Gameplay

Normal

From Halopedia, the Halo wiki

Halo 3 - Normal Symbol.png
Help.png
This article is currently under construction and needs to be improved. Please refer to the talk page for more info. You can help by editing the page.
The Normal shield, as per Halo: The Master Chief Collection's release.

"Hordes of aliens vie to destroy you, but nerves of steel and a quick trigger finger give you a solid chance to prevail."
— Description from Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, and Halo: The Master Chief Collection.

Normal is the default difficulty setting present in mainline games within the Halo franchise.

Summary[edit]

The original Normal shield.

Normal is not too hard, but correspondingly not as easy. Enemies will behave more competently than they did in Easy, and they can deal a reasonable amount of damage. Players are expected to put forth the effort and think on their feet. While Normal mode represents strength, firepower, and health for Master Chief, Elites, and all other Covenant and Marines, Heroic accurately depicts intelligence, enemy accuracy, and enemy numbers.

The icon for the Normal difficulty setting is represented with a shield that has the Marathon Logo encrusted into the center. Over the shield is a UNSC machete from right to left; in Halo 3: ODST, the knife is replaced with an M7S SMG.

Halo Wars and Halo Wars 2 are some of the only Halo titles to not include achievements for completing the campaign on Normal.

General differences[edit]

Elites, Brutes, and Hunters are the more challenging enemies the player must prioritize on taking down first. The most dangerous threats at close range are Elites with Energy Swords and Brutes armed with Gravity Hammers. From a distance, the player must also watch out for Hunters with their Fuel Rod Cannons, Brutes armed with Brute Shots, and Jackal Snipers. Grunts can easily be dispatched of. However, they will seldom throw Plasma Grenades and can potentially overwhelm a careless player in groups. But if the Elite or Brute leading them is slain, they will often flee in terror. Drones will come in swarms, but they are manageable if the player can engage them properly. Jackals can easily be dispatched if the player can utilize the weakness on their shielding. However, precautions should be made on Majors, as will often rely on charging their Plasma Pistol shots to disable the player's shields.

When the player encounters the Flood, the biggest threats to consider are Combat Forms armed with Rocket Launchers and Shotguns. The Shotgun and Energy Sword are generally the best weapons to take down the Combat Forms and Carrier Forms, while the Assault Rifle, SMG, and the Plasma Rifle can dispatch swarms of Infection Forms. As the Flood often comes in large swarms, it is best to avoid getting surrounded or cornered, as that will lead players to get killed quicker.

Sentinels will often come in swarms of at least 2 to 3. In clusters, they can easily drain the player's shields. But if the player can access plasma weapons, they can quickly eliminate them.

Marines are well-balanced as allies. They can dispatch a file of Grunts, Jackals, and Drones with minimal effort. And in squads, they can easily prevail against lower ranking Elites and Brutes. However, they will not fare well if facing against higher ranking Elites and Brutes, and Hunters. To maximize the Marines' effectiveness and survival, the player must prioritize on engaging the stronger enemies while letting the Marines focus only on the weaker ones. Alternatively, the player must often provide allies with the appropriate weaponry to efficiently take out such stronger enemies.

Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo: Anniversary[edit]

Difficulty values[edit]

