Armor permutations (Halo: Reach)

The Armory in Halo: Reach

Player customization returns in Halo: Reach, but with far deeper customization options than Halo 3. In Halo 3, unlocking armor permutations involved getting a certain achievement, or a group of achievements. In Halo: Reach, armor is mostly acquired by purchasing it with "credits" (cR) in The Armory, although some armor permutations may have to be unlocked first by reaching a certain rank. Credits are earned by winning or finishing games in the Campaign, Matchmaking, Custom game, Firefight, or Forge modes; by completing achievements; by getting commendations; or by completing daily and weekly challenges. As with Halo 3, every armor permutation in Halo: Reach is purely for aesthetic purposes and does not impact gameplay whatsoever.

With Halo: Reach being added to Halo: The Master Chief Collection, 343 Industries overhauled the game's unlock system. Credits are dropped in favor of a "battle pass"-esque manner of progression, with XP being earned contributing to levels that, when passed, grants the player a "season point", which can be used to unlock the next tier in the progression system.

Overview[edit]

In Halo: Reach, there are ten available slots for SPARTAN armor customization. The ten available slots customizable to Spartans feature the Helmet (can be "upgraded" with various gadgets, known as Helmet Variants), Left and Right Shoulder, and the Chest piece, which returned from Halo 3. The new slots for customization include Wrist, Utility, Visor Color, Knee Guards, Armor Effect, and Firefight Voice. In addition to armor customization, players can also choose Noble Six's gender. Any customization done to Noble Six will be reflected in the campaign's cutscenes.^[1]

The game no longer allows players to use Elites as their default player model in matchmaking. Instead, Elites are limited to Elite Slayer, Invasion and Invasion Slayer gametypes. Elites are also usable in custom games (through a "Preferred Species" setting) and in Firefight. Armor customization for Elites has been largely simplified from Halo 3: players can only choose a complete armor set rather than making individual armor changes to their Elite player model. Unlocking each armor set requires the player to reach a certain rank for certain armor; for example, to obtain the armor of an Ultra Elite, the player must reach the rank of Warrant Officer.^[2]

Armor Effect choices with Legendary (Flaming helmet) selected.

Additionally, the Limited and Legendary Editions of Reach include exclusive armor permutations and effects for the player's character. The Limited Edition comes with the "Sangheili Officer" Elite permutation, while the Legendary Edition includes the aforementioned permutation, along with a Spartan "Flaming Head" effect. However, if the player is equipped with the exclusive flaming helmet effect, the flames will be visible during gameplay but will not be shown in cinematics.^[3] A redeemable token that gives the player access to an exclusive variant of the Recon helmet, featuring its own attachments, which was also bundled with the game to all sales made on the release date, and with all pre-orders outside of North America.

The last two sets of helmets for Halo: Reach are available through Halo Waypoint only. Using Waypoint will show the player how to unlock said armor pieces, which each have a base and two additional styles. The unlocks are linked to overall Halo Career Milestones (linked to universal Halo Gamerscore) and specialist achievements; for example, the Military Police helmet requires the user to have completed Halo: Reach on Normal difficulty, the second variant of the helmet requires the user to have the A Spoonful of Blamite achievement and Halo 3's Fear the Pink Mist achievement (accompanied by the right Career Milestone award and the base helmet variant).

Much like Halo 3's "Bungie" armor permutation that granted the player an exclusive flaming head, Halo: Reach featured a then Bungie-exclusive armor effect known as "Eternal", with flames that glowed a bright blue over the normal red-orange. This armor permutation was unobtainable originally, but was made available in 2011 through Bungie's iOS app.

Halo: Reach's port on Halo: The Master Chief Collection forgoes the prior information, instead opting to have all in-game permutations be unlockable through its revised season system.

List of permutations[edit]

Spartan[edit]

