Armor effects
Armor effects are a special customizable option in Halo: Reach, the Halo: The Master Chief Collection edition of Halo 4, and Halo Infinite. Armor effects are visible in all gametypes, though they are not displayed in cutscenes.
On November 16, 2020, when Series 4: Reclaimer was released for Halo: The Master Chief Collection, it made the effects available for use on Sangheili player models in Reach. On June 23, 2021, with the release of Series 7: Elite, these effects were added into Halo 4 as a new customization option.
Halo Infinite would feature player effects in a major capacity, following their absence in Halo 5: Guardians.
Halo: Reach and Halo 4Edit
Armor effects functioned as passive character model effects, visible to other players in-game. They served no purpose past being aesthetic changes. Certain effects such as Heart Attack, and Pestilence featured specific death effects, which activated as the player died, such as a flurry of hearts floating above the player's place of death. Others, such as Legendary and Eternal were only active as the player remained alive, with no specific death effect associated to them.
Originally, Halo: Reach was the first and only Halo title to feature armor effects in any capacity, with the original releases of Halo 4 and Halo 5: Guardians forgoing the option. However, in 2021, Halo 4 would be updated to feature Reach's suite of armor effects within The Master Chief Collection. They functioned identically to their Reach counterparts.
| Armor effects | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kill Effect | Description | Unlock (Halo: Reach) | Unlock (Halo: Reach MCC) | Unlock (Halo 4 MCC) |
   Legendary |
Flames ensconce the skulls of the loyal. | 0 cR - Included with the Legendary Edition of Halo: Reach. | Series 1 Tier 83,  1
|
Series 7 Tier 84, 1
|
   Eternal |
Burn bright; burn blue. | 0 cR- Formerly only available to Bungie employees, required e-mail verification through Bungie.net. Available until 7/7/11. | Series 1 Tier 100, 1
|
Series 7 Tier 100, 1
|
 Birthday Party |
Your death is softened by a joyful noise. And confetti. | 200,000 cR | Series 1 Tier 25, 1
|
Series 7 Tier 71, 1
|
 Heart Attack |
Upon expiry, flying hearts mark your demise. | 300,000 cR | Series 1 Tier 65, 1
|
Series 7 Tier 62, 1
|
   Pestilence |
Foul brown clouds stink and swirl around steel. | 1,000,000 cR | Series 1 Tier 52, 1
|
Series 7 Tier 25, 1
|
   Inclement Weather |
High voltage, indeed. | 2,000,000 cR | Series 1 Tier 79, 1
|
Series 7 Tier 43, 1
|
Halo InfiniteEdit
Following their absence in Halo 5, and their reintegration into Halo 4, Halo Infinite would feature armor effects in a notably more major capacity. Unlike Reach and Halo 4, which featured armor effects that could be passive, activated on death, or both, Infinite would divide effects into three defined categories: Armor Effects, Mythic Effect Sets, and Kill Effects.
Armor effects act much like they did in prior titles, being passive, aesthetic changes to the player's character model. Unlike Reach and 4, these effects didn't feature any death effects, with their presence being solely limited to when the player is alive.
Mythic effect sets are passive effects that affect the player's character model's actions, such as footsteps, and slides. They can also be activated through the use of certain equipment, which varies by the effect. These can be used in tandem with different armor effects, and aren't defined by them, unlike prior titles.
Kill effects take the place of death effects in prior titles, and are a part of weapon customization. Following the theme of armor and mythic effect sets, kill effects are activated when the player kills another, and unlike prior titles, are defined by the killer's choice of effect.
