Skins (Halo: Combat Evolved)

For other games' customization systems, see armor permutations. For other skins in other games, see Skins.

A Spartan utilizing a new, green visor in Combat Evolved in The Master Chief Collection.

Skins in Halo: Combat Evolved allow players to customize their Spartan player model and the appearance of weapons and vehicles in-game. At the launch of Halo: The Master Chief Collection, the armor of Combat Evolved was displayed as a static image in the game's menu. Following in the footsteps of the launch of Halo: Reach for PC, Halo: Combat Evolved had its menu elements updated to fully render Spartan customization options in 3D in Unreal Engine 4. The launch of Season 2: Spark saw the addition of weapon and vehicle skins for Halo: Combat Evolved, with Series 7: Elite adding additional vehicle skins.

Overview

In its initial release, Halo: Combat Evolved did not include skins. These were retroactively added into its MCC port alongside a larger update that increased the number of customisation options for CE, which released with Series 2: Spark. This update also included visor colour customisation too. All of these new skins and visors were made permanently available via the then-newly added seasonal unlock system, which resembles a battle pass.

These new skins can also be toggled off via an option in the game's menu, for those wishing to keep the game as it was. The skins for weapons and vehicles apply to any weapon the player picks up - they retain their skin when dropped, but will switch to a new skin should another player take control of them.

List of skins

Weapon skins

Pistol

Skins for the Magnum pistol.

Pistol v • d • e
Icon	Name	Description	Unlock requirements
	Default	Default skin.	Unlocked by default
	Desert	Looks very stylish with a poncho.	Series 2, Tier 2 ( 1)
	Great Journey	Don't worry... I know what the aliens like.	Series 2, Tier 14 ( 1)
	Hazard Pay	Safety first!	Series 2, Tier 36 ( 1)
	Woodland	Camping is a legitimate strategy.	Series 2, Tier 41 ( 1)
	Toy Soldier	They're not dolls, they're action figures!	Series 2, Tier 62 ( 1)
	Black Cherry	Get a grip. Shoot from the hip.	Series 2, Tier 91 ( 1)
	Golden	Bling on the ring.	Series 2 Challenge: Trusty Sidekick Defeat 500 opponents with the Pistol in any game mode. The Exchange ( 2)

Assault Rifle

Skins for the Assault Rifle.

Assault Rifle v • d • e
Icon	Name	Description	Unlock requirements
	Default	Default skin.	Unlocked by default
	Desert	Looks very stylish with a poncho.	Series 2, Tier 1 ( 1)
	Woodland	Camping is a legitimate strategy.	Series 2, Tier 29 ( 1)
	Squirt	It's good under pressure.	Series 2, Tier 46 ( 1)
	Corrosion	The Oxidation Sensation.	Series 2, Tier 69 ( 1)
	Great Journey	Don't worry... I know what the aliens like.	Series 2, Tier 83 ( 1)
	Lucky Shot	But you had something they didn't...	Series 2, Tier 100 ( 1)
	Golden	Bling on the ring.	Series 2 Challenge: Thanks, Misriah Defeat 300 opponents with the Assault Rifle in any game mode.

Plasma Pistol

Skins for the Plasma Pistol.

Plasma Pistol v • d • e
Icon	Name	Description	Unlock requirements
	Default	Default skin.	Unlocked by default
	Brutal	A Jiralhanae's best friend.	Series 2, Tier 11 ( 1)
	Schism	For those seeking redemption.	Series 2, Tier 58 ( 1)
	Zealot	Glory in an honorable death.	Series 2, Tier 60 ( 1)
	Ultra	The Evocati don't mess around.	Series 2, Tier 65 ( 1)

Plasma Rifle

Skins for the Plasma Rifle.

Plasma Rifle v • d • e
Icon	Name	Description	Unlock requirements
	Default	Default skin.	Unlocked by default
	Brutal	A Jiralhanae's best friend.	Series 2, Tier 39 ( 1)
	Schism	For those seeking redemption.	Series 2, Tier 73 ( 1)
	Zealot	Glory in an honorable death.	Series 2, Tier 79 ( 1)
	Ultra	The Evocati don't mess around.	Series 2, Tier 90 ( 1)

Rocket Launcher

Skins for the Rocket Launcher.

Rocket Launcher v • d • e
Icon	Name	Description	Unlock requirements
	Default	Default skin.	Unlocked by default
	Desert	Looks very stylish with a poncho.	Series 2, Tier 13 ( 1)
	Hunter's Blood	Well armed. Well armored.	Series 2, Tier 32 ( 1)
	Corrosion	The Oxidation Sensation.	Series 2, Tier 77 ( 1)

Sniper Rifle

Skins for the Sniper Rifle.

Sniper Rifle v • d • e
Icon	Name	Description	Unlock requirements
	Default	Default skin.	Unlocked by default
	Desert	Looks very stylish with a poncho.	Series 2, Tier 10 ( 1)
	Great Journey	Don't worry... I know what the aliens like.	Series 2, Tier 42 ( 1)
	Woodland	Camping is a legitimate strategy.	Series 2, Tier 52 ( 1)
	Avalanche	Like Sidewinder, but with more polygons.	Series 2, Tier 80 ( 1)
	Golden	Bling on the ring.	Series 2 Challenge: Zero Five Eight Defeat 150 opponents with the Sniper Rifle in any game mode. The Exchange ( 2)

Shotgun

Skins for the Shotgun.

