Halo: Campaign Evolved rebuilds the original Combat Evolved sandbox and stretches it well past what the 2001 game offered. Master Chief can now pick up 17 different weapons across four factions, blending the classic UNSC and Covenant arsenal with nine additions pulled from later Halo titles.
Quick answer: There are 17 pickable weapons plus Frag and Plasma grenades. Nine are returning Combat Evolved classics and eight are newer imports, with the Energy Sword now fully usable throughout the campaign for the first time.
Full weapon list by faction and role
Every weapon falls into one of four groups: UNSC (human), Covenant, Brute, and Forerunner. The table below covers each weapon’s combat role and the situation where it performs best.
| Weapon | Faction | Best used against |
|---|---|---|
| Assault Rifle (MA5B) | UNSC | General infantry, medium range |
| M6D Magnum | UNSC | Headshots on unshielded targets |
| SMG | UNSC | Close-range swarms, light infantry |
| Battle Rifle (BR55) | UNSC | Versatile mid-range fights |
| Shotgun (M90) | UNSC | Flood and rushing Brutes up close |
| Sniper Rifle (S2 AM) | UNSC | Long-range and high-value targets |
| SPNKr Rocket Launcher (M19) | UNSC | Vehicles, Hunters, clustered enemies |
| Plasma Pistol | Covenant | Stripping energy shields |
| Plasma Rifle | Covenant | Sustained close to medium fire |
| Needler | Covenant | Unshielded infantry via supercombine |
| Energy Sword | Covenant | One-hit close-quarters kills |
| Fuel Rod Cannon | Covenant | Groups and vehicles |
| Beam Rifle | Covenant | Long-range single-target damage |
| Needle Rifle | Covenant | Fast supercombine at range |
| Spiker | Brute | Short to mid-range, heavy melee |
| Brute Plasma Rifle | Brute | High-DPS infantry pressure |
| Sentinel Beam | Forerunner | Flood swarms |
UNSC weapons
Human weapons are the most versatile group and handle the bulk of the campaign. The MA5B Assault Rifle is your starting weapon and stays useful throughout, delivering sustained automatic fire with a large magazine. Short controlled bursts tighten its accuracy at longer distances.
The M6D Magnum pairs perfectly with the rifle. Its integrated scope gives precision at range, and a clean headshot drops most unshielded enemies in a single hit. It is the ideal way to finish targets while conserving primary ammo.
The S2 AM Sniper Rifle remains the premier long-range tool, with a multi-magnification scope and rounds that eliminate most targets with one headshot. It appears sparingly in the main campaign, so grab it whenever it shows up.
The M90 Shotgun is built for high-intensity close range and shreds Flood forms and armored Brutes that rush your position. The M19 SSM Rocket Launcher holds two rockets, mounts a 2x scope, and can lock onto air and ground vehicles, making it the go-to answer for tanks, Hunters, and packed groups.
Two newer human weapons round out the group. The BR55 Battle Rifle fires an accurate three-round burst with a scope, excelling at medium range, though it appears infrequently in the story. The SMG offers a 60-round magazine and a high fire rate for close quarters, but it loses reliability at distance and often feels like a shorter-range Assault Rifle.
Covenant and Brute weapons
Covenant gear specializes in shield disruption, energy fire, and melee. The Plasma Pistol stays essential because its charged shot instantly drains most energy shields and can stun vehicles, setting up a follow-up kill. The Plasma Rifle handles sustained close to medium engagements and overloads shields with rapid fire, while controlled bursts prevent overheating.
The Needler fires homing crystal shards that trigger a supercombine explosion when enough embed in one target, though the projectiles cannot pierce vehicle armor or Hunter plating. The Energy Sword is the standout melee weapon, killing most targets, including shielded ones, in a single strike and offering a lunge that closes short gaps.
Longer-range Covenant options include the Beam Rifle, which never reloads but overheats with rapid use and rivals the human sniper for precision, and the Needle Rifle, which fires heavy needles at speed and supercombines with several quick direct hits. The Fuel Rod Cannon lobs arcing explosive rounds for heavy area damage, so you need to lead distant targets.
Brute hardware adds two aggressive tools. The Spiker hurls heated metal shards at a high rate of fire and carries a bladed barrel for strong melee, capable of pinning enemies to surfaces. The Brute Plasma Rifle is an overclocked, unstable version of the standard rifle with a faster rate of fire and higher damage, issued to Brute shock troops.
The Sentinel Beam
The Sentinel Beam is the lone Forerunner weapon and drops from Sentinel robots. It fires a continuous energy stream optimized to inhibit Flood growth, and it stays effective at short to medium range as long as you hold it on target. It works well against both Covenant and Flood, which makes it one of the more reliable pickups when it appears.
Which weapons are strongest
The Energy Sword sits at the top for raw close-range power, followed by a strong group of ranged and explosive options. Use the table to match a weapon to the fight in front of you.
| Situation | Recommended weapon |
|---|---|
| Close quarters | Energy Sword, Shotgun |
| Fighting Flood | Shotgun, Sentinel Beam, SMG |
| Long-range combat | Sniper Rifle, Beam Rifle |
| Breaking shields | Plasma Pistol |
| General combat | Assault Rifle, Battle Rifle |
| Heavy enemies and vehicles | Rocket Launcher, Fuel Rod Cannon |
| Precision kills | Magnum, Battle Rifle, Needle Rifle |
In broad tier terms, the Energy Sword leads the pack. The Sentinel Beam, Assault Rifle, Sniper Rifle, Rocket Launcher, Fuel Rod Cannon, and Beam Rifle form a strong second group. The Plasma Pistol and SMG land near the bottom, since both can feel low-impact even as backups, though either still beats fighting empty-handed.
Grenades, equipment, and how you find weapons
Alongside the 17 weapons, you carry two grenade types. The Frag Grenade detonates shortly after its first bounce, letting you roll it into cover, and the Plasma Grenade sticks to living targets and can kill most enemies, shields included, on a direct hit.
Two pieces of equipment also appear. Overshield adds a temporary layer of shielding that absorbs damage before your base shields, and Active Camo grants short-lived invisibility, though movement and actions can reveal you. Master Chief still carries only two weapons at once, and most enemies drop what they are holding when defeated, so you can swap loadouts on the fly. Several of the newer additions first show up during the bonus Operation: Meteorite missions before appearing elsewhere in the campaign.
