Energy sword (fiction)

The Type-1 Energy Weapon/Sword, known more commonly as the Energy Sword, is a Close quarters melee weapon. Favored by Elites, this energy weapon is more dangerous than its ceremonial nature implies.

Cultural Significance
The Energy Sword holds a high significance in Sangheili culture. Only high ranking Elites are permitted to wield an Energy Sword. Sangheili culture even allows an Elite with great sword skills to mate with any female he chooses, but they may not marry. This is to make sure that the 'Swordsman' genes are passed to as many offspring as possible.

Technical Specifications
The Energy Sword's plasma is held into a blade-like form by small magnetic-field generators built into the handle mechanism. This technology is found in all of the Covenant plasma weapons. In Halo: Combat Evolved, if the wielder drops the weapon, a fail-safe activates, deactivating the magnetic field without first dispensing the plasma, consuming the handle and destroying the weapon. In Halo 2, a similar fail-safe is active when not wielding the weapon directly. The handle must be under pressure from the handler to be activated, so the weapon can be stored.

It has a charge of 100 battery units in single player. Varying amounts of energy are used up when killing various foes (e.g. flood combat form: 3 units). However normal swipes that merely harm the foe do not consume power; you have to kill the foe to consume power. Therefore it may be prudent to hurt a foe until he nears death and finish off with a weapon that has more readily-available ammunition. Around 10 energy is used by killing a normal opponent, but only 2.5 energy is used when killing Flood with it. Killing Infection Forms does not use any battery power. In multiplayer on Halo 2, there is no limit on the amount of energy the Energy Sword can use before running out. However, like all other "power" weapons, there is always only one Energy Sword on the map in all standard game types. In Halo 3 there is a limit on the amount of energy.

Advantages
The Energy Sword is one of the most powerful weapons in Halo 2 and Halo 3. A single lunge will kill even a fully Shielded Spartan or Covenant Elite. An over-shielded enemy can take 2 lunges. It is also one of the very few weapons that can dismember the bodies of dead Combat Forms, preventing their revival by Infection Forms. Doing this, however, will still take up energy.

Disadvantages
The Energy Sword is only a close quarters weapon, meaning that it is completely useless past close range. A skilled player can defeat a sword wielder with low-power weapons like the SMG or M6C Magnum by staying out of range. Another disadvantage is that the Energy Sword, like other Covenant Weapons, has a battery, requiring the player to drop the weapon once the battery is used up. Although the handle can be used as club, the energy sword's combat effectiveness is minimal when its energy runs out. Energy Swords also show through Active Camouflage, making it harder to be stealthy. However, in Campaign, the sword seemingly cannot be seen by enemies through Active Camouflage. Perhaps if they do see it they think the player is a camouflaged elite.

Campaign Recommendations
Avoid anyone with a strong weapon like a Rocket Launcher or a Fuel Rod Cannon. Use the Sword as a secondary weapon. UNSC weapons make good primary weapons. Only use the Sword in CQB when there aren't a lot of Covenant or Flood surrounding you. It's semi-effective on shielded Elites and extremely useful on Flood, but by itself, completely useless against Hunters. It's not much but you will notice that enemies without shields always recoil after taking a melee hit; with rapid successive blows, the enemy will fall quickly. Enemies with shields won't recoil as much. It's most effective against Grunts, Jackals, Drones, shieldless Elites and Sentinels. Be warned though, killing Sentinels with melee attacks harms the player slightly, and on Legendary will bring the players shield down entirely. When lunging with the sword, the blade is an instant kill on most shielded opponents. On legendary only Minor Elites, Stealth Elites, and Ranger Elites are killed instantly. On legendary any elite higher than the Minor Elite (in terms of shields) can withstand a lunge, although it will weaken their shield drastically. Elites like Councilors and Ultras, and SpecOps can withstand multiple swipes of the energy sword, even on normal. People looking for a challenge might want to take on a charging Brute with this weapon. A single B button swipe in Halo 3 is enough to kill Grunts and Jackals.

Multiplayer Recommendations
In multiplayer, there is no limit on the amount of energy the Energy Sword can use before running out. However, like all other "power" weapons, there is always only one Energy Sword on the map in all standard game types.

The energy sword draws its power from its lunge attack and close range dominance. This does not stop a Shotgun from stopping an energy sword wielder mid lunge. The sword however only works when close to your opponent, so to effectively stop a sword wielder, back-pedal and use whatever weapon you have, preferably an SMG or Battle Rifle to stop him while he keeps trying to get into lunge range. You should never wield the sword in long, open spaces, as the blue sword not only flags you as need to be killed, but it is also useless. Use the sword like a shotgun, in narrow, closed spaces, and when an enemy gets too close. On small to medium maps, such as Lockout or Ivory Tower, wielding the Energy sword is recommended as there are so many tight and close spots. Keep the sword hidden until someone gets too close.

In Halo 3 multiplayer, keep the energy sword as a secondary weapon. The blade now has an energy limit and has to be used very carefully. The blade also features a slight deflection ability, able to reduce damage taken. The deflection reduces another player's sword lunge to a full shield drain instead of an instant kill. The sword makes an extremely good counterweapon for the Gravity Hammer because of its longer range and faster attack rate.