Armor Effects
| Armor Effects | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armor Effects | Manufacturer | Lore | Rarity | Introduced In | Unlock Requirements |
 Judgment Helm |
FOTUS | Tempered by flame. | Legendary | Season 01: Heroes of Reach | Season 01: Heroes of Reach Battle Pass level 97 (Premium) |
 Judgment Mantle |
FOTUS | Burning with conviction. | Legendary | Season 01: Heroes of Reach | Season 01: Heroes of Reach Battle Pass level 85 (Premium) |
 Neon Hawk |
FOTUS | Water runs deep and never fade away. Pals | Epic | Season 01: Heroes of Reach | Cyber Showdown Event Pass level 10 |
 Neon Screen |
FOTUS | The world is synthetic. The emotions are real. | Epic | Season 01: Heroes of Reach | Cyber Showdown Event Pass level 5 |
 Noble Fire |
FOTUS | It's been an honor serving with you. | Legendary | Season 01: Heroes of Reach | Exclusive to employees of 343 Industries |
 Perfect Circle |
FOTUS | Don't let the power go to your head. | Epic | Season 01: Heroes of Reach | Purchase from the Shop for 300 cR |
 Perfect Sublimity |
FOTUS | High scores are at an all-time low. | Epic | Season 01: Heroes of Reach | Purchase from the Shop for 500 cR |
 Rotten Vitality |
The Flood | In sickness, a new kind of health. | Legendary | Season 05: Reckoning | Season 05: Reckoning Battle Pass level 49 (Premium) |
 Halo WC 2022 Victory Laurels |
343 Industries | To the victor go the spoils! Congratulations to all competitors and fans of Halo World Championship 2022! | Legendary | Season 02: Lone Wolves | Purchase the "Halo WC 2022 Victory" bundle from the Shop for 800 cR |
 Inevitability of War |
Fractures: Entrenched | The landslide has already started. | Epic | Season 02: Lone Wolves | Purchase from the Shop for 500 cR |
 March of War |
Fracture: Entrenched | Die on your feet. | Epic | Season 02: Lone Wolves | Purchase from the Shop for 500 cR |
 Marlin T. Buckets |
FOTUS | Hippity hoppity, your Scorpion tank is now my property. | Legendary | Season 02: Lone Wolves | Purchase from the Shop for 800 cR |
 Opulent Bouquet |
FOTUS | Flowers really can bloom on the battlefield! | Epic | Season 02: Lone Wolves | Purchase from the Shop for 1,100 cR |
 Packmaster's Glare |
FOTUS | Looks will kill. | Epic | Season 02: Lone Wolves | Season 02: Lone Wolves Battle Pass level 70 (Premium) |
 Trapmaster's Map |
FOTUS | You can run, but not hide. | Epic | Season 02: Lone Wolves | Season 02: Lone Wolves Alpha Pack Event Pass Level 10 |
 Cold Shoulder |
343 Industries | All hail the conquering hero. | Epic | Winter Update | Purchase the "Frostbite Effects Set" bundle from the Shop for 1,800 cR |
 Ski Rack |
343 Industries | Perfect for a day on the velvet slopes. | Epic | Winter Update | Purchase the "Frostbite Effects Set" bundle from the Shop for 1,800 cR |
 Retrode Console |
FOTUS | A big hit with older Spartans. | Legendary | Season 03: Echoes Within | Purchase the "Level Up!" bundle from the Shop for 1,800 cR |
 Retrode Lockout |
FOTUS | Not backwards compatible. | Legendary | Season 03: Echoes Within | Purchase the "Level Up!" bundle from the Shop for 1,800 cR |
 Synthetic Dawn |
FOTUS | Bootstrap code for peripheral visual effects. | Legendary | Season 03: Echoes Within | Purchase the "Synthetic Dawn" bundle from the Shop for 1,200 cR |
 Synthetic Emitters |
Fractures: Firewall | Incorporates sensory attacks targeted at unaugmented biologics. | Legendary | Season 03: Echoes Within | Purchase the "Synthetic Runtime" bundle from the Shop for 1,800 cR |
 Slipstream Factorgrid |
FOTUS | Not yet approved for mass production. | Legendary | Season 03: Echoes Within | Purchase the "Slipstream Factorgrid" bundle from the Shop for 800 cR |
 Slipstream Vectorstrike |
FOTUS | Field tests are the best tests. | Legendary | Season 03: Echoes Within | Season 03: Echoes Within Battle Pass level 1 (Premium) |
 Halo WC 2022 Victory Wings |
343 Industries | To the victor go the spoils! Congratulations to all competitors and fans of Halo World Championship 2023! | Legendary | Season 04: Infection | Purchase the "Halo WC 2023 Championship" bundle from the Shop for 1,000 cR |