Difficulty setting Normal value Description
Health
Enemy Damage 1 Enemy damage multiplier
Enemy Vitality 1 Enemy maximum body vitality scale
Enemy Shield 1 Enemy maximum shield vitality scale
Enemy Recharge 1 Enemy shield recharge scale
Friend Damage 1 Friend damage multiplier
Friend Vitality 1 Friend maximum body vitality scale
Friend Shield 1 Friend maximum shield vitality scale
Friend Recharge 1 Friend shield recharge scale
Infection Forms 0 Toughness of infection forms (may be negative)
Ranged Fire
Rate of Fire 1 Enemy rate of fire scale
Projectile Error 1 Enemy projectile error scale, as a fraction of their base firing error
Burst Error 1 Enemy burst error scale; reduces intra-burst shot distance
New Target Delay 1 Enemy new-target delay scale factor
Burst Separation 1 Delay time between bursts scale factor for enemies
Target Tracking 0 Additional target tracking fraction for enemies
Target Leading 0 Additional target leading fraction for enemies
Overcharge Chance 1 Overcharge chance scale factor for enemies
Special Fire Delay 1 Delay between special-fire shots (overcharge, banshee bombs) scale factor for enemies
Guidance vs Player 0.5 Guidance velocity scale factor for all projectiles targeted on a player
Melee Delay Base 0 Delay period added to all melee attacks, even when berserk
Melee Delay Scale 1 Multiplier for all existing non-berserk melee delay times
Grenades
Grenade Chance Scale 1 Scale factor affecting the decisions to throw a grenade
Grenade Timer Scale 1 Scale factor affecting the delay period between grenade thrown from the same encounter (lower is more often)
Placement
Major Upgrade (normal) 0.25 Fraction of actors upgraded to their major variant when mix = normal
Major Upgrade (few) 0.1 Fraction of actors upgraded to their major variant when mix = few
Major Upgrade (many) 0.5 Fraction of actors upgraded to their major variant when mix = many

[1]

General differences[edit]

Help.png This section is a stub. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Specific differences[edit]

Halo 2[edit]

The Normal difficulty shield in the menu of Halo 2 (Windows Vista).

Difficulty values[edit]

Difficulty setting Normal value Description
Health
Enemy Damage 0.7 Enemy damage multiplier
Enemy Vitality 1 Enemy maximum body vitality scale
Enemy Shield 1 Enemy maximum shield vitality scale
Enemy Recharge 1 Enemy shield recharge scale
Friend Damage 0 Friend damage multiplier
Friend Vitality 1 Friend maximum body vitality scale
Friend Shield 1 Friend maximum shield vitality scale
Friend Recharge 1 Friend shield recharge scale
Infection Forms 0 Toughness of infection forms (may be negative)
Ranged Fire
Rate of Fire 1 Enemy rate of fire scale
Projectile Error 1 Enemy projectile error scale, as a fraction of their base firing error
Burst Error 1 Enemy burst error scale; reduces intra-burst shot distance
New Target Delay 1 Enemy new-target delay scale factor
Burst Separation 1 Delay time between bursts scale factor for enemies
Target Tracking 0 Additional target tracking fraction for enemies
Target Leading 1 Additional target leading fraction for enemies
Overcharge Chance 1 Overcharge chance scale factor for enemies
Special Fire Delay 1 Delay between special-fire shots (overcharge, banshee bombs) scale factor for enemies
Guidance vs Player 1 Guidance velocity scale factor for all projectiles targeted on a player
Melee Delay Base 1 Delay period added to all melee attacks, even when berserk
Melee Delay Scale 1 Multiplier for all existing non-berserk melee delay times
Grenades
Grenade Chance Scale 1 Scale factor affecting the decisions to throw a grenade
Grenade Timer Scale 1 Scale factor affecting the delay period between grenade thrown from the same encounter (lower is more often)
Placement
Major Upgrade (normal) 0.1 Fraction of actors upgraded to their major variant when mix = normal
Major Upgrade (few) 0 Fraction of actors upgraded to their major variant when mix = few
Major Upgrade (many) 0.3 Fraction of actors upgraded to their major variant when mix = many
Vehicles
Player Vehicle Ram Chance 0.1 Chance of deciding to ram the player in a vehicle

[2]

General differences[edit]

Help.png This section is a stub. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Specific differences[edit]

  • Outskirts: Unique Cortana dialogue plays.
  • Metropolis: A unique version of Johnson's speech plays.
  • Delta Halo: During the opening cutscene there is a grunt playing on the ground, on Normal he will be holding two plasma grenades.

Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST[edit]

The Halo 3: ODST Normal shield.

