Halo Infinite’s Season 5 just dropped last week, and players are clamoring to jump back into this classic franchise. Halo Infinite’s multiplayer is highly fluid, satisfying, and addicting to play. If you haven’t yet, I highly recommend checking out this season’s update.
When it comes to Halo Infinite’s multiplayer, nothing is more important than having the right weapon equipped for the right scenario. Today, we’re going to go over the top 10 best weapons in Halo Infinite’s Season 5 and why you should be using them.
10. Needler
The Needler and its spiky haircut
The needler is a classic Halo weapon, being introduced back in 2001 with the release of Halo: Combat Evolved. Throughout the franchise it’s potency has waxed and waned, varying between a useless tool and a borderline power weapon. In Infinite, it’s very powerful in certain scenarios.
At range it’s completely useless, but at close proximity it can pulverize enemies with little effort. Thanks to it’s heat-seeking shards, all the user has to do is aim at an enemy and fire, and the needler’s shards do the rest of the work by latching onto the target and exploding.
The Needler is Great For:
- Close-range engagements
- Players who struggle with precision weapons
- Spraying and praying
Needler details:
- High fire rate
- Very poor range
- Heat-seeking bullets
- 24 shots in a magazine
9. Bandit EVO
The Bandit EVO, new with Season 5
The Bandit EVO is a new addition to Halo Infinite. Just added in Season 5, it’s now the default starting weapon for Ranked Arena, replacing the battle rifle. 343 made this change because many thought that the battle rifle was too easy to use.
Unlike the battle rifle’s burst-fire style, the Bandit Evo is semiautomatic, requiring more precision from the user to eliminate enemies. It’s a great weapon for mid-to-long range engagements, but requires skill to be effectively used up close.
The Bandit EVO is Great For:
- Longer ranges
- Good aimers
- Team-shotting with teammates
Bandit EVO Details:
- Semiautomatic
- Zooming in produces a very clear picture
- Forced descope when taking damage
- Can kill in 5 shots
- 15 shots in a magazine
8. Battle Rifle (BR75)
The classic Halo Battle Rifle
The battle rifle, like many weapons on this list, is another iconic Halo weapon. This gun is more associated with the competitive community, as it’s been the default starting weapon in competitive playlists for some of the most popular Halo games.
Thanks to Halo Infinite’s strong aim assist, it’s rather easy to use in the current game. It’s a consistent, reliable choice for those wanting a weapon that can be proficient at any range.
The Battle Rifle is Great For:
- Long-range damage, but still effective at close ranges
- Team-shotting with your teammates
- Consistent damage output
Battle Rifle details:
- Fires in 3-round bursts
- Comes with scope for longer ranges
- Forced descope when taking damage
- Can kill in 4 bursts
- 36 shots in a magazine
7. Shotgun (CQS48 Bulldog)
The up-close-and-personal CQS48 Bulldog
The bulldog is the traditional shotgun option in Halo Infinite. Unlike shotguns from previous Halo titles, it fires in the semiautomatic style instead of the pump style.
This weapon is great for close ranges, and can be a two-shot kill if all the shells hit at close proximity. But don’t worry if your aim isn’t perfect, it’s still a reliable three-shot kill at close ranges.
However, at medium or long range it’s virtually useless. If you’re using this weapon, make sure you’re closing the distance to your enemy before making them aware of your presence.
The Bulldog is Great For:
- Holding down an objective area or room
- Rushing the enemy
- Hectic situations where there are multiples opponents surrounding you
Bulldog Details:
- Semiautomatic
- Super-high damage at close range
- 7 shots in a magazine
6. Heatwave
The powerful Heatwave, ready to decimate its enemies
The heatwave is a unique, fun, and powerful weapon to use. Upon firing, it releases a row of projectiles. The gun has two firing options, vertical and horizontal.
These two options configure the projectiles so that they exit the weapon in either a vertical row or horizontal row. The vertical option is better for close ranges where it’s easier to line up the entire row with an enemy player, dealing massive damage.The horizontal option is better for long ranges or for shooting around corners.
Shooting around corners? Yep, you read that right; the heatwave’s projectiles bounce off of surfaces, so you can damage enemies that you can’t even see. It’s great for finishing off enemies and helping teammates.
The Heatwave is Great For:
- Clearing out rooms or enclosed spaces
- Needing a versatile weapon that can be used at multiple ranges
- Outplaying your opponents
Heatwave Details:
- With good aim, puts out very high damage at both close and medium ranges
- 8 shots in a magazine
- Vertical and horizontal firing modes
- 2-shot kill if the entire row of projectiles hits the enemy
- Projectiles travel at a slow speed, so at longer ranges you’ll need to lead your shots
5. Cindershot
The Cindershot, Halo Infinite's take on the grenade launcher
The cindershot is basically a grenade launcher; it launches orbs that explode after bouncing one time. It also has a unique firing option that allows you to control the path of the orbs.
