Complete Guide to Halo: Reach Special Armor Abilities

Halo: Reach has stepped up its game by giving Spartan's the ability to utilize special armor abilities. While each ability has its own strengths and weaknesses, this guide will help you decide which is best for certain situations and understand how to maximize their potential.

Sprint

Sprint is the default armor ability for Halo: Reach. This ability allows your Spartan to run quickly for short periods of time. This can help you charge your enemies before they are aware of your presence or dart for cover. Regardless of whether you are an offensive or defensive type player, this ability will definitely give you the competitive edge. This ability is my personal favorite. There is nothing more frustrating than finding yourself in a situation where you wish you could move a little faster.

Tip - This ability works great with melee weapons such as the war hammer and energy sword. Sprint gives you the ability to quickly close the gap between you and your opponent and kill them in one swoop.

Armor Lock

Armor lock is a great defensive tool. When your Spartan's armor is locked, you will have the ability to withstand everything from bullets to large explosions. Armor lock is also a Spartan's only chance of surviving the dreaded sticky grenade. If a grenade is stuck to you, quickly activate your armor lock and the grenade will not harm you. When your armor lock is deactivated, your armor will emit a powerful EMP blast that will disable any vehicles and electronics within range. This feature also makes the armor lock a great offensive weapon. If you know that you will be facing multiply enemy vehicles, the armor lock ability is a must have on the battlefield.

Jet Pack

This ability is pretty self explanatory. Most importantly, your jet pack can help you reach places that you could on foot. Use the jetpack to find great sniping points, fly from balcony to balcony, and ambush your enemies. A great attack method is to fly over your enemies with a grenade launcher and bring the rain.

Evade

You know that dive-and-roll that Elites are able to do? Halo: Reach now allows your Spartan to have the same skill. Evade is especially useful during multiplayer battle. When you come under fire, quickly use the evade feature to dive-and-roll forward, side-to-side, and even backwards. Not only does this make you hard to hit, but your enemy looses the ability to hit you with their auto aim. Keep in mind that you only get two consecutive evasions before your armor needs to recharge.

Drop Shield

The drop shield is a bubble-like dome that protects you from enemy fire for a short period of time. This item is best used in multiplayer scenarios where your team needs a safe place to take cover and recharge their shields.

Hologram

I like this one. When using the hologram, you can send out a decoy version of yourself. This will draw enemy fire while giving away your opponents' positions. It is best used when entering a doorway without knowing what is on the other side. Send in your decoy first to find out if the coast is clear. The hologram can also be great during multiplayer combat. Imagine how confused the enemy team will be if your team instantly doubled in size.

Active Cloak

The active cloak makes your Spartan completely invisible. The downside is that the cloaking only works at its best when you are sitting still or moving slowly. The cloak also jams all nearby enemies' radars. In a multiplayer battle, this can put up the red flag that a cloaker is nearby. It is best to use this ability when you have other team members around to distract your opponents.