"Face firm resistance from competent, determined enemies, but burn through enough ammo and you will eventually triumph."
— Description from Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach

Difficulty values[edit]

Difficulty setting Normal value Description
Health
Enemy Damage 0.775 Enemy damage multiplier
Enemy Vitality 1 Enemy maximum body vitality scale
Enemy Shield 1 Enemy maximum shield vitality scale
Enemy Recharge 1 Enemy shield recharge scale
Friend Damage 0 Friend damage multiplier
Friend Vitality 1 Friend maximum body vitality scale
Friend Shield 1 Friend maximum shield vitality scale
Friend Recharge 1 Friend shield recharge scale
Infection Forms -0.5 Toughness of infection forms (may be negative)
Ranged Fire
Rate of Fire 1 Enemy rate of fire scale
Projectile Error 1 Enemy projectile error scale, as a fraction of their base firing error
Burst Error 1 Enemy burst error scale; reduces intra-burst shot distance
New Target Delay 1 Enemy new-target delay scale factor
Burst Separation 1 Delay time between bursts scale factor for enemies
Target Tracking 0 Additional target tracking fraction for enemies
Target Leading 1 Additional target leading fraction for enemies
Overcharge Chance 0.1 Overcharge chance scale factor for enemies
Special Fire Delay 2 Delay between special-fire shots (overcharge, banshee bombs) scale factor for enemies
Guidance vs Player 0.5 Guidance velocity scale factor for all projectiles targeted on a player
Melee Delay Base 1 Delay period added to all melee attacks, even when berserk
Melee Delay Scale 2 Multiplier for all existing non-berserk melee delay times
Grenades
Grenade Chance Scale 0.5 Scale factor affecting the decisions to throw a grenade
Grenade Timer Scale 1.25 Scale factor affecting the delay period between grenade thrown from the same encounter (lower is more often)
Placement
Major Upgrade (normal) 0.1 Fraction of actors upgraded to their major variant when mix = normal
Major Upgrade (few) 0 Fraction of actors upgraded to their major variant when mix = few
Major Upgrade (many) 0.3 Fraction of actors upgraded to their major variant when mix = many
Vehicles
Player Vehicle Ram Chance 0.1 Chance of deciding to ram the player in a vehicle

[3]

General differences[edit]

  • In Halo 3, Normal difficulty or higher is required for the player to collect skulls.
Help.png This section is a stub. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Halo: Reach[edit]

The Halo: Reach Normal shield. Notice the lack of the Marathon symbol.

Difficulty values[edit]

Difficulty setting Normal value Description
Health
Enemy Damage 0.9 Enemy damage multiplier
Enemy Vitality 1 Enemy maximum body vitality scale
Enemy Shield 1 Enemy maximum shield vitality scale
Enemy Recharge 1 Enemy shield recharge scale
Friend Damage 0.5 Friend damage multiplier
Friend Vitality 1 Friend maximum body vitality scale
Friend Shield 1 Friend maximum shield vitality scale
Friend Recharge 1 Friend shield recharge scale
Ranged Fire
Rate of Fire 1 Enemy rate of fire scale
Projectile Error 1 Enemy projectile error scale, as a fraction of their base firing error
Burst Error 1 Enemy burst error scale; reduces intra-burst shot distance
New Target Delay 1 Enemy new-target delay scale factor
Burst Separation 1 Delay time between bursts scale factor for enemies
Target Tracking 0 Additional target tracking fraction for enemies
Target Leading 1 Additional target leading fraction for enemies
Overcharge Chance 0.5 Overcharge chance scale factor for enemies
Special Fire Delay 2 Delay between special-fire shots (overcharge, banshee bombs) scale factor for enemies
Guidance vs Player 0.5 Guidance velocity scale factor for all projectiles targeted on a player
Melee Delay Base 1 Delay period added to all melee attacks, even when berserk
Melee Delay Scale 2 Multiplier for all existing non-berserk melee delay times
Grenades
Grenade Chance Scale 0.5 Scale factor affecting the decisions to throw a grenade
Grenade Timer Scale 1.25 Scale factor affecting the delay period between grenade thrown from the same encounter (lower is more often)
Placement
Major Upgrade (normal) 0.1 Fraction of actors upgraded to their major variant when mix = normal
Major Upgrade (few) 0 Fraction of actors upgraded to their major variant when mix = few
Major Upgrade (many) 0.3 Fraction of actors upgraded to their major variant when mix = many
Vehicles
Player Vehicle Ram Chance 1 Chance of deciding to ram the player in a vehicle

