a gaming pro. The first thing you should note about weapons is that obviously, you can carry two (three with duel wielding). This means you should usually carry two DIFFERENT types of weapons to suit all possible circumstances, for example, carrying two sniper rifles around isn't going to help you if someone gets in close with a plasma sword is it? Bet you wish you picked up that shotgun now don't you? Thought so, picking the right weapon to use is the most important factor in winning either a multiplayer or campaign game so knowing which to use will help out a lot. below is a list of the weapons in Halo 2 and their uses: ******************************************************************************* II. Weapons ******************************************************************************* Note: Covenant weapons are best for taking down shields whilst Human weapons will deliver powerful physical damage. So Covenant weapons will be good against Elites because they have energy shields whilst human weapons will be good against the flood. Magnum power: 6 range: 5 clip size: 12 The magnum is a remake of the original Halo pistol, it has no zoom and is slightly weaker than the original but packs a stronger punch in close quarters due to the ability to duel wield. The magnum has a good clip size for a pistol but unless duel wielding I recommend you toss this gun when you find something better. Plasma pistol power: 2-8 range: 4 battery operated The plasma pistol is much more useful then its human counterpart and can deplete an opponents shield completely when fully charged, this is a devastating weapon when duel wielded with a physical damage weapon like the SMG. As this is a covenant gun it has a battery cell of up to 100, a fully charged bolt will use up 5 from the battery and overheat the gun. The disadvantage of this weapon is the slow moving bullets, it can be easily avoided in a medium range shootout. SMG power: 4 range: 6 clip size: 60 Most multiplayer levels will see you starting with this weapon, SMG's have an extremely high rate of fire but poor accuracy and a strong recoil which make it ineffective over long distances. Because of the large clip size of these guns they can be used to lay down a constant stream of fire if two are held by beginning to fire the second gun after half of the clip from the first is depleted, allowing you to keep firing whilst reloading the other gun. Needler power: 3-7 range: 4 clip size: 30 The needler has been beefed up considerably from Halo 1 and there are a few changes that need to be taken into consideration when using this gun. Most noticeably the needler now delivers instant damage, only exploding if 8 or more needles attach themselves to the target. The needler is an excellent gun in close range due high rate of fire and homing needles that can attach and explode on the enemy within seconds, killing them instantly. This gun is less effective over long range however, as is the needles homing ability. Duel wielding two of these guns will tear apart a horde of brutes in seconds, very powerful. Battle rifle power: 6 range: 7 clip size: 36 The battle rifle is the replacement for the previous rifle in Halo: CE. These are standard issue for marines in campaign and a common gun in multiplayer. The Battle rifle is stronger then its predecessor and also features a 2x scope which makes it an excellent medium range weapon however its burst fire maintains good accuracy but prevents quick kills. This gun is useful for taking out groups of grunts from a safe distance. Plasma rifle power: 5 range: 6 battery operated The plasma rifle is similar to the battle rifle in its power and rate of fire however it does not require reloading nor has a scope. A hail of fire from this gun can quickly nock down an opponents shield but do not hold down the fire button for too long as the gun overheats easily, I recommend using a burst of fire similar to the battle rifle. Duel wielding these will also take down an energy shield fairly quickly. Brute Plasma rifle power: 6 range: 6 battery operated The brute plasma rifle is distinguishable from the common plasma rifle by its maroon colour. It has a few differences that make this better then its counterpart. This gun is more powerful and has a higher rate of fire but it does overheat faster, swap your other plasma rifle for this if you come across it. Shotgun power: 8 range: 3 clip size: 12 The shotgun is a devastating, pump action weapon which fires a blast of 'shot', small metal balls which can rip an enemy apart at close range. The shotgun does have a slow rate of fire however and due to the spread effect it is almost impossible to hit someone more then 20 meters away from you. I recommend using this gun in smaller levels like foundation if playing multiplayer. This gun is excellent against the flood and will turn them into a cloud of dust instantly. Covenant carbine power: 6 range: 7 clip size: 18 This is basically the covenant version of the battle rifle. It has similar power and a scope but a faster rate of fire then its counterpart. I don't usually use this gun as it is less effective at taking down an opponent's shield and cannot be used at medium ranged sniping, it leaves a green trail when shot. S2 AM Sniper Rifle power: 10 range: 10 clip size: 4 Now we're at the big guns! This is the human sniper rifle and my favourite weapon in the game. The sniper rifle has a 5x and a 10x zoom and enormous power, depleting an opponents shield in 1 hit and killing them instantly if you get a head shot. This is definitely a weapon to be feared, team- mates will love you and enemies will hate you with this weapon. The sniper rifle has its limits however, its slow rate of fire, small clip size and no auto aim make it a difficult weapon to use close range and you should also note when fired this gun leaves a white trail which shows up your position to enemies. Particle Beam