 Leaky Seals |
343 Industries | Gonna need to get that fixed. | Legendary | Season 04: Infection | Season 04: Infection Battle Pass level 75 (Premium) |
 Lightspike Gauntlets |
343 Industries | Spectral analysis confirmed. | Legendary | Season 04: Infection | Purchase the "Photon Groove" bundle from the Shop for 1,600 cR |
 Lightspike Pauldrons |
343 Industries | Visible light throughout the fight. | Legendary | Season 04: Infection | Purchase the "Photon Groove" bundle from the Shop for 1,600 cR |
 Spirited Thoughts |
Fracture: Tenrai | Painting a new reality. | Legendary | Season 04: Infection | Purchase the "Crimson Dawn" or "Dragonborn" bundle from the Shop for 1,800 or 3,400 cR respectively |
 Swim Moves |
Fracture: Tenrai | Fishing for compliments. | Legendary | Season 04: Infection | Purchase the "Kawari" or "Dragonborn" bundle from the Shop for 1,400 or 3,400 cR respectively |
 Warning Signs |
343 Industries | Watch where you step! | Legendary | Season 04: Infection | Purchase the "Warning Signs" or "Hazmat Haven" bundle from the Shop for 1,500 or 3,400 cR respectively |
 Year 2 Cloud9 Shoulder FX |
343 Industries | #C9WIN | Epic | Season 04: Infection | Purchase the "Cloud9 Y2 Gear Up" bundle from the HCS Shop for 1,000 cR |
 Year 2 Complexity Shoulder FX |
343 Industries | Players First. Players Always. Since 2003. | Epic | Season 04: Infection | Purchase the "Complexity Y2 Gear Up" bundle from the HCS Shop for 1,000 cR |
 Year 2 FaZe Shoulder FX |
343 Industries | Stare into the void… FaZe Clan’s Armor FX bring out-of-this-world cosmetics to the battlefield. Give your enemies an existential crisis as they can’t even look you in the eyes - all they can see is dark matter. | Epic | Season 04: Infection | Purchase the "FaZe Y2 Gear Up" bundle from the HCS Shop for 1,000 cR |
 Year 2 NAVI Shoulder FX |
343 Industries | NAVI legendary tag in Halo Infinite. Let your power armor shine in colors of freedom: blue and yellow. Become obsessed with winning like NAVI is. | Epic | Season 04: Infection | Purchase the "NAVI Y2 Gear Up" bundle from the HCS Shop for 1,000 cR |
 Year 2 OpTic Gaming Shoulder FX |
343 Industries | Brick by Brick. | Epic | Season 04: Infection | Purchase the "OpTic Y2 Gear Up" bundle from the HCS Shop for 1,000 cR |
 Year 2 Quadrant Shoulder FX |
343 Industries | Join the sQUAD with the 2023 Quadrant core pack. Inspired by the racetrack and the battlefield, supercar-like gloss carbon fibre plates & digital camo suit combine to make you stand out and blend in. | Epic | Season 04: Infection | Purchase the "Quadrant Y2 Gear Up" bundle from the HCS Shop for 1,000 cR |
 Year 2 Sentinels Shoulder FX |
343 Industries | Hail to the Kings of SEN City. | Epic | Season 04: Infection | Purchase the "Sentinels Y2 Gear Up" bundle from the HCS Shop for 1,000 cR |
 Year 2 Spacestation Gaming Shoulder FX |
343 Industries | SSG is fantastic, they just need to work on communication, aim, map awareness, power weapon management, grenades, teamwork, positioning, OBJs, retake ability, and slaying. | Epic | Season 04: Infection | Purchase the "Spacestation Y2 Gear Up" bundle from the HCS Shop for 1,000 cR |
 Blightlands Marauder |
The Flood | It is a mistake to assume the parasite cannot innovate. | Legendary | Season 05: Reckoning | Purchase the "Flood" super bundle from the Shop for 2,800 cR |
 Candy Corn |
343 Industries | Expired candy converted into field-expedient up-armor. | Legendary | Season 05: Reckoning | Purchase the "Pumpkin Spice" bundle from the Shop for 1,600 cR |
 Lil' Devil |
343 Industries | Oh, you rascal … | Legendary | Season 05: Reckoning | Purchase the "Sanguine Gift" bundle from the Shop for 2,200 cR |
| Rotten Vitality |
The Flood | In sickness, a new kind of health. | Legendary | Season 05: Reckoning | Season 05: Reckoning Battle Pass level 49 (Premium) |
 Winter Lights |