[4]

General differences[edit]

Help.png This section is a stub. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Halo 4[edit]

"Face firm resistance from determined enemies. Fight hard and you will triumph"
— Description from Halo 4

Difficulty values[edit]

Difficulty setting Normal value Description
Health
Enemy Damage 0.8 Enemy damage multiplier
Enemy Vitality 1 Enemy maximum body vitality scale
Enemy Shield 1 Enemy maximum shield vitality scale
Enemy Recharge 1 Enemy shield recharge scale
Friend Damage 0.5 Friend damage multiplier
Friend Vitality 1 Friend maximum body vitality scale
Friend Shield 1 Friend maximum shield vitality scale
Friend Recharge 1 Friend shield recharge scale
Ranged Fire
Rate of Fire 0.8 Enemy rate of fire scale
Projectile Error 0.8 Enemy projectile error scale, as a fraction of their base firing error
Burst Error 0.8 Enemy burst error scale; reduces intra-burst shot distance
New Target Delay 1.2 Enemy new-target delay scale factor
Burst Separation 0.9 Delay time between bursts scale factor for enemies
Target Tracking 0 Additional target tracking fraction for enemies
Target Leading 1 Additional target leading fraction for enemies
Overcharge Chance 0.1 Overcharge chance scale factor for enemies
Special Fire Delay 2 Delay between special-fire shots (overcharge, banshee bombs) scale factor for enemies
Guidance vs Player 0.5 Guidance velocity scale factor for all projectiles targeted on a player
Melee Delay Base 1 Delay period added to all melee attacks, even when berserk
Melee Delay Scale 3 Multiplier for all existing non-berserk melee delay times
Grenades
Grenade Chance Scale 0.25 Scale factor affecting the decisions to throw a grenade
Grenade Timer Scale 2 Scale factor affecting the delay period between grenade thrown from the same encounter (lower is more often)
Placement
Major Upgrade (normal) 0.1 Fraction of actors upgraded to their major variant when mix = normal
Major Upgrade (few) 0 Fraction of actors upgraded to their major variant when mix = few
Major Upgrade (many) 0.3 Fraction of actors upgraded to their major variant when mix = many
Vehicles
Player Vehicle Ram Chance 0.5 Chance of deciding to ram the player in a vehicle
Trick Dodge Chance Scale 2 Multiplies the chance that a flying vehicle will trick to dodge danger

[5]

General differences[edit]

Help.png This section is a stub. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Halo 5: Guardians[edit]

The Halo 5: Guardians Normal shield.

"Hordes of enemy forces converge to destroy you. Show no mercy. Recommended for players with first person shooter experience."
— Description from Halo 5: Guardians

Difficulty values[edit]

