How To Use Every New Weapon In Halo Infinite's Multiplayer

Halo Infinite introduces a number of new weapons to the franchise. Some are replacements for classic Halo weapons, and others are completely new concepts. Each of these weapons has a particular utility, and using them in the right situations will have a huge impact in-game. Power weapons aside, players can pull off some incredible plays with these new weapons.

Halo purists may despise some of these changes, but they do add an extra layer to Infinite's gameplay. Every section below lists each weapon’s time to kill and a few tips on how to maximize the qualities of each.

Commando

The Commando is 343’s attempt to include an LMG-like weapon in the game. At first, it may seem like the gun doesn't fare well against the AR and Sidekick, however, the Commando is actually very competitive if gamers use it like a DMR.

Instead of firing in the full auto mode, tap the trigger for an even faster fire rate. With just eight shots, the Commando will take down a fully shielded spartan. While tap firing, those shots will hit the target faster than four BR bursts. The key to getting the low time to kill is making sure the final shot is a headshot. It will take a total of 11 body shots to secure a kill.

Pulse Carbine

This three-round burst Covenant weapon is unlike anything else in the Halo franchise thus far. It shoots three pulses at a time. Each pulse seeks enemy players within a small radius, Although the shots are better at honing onto still targets than moving ones. If an opponent is moving, leading the player slightly will improve the chances of all the pulses connecting.

One full three-round burst will remove a spartan’s shields. If all three pulses hit an enemy without shields, the Pulse Carbine does enough damage to eliminate the player. Theoretically, this makes the Carbine a two-shot kill. Hitting six pulses in a row will be a rare occurrence though.

Shock Rifle

The Shock Rifle is the second true sniper in Halo Infinite. It will kill spartans with just one well-placed shot to the head. Unlike the classic Sniper and Beam Rifle, the Shock Rifle takes three body shots to take down an opponent. Hitting the head is crucial when using the weapon.

Still, it is a hitscan sniper with a one-shot potential. Players should peek at long sightlines and grab this gun on open maps to take advantage of its excellent accuracy and time to kill. Any shot to the body of a spartan with no shields will result in an elimination.

Mangler

It is hard to classify the Mangler. It is some kind of hybrid between a hand cannon and a shotgun. Either way, this weapon is a one-shot and melee machine. It is also a three-shot kill to the body. Despite the gun’s low fire rate, the Mangler will outclass the AR, Pistol, and BR if users hit consecutive shots.

The slow fire rate also provides an opportunity to peek challenge for an advantage in a 1V1. A low bullet velocity makes this gun more of a medium to close range option. Even with the bullet drop, players that practice with it can get kills from longer ranges. This is definitely one of the weapons people should get a feel for in the range first.

Disruptor

This new gun is a vehicle destroyer. The Disruptor will disable a vehicle with just a few shots, making the driver and passengers easy targets. Simply fire rounds into the vehicle and grenade it for free kills. The Disruptor is a great tool for boarding as well. On maps like Behemoth and Launch Site, vehicles can determine a win vs a loss.

The Disruptor is one of the new weapons with a few other interesting attributes. It deals impact damage, as well as damage over time. To get an impact kill, gamers will need to hit eight consecutive shots. For a damage over time elimination, six rapidly fired shots must hit to finish the target. After that, the enemy will slowly lose all their health. It is a smart tactic to hit those six shots and hide. Technically, the Disruptor requires fewer shots to kill than the Sidekick.

CQS48 Bulldog

Despite some dissent in the community, the Bulldog is actually a dominant weapon in standard modes. Apart from power weapons, this semi-auto shotgun takes down foes up close in just two shots. From about 10-15 meters, it takes 3-4 shots to take down a spartan.

The weapon has a huge hit radius and is one of the easiest to use in Halo Infinite. If opponents are within melee distance, shooting one shot and finishing with a melee is a foolproof way to secure the kill. Players should be on the lookout for this weapon if it spawns in both ranked and quickplay. It may not have the one-hit potential of the old games, but the CQS48 Bulldog still wins most battles in close quarters.

Heatwave

The Heatwave is an interesting addition to the game. It fires a total of six projectiles at once and can be shot in either a horizontal or vertical mode. Of the two firing modes, vertical is by far the best. If the majority of the projectiles land on the target, the Heatwave is a two-shot eliminator. In horizontal mode, it is just not possible to get that two-shot kill unless the opponent is a centimeter away.

There is some velocity on the weapon, so targets will need to be led at longer ranges. Even though this gun does not have a scope, it can do some damage from far away. After getting a feel for this gun, users will begin to realize its potential.

Stalker Rifle

Stalker Rifles are 343’s replacement for the old Carbine. However, these long-range rifles differ quite a bit from the Carbine. Spartans can be taken down with just two headshots from a Stalker Rifle. It only takes four body shots to down an enemy with the weapon.

Both of these stats make the gun more effective than the BR at range. When fighting in close quarters, it is quite hard to hit shots with the Stalker, which has a small hit radius. As a cross map gun, few weapons in Halo Infinite can compete with the Stalker.

Skewer

The Skewer is sort of a hybrid between a rocket and a sniper. It fires one massive bullet or “skewer” that kills any spartan on impact. Only direct hits with the gun result in kills.

Unlike the other long-range weapons in Halo Infinite, the Skewer has a fair amount of bullet lag and drop. Stationary targets are essentially free kills, but moving targets need to be led. Because of how large the gun’s projectile is, hip firing the gun is a sound strategy on smaller maps and in tight situations.

Cindershot

Cindershots fire explosive shots that ricochet before they explode. Just two of the shots need to explode near an enemy for a kill. This exploding cannon is one of the better power weapons in the game. It does not take much skill to use and there are plenty of rounds in each pickup.

Spartans can fire the shots at the ground to bounce the Cindershot or shoot it around corners to catch people off guard. A lesser-known feature of the gun is the fact that users can control the flight of each shot while aiming down sight by moving the right thumbstick. This aspect of the weapon makes for some high IQ plays at longer distances.

Ravager

In general, the Ravager is quite bad. The three-round burst mode does almost no damage at all. If users hold down the right trigger, the Ravager will charge up and unleash a pool of AOE damage. The area of effect will strip spartans of their shields almost instantly.

In objective modes, the Ravager is very effective at blocking entranceways and forcing the opposing team out of an area. The charged shot is also a good way to take down players in vehicles. The gun can disable a driver’s shield and they can be gunned down. People should never use the three-round burst, it takes an eternity to kill one enemy with the weapon in that mode.

Hydra

In theory, the Hydra should be one of the best weapons in Halo Infinite. It has homing projectile explosives, but these bullets do not inflict enough damage to be viable. It will take four slowly fired homing shots to down a fully shielded spartan. On the other hand, the manual fire can eliminate players in only two direct impacts, which is two times faster. The only issue with the manual fire is it can be frustratingly difficult to get those hit markers.

The only viable way to use the Hydra is in the default mode, but it will take some time to master using the weapon. Shooting at the feet of the opponent is not very effective either, with a three-shot kill being the absolute best TTK.

Halo Infinite releases on December 8 for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC. Halo Infinite's multiplayer beta is currently available on these platforms and is free-to-play.

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