The sword again only gets power from its extreme close range dominance. However, the blade can also now decrease the damage taken slightly, so that more attacks are needed to kill a sword wielder. At long ranges, a sniper rifle is preferable, while at medium ranges, you should use whatever weapon you have and back pedal. Aim for your target's head, and keep away from lunge range. At close ranges, there's a very small chance you can kill your opponent with a shotgun while he is lunging. In Halo 3 you get a medal for doing this, called Bulltrue. Or you can stick the target just before you die. A hammer swing, timed correctly, will also stop the opponent.

Variations
In Halo: Combat Evolved the energy sword has a cyan glow. It is mostly used by the Zealots. Master Chief cannot use the energy sword in Halo 1. Once a Zealot is defeated the energy sword will activate a fail-safe and disintegrate. In Halo 2 the energy sword is blue and somewhat purple. It is only used by higher-ranking Elites. In Halo 3 the sword has more of a light cyan tinge similar to its appearance in Halo 1 but still has a tint of purple near the handle. It also has an angle near the handle, whereas in the two previous games it was curved. The Sword will have a limited battery supply in multiplayer, and more time will be needed to draw it.

NOTE: In Halo 3, the sword CANNOT be given to allies (Campaign), even if the allies are Elites.

Dodging Sword Lunges
It is possible to dodge a blow from the Covenant Energy Sword. To do this, one must move quickly to the right (when facing the lunging opponent), towards the hand which does not hold the sword. Conversely, to prevent your target from dodging your lunge, simply jump; jumping reduces all chances of missing or being dodged by an opponent.

Infinite Energy
In Halo 2, it is possible to have an infinite amount of energy in the sword in campaign. All you have to do is empty all of the energy of the sword before completing a level. When you crossover to the next level you'll still have your empty energy sword, but it acts like a normal one. And when you cloak you can see an outline of the sword. Its great for Oracle. Just remember to have an empty sword by the end of The Arbiter or Delta Halo.

Parrying
In Halo 3, it is possible to "knock" someone's sword lunge away with your own sword. If you pull the right trigger right before the other person makes contact, a sort of "lightsaber clang" is produced, and you don't die, but you do lose half your shields. Be careful though; they can lunge back at you and kill you.

Dual wielding
The energy sword is non-dual-wieldable in every Halo game, but modding in Halo 2 can allow for two swords. Due to a render seen in the early Brute ViDoc released by Bungie, it was conjectured that the Energy Sword would be a dual-wieldable item in Halo 3, but this has since proven to be false.

Character Compatibility

 * Elites
 * Spartans (Halo 2 and Halo 3)
 * Flood Combat Form (Human)
 * Flood Combat Form (Elite)

Trivia

 * In the Halo 3 ViDoc: Is Quisnam Protero Damno! a red Spartan can be seen with an Energy Sword on his thigh as if it were a secondary weapon. In the ViDoc, the sword is clearly engaged, even though it is in the secondary position. In the Beta, however, it is in its disengaged state when not in use.
 * The Energy Sword can be found in Outskirts on Heroic and Legendary after killing one of the cloaked Elites just after Sergeant Johnson leaves or on legendary when the Phantom arrives in the courtyard a zealot will be dropped off with an energy sword. The sword can also be found in Outskirts on any difficulty after Sergeant Johnson leaves via Pelican in a building with a dead UNSC Sniper on the floor. Above there is an Energy Sword lodged in the floor. Its first official appearance is The Arbiter, however, there is a trick on the Outskirts level in which the Master Chief can wield a sword for the first time on Earth. Occasionally, one can be obtained on Cairo Station when at the end of the level an Ultra Elite is present. If you come close to him, he will pull out his sword and if you kill him, you have the sword. There is also an Energy Sword in the level Metropolis in the Scarab. It is held by the Ultra Elite. If you get close to him, he'll drop is Plasma Rifle and pull out his Energy Sword.
 * While playing as the Arbiter if you have a drained Energy Sword (0% charge) and use active camouflage you will see a camouflaged outline of the blade despite the blade not actually existing.
 * If you swing the sword immediately after switching to it, it will have a misty blue color over it for a few seconds. This is not normally visible, as the animation causes the sword to go off-screen during activation.
 * If you play Co-op and get the other person to wield a 0% energy sword, get him to swap to another weapon and back. You can see blue gas coming out from the handle.
 * In Halo 2 and Halo 3 there are Covenant glyphs on the handle.
 * Bungie has confirmed an altered functionality to the energy sword. Pressing B or the right trigger will lead to two different attacks. B- quick swipes, R- lunge.
 * Bungie has stated that the Halo 3 sword has "clang", which is described as an active block. Hit a button just as they attack to parry it or something to that effect.  Unknown whether this works on hammers too, but it seems unlikely.
 * While the sword was unaffected by the active camouflage in Halo 2, in Halo 3 it takes full advantage of invisibility.
 * In Halo 3, the right trigger attack needs more time before performing another attack. A way to counter this effect is to use standard melee (B).
 * It is speculated that the bright flash and loss of shields when the you parry an enemies blow comes from the magnetic fields colliding and trying to overpower each other.