Disclaimer: all below statistics are derived from unofficial tools and may be inaccurate
Difficulty setting Normal value Description
Health
Enemy Damage 0.88 Enemy damage multiplier
Enemy Vitality 1 Enemy maximum body vitality scale
Enemy Shield 1 Enemy maximum shield vitality scale
Enemy Recharge 1 Enemy shield recharge scale
Friend Damage 0.5 Friend damage multiplier
Friend Vitality 1 Friend maximum body vitality scale
Friend Shield 1 Friend maximum shield vitality scale
Friend Recharge 1 Friend shield recharge scale
Ranged Fire
Rate of Fire 1 Enemy rate of fire scale
Projectile Error 1 Enemy projectile error scale, as a fraction of their base firing error
Burst Error 1 Enemy burst error scale; reduces intra-burst shot distance
New Target Delay 1 Enemy new-target delay scale factor
Burst Separation 1 Delay time between bursts scale factor for enemies
Target Tracking 0 Additional target tracking fraction for enemies
Target Leading 1 Additional target leading fraction for enemies
Overcharge Chance 0.4 Overcharge chance scale factor for enemies
Special Fire Delay 2 Delay between special-fire shots (overcharge, banshee bombs) scale factor for enemies
Guidance vs Player 0.5 Guidance velocity scale factor for all projectiles targeted on a player
Melee Delay Base 1 Delay period added to all melee attacks, even when berserk
Melee Delay Scale 3 Multiplier for all existing non-berserk melee delay times
Grenades
Grenade Chance Scale 0.25 Scale factor affecting the decisions to throw a grenade
Grenade Timer Scale 2 Scale factor affecting the delay period between grenade thrown from the same encounter (lower is more often)
Grenade Detonation Timer Scale 1 Scale factor affecting how long grenades will take before exploding
Grenade Arming Timer Scale 1 Scale factor affecting the minimum possible time before grenades explode
Grenade Velocity Scale 0.8 Scale factor affecting how fast grenades are initially thrown
Placement
Major Upgrade (normal) 0.1 Fraction of actors upgraded to their major variant when mix = normal
Major Upgrade (few) 0 Fraction of actors upgraded to their major variant when mix = few
Major Upgrade (many) 0.3 Fraction of actors upgraded to their major variant when mix = many
Vehicles
Player Vehicle Ram Chance 0.5 Chance of deciding to ram the player in a vehicle
Trick Dodge Chance Scale 2 Multiplies the chance that a flying vehicle will trick to dodge danger
Vehicle Boarding Chance Scale 0.5 Enables a random dice roll for vehicle boarding (1.0 is the default behavior of no dice roll as long as all other conditions are met)
Cover
Hide Time 0 Scalar for time spent in cover
Shield Fraction Hide 1 Scalar for what percentage shield left before entering cover behavior
Cover Vitality Threshold 1 Scalar for what percentage vitality left before entering cover behavior
Bunker Open Duration 1 Scalar for how long to stay open while bunkering
Bunker Closed Duration 1 Scalar for how long to stay closed while bunkering

General differences[edit]

Help.png This section is a stub. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Halo Infinite[edit]

"Brutal enemies threaten humanity and test your indomitable spirit. First-person shooter experience recommended."
— Description from Halo Infinite

Difficulty values[edit]

Disclaimer: all below statistics are derived from unofficial tools and may be inaccurate
Difficulty setting Normal value Description
Health
Enemy Damage 0.8 Enemy damage multiplier
Enemy Vitality 1 Enemy maximum body vitality scale
Enemy Shield 1 Enemy maximum shield vitality scale
Enemy Recharge 1 Enemy shield recharge scale
Friend Damage 1 Friend damage multiplier
Friend Vitality 1 Friend maximum body vitality scale
Friend Shield 1 Friend maximum shield vitality scale
Friend Recharge 1 Friend shield recharge scale
Ranged Fire
Rate of Fire 1 Enemy rate of fire scale
Projectile Error 1 Enemy projectile error scale, as a fraction of their base firing error
Burst Error 1 Enemy burst error scale; reduces intra-burst shot distance
New Target Delay 1 Enemy new-target delay scale factor
Burst Separation 1 Delay time between bursts scale factor for enemies
Target Tracking 0 Additional target tracking fraction for enemies
Target Leading 1 Additional target leading fraction for enemies
Overcharge Chance 0.4 Overcharge chance scale factor for enemies
Special Fire Delay 2 Delay between special-fire shots (overcharge, banshee bombs) scale factor for enemies
Guidance vs Player 0.5 Guidance velocity scale factor for all projectiles targeted on a player
Melee Delay Base 1 Delay period added to all melee attacks, even when berserk
Melee Delay Scale 3 Multiplier for all existing non-berserk melee delay times
Grenades
Grenade Chance Scale 1 Scale factor affecting the decisions to throw a grenade
Grenade Timer Scale 1 Scale factor affecting the delay period between grenade thrown from the same encounter (lower is more often)
Grenade Detonation Timer Scale 1 Scale factor affecting how long grenades will take before exploding
Grenade Arming Timer Scale 1 Scale factor affecting the minimum possible time before grenades explode
Grenade Velocity Scale 0.8 Scale factor affecting how fast grenades are initially thrown
Placement
Major Upgrade (normal) 0.1 Fraction of actors upgraded to their major variant when mix = normal
Major Upgrade (few) 0 Fraction of actors upgraded to their major variant when mix = few
Major Upgrade (many) 0.3 Fraction of actors upgraded to their major variant when mix = many
Vehicles
Player Vehicle Ram Chance 0.5 Chance of deciding to ram the player in a vehicle
Trick Dodge Chance Scale 2 Multiplies the chance that a flying vehicle will trick to dodge danger
Vehicle Boarding Chance Scale 0.5 Enables a random dice roll for vehicle boarding (1.0 is the default behavior of no dice roll as long as all other conditions are met)
Cover
Hide Time 0 Scalar for time spent in cover
Shield Fraction Hide 1 Scalar for what percentage shield left before entering cover behavior
Cover Vitality Threshold 1 Scalar for what percentage vitality left before entering cover behavior
Bunker Open Duration 1 Scalar for how long to stay open while bunkering
Bunker Closed Duration 1 Scalar for how long to stay closed while bunkering
Global Kung Fu
Max Attackers 100
Threat Tokens
Max High Tokens 3
Max Low Tokens 6
Max Engagement Tokens 40
Grenade Tokens
Max Grenade Tokens 3
Min Grenade Tokens 2
Grenade Clump Threshold 4
Grenade Token Cooldown 15
Effectiveness Tokens
Max Effectiveness Tokens 4
Weapon Fidget Chance per Second 0.13