To use the alternative firing option, zoom in before firing a shot. Then, after firing the orb, control its path by aiming where you want it to go while still zoomed in. This is great for snaking an orb into a window or around a corner.
Upon exploding, the orbs have a “black hole effect”, pulling nearby enemies towards the spot where the orb exploded. This is great for countering enemies that are trying to run away.
The Cindershot is Great For:
- Clearing out a room or objective area
- Taking out multiple enemies
- Assisting your teammates during hectic situations
Cindershot Details:
- Two-shot kill if both orbs explode at very close range to the enemy
- 6 shots in a magazine
- Alternative firing mode allows for precision shots
4. Gravity Hammer
The imposing Gravity Hammer
The gravity hammer is a potent close-range weapon. After swinging it, the hammer damages all nearby enemies that are in front of you. If the enemy is close enough, it’s a one-hit kill.
The hammer’s damage is not decreased if there are multiple enemies in the target area. Theoretically, you could one-shot kill an entire team if they’re all standing right in front of you.
The hammer’s drawback is that it takes awhile to complete the swing animation, so it’s often a good idea to start the swing while you’re still closing the distance with your enemy. If you wait too long to start the swing, your opponent will have ample time to eliminate you.
The Gravity Hammer is Good For:
- Eliminating multiple enemies at close range
- Controlling an enclosed objective area
- All forms of close-range combat
Gravity Hammer Details:
- Long swing animation
- Can swing it 10 times before it’s depleted
- Useless at medium or long range
3. Energy Sword
The Energy Sword is Halo Infinite's most powerful close-range weapon
Another powerful close-range option, the energy sword gives players the ability to lunge at their enemies from a distance. This flings the player towards their target, and upon completing the lunge, the sword will instantly kill your opponent.
To use this powerful lunge feature, you must be at close range to your enemy. Once your reticle turns red from aiming at the enemy, press the fire button, and you will fly towards your opponent before eliminating him.
You can greatly enhance this lunge capability by using the grapple hook equipment. Upon landing a grapple hook on an enemy, you will be pulled towards him and the sword will automatically swing once you’re close enough.
The Energy Sword is Great For:
- Close-range combat
- Aggressive style of play
- Combining the sword with the grapple hook equipment
Energy Sword Details
- Always a one-hit kill
- Fast swing animation
- Can dispatch multiple enemies quickly
2. S7 Sniper Rifle
Use precision to dominate with the Sniper Rifle
The iconic Halo sniper rifle ranks high on this list for its ability to delete players from any distance. It’s a one-shot kill to the head and a two-shot kill to the body. Players with good aim can use this weapon to control an entire map.
It’s a simple, but difficult-to-master gun. It has no alternative firing modes or fancy features. Simply aim at the enemy and hit your shot to inflict massive damage. In the right hands, it can even be potent at close ranges by hitting noscopes.
Use a battle rifle, bandit, or other precision weapon in combination with the sniper to quickly dispatch enemies. A common tactic is to use the sniper to get an enemy’s shields down by hitting them once in the body, and then quickly switching to a precision weapon and one-shotting the enemy in the head.
The Sniper Rifle is Great For:
- Long-range targets
- Good aimers
- Inflicting massive amounts of damage
Sniper Rifle Details:
- 4 shots in a magazine
- Decently fast reload animation
- Can be double zoomed for long-range targets
1. Rocket Launcher (M41 SPNKR)
If used properly, the SPNKR can turn the tide for your team
The rocket launcher, or SPNKR (pronounced “spunker”), is the most potent power weapon in Halo Infinite. As long as a rocket explodes somewhere near the enemy, it will be a one-shot kill.
Usually, it only spawns with 2-4 rockets, so you’ll need to make your shots count. If possible, use the rockets for an important engagement that will sway the outcome of the match. Whether that’s a team fight or important objective moment, this weapon can have massive influence on a team’s ability to dominate.
Similar to the sniper rifle, the rocket launcher is a pretty simple weapon. It has no alternative firing modes, but does have a weak zoom feature.
Its rockets travel at relatively slow speeds, so try to use this weapon for medium or even close-range engagements, as opposed to long-range engagements. At long ranges, the enemy will likely see the rocket coming and will have ample time to move out of the way.
The Rocket Launcher is Great For:
- Dealing massive damage to groups of enemies
- Helping your team pull off a tough flag capture or strongholds rotation
- Controlling important areas of the map
Rocket Launcher Details:
- Can fire two rockets before needing to be reloaded
- One-shot kill if rocket explodes near an enemy
- Rockets travel at a relatively slow speed
