Sangheili/Gameplay
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
Elites serve as enemies in most of the Halo games, and as allies in Halo 3. Depending on the rank and role of the player, Elite warriors can serve as the most consistently challenging opponents encountered in the games, wielding varied weapons and using their resilience and speed to outmaneuver and overwhelm the player. Conversely, they can act as very reliable allies, arguably more so than the Marines, as the additional energy shielding in their armor and increased physical capabilities can grant them additional benefits that a normal human soldier otherwise lacks.
Gameplay[edit]
Nearly all Elites across all games are equipped with rechargable energy shields, allowing them to mitigate the damage of kinetic weapons. As their shields become stronger both with rank and with difficulty settings, it is imperative to carry a balanced arsenal whenever one expects Elites in a level, so that plasma weapons can be used on shields, and Kinetic weapons can be used on their bodies. The Noob Combo is particularly effective at this. Explosive weapons can be effective in stripping an Elite's shields, or even outright kill them in some cases, but Elites are very agile, and will likely dodge roll out of the way of explosives. However, this behavior can be exploited by predicting where an Elite will dodge. While using a sticky grenade can be an effective way to slay an Elite, if this is done from too close by, the alien can try to charge the player, seeking to engulf them both in the blast.
On the offensive side, Elites can be encountered wielding nearly all the basic weapons available to their faction, depending on the game they are in. They are deadly warriors that can effectively use their weapons both at long and short ranges, firing in long, precise bursts and throwing Plasma Grenades over long arches. When an Elite is close by, it will try to strike the player in melee. Depending on the games, the rank, and the difficulty settings, these attacks may kill even a fully healthy and shielded player. Whenever a player stays close to an Elite for too long, or when its shields are depleted, it may decide to charge at them. A charging Elite will stop at nothing until it has delivered at least one melee attack, at which point it will return to its normal combat routines. Like with dodges though, an Elite will be exposed if its melee attack is dodged, and sometimes the player can even use their momentum to circle around them and strike their back. Elites are also the main vehicle drivers in the games they appear as enemies. They are just as aggressive and evasive when piloting a vehicle, and their energy shielding is extended to their rides, as is the player's. Elites on foot will also try to board the player's vehicle (starting with Halo 2) so one should be careful of moving slowly while close to them.
Elites are employed as leader units in all the games they appear in. Most of the times a group of enemies is encountered, there will be at least one Elite at their lead. This makes them priority targets, but depending on how an encounter is structured, it may be beneficial to take down an Elite's troops before taking him on. Taking down all the Elites in a group will also cause the morale of their troops to break, especially causing Grunts to break rank and flee temporarily. The death of a high ranking Elite can also prompt its lower ranked fellows to charge at the player. Elite ranks can be distinguished by the coloration and shape of their armor. In general, the ranking goes blue->red->white->gold, with some games having different intermediate colors or specialist ranks with different colors.
Specific strategies[edit]
Sword Wielders[edit]
In all games, some of the most fearsome Elites are the ones that wield Energy Swords. Zealots, Ultras and equivalent ranks can be encountered with these weapons, and either holding them outright, or pulling them out as they charge at the player. In most games, a single strike from one of these foes is enough to kill the player on any difficulty, and swordsmen continue their melee attack by slashing both at their front and back. While dangerous for the player, these foes spell certain doom for Marines, who are not reactive or agile enough to dodge or run away from them. Still, a gutsy player can apply the same tactics as normal Elite melee attacks, dodging at the last minute or interrupting with their own, quicker melee attacks. Still, detecting and taking down the charging Elite before it reaches melee range is a preferable solution.
Zealots (CE and 2)[edit]
In Halo CE, Zealots have a different behavior than other Elites. They will never rage, and instead move very quickly, seamlessly alternating weapon fire and melee attacks with little delay. Conversely, in Halo 2, Zealots are only encountered in an enraged status wielding an Energy Sword, and will relentlessly run at the player, although their shields are only as powerful as a Major.
Stealth Elites[edit]
Elites are the primary employers of Active camouflage. This ability is usually limited to specific ranks, being the Stealth, Spec Ops or Zealot. These enemies are fully concealed from sight, only noticeable due to a shimmering silhouette. They will usually lay in wait or maneuver around their allies in order to catch the player by surprise. While their invisiblity makes them tricky foes, Invisible Elites usually only wield the most basic weapons or the Energy sword, limiting their effective range. The invisibility does not mask their vocalizations nor hide them from Motion trackers. In addition, their shields tend to be low or null, and as such they must rely on their stealth to avoid defeat.
Halo: Reach[edit]
Elites in Halo: Reach received as significant boost in the variety of their animations and behaviors. On top of having numerous, fast melee attacks that can even cover their backs, their ranks increase their health and shielding constantly. The gold-clad Sangheili Generals can often be encountered with Fuel Rod Guns, Plasma Launchers and even Plasma cannons, and high-ranking Elites can choose to throw grenades using a quicker animation, mixing the explosives within bursts from their weapons. Elites will also use Armor Lock to save themselves from explosions and splatters. The returned Rangers use their Jetpacks to leap between elevations, and while their shields aren't better than a Major's, they can be more often encountered with specialist weapons like the Needle Rifle and Focus Rifle. Elites in this game can be Assassinated. Most of these considerations can also be applied to Halo 4 and Halo 5.
Halo Infinite[edit]
In Halo Infinite, low ranking Elites are near always encountered wielding the Pulse Carbine, but will scavenge the battlefield for better weapons. The higher ranking Elites instead already wield powerful weapons, and when their sizeable shielding is depleted, they will engage Active camouflage in addition to pulling out an Energy sword, which they will alternate with their primary firearm to maintain the pressure at all ranges. Conversely, Energy swords are less lethal against the player, although Elites will attack faster and even leap at the player from a distance. While in patrol or at rest, Elites do not have their shields turned on. They will activate them very quickly as soon as they sense danger.
Allied Elites[edit]
Encountered in Halo 2 and Halo 3, Elites can be a significant improvement over Marines, especially in the former, as the latter simplified their AI. Due to sharing all of the player's animations, Elites can be armed with weapons Marines cannot use, like the Energy Sword or