Spartan Armor Permutations
	Helmet	Helmet Attachments	Shoulder	Chest	Wrist	Utility	Knee Guards
AIR ASSAULT	Warrant Officer, 15,000 cR	UA/CNM - Warrant Officer, 7,500 cR FC-I - Warrant Officer, 5,000 cR	-	-	-	-	-
ASSAULT	-	-	-	SAPPER - Commander, 14,000 cR COMMANDO - Colonel, 12,000 cR SAPPER [R] - General, 250,000 cR	BREACHER - Colonel, 200,000 cR	-	-
COLLAR	-	-	-	GRENADIER - Captain, 4,000 cR BREACHER - Lt. Colonel, 8,000 cR GRENADIER [UA] - General, 40,000 cR BREACHER [R] - Lt. Colonel, BREACHER, 75,000 cR	-	-	-
COMMANDO	Commander, 85,000 cR	CBRN/CNM - Commander, 40,000 cR UA/FC-I[2] - Commander, 40,000 cR	Commander, 40,000 cR	-	-	-	-
CQB	Downloaded Free From Halo Waypoint	HU/RS/CNM - 0 cR UA/HUL - 0 cR	-	-	-	-	-
CQC	(Starter)	CBRN - Recruit, 750 cR UA/HUL - Corporal, 1,500 cR	Lt. Colonel, 20,000 cR	-	-	-	-
EOD	Sergeant, 15,000 cR	CNM - Sergeant, 5000 cR UA/HUL - Sergeant, 3000 cR	-	-	-	-	-
EVA	Major, 30,000 cR	CNM - Major, 7,000 cR UA/HUL[3] - Lt. Colonel, 15,000 cR	3,000 cR	-	-	-	-
EVA[C]	Commander, EVA Base, 120,000 cR	CNM - Commander, 25,000 cR UA/HUL[3] - Commander, 140,000 cR	-	-	-	-	-
FJ/PARA	-	-	Recruit, 250 cR	-	-	-	10,000 cR
GRD	Seen in the Defiant Map Pack (Unobtainable)	-	-	-	-	-
GRENADIER	Warrant Officer, 25,000 cR	UA - Warrant Officer, 5,000 cR UA/FC - Warrant Officer, 2,000 cR	Colonel, 65,000 cR		-	-	Lt. Colonel, 45,000 cR
GUNGNIR	Brigadier, 250,000 cR	HU/RS - Brigadier, 125,000 cR CBRN - Mythic, 400,000 cR	8,000 cR	-	-	-	Captain, 25,000 cR
HAZOP	Recruit, 7,000 cR	CBRN/HUL - Sergeant, 2,000 cR CNM-I - Captain, 1,000 cR	Recruit, 500 cR	-	-	-	-
HP	-	-	-	HALO - Recruit, 600 cR PARAFOIL - Colonel, 8,000 cR PARAFOIL [R] - Brigadier, PARAFOIL, 175,000 cR	-	-	-
JFO	Lt. Colonel, 60,000 cR	HUL-I - Lt. Colonel, 20,000 cR UA - Lt. Colonel, 10,000 cR	Recruit, 1,000 cR	-	-	-	-
JUMP JET	-	-	5,000 cR	-	-	-	-
Mark V[B]	(Starter)	UA - Recruit, 750 cR UA/HUL - Corporal, 1,500 cR	(Starter)	(Starter)	(Starter)	(Starter)	(Starter)
MILITARY POLICE	Downloaded Free From Halo Waypoint	CBRN/HU/RS - 0 cR HU/RS/CNM - 0 cR	-	-	-	-	-
MJOLNIR Mk. V	Lt. Colonel, 130,000 cR	CNM - Lt. Colonel, 10,000 cR UA - Lt. Colonel, 15,000 cR	Left - Brigadier, 100,000 cR Right - Brigadier, 80,000 cR	-	-	-	-
MJOLNIR Mk. VI	Brigadier, 300,000 cR	FC-I[2] - Brigadier, 75,000 cR UA/HUL-I - Brigadier, 75,000 cR	-	-	-	-	-
ODST	Recruit, 2,000 cR	UA/CNM - Corporal, 1,000 cR CBRN/HUL - Sergeant, 500 cR	Captain, 25,000 cR	-	-	-	-
OPERATOR	Sergeant, 7,000 cR	UA/HUL - Sergeant, 2,000 cR CNM - Sergeant, 1,000 cR	Commander, 28,000 cR	-	-	-	-
PILOT	Commander, 90,000 cR	HUL[3] - Commander, 25,000 cR UA/HUL[3] - Commander, 55,000 cR Haunted - Inheritor, Purchase all helmets, 1 cR	-	-	-	-	-
RECON	Colonel, 100,000 cR	HUL - Colonel, 75,000 cR UA/HUL(3) - Pre-Order or Release Day Only	Corporal, 1,500 cR	-	-	-	-
SCOUT	Captain, 40,000 cR	HU/RS - Captain, 5,000 cR CBRN/CNM - Captain, 5,000 cR	-	-	-	-	-
SECURITY	General, 250,000 cR	UA/HUL - General, 200,000 cR CBRN/CNM - Legend, 200,000 cR	Left - General, 70,000 cR Right - General, 275,000 cR	-	-	-	-
SNIPER	-	-	Left - Brigadier, 80,000 cR Right - Brigadier, 75,000 cR	-	-	-	-
TACTICAL	-	-	-	LRP - 1,000 cR RECON - Warrant Officer, 1,500 cR PATROL - Major, 4,000 cR	TACPAD - Major, 50,000 cR UGPS - Lt. Colonel, 80,000 cR	HARD CASE - Captain, 40,000 cR TRAUMA KIT - Lt. Colonel, TACTICAL/HARD CASE, 60,000 cR SOFT CASE - Colonel, 100,000 cR	-
UA	-	-	MULTI-THREAT - 2,000 cR BASE SECURITY - Major, 12,000 cR	MULTI-THREAT [W] - Pre-Order Only COUNTERASSAULT - 600 cR ODST - Warrant Officer, 750 cR BASE SECURITY [W] - Downloaded Free From Halo Waypoint	BUCKLER - 5,000 cR BRACER - 10,000 cR	CHOBHAM - TACTICAL/HARD CASE, 30,000 cR NxRA - Major, TACTICAL/HARD CASE, 40,000 cR	-

