Type-33 needler: Difference between revisions

{{Article Quote|First order of business when dealing with a hostile armed with a needler is finding cover; second order of business is killing the mike foxtrot with the needler.|Anonymous serviceman}}

Its razor sharp crystalline projectiles are fired from this elaborately designed [[Covenant]] weapon; it is widely believed that they use heat or organic signatures to home in on targets and may have some relation to the [[plasma grenade]] as they both react to living tissues. Although easily deflected by [[energy shields]], the needles cause a chemical reaction in close proximity resulting in an explosive effect.<ref>[http://halo3.com halo3.com]</ref>While a single needle will shatter and do very little dammage, after 7 or more needles have entered a hostile combatant, the energy of the needles will combine and cause a violent explosion, causing massive internal damage that always results in death and sending micro shrapnel and a pink mist through the air.  In [[Halo: The Fall of Reach]] it is stated that the micro shrapnel can embed itself in nearby organisms; thus, friendly fire is often a necessary consideration in close quarters.

This weapon fires homing needles, that embed themselves in the flesh of a target before exploding to cause damage. The rate of fire increases with continuous fire. If eight or more needles accumulate in the target, the needles' combined strength will create a large explosion, killing the target and causing splash damage to other nearby enemies. This, in fact, is another reference to the number [[Seven]] in the Bungie games. Needles can penetrate the energy [[shields]] of Elites, [[Sentinels]], and [[Spartans]], but bounce off [[Jackal Personal Arm Shields]] and a hunter's large metal shield. They are especially useful against the [[Brutes]] in ''[[Halo 2]]'''s [[Campaign]] mode if many needles hit the Brute. In addition, the secondary explosions often kill surrounding enemies. For example, if you fire an entire clip into a charging [[Flood]] horde, then you will finish over half of them through secondary explosions of the needler.

In ''Halo 2'', the only game in the trilogy where you can [[dual-wield]] the weapon (which suggests that a lighter model is used in that game), the effectiveness and rate of fire of the needlers can be increased by firing them "out of phase". This is accomplished when the user begins firing one of his needlers a fraction of a second before the other, and continues to fire them in full-auto so that the shots from each weapon are fired in a "one-two punch" pattern. You can tell when the pattern is just right because the guns will sound as if they are firing much more rapidly. This allows for a more constant and consistent stream of fire. Since each needle is in its own slot in the firing sequence, the failure of one needle to impact the target no longer means that two will fail.

When playing the ''Halo 3'' Campaign, until reaching [[Legendary]], it will not be considered as too much of a powerful weapon, but when it is, it's one of the best weapons to kill Brutes and many other opponents such as the [[Flood]]. It only takes those seven needles, even on higher difficulties, and the homing makes it practically unaffected by the difficulty setting. Most [[skulls]] do not alter the needler's effectiveness. The only skull that makes it less effective is Tough Luck, as enemies are liable to dodge the homing needles.

“First order of business when dealing with a hostile armed with a Needler is finding cover; second order of business is killing the mother @#$%!@ with the Needler.”

*''Halo 2'' is the only game where you can dual-wield needlers.

*The Needler is used to aquire the [[Fear the Pink Mist]] achievement in [[Halo 3]].