343 Industries | Come in from the cold. | Legendary | Season 05: Reckoning | Purchase the "Chill Out" or "Santa's Little Helper" bundle from the Shop for 1,800 cR or 3,400 cR respectively |
 Winter Step |
343 Industries | These feet are made for walking to gifts. | Legendary | Season 05: Reckoning | Purchase the "Hearth Fire" or "Santa's Little Helper" bundle from the Shop for 1,800 cR or 3,400 cR respectively |
 Corinthian Sigil |
UNSC | The Spartans have arrived. | Epic | Content Update 29 - Spirit of Fire | Purchase the "Omega Team" superbundle from the Shop for 3,800 cR |
 Spirit Sigil |
UNSC | The crew of the Spirit of Fire are ghosts to the UNSC, but well-known demons to the Banished. | Epic | Content Update 29 - Spirit of Fire | Purchase the "Omega Team" superbundle from the Shop for 3,800 cR |
 Jolly Roger Sigil |
UNSC | No quarter given to the Covenant. | Epic | Content Update 29 - Spirit of Fire | Purchase the "Stanchion" bundle from the Shop for 1,800 cR |
 Lunar Coil |
343 Industries | A friend indeed. | Legendary | Content Update 29 - Spirit of Fire | Purchase the "Lunar Coil" bundle from the Shop for 2,200 cR |
 Phoenix Sigil |
UNSC | Reborn and renewed. | Epic | Content Update 29 - Spirit of Fire | Purchase the "Stanchion" bundle from the Shop for 1,800 cR |
 Scales of the Living Dragon |
343 Industries | Burn the sky and renew the earth. | Legendary | Content Update 29 - Spirit of Fire | Purchase the "Lunar Coil" bundle from the Shop for 2,200 cR |
Mythic Effect Set
| Mythic Effect Sets | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mythic Effect | Manufacturer | Lore | Rarity | Introduced In | Unlock Requirements |
 Enlightened Path |
Korolev Heavy Industries | There is no destination in this journey. | Legendary | Season 01: Heroes of Reach | Purchase the "Enlightened Path" bundle from the Shop for 2,000 cR |
 Judgement Flame |
FOTUS | Leave only ashes in your wake. | Legendary | Season 01: Heroes of Reach | Season 01: Heroes of Reach Battle Pass level 100 (Premium) |
 Neon Beat |
Lethbridge Industrial | Life is just a lesson. Death is a misperception. | Epic | Season 01: Heroes of Reach | Purchase the "Neon Beat" bundle from the Shop for 1,000 cR |
 Perfect Sector |
343 Industries | There's a glitch in the simulation. | Epic | Season 01: Heroes of Reach | Purchase the "Perfect Ascension" bundle from the Shop for 800 cR |
 Beyond the Burrow |
FOTUS | A hare-raising adventure! | Epic | Season 02: Lone Wolves | Purchase from the Shop for 300 cR |
 Huntsmaster's Trail |
FOTUS | Let loose the dogs of war. | Epic | Season 02: Lone Wolves | Season 02: Lone Wolves Battle Pass level 98 (Premium) |
 Legacy of War |
Fracture: Entrenched | Blood and darkness follows in your wake. | Epic | Season 02: Lone Wolves | Purchase from the Shop for 300 cR |
 Fiesta Fury |
343 Industries | Party Up! | Legendary | Winter Update | Purchase the "Fiesta Fury" bundle from the Shop for 1,000 cR |
 Verglas Dream |
343 Industries | Stay frosty. | Legendary | Winter Update | Purchase the "Frostbite Effects Set" bundle from the Shop for 1,800 cR |
 Retrode Aftermarket |
FOTUS | New old stock. | Legendary | Season 03: Echoes Within | Purchase the "Level Up!" bundle from the Shop for 1,800 cR |
 Slipstream Sectorlink |
FOTUS | Perfectly suited for parades and program reviews. | Legendary | Season 03: Echoes Within | Season 03: Echoes Within Battle Pass level 100 (Premium) |
 Synthetic Markers |
FOTUS | Carefully placed for maximum cognitive impact. | Legendary | Season 03: Echoes Within | Purchase the "Synthetic Runtime" bundle from the Shop for 1,800 cR |
 Gansai Gear |
343 Industries | Brushstroke of genius. | Legendary | Season 04: Infection | Purchase the "Dragonborn" superbundle from the Shop for 3,400 cR |
 Hazmat Haven |
343 Industries | Caution must be exercised. | Legendary | Season 04: Infection | Purchase the "Hazmat Haven" superbundle from the Shop for 3,400 cR |
 Photon Groove |
343 Industries | Four on the floor. | Legendary | Season 04: Infection | Purchase the "Purchase the "Photon Groove" bundle from the Shop for 1,600 cR |
 Cruel Tread |