Shotgun v • d • e
Icon	Name	Description	Unlock requirements
	Default	Default skin.	Unlocked by default
	Great Journey	Don't worry... I know what the aliens like.	Series 2, Tier 8 ( 1)
	Desert	Looks very stylish with a poncho.	Series 2, Tier 17 ( 1)
	Woodland	Camping is a legitimate strategy.	Series 2, Tier 37 ( 1)
	Hunter's Blood	Well armed. Well armored.	Series 2, Tier 87 ( 1)
	Golden	Bling on the ring.	Series 2 Challenge: Hot Shotty Defeat 150 opponents with the Shotgun in any game mode. The Exchange ( 2)

Needler

Skins for the Needler.

Needler v • d • e
Icon	Name	Description	Unlock requirements
	Default	Default skin.	Unlocked by default
	Brutal	A Jiralhanae's best friend.	Series 2, Tier 16 ( 1)
	Zealot	Glory in an honorable death.	Series 2, Tier 25 ( 1)
	Schism	For those seeking redemption.	Series 2, Tier 34 ( 1)
	Ultra	The Evocati don't mess around.	Series 2, Tier 55 ( 1)

Flamethrower

Skins for the Flamethrower.

Flamethrower v • d • e
Icon	Name	Description	Unlock requirements
	Default	Default skin.	Unlocked by default
	Hot Pepper	It's sure to leave scar tissue.	Series 2, Tier 20 ( 1)
	Dear John	Halo: Grasslands.	Series 2, Tier 30 ( 1)
	White Hot	So hot, so pristine.	Series 2, Tier 48 ( 1)

Fuel Rod Gun

Skins for the Fuel Rod Gun

Fuel Rod Gun v • d • e
Icon	Name	Description	Unlock requirements
	Default	Default skin.	Unlocked by default
	Brutal	A Jiralhanae's best friend.	Series 2, Tier 9 ( 1)
	Schism	For those seeking redemption.	Series 2, Tier 26 ( 1)
	Zealot	Glory in an honorable death.	Series 2, Tier 31 ( 1)
	Ultra	The Evocati don't mess around.	Series 2, Tier 49 ( 1)

Vehicle skins

Warthog

Skins for the Warthog.

Warthog v • d • e
Icon	Name	Description	Unlock requirements
	Default	Default skin.	Unlocked by default
	Park Ranger	Conservation agents at the Uplift Nature Reserve typically opt for tranquilizer rounds.	Series 2, Tier 11 ( 1)
	Hot Rod	Burning rubber in Blood Gulch.	Series 2, Tier 61 ( 1)
	Rally Hog	One deadly homologation special.	Series 2, Tier 86 ( 1)
	Arctic	For sidewinding through an avalanche.	Series 7, The Exchange ( 2)
	Taxi	Keep the meter running.	Series 7, The Exchange ( 2)
	Amber Raven	Because orange is obviously the best color.	Series 7, The Exchange ( 2)
	Great Journey	Don't worry...I know what the aliens like.	Series 7, The Exchange ( 2)
	Hazard Pay	Safety first!	Series 7, The Exchange ( 2)

Rocket Warthog

Skins for the Rocket Warthog.

Rocket Warthog v • d • e
Icon	Name	Description	Unlock requirements
	Default	Default skin.	Unlocked by default
	Field Medic	Also employed by rescue teams traversing challenging colonial terrain.	Series 2, Tier 29 ( 1)
	Shark	A different kind of mouthing off.	Series 2, Tier 40 ( 1)
	Superstar	Let's go party.	Series 2, Tier 92 ( 1)
	Corrosion	The Oxidation Sensation.	Series 7, The Exchange ( 2)
	Camper	Make like a tree and go.	Series 7, The Exchange ( 2)
	Fire Truck	For rapid-reaction firefighting fireteams.	Series 7, The Exchange ( 2)
	Digital	Time to make new resolutions.	Series 7, The Exchange ( 2)
	Rescue	Relief. Recovery. Resistance.	Series 7, The Exchange ( 2)

Scorpion

Skins for the Scorpion tank.

Scorpion v • d • e
Icon	Name	Description	Unlock requirements
	Default	Default skin.	Unlocked by default
	Arctic	Over snow by winter sown.	Series 2, Tier 20 ( 1)
	Bengal	The Real King of the Jungle.	Series 2, Tier 31 ( 1)
	Grim Reaper	Why so jolly, Roger?	Series 2, Tier 70 ( 1)
	The Package	Say the words, please...	Series 2, Tier 97 ( 1)

Banshee

Skins for the Banshee.

