Energy stave

The Energy Stave is a Covenant melee weapon. It is used exclusively by the Honor Guards and Light of Sanghelios. They look like a normal, metal staff, but have a series of glowing orange panels near the top.

These weapons are long stave's with a spear-like end that is similar in color to the "fins" of their wielders. Not much is known about these exotic weapons, except that they have a length of 427.5 centimeters, or 14.03 feet. They do not seem to have much of a combat purpose but more a ceremonial one, as the Honor Guards will use Plasma Rifles and Energy Swords and also Covenant Carbines in real combat. However, they were used by Brutes to subdue any Grunts and Jackals that came too close to the Council Chamber during one of the High Prophet of Truth's sermons regarding the discovery of the Index. This weapon is never used in game-play by other characters.



Appearances
They can be seen in the hands of the Brute Honor Guard during both the opening and closing cinematic of the Halo 2 level Gravemind, but they are tossed aside, as the Brutes prefer other weaponry to safeguard the Hierarchs and kill the Master Chief. The Energy Stave can also be seen in Cortana (Level) occasionally. It is also featured in the novelization Contact Harvest when the two San 'Shyuum go to the minister to recruit him as a Hierarch. It is never used against, or by, the player in gameplay. Also, after the replacement of the Elites in the Covenant Hierarchy, the weapon's religious significance died out. During the cutscene where the brutes take power you see them fighting over the energy staves, meaning the Honor guards that have the pikes could have higher value than honor guards who don't have them