Cloaking

Cloaking is a form of equipment in Halo 3. It can be found on many levels in campaign but is not present in multiplayer. Once activated, it has the same basic function as Active Camouflage from the first two games, rendering the user nearly invisible.

One notable difference between Cloaking and Active Camouflage is that Cloaking is a piece of equipment. Once it is picked up by the player, it can be activated whenever the player chooses to, whereas the Active Camouflage in Halo:CE would automatically be activated as the player walks over it. Another difference is that the effectiveness of the cloaking has increased from Halo: Combat Evolved to Halo 3. While in Halo:CE, you could see the entire body faintly, in Halo 3, only a faint shimmer can be noticed. Cloaking also has much shorter invisibility span than the Active Camouflage, cloaking the user for approximately 12 seconds. Firing a weapon, performing a melee, tossing a grenade or coming under fire slowly begins to disrupt the effects of invisibility and brings the user into sight.

The symbol for the Cloaking on the HUD resembles the Active Camouflage power-up from the first two games - a triangle with an eye in the middle. Enemies will not notice you while you are camouflaged as long as you do not do anything to disrupt it, as noted above, or bumping into them. If you activate it in plain sight during a battle; enemies will still know your location. One thing to note is that Chieftains can occasionally sense your location and turn slowly as you move and attack if you get within a few feet.

Trivia

 * In the campaign mode of Halo 3, it is first encountered on the second level, Crow's Nest.
 * The Cloaking is absent from multiplayer as a form of a equipment. The Active Camouflage power-up appears like in previous games instead.
 * In appearance, it resembles a large deactivated Energy Sword hilt (albeit one that glows and has a slightly bluish smoking effect surrounding it) when not being used. It also resembles the Invincibility piece of equipment.
 * The Cloaking is utilized by Brute Stalkers in the field of combat, particularly on the Halo 3 levels, The Ark and The Covenant. This makes the level extremely dangerous for unwary players, particularly on Legendary difficulty as they often come up from behind and kill you before you know they are there.
 * Cloaking, either by design or programming oversight, still shows your shadow.