Other armor attachments[edit]

Visor Color
Color	Cost
Default	0 cR - Default
Silver	Sergeant, 35,000 cR
Blue	Warrant Officer, 50,000 cR
Black	Lt. Colonel, 100,000 cR
Gold	Colonel, 250,000 cR

Armor Effect
Effect	Cost
Birthday Party	200,000 cR
Eternal (Blue Flaming Helmet)	0 cR- Formerly only available to Bungie employees, required e-mail verification through Bungie.net. Available until 7/7/11.
Legendary (Red Flaming Helmet)	0 cR - Included with the Legendary Edition of Halo: Reach
Heart Attack	300,000 cR
Pestilence	1,000,000 cR
Inclement Weather	2,000,000 cR

Firefight Voice
Voice	Cost
Noble Six	(Starter)
Jorge S-052	10,000 cR
Jun S-266	10,000 cR
Emile S-239	10,000 cR
Kat S-320	10,000 cR
Auntie Dot [A.I.]	15,000 cR
Carter S-259	100,000 cR
GYSGT Stacker	5,000 cR
GYSGT Buck	15,000 cR
SGTMAJ Johnson	100,000 cR
Cortana [A.I.]	100,000 cR
John S-117	150,000 cR

Elite[edit]

Elite Armor Permutations
Armor	Rank
Minor	(Starter)
Officer	Halo: Reach Xbox 360, Limited and Legendary editions only
Spec Ops	Corporal
Ranger	Sergeant
Ultra	Warrant Officer
Zealot	Captain
General	Major
Field Marshal	Lieutenant Colonel

Cut[edit]

Two Spartan armor sets were cut from the game, CONDEMNED-class Mjolnir and PRESERVE-class Mjolnir. These were originally spotted in promotional material for the Defiant Map Pack, where a player wore the PRESERVE-class helmet alongside the CONDEMNED-class chest piece.^[4]^[5] These were mistakenly assumed to be part of the same armor set, and was dubbed "GRD" armor by the community.^[6] 343 Industries employee David Ellis later confirmed that the studio originally planned to add these sets to the Armory as part of the Anniversary Map Pack, however it was cut before release due to time and resource constraints. As an acknowledgement of its existence, it was instead featured as the dolls Easter egg.^[7] 343 Industries has expressed interest in making these armors available in the Halo: The Master Chief Collection version of Reach, following requests from the community, but stated that they could not commit to at that time.^[8]

Trivia[edit]

With the addition of Firefight Voices (color schemes, armor effects and gender included,) there are 8,132,665,405,440,000 possible configurations; approximately 242 times the current population of the Earth. ^{[verification needed]}
The current cost of all the armor pieces in the Halo: Reach armory combined is 9,634,201 cR. ^{[verification needed]}
In Halo: Reach, the mandibles of an Elite will protrude out after its death. This is most noticeable with the Ultra, Spec Ops and Ranger permutations as the mandibles will stick out of the helmet.
The player's combat knife, along with any armor abilities or armor effects, will not be displayed during cutscenes in Halo: Reach.
Halo: Reach armor permutations return in Halo: The Master Chief Collection, mostly identical to their original form. Notably, the soft case the mounts on the lower back of the Assault/Commando chest piece is missing in the armor customization menu, though it still appears in gameplay. Conversely, the smaller cases which appear in the same location on the Tactical/Recon chest piece can be seen in the armor customization menu, but do not appear in gameplay.

Gallery[edit]

Spartan[edit]

Concept art of Spartan armor permutations.
Concept art of various helmets in Halo: Reach.
Armor permutation customization in the Halo: Reach Multiplayer Beta.
The exclusive "flaming helmet" Spartan armor effect included in the Halo: Reach Legendary Edition, much like the Bungie armor from Halo 3.
A Recon-clad spartan with the Legendary Flames.
The Recon helmet with specific attachments, available to all who purchase Halo: Reach on launch date in North America and pre-order in other countries.
UA Multi Threat MJOLNIR Mk. V/W Armor available exclusively for those who pre-order Halo: Reach from Gamestop.
Initial Halo: Reach Armor Options
All Halo: Reach helmets
Most armor permutations in Halo: Reach.
The "GRD" armor seen in the Defiant Map Pack's official screenshots.
Default visor.
Silver visor.
Blue visor.
Black visor.
Gold visor.

Elite[edit]

Concept art of a Sangheili Minor's combat harness.
Concept art of a cut Sangheili armor permutation bearing resemblance to the Commando harness.
Concept art of various cut designs for the Sangheili.
Early design for the Special Operations Sangheili.
Concept art of a Sangheili "nemesis".
Concept art of a Sangheili "sword master".
The exclusive Sangheili Officer armor included in the Limited and Legendary Editions of Halo: Reach.
All Sangheili Armor Permutations in Halo: Reach.