Armor customization



Armor Permutations are a feature in Halo 3, allowing the player to aesthetically customize their multiplayer character (the armor doesn't have any effect on gameplay, only purely cosmetic changes).

SPARTAN Armor Permutations
There are a wide variety of SPARTAN II armor permutations, with eleven helmets, eight shoulder pieces, and eight chest pieces for a total of 6,144 different SPARTAN armor permutations: one helmet, two shoulder pieces, and one chest piece per permutation, with the exception of the Rogue, Mark V, and ODST armor, which do not have either chest or shoulder pieces, and Security armor, which does not have a chest piece. The HAYABUSA Project was developed alongside the MJOLNIR Project and includes the HAYABUSA and Katana permutations.

Helmets

 * Mark VI: Unlocked by default.
 * CQB: Unlocked by default.
 * EVA: Unlock the Campaign Complete: Normal achievement.
 * EOD: Unlock the Campaign Complete: Legendary achievement.
 * Hayabusa: Collect all 13 Skulls in Campaign mode.
 * Security: Get multiple achievements which are worth a total of 1000 gamerscore Halo 3.
 * Scout: Unlock the Used Car Salesman achievement.
 * ODST: Unlock the Spartan Graduate Achievement. After TU2, in the new rank progression system this Achievement must be unlocked by reaching the rank of Private in any playlist ranking.
 * Mark V: Unlock the UNSC Spartan Achievement. After TU2, in the new rank progression system this Achievement must be unlocked by reaching the rank of Sergeant in any playlist ranking.
 * Rogue: Unlock the Spartan Officer Achievement. After TU2, in the new rank progression system this Achievement must be unlocked by reaching the rank of lieutenant in any playlist ranking.
 * Recon: Get all the Vidmaster Achievements in Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST. It can also be unlocked by doing something that makes Bungie feel you deserve it, such as a forge map or screenshot. It will also be unlocked by unlocking the 7 Vidmaster Achievements, 3.5 in Halo 3 and 3.5 in Halo 3: ODST. (There are currently 4 Vidmaster Achievements for Halo 3. The problem is that one of them is for finding skulls on all 6 Mythic Maps. The final 3 Mythic Maps don't come out until the release of ODST. This means half of the achievement can be completed now, and the other half must be completed after the release of ODST.)

Shoulder Pieces

 * Mark VI: Unlocked by default.
 * CQB: Unlocked by default.
 * EVA: Complete The Ark in Campaign on Normal or higher difficulty.
 * EOD: Complete the level The Ark on Legendary difficulty.
 * Hayabusa: Collect at least 9 skulls.
 * Security: Earn 750 of 1500 gamerscore on Halo 3. Due to inconsistency, this armor permutation is not always given at 750. There are some reports that the Security Shoulders need a minimum of 450- 995 gamerscore, even though the official guide to Halo 3 lists the requirements as 750 (could also be total metagame points). Even then, the armor permutation may be unlocked, and then re-lock itself after a time, as has been reported. The only way to keep it permanently is to get all the achievements. This permutation may sometimes need the player's model to have accessed online to unlock it. The easiest way to get them is by unlocking the Marathon Man Achivement.
 * Scout: Unlock the Mongoose Mowdown achievement.
 * Recon: Get all the Vidmaster Achievements in Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST. It can also be unlocked by doing something that makes Bungie feel you deserve it, such as a forge map, film or screenshot.



Chest Armor

 * Mark VI: Unlocked by default.
 * CQB: Unlocked by default.
 * EVA: Complete The Tsavo Highway on Normal difficulty or higher.
 * EOD: Complete The Tsavo Highway on Legendary difficulty.
 * Hayabusa: Collect at least 5 skulls in campaign.
 * Katana (Add-On): Unlock at least 49 achievements which are worth 1000 or more Gamerscore points in Halo 3. NOTE: There are reports from people who get it with less achievements. You do, however, need 1000 gamerscore.
 * Scout: Unlock the Too Close to the Sun Achievement, although has been reported that it may appear later sometimes.
 * Recon: Get all the Vidmaster Achievements in Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST. It can also be unlocked by doing something that makes Bungie feel you deserve it, such as a forge map or screenshot.
 * Bungie: A popular misconception is that the Bungie Flaming Helmet is actually a helmet, but in fact, it is a piece of fire on the collar. Thus, it is a chest piece. It is the Bungie Chest Piece that allows the flame on the head which can be used with any helmet and shoulder piece. The only way to get it currently is to get hired at Bungie. As Bungie would say, "Get hired, get fire."



Sangheili/Elite Armor Permutations
There are a wide variety of Elite armor permutations, with 5 helmets, 5 shoulder pieces, and 5 chest pieces for a total of 15 different Sangheili armor permutations: one helmet, two shoulder pieces, and chest piece per permutation and 625 possible combinations with all pieces in consideration.

Helmets

 * Combat: Unlocked by default.
 * Assault: Unlocked by default.
 * Flight: Unlock either Campaign Complete: Heroic or Campaign Complete: Legendary Achievements.
 * Ascetic: Unlock the Steppin' Razor achievement.
 *  Commando: Unlock the Overkill Achievement.

Shoulder Pieces

 * Combat: Unlocked by default.
 * Assault: Unlocked by default.
 * Flight: Complete the level The Ark on Heroic or Legendary difficulties.
 * Ascetic: Unlock the Overkill achievement.
 * Commando: Unlocked by default after Auto Update 1 was applied on February 19, 2008. At first, the Steppin' Razor achievement was needed to unlock the piece, but a bug prevented this. Some people reported getting the shoulder pieces, but then they re-locked themselves after a certain amount of time without using them.

Chest Armor

 * Combat: Unlocked by default.
 * Assault: Unlocked by default.
 * Flight: Complete the level Tsavo Highway on Heroic or Legendary difficulties.
 * Ascetic: Unlock the Up Close and Personal achievement.
 * Commando: Unlock the Triple Kill achievement.

Trivia

 * The EOD chest variant is surprisingly similar to the Mark V chest plate. Many people have noticed this, and wear the chest plate with the Mark V helmet and the Mark VI shoulders to re-create Mark V armor from Halo: CE.
 * There was originally going to be an Arbiter Armor Permutation, but it was taken out before Halo 3's release. Bungie however, did not explain why.
 * Before the release of the Halo 3 Beta, it was speculated that there would be Brute Armor Permutations. This made sense, since the information about Brute ranks and armor had been released in a Bungie podcast.
 * Due to the different posture, Elite Armor is normally considered harder to headshot from behind compared to Spartan Armor, although easier from the side.
 * It was recently discovered that the neck of an Elite (regardless what armor permutation used) is completely immune to any form of damage, except for a charged Type-25 Directed Energy Pistol. In addition, the projectile will simply pass through the neck, as though the neck wasn't there, without even a blood spatter.