 A player using a mix of armor sets in Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Armor permutations in Halo 3 allow players to customize their Spartan and Elite player model with a variety of armor pieces available to players. The feature is an improvement of Halo 2's player customization feature, and the first in the series to allow players to change the physical model of their character beyond species and colour selection.
Overview[edit]
 Artwork by Isaac Hannaford revealing the existence of Recon, long before the armor was officially announced. Halo 3 features a number of armor selections for both Spartan and Elite player characters, unlocked primarily by accomplishing feats within the campaign, Matchmaking and earning achievements. The system was initially unveiled in the July 2007 issue of GamePro, featuring a handful of images of the EVA and CQB armor sets alongside the standard Mark VI, though was noted by Bungie to not be the full set of armor available in game.[1] Bungie later officially announced the inclusion of Elite armor variants[2], and on Bungie Day 2007 officially unveiled the CQB and EVA permutations' visuals and lore. A piece of art illustrated by Isaac Hannaford released at the same time additionally revealed the existence of the Recon armor, though the armor was not specifically called out by Bungie or given any attention until later.[3][4]
In total, there are 17 armor sets included in Halo 3, 12 of which for the SPARTAN-II character model and 5 for the Elite character model. These armor permutations are organized into three categories: Helmet, Chest and Shoulder. Certain armor permutations can only be unlocked by completing the game on certain difficulties, accumulating certain Gamerscore, or by obtaining certain multiplayer-specific achievements. Some, such as Recon or the exclusive Bungie Armor, have more esoteric unlock requirements, and can only be granted under certain conditions. Additionally, some Spartan armor sets only contain a helmet piece or chest piece, with no other associated armor selections.
Halo 3 unlock requirements[edit]
Note: The below unlock requirements only apply to the original Halo 3 game on Xbox 360 or via Xbox One backward compatibility. In The Master Chief Collection, all armor is unlocked by default for all players - including the Bungie armor.
Spartans[edit]
Halo: The Master Chief Collection[edit]
 The Demo, Suture and Compass armors introduced into Halo 3. For the Halo 3 multiplayer component of Halo: The Master Chief Collection, all armor - including Recon and Bungie - was unlocked for all players for use by default. Between the game's launch in 2014 and the launch of Halo 3 on PC in 2020, armor customization was limited to full sets with no mix-and-match customization, due to the difficulties of running multiple engines in the menu component. In this launch rendition, the armor sets were displayed in the menu as static renders, with the armors using full armor sets or - in the case of armors with no associated armor for chest, helmet or shoulder elements - Mark VI to supplement missing elements. As such, using a helmet such as Mark V or ODST required the usage of all Mark VI for everything else. Using the Katana chest, however, would use Hayabusa for all other armor elements. Additionally and for the first time, The Master Chief Collection allowed players to use the Bungie Armor (now renamed "Flaming Head"), and would display the characteristic flames and EOD chest as it did in the original game, though with enforced Mark VI shoulders and helmet.
Following the launch of Halo 3 on PC and start of Season 2: Spark, this system was updated to display Halo 3 character models in Unreal Engine 4, with full customization in-game as it was at the launch of Halo 3. In this change, the Bungie Armor chest was renamed "Legacy", and the Security armour set was given a chest armour piece; in launch Halo 3, equipping the Security helmet additionally outfitted the chest with a small antenna. Following the Season 2 update, the antenna is now considered a separate chest, and can be used regardless of helmet.
With the launch of Season 3: Recon, Halo 3 customisation was updated with the inclusion of skins for application on a player's weapon and several new visor colour options for use with all helmets. The full list of Halo 3 skins can be viewed here.
In the Season 4 December update, Halo 3 was expanded to include new techsuit customization, with the players being able to change it between the Halo 3 techsuit and Halo 4 techsuit (both colored and full black).
Season 5 will include twelve new armor permutations for Halo 3, originally created for the cancelled Halo Online. Additionally, it will include new forearm and leg customisation, allowing players to choose between the new twelve armors or the default Mark VI. These armors can be toggled off for a more classic experience, with any players using Halo Online armor instead displaying as default Mark VI.[5]
MCC-exclusive armor unlock requirements[edit]
- Main article: Skins (Halo 3)
Visor customisation was introduced to Halo 3 in Season 3: Recon. A number of visor colours can be unlocked for  Season Points, though like other Halo 3 skins, they can be toggled off in the menu.