Rifle power: 9 range: 10 100 shots This is the covenant sniper rifle, it has the same zoom functions and power however it does not need reloading. This gun can fire two shots in succession which will kill anyone instantly or it can be fired at a steady pulse to prevent overheat. Most differences between the two sniper rifles are superficial, such as the purple trail this gun leaves which disappears faster then the white trail left by the S2 but is brighter. Which gun is better is based on personal preference as both guns are basically the same. M19 SSM Rocket Launcher power: 10 range: 8 clip size: 2 rockets (4 max) This is the human rocket launcher, capable of tearing apart anything and everything in its path however you can only hold 4 rockets so use this weapon sparingly. Its main use is to destroy vehicles but if used against people a well-placed shot can kill them in one hit, aim for the feet to reduce chance of missing. The rocket launcher now features a 'lock-on' function for vehicles, when aimed at a occupied vehicle 4 arrows will appear in the reticle, hold R to lock on to the vehicle then release once locked on to watch the rocket chase your enemy across the screen and destroy the vehicle. It is almost impossible to dodge this weapon unless you are in a banshee. Photon cannon power: 8 range: 7 clip size: 8 This is the covenant version of the rocket launcher, I have yet to see it in a multiplayer game so I'm not sure if it actually available. This weapon has a much larger clip and faster rate of fire then the M19 and also has a minor 'lock-on' to enemies, the projectiles will curve slightly towards both enemies and vehicles but are weaker then the human counterparts. Sentinel beam power: 7 range: 4 battery operated This is another rare weapon on multiplayer which is disappointing as it is an extremely powerful one. The sentinel beam acts like a laser, producing a devastating beam that will cut through an opponents shield in around 4 seconds but the battery does die quickly. This is the best weapon to use against flood, it will dissect dozens of them within seconds. Plasma sword power: 7-10 range: 2 Infinite (only on multiplayer) 100 The highly anticipated plasma sword from Halo 1 is even more devastating then expected. The plasma sword can be used with either B for ordinary melee attacks or once the reticle turns red, R will trigger a lunge attack which will instantly kill your opponent. This is a devastating weapon in close quarters but for obvious reasons, not so useful long range. If you are being chased by someone using this weapon keep facing them and fire until they die or alternatively stick them with a plasma grenade and run for it. This weapon will also take down Elites with a 1 hit KO which usually uses up around 10 of the sword durability. Killing flood with this is very effective and uses up a lot less durability then other enemies. Brute shot power: 7 range: 5 clip size: 4 ( 18 max) The brute shot is Halo 2's version of a grenade launcher, the projectiles fired from this weapon will bounce once before exploding with a small frag grenade like effect. This is a devastating weapon against enemies on foot and can also be used to take down light vehicles like ghosts and banshees. The fast rate of fire and reload time make this a formidable weapon and a great addition to your arsenal although the small amount of ammo carried means it wont take long to run out of projectiles. In the smaller levels you may consider keeping this weapon once the ammo is depleted however as the enormous blade attached to the gun has similar damage to the plasma sword and will cut an opponent apart in around 3 hits. ******************************************************************************* III. Grenades ******************************************************************************* There are two types of grenade found throughout Halo 2, FRAG (Human) and PLASMA (Covenant). Each grenade has its own specific advantages and uses, as detailed below. -Frag Grenade The Frag Grenade is the typical Marine Corps weapon, its timer starts after hitting a surface and it will explode in around 2 seconds hurling shrapnel into nearby enemies. The human grenade has been considerably downsized since Halo 1 and has a much smaller blast radius but it still has its uses. The best thing about this grenade is its short fuse, if thrown correctly into a large group of enemies most wont be able to react in time, being caught in the blast. -Plasma Grenade This is the Covenant standard issue grenade, containing a store of bright blue plasma this grenade will cause a massive explosion 4 seconds after being released. The most noticeable thing about this grenade is it sticks, if thrown on to an enemy player or Elite it basically gives them a death sentence, they will not survive. It also causes considerable damage to Brutes and Hunters although both will survive the blast. ************************************************************** Submissions and Suggestions ************************************************************** If there is something in this guide which you think is wrong, or something you think should be included, please email me at .DrugMunky@hotmail.co.uk with your suggestions. All information added to this guide will receive full credit to the submitter. *************************************************************** Disclaimer and copyright information *************************************************************** This may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other web site or as a part of any public display without the authors given permission is strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright. The author accepts no responsibility for misuse of this guide nor does he claim any connection to the Halo game. All trademarks are copyrighted by their respected owners and should not be reproduced in any way.