The Flood | With each step, the Flood rises higher. | Legendary | Season 05: Reckoning | Season 05: Reckoning Battle Pass level 45 (Premium) |
 Mischief Machine |
343 Industries | Always up to no good. | Legendary | Season 05: Reckoning | Purchase the "Sanguine Gift" bundle from the Shop for 2,200 cR |
Kill Effect
| Kill Effects | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kill Effects | Manufacturer | Lore | Rarity | Introduced In | Unlock Requirements |
 Enlightened Blossoms |
Fractures: Tenrai | Beauty blooms in adversity. | Legendary | Season 01: Heroes of Reach | Purchase the "Doom & Bloom" Bundle from the Shop for 700 cR |
 Judgement Phoenix |
FOTUS | Ready to be reborn. | Legendary | Season 01: Heroes of Reach | Season 01: Heroes of Reach Battle Pass level 50 (Premium) |
 Neon End Credits |
343 Industries | You can't outrun inevitability. At least, not forever. | Epic | Season 01: Heroes of Reach | Purchase the "Neon End Credits" bundle from the Shop for 600 cR |
 Perfect Decompilation |
FOTUS | End of line. | Epic | Season 01: Heroes of Reach | TBD |
 Eagle Claw |
Fractures: Entrenched | A sharp pain, then oblivion. | Legendary | Season 02: Lone Wolves | Purchase the "Eagle Claw" bundle from the Shop for 700 cR |
 The Entropy of Spring |
FOTUS | Chaos reigns! | Legendary | Season 02: Lone Wolves | The Yappening Event Pass level 10 |
 Survival of the Fittest |
FOTUS | Dying is not very sigma, bro. | Legendary | Season 02: Lone Wolves | Season 02: Lone Wolves Battle Pass level 1 (Premium) |
 Frostbite |
343 Industries | Put your opponents on ice. | Legendary | Winter Update | Purchase the "Frostbite Effects Set" bundle from the Shop for 1,800 cR |
 Birthday Bash |
343 Industries | Your fiesta. Their siesta. | Epic | Winter Update | Purchase the "Birthday Bash" bundle from the Shop for 0 cR |
 Retrode Emulator |
FOTUS | Emulators not supported. | Legendary | Season 03: Echoes Within | Purchase the "Level Up!" bundle from the Shop for 1,800 cR |
 Slipstream Endpoint |
FOTUS | Custom code is needed to sync with older War Games simulator systems. | Legendary | Season 03: Echoes Within | Season 03: Echoes Within Battle Pass level 50 (Premium) |
 Synthetic Runtime |
FOTUS | Simulations within simulations. | Legendary | Season 03: Echoes Within | Purchase the "Synthetic Runtime" bundle from the Shop for 1,800 cR |
 Biohazardous |
343 Industries | You tried to warn them. | Legendary | Season 04: Infection | Season 04: Infection Battle Pass level 25 (Premium) |
 Radio Edit |
343 Industries | Dropping their beat. | Legendary | Season 04: Infection | Purchase the "BRXX Lightfire" bundle from the Shop for 1,800 cR |
 Whisked Away |
Fractures: Tenrai | Simply breathtaking. | Legendary | Season 04: Infection | Purchase the "Crimson Dawn" or "Dragonborn" bundle from the Shop for 1,600 cR or 3,400 cR respectively |
TriviaEdit
General triviaEdit
- The clip of sound for "Grunt Birthday Party" is an audio sample from Viva Piñata for Xbox 360.[citation needed]
- "Heart Attack" has the potential to kill enemies in both firefight and matchmaking according to the Bungie.net heatmaps.[1]
- The hearts of "Heart Attack" are actually based on a temporary effect used by Bungie effects artist Steve Scott for debugging. The effect is also seen in the "Dancing Marty" Easter egg in Halo 3: ODST.[2]
- The Eternal armor effect was originally exclusive to Bungie employees, before being given out to players who verified their email on Bungie.net in 2011. The "Noble Fire" armor effect seen in Halo Infinite references this, being a blue flaming helmet effect, that is exclusive to 343 Industries employees.
ReferencesEdit
- Inclement Weather's name is possibly a reference to Cortana's comment on Halo's climate as heard on Halo: Combat Evolved campaign level Assault on the Control Room; "Interesting... the weather patterns here seem natural, not artificial. I wonder if the ring's environment systems are malfunctioning... or if the designers wanted the installation to have inclement weather."