General differences[edit]

Help.png This section is a stub. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Halo Wars[edit]

General differences[edit]

Help.png This section is a stub. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Halo Wars 2[edit]

The Halo Wars 2 Normal shield.

"The enemy will not relent, but a considered strategy should earn you a victory. Recommended for players with RTS experience."
— Description from Halo Wars 2

General differences[edit]

Help.png This section is a stub. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Awards[edit]

  • In Halo 2 Vista:
    • Each campaign level awards an achievement for completing on Normal or higher.
    • Completing the campaign on Normal awards the Warrior achievement.
    • Completing a level without dying on Normal or higher awards the Demon achievement.
  • In Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary:
  • In Halo 4:
    • Each campaign level awards an achievement for completing on Normal or higher.
    • Completing the campaign on Normal awards the Wake Up, John achievement.
  • In Halo: The Master Chief Collection:
    • Each campaign level awards an achievement for completing on Normal or higher.
    • Completing Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary on Normal awards the Birth of a Spartan achievement and unlocks the blue Normal nameplate.
    • Completing Halo 2: Anniversary's campaign on Normal awards the Warrior achievement and unlocks the bronze Normal nameplate.
    • Completing Halo 3's campaign on Normal awards the Prophet's Bane achievement and unlocks the silver Normal nameplate.
    • Completing Halo 4's campaign on Normal awards the Wake Up, John achievement and unlocks the gold Normal nameplate.
    • Completing all campaigns (except Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach) on Normal awards the Veteran achievement and unlocks the platinum Normal nameplate.
    • Completing all Spartan Ops chapters on Normal awards the Term of Enlistment achievement.
    • Completing a level in Halo 2: Anniversary without dying on Normal or higher awards the Demon achievement.
    • Completing Halo 3: ODST's campaign on Normal awards the Urban Warfare Badge achievement and unlocks the silver Superintendent nameplate.
    • Completing a Firefight set in Halo: Reach on Normal or higher awards the Enemies Everywhere! achievement.
  • In Halo 5: Guardians:
    • Completing the campaign on Normal awards the Legacy achievement.
  • In Halo Infinite:

Production Notes[edit]

  • Each campaign level awards achievements in Halo Wars, Halo 5: Guardians, Halo Wars 2, and Halo Infinite for completion regardless of difficulty.

Sources[edit]

  1. ^ Halo: Combat Evolved Editing Kit, game file tags\globals\globals.globals
  2. ^ Halo 2 Editing Kit, game file tags\globals\globals.globals
  3. ^ Halo 3 Editing Kit, game file tags\globals\globals.globals
  4. ^ Halo: Reach Editing Kit, game file tags\globals\globals.globals
  5. ^ Halo 4 Editing Kit, game file tags\globals\globals.globals