Editing Headshot

{{Status|Gameplay}}
{{Cleanup}}
{{Disambig header|the gameplay mechanic|the medal|Headshot (medal)}}
[[File:Halo 3 Picture 2.jpg|thumb|A close-up of a headshot in Halo 3. The weapon used was a Sniper Rifle. The remains of the crippled shielding and blood from the exit wound are clearly visible.]]
A '''headshot''' is a shot fired at an enemy's head. Headshots, when fired from a precision weapon, will instantly kill an unshielded target. Due to the size of a target's head relative to the size of their body, however, headshots are relatively difficult to perform. They are typically performed with scoped weapons. It should be noted that while any shot to the head could be (informally) called a "headshot", headshot-related awards (like [[medals]]) are only given if the headshot was a fatal shot. That is to say, a kill will only count as a headshot kill if the headshot was the killing shot.

== Damage System ==
Headshots will instantly kill an unshielded opponent, but does not do any extra damage to shields. That is to say, a shielded opponent will take the same amount of damage no matter where they are shot.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p54yFedYHb4 '''YouTube:''' ''Halo 3: Shot Location Damage Experiment'']</ref> Shooting a shielded opponent in the head does exactly the same amount of damage as shooting them in the foot.

The reason that Sniper Rifle and Beam Rifle headshots can instantly kill a shielded opponent is because Sniper and Beam Rifles do more than enough damage to drain an opponent's shields and cause slight damage to Health as well. If the shot hits the head, the "leftover" damage is inflicted on the newly-unshielded opponent's head. Indeed, any damage inflicted upon an unshielded head will kill the victim immediately, provided that the damage was inflicted by a headshot-capable weapon. For example, in ''Halo 3'', 12 shots from a Battle Rifle does a total of 72 damage. A player has 70 shield points, so 11 and <sup>2</sup>/<sub>3</sub> of the shots (35 bullets total) are used for the shield and the remaining bullet does the fatal headshot.<ref>{{Cite BWU|13233|02/08/08}}</ref> A sniper round does roughly 80 damage, 70 of which is used for the shield and 10 of which go for the body, which means a kill in the case of a headshot. In ''Halo: Reach'', the damage system has been altered where damage applied to a shielded enemy would result in a headshot.<ref name="Interview">[http://gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2010/03/31/exclusive-interview-on-the-halo-reach-sandbox.aspx '''GameInformer''': ''Exclusive Interview On The Halo: Reach Sandbox'']</ref> In order to successfully produce a headshot, the player has to eliminate the enemy's shield, though the only exception to this would be the sniper rifle.{{Ref/Reuse|Interview}} In ''Halo 5: Guardians'', headshots with weapons such as the [[MA5D assault rifle]], the [[M739 SAW]], and the [[M20 PDW]] do extra damage, though they don't kill instantly.

== Aiming ==
Scoring a headshot on a Spartan multiplayer model is relatively straightforward, as the head is clearly identifiable and almost always visible. Elites multiplayer model are somewhat more difficult to snipe; their heads are slightly larger, but their hunched postures lower their heads. The effect is that an Elite's head is sheltered by the Elite's own back. Despite this, however, a headshot from behind is ''possible'', as a very small portion of an Elite's head is still visible.{{fact}} Furthermore, an Elite may be more easily headshot from the front, as their head is positioned closer to their center of mass.{{fact}}

[[Face Painting|Face painting]] is an effective technique when going for a headshot, as is the act of leading one's target. Watching the [[reticule]] on the [[heads-up display]] is also useful; in all ''Halo'' first-person shooter games after ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', a small red dot will appear at the center of the reticule when aiming at an enemy's head.

== Headshot-capable weapons ==
Not all weapons in the ''Halo'' series are headshot-capable. It is entirely possible to shoot an opponent in the head with a headshot-''in''capable weapon, but the hit will not count as a headshot. 
*[[Battle rifle|BR-series Battle Rifles]]
*[[M392 DMR]]
*[[M395 DMR]]
*[[M395B DMR]]
*[[M6 Series|M6 series sidearms]]
*[[SRS99 series|SRS99 series sniper rifles]]
*{{Pattern|Zubo|beam rifle}}
*{{Pattern|Gadulo|needle rifle}}
*{{Pattern|Sulok|beam rifle}}
*{{Pattern|Vostu|carbine}}
*{{Pattern|Mosa|carbine}}
*[[Z-110 Boltshot]]
*[[Z-250 lightrifle]]
*[[Z-750 binary rifle]]

== Trivia ==
* In ''Halo 3''{{'}}s [[campaign]] or [[matchmaking]], players can unlock the "[[Headshot Honcho]]" [[Achievement]] by getting ten headshots with a Sniper Rifle. Additionally, scoring headshots in ''Halo 3''{{'}}s [[Campaign Scoring|meta-game]] will earn more [[Campaign Scoring#Style Multipliers|points]].
* In ''Halo 3: ODST'', the achievement "[[Boom, Headshot]]" is unlocked by killing 10 opponents with headshots with the [[M6C/SOCOM]].
* In ''Halo: Reach''{{'}}s [[Firefight]] mode, AI enemies can headshot you.
* In ''Halo 5: Guardians'', headshots cause a different hit marker to signify increased damage.
** This critical damage red marker will also be shown when a target is hit in their weak spots, like a [[Promethean Knight]]'s cores, a [[Mgalekgolo|Hunter]]'s exposed orange flesh, or the core on the [[Warden Eternal]]'s back.

== Sources ==
{{Ref/Sources}}

[[Category:Tricks and cheats]]
[[Category:Real-world terms and phrases]]
[[Category:Multiplayer lexicon]]