| In-game |
Appearance Name |
Unlock Requirements |
Description
|
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Blue |
Season 3, Tier 1 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
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Red |
Season 3, Tier 3 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
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Green |
Season 3, Tier 4 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
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Yellow |
Season 3, Tier 5 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
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Purple |
Season 3, Tier 7 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
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Orange |
Season 3, Tier 8 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
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Bronze |
Season 3, Tier 10 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
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Silver |
Season 3, Tier 11 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
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Dark Red |
Season 3, Tier 13 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
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Dark Yellow |
Season 3, Tier 15 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
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Dark Purple |
Season 3, Tier 17 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
|
Dark Blue |
Season 3, Tier 19 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
|
Dark Green |
Season 3, Tier 20 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
|
Spectrum |
Season 3, Tier 23 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
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Dark Orange |
Season 3, Tier 26 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
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Pastel Blue |
Season 3, Tier 27 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
|
Pastel Green |
Season 3, Tier 29 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
|
Pastel Red |
Season 3, Tier 30 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
|
Pastel Yellow |
Season 3, Tier 32 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
|
Pastel Purple |
Season 3, Tier 34 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
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Pastel Orange |
Season 3, Tier 35 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
|
Groovy |
Season 3, Tier 37 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
|
Pearlescent Yellow |
Season 3, Tier 38 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
|
Pearlescent Blue |
Season 3, Tier 41 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
|
Platinum |
Season 3, Tier 42 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
|
Pearlescent Red |
Season 3, Tier 44 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
|
Pearlescent Green |
Season 3, Tier 45 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
|
Pearlescent Orange |
Season 3, Tier 47 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
|
Pearlescent Purple |
Season 3, Tier 48 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
|
Onyx |
Season 3, Tier 49 ( 1) |
Part of a suite of experimental VISR enhancements.
|
Techsuit customisation[edit]
 A comparison of all techsuit variants. From left to right: the original Halo 3 techsuit, the new GEN1 techsuit, the GEN2 techsuit and the GEN2 Tinted techsuit. As of the December 2020 update, Spartans in Halo 3 can now choose between three different techsuits to display underneath their MJOLNIR armor. These include the following;
- GEN1: Integral to the entire Mjolnir system, the techsuit encases the wearer's body and provides attachment points for the armor plating above it.
- This techsuit replaces the standard Halo 3 techsuit available in the original game and pre-update MCC. It is noticeably more detailed than the original, and is much more form-fitting.
- GEN2: Though similar to earlier systems, the GEN2 techsuit is a bespoke form-fitted armored polymuscle exoskeleton.
- The standard GEN2 techsuit introduced in Halo 4, Online and Halo 5: Guardians. This undersuit is only available in black.
- GEN2 Tinted: A variant of the standard GEN2 techsuit with additional chromatic customization options.
- A coloured variant of of the GEN2 undersuit, which inherits the player's primary colour.
Mistakes[edit]
- In reusing tooltips from Halo: Reach's appearance menu, the updated customization menu for Halo 3 in Halo: The Master Chief Collection now erroneously states the choice between a Spartan and Elite player model is only applicable to appropriate, species-specific gametypes, despite the option being available regardless of gametype.
- Additionally, when hovering over the menu element to change Elite armor permutations, the game erroneously states the option is to change Spartan armor. This would be fixed with the release of Halo 3: ODST on PC.
Miscellaneous[edit]
- A certain conceptual helmet seen in The Art of Halo 3 greatly resembles the AIR ASSAULT-class Mjolnir set that'd later appear in Halo: Reach.
- In Halo 3, the neck of an Elite (regardless what armor permutation used) is completely immune to any form of damage except for a shot from an overcharged Plasma Pistol. In addition, the projectile will simply pass through the neck, as though the neck wasn't there, without a blood spatter. This is because both Elites and Spartans have similar models.
- Many people speculate that hitboxes of the Spartans and Elites are shared but this is not true. While Bungie has officially commented on the hitboxes, they regard the size of the hitbox not the arrangement. Hitboxes are an unseen registry mechanic, which fall into the player models. They determine whether or not something has collided with the player. If an Elite is facing profile (sideways), and a shot is fired underneath the head (to where a Spartan's chest would be), the game will not register a hit. The head "hitbox" is forward more on Elites than it is Spartans.
Gallery[edit]
Concept art[edit]
The armor permutation menu for Spartans in the Xbox 360 edition of Halo 3.
The armor permutation menu for Sangheili in the Xbox 360 edition of Halo 3.
The armor permutation menu for Halo 3 on The Master Chief Collection prior to Halo 3: ODST's PC launch, featuring an erroneous tooltip, and a different pose for the player's Spartan.
Color choices for Halo 3 in Halo: The Master Chief Collection, following Halo 3: ODST's launch, with an updated character pose.
The techsuit customisation choices for Halo 3 in The Master Chief Collection. From left to right; GEN1, GEN2 and GEN2 (Tinted).
Screenshots[edit]
All the Elite permutations in Halo 3.
The glitched armor from Floodgate, It appears to be a combination of the front part of the Assault permutation and the back of the Combat permutation.
Miscellaneous[edit]
All of the Spartan permutations in Halo 3. Note: If a part of the armor set doesn't exist, it has been substituted with its Mark VI counterpart.
Sources[edit]
- ^ GamePro, issue 226: July 2007 (Archive)
- ^ Bungie.net, Bungie Weekly Update: 06/08/07
- ^ Bungie.net, Way Beyond the Beta: Screenshots Galore
- ^ Bungie.net, 7/7/07: Love, Bungie
- ^ Halo Waypoint Forums, MCC Development & Flighting Updates: Page 4, post 63 "The team is currently working on a game update that expands the existing skin toggle in the settings menu to also apply to armor. If you prefer a true classic experience, you’ll be able to flip the “New Skins in Halo 3” toggle to “disabled” and you won’t see any new cosmetic items (weapon skins, vehicle skins, or armor) when you’re playing Halo 3. If you decide to turn off cosmetics, any players in your game who are wearing new armor will appear as default Mark VI."
List of armor permutations by game titles
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