Banshee v • d • e
Icon	Name	Description	Unlock requirements
	Default	Default skin.	Unlocked by default
	Schism	For those seeking redemption.	Series 2, Tier 21 ( 1)
	Zealot	Glory in an honorable death.	Series 2, Tier 51 ( 1)
	Brutal	A Jiralhanae's best friend.	Series 2, Tier 81 ( 1)
	Ultra	The Evocati don't mess around.	Series 2, Tier 95 ( 1)

Ghost

Skins for the Ghost.

Ghost v • d • e
Icon	Name	Description	Unlock requirements
	Default	Default skin.	Unlocked by default
	Schism	Lines will be drawn, sides will be taken.	Series 2, Tier 10 ( 1)
	Brutal	A Jiralhanae's best friend.	Series 2, Tier 19 ( 1)
	Zealot	Glory in an honorable death.	Series 2, Tier 80 ( 1)
	Ultra	The Evocati don't mess around.	Series 2, Tier 94 ( 1)

Removed

For one reason or another certain skins were removed from the game. Below is a list of those skins.

Removed skins v • d • e
Icon	Applied to	Name	Description	Original unlock requirements	Notes
	Warthog	Park Ranger	Spared no expanse.	Series 2, Tier 11 ( 1)	Removed during the Series 5: Anvil update; replaced by a redesigned Park Ranger skin.
	Rocket Warthog	Clever Girl	Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.	Series 2, Tier 29 ( 1)	Removed during the Series 5: Anvil update; replaced by the Field Medic skin.

Unused skins

Within the game files for Halo: The Master Chief Collections menus exist a number of placeholder icons for unused skins on a number of weapons. These textures are all placeholder pink squares, and thus have no discernable appearance. Their filenames are listed below (Note: the T_ prefix is an Unreal Engine 4 naming convention denoting a texture file);

• T_Im_WeaponSkin_h1FlamethrowerGolden.png
• T_Im_WeaponSkin_h1FlamethrowerInsurrection.png
• T_Im_WeaponSkin_h1FuelRodGunGolden.png
• T_Im_WeaponSkin_h1NeedlerGolden.png
• T_Im_WeaponSkin_h1RocketLauncherGolden.png
• T_Im_WeaponSkin_h1RocketLauncherGreatJourney.png
• T_Im_WeaponSkin_h1RocketLauncherWoodland.png

Trivia

• The "Hot Rod" skin for the Warthog is the second instance in the Halo series in which a Warthog was given a flame-themed paint job, the first of which was the appearance of Fireball Warthog in Halo Wars.
• The description of the "Woodland" skins is a reference to a Season 3 Episode 9 of Red vs. Blue, in which a Blue Zealot calls the act "a legitimate strategy" after being accused of camping.
• The description of "Great Journey" skins is a direct quote from Sergeant Major Avery Johnson in the Epilogue of Halo 3: ODST, and refers to the common use of purple in Covenant design.
• The description of the "Lucky Shot" skins is a direct quote from Cortana's narration in the Halo 3 level Arrival.
• The description of the "Dear John" skin is a wordplay on the novel Halo: Glasslands. The name "Dear John" is a reference to John Deere, a manufacturer of agricultural machinery recognizable for their distinctive green and yellow paint jobs. The skin is also available for the flamethrower in the Halo 3 portion of Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
• The original appearance of the "Park Ranger" Warthog skin is a reference to the tour cars in the 1993 film Jurassic Park, and its description is a quote from John Hammond, the owner of the eponymous fictional theme park. Likewise, the original appearance of the "Clever Girl" Rocket Warthog skin is a reference to the jeeps in the same film, its name is a quote from the character Robert Muldoon after being outsmarted by a Velociraptor, and its description is a reference to the scene where Muldoon, Sadler, and Malcolm are chased by the Tyrannosaurus rex.
  • For unknown reasons, in Series 5: Anvil, the skin descriptions and appearances for both the Warthog and Rocket Warthog were changed. The Warthog's "Park Ranger" skin has been changed to a brown and yellow color set, while the "Clever Girl" Rocket Hog skin was renamed to "Field Medic", and given small "H" icons in place of the shield icons.
• The appearance of the "Rally Hog" Warthog skin is a homage to the distinctive blue and yellow liveries worn by cars run by the Subaru World Rally Team.
• The description of the "Shark" Rocket Warthog skin is a direct quote from Brody in the 1975 film Jaws.
• The description of the "The Package" Scorpion skin is a direct quote from Catherine Halsey in the Halo: Reach level The Package.
• The description of the "Hot Pepper" Flamethrower skin is a reference to the Red Hot Chili Peppers song "Scar Tissue".
• The description of the "Arctic" Scorpion is a reference to "The Road Goes Ever On", a song from the J. R. R. Tolkien's literary universe, better known by The Lord of the Rings novel trilogy.
• The description of the "Desert" skins is a reference to John-117's appearance in 2013's Halo Xbox One announcement trailer.

Gallery

• 

  The menu of Combat Evolved prior to the addition of visor colors.

• 

  The menu of Combat Evolved with new visor colors added.

• 

  A custom visor glitched onto John-117 in campaign.

• 

  A player using the Brutal skin on the plasma rifle in campaign.