DISCLAIMER: THIS THREAD IS A WORK IN PROGRESS. SEE CHANGELOG FOR DETAILS.
Since I've already brought you guys information on the weapons in Halo 4 (and quite frankly I'm bored right now), I wanted to take some time into examining the Armor Abilities, Tactical, and Support Packages of Halo 4. First I'll go over the general idea of the categories, then go into specifics about each of these bonuses.
[1.] General explanations
[2.] Armor Abilities
[3.] Tactical Packages
[4.] Support Packages
[1.] General explainations
Armor Abilities (AA)
Halo: Reach (correct me if I'm wrong) was the first Halo title to use Armor Abilities. They function about the same in Halo 4. They recharge after a given time after use, and depending on the AA loose charge as an indication of how long a continuous ability will last. After the potential has been exhausted, an indicator will appear in the shape of a caution sign. During this time, you cannot use any function of the armor ability. When the ability is in available again, it will appear red when below 50% and a healthy blue from thereon. Every time is different depending on the AA. These times, as well as the duration and effects, will be covered in this thread.
Tactical Packages (TP)
Unlike it's older cousin, the Support Package, Tactical Packages are meant to provide the user with a small added benefit to their Loadout. Many of these abilities are hidden to the enemy, and as such are discreet enough to be concealed. A good strategy is to synergize these with a Support Package. The effects of these will be explained in detail.
Support Packages (SP)
These bonuses provide the user with a specific trait that can really be a significant addition to the proper Loadout. That being said, the intent behind the SP is to use it according to the correct circumstance. It also can be countered by an opponent who can recognize the ability and respond accordingly. I'll again list the effects, with much emphasis on the role these bonuses.
[2.] Armor Abilities
Promethean Vision
[3.] Tactical Packages
Mobility
Requisition (Tracker Specialization)
[4.] Support Packages
Ammo
CHANGELOG:
Started Thread on 2/17/13
Since I've already brought you guys information on the weapons in Halo 4 (and quite frankly I'm bored right now), I wanted to take some time into examining the Armor Abilities, Tactical, and Support Packages of Halo 4. First I'll go over the general idea of the categories, then go into specifics about each of these bonuses.
[1.] General explanations
[2.] Armor Abilities
[3.] Tactical Packages
[4.] Support Packages
[1.] General explainations
Armor Abilities (AA)
Halo: Reach (correct me if I'm wrong) was the first Halo title to use Armor Abilities. They function about the same in Halo 4. They recharge after a given time after use, and depending on the AA loose charge as an indication of how long a continuous ability will last. After the potential has been exhausted, an indicator will appear in the shape of a caution sign. During this time, you cannot use any function of the armor ability. When the ability is in available again, it will appear red when below 50% and a healthy blue from thereon. Every time is different depending on the AA. These times, as well as the duration and effects, will be covered in this thread.
Tactical Packages (TP)
Unlike it's older cousin, the Support Package, Tactical Packages are meant to provide the user with a small added benefit to their Loadout. Many of these abilities are hidden to the enemy, and as such are discreet enough to be concealed. A good strategy is to synergize these with a Support Package. The effects of these will be explained in detail.
Support Packages (SP)
These bonuses provide the user with a specific trait that can really be a significant addition to the proper Loadout. That being said, the intent behind the SP is to use it according to the correct circumstance. It also can be countered by an opponent who can recognize the ability and respond accordingly. I'll again list the effects, with much emphasis on the role these bonuses.
[2.] Armor Abilities
Promethean Vision
- Effect: Releases a "scan" through walls. Details become scarce while lines become prominent. Color denotes the status of certain objects (blue = walls, red = detected enemies, yellow = inert vehicles). Only AA able to be paired while using mounted turrets.
- Category: Identification
- Negated by: Active Camo, Stealth Support Package. Behind a wall, target becomes invisible on the scan. When exposed, target has no red color, but still maintains a profile outline.
- Full Duration: ~
- Wait Time: ~
- Recovers fully in: ~
- Effect: Upon activation, user rapidly moves forward for a short distance. Gravity still has a significant effect. Can be activated in mid-air to change direction. Player cannot shoot, but can melee during Thrust.
- Category: Movement
- Negated by: Physical obstacles
- Distance Traveled: ~10 meters
- Travel Time: ~
- Wait Time: ~
- Recovers fully in Wait Time
- Effect: Creates a visual substitute based on the player's character model, including whatever weapon was being held by the user at that time. The Hologram walks forward until it reaches its destination or disappears. It also appears on the enemy's radar. Shooting the Hologram will create a visual distortion in it. Further damage to the Hologram will destroy it.
- Category: Deception
- Negated by: Discovering creation, recognizing behavior, targeting or destruction of Hologram.
- Max distance traveled: ~
- Wait Time: When Hologram fades
- Recovers fully in Wait Time
- Effect: Use of flight or to mitigate falling damage. Ability becomes more efficient in terms of vertical distance, the longer it is utilized consecutively.
- Category: Movement
- Negated by: Physical obstacles
- Vertical distance traveled: ~4.5 block units from ground
- Wait time: ~
- Recovers fully in:
- Effect: Generates a shield that blocks from frontal attacks. Rounds that hit the front of the shield are generally deflected or stopped, unless said rounds bounce back and explode when they hit the ground (i.e. Incineration Cannon, grenades, etc). Shields do not regenerate when the Shield is up. Movement and turning speeds resemble that of a torn-off Mounted Turret.
- Category: Defense
- Negated by: Said exceptions, side attacks, or top attacks.
- Duration: ~
- Wait Time: ~
- Recovers fully in: ~
- Effect: Makes the user more transparent and harder to see. Promethean Vision is also effected (see above). Sounds are mildly dampened. An increase in movement with the AA up results in a decrease in its effectiveness. A static field is generated on enemy radar.
- Category: Deception
- Negated by: user movement, visual detection, radar presence, regenerating shields after taking damage, Promethean Vision outline
- Duration:~
- Wait Time: ~
- Recovers fully in: ~
- Effect: Generates a drone that hovers in midair. When they are detected, the Sentry will fire at enemies by itself.
- Category: Defense
- Negated by: Destruction, Active Camo (no visual detection), runs out of charge
- Duration: Without interaction, ~ . Varies depending on whether it is shooting or taking damage.
- Wait Time: ~
- Recovers fully in: ~
- Effect: Creates a field in which greatly decreases the delay between shield regenerations. Provides no protection outside of this trait. Users in the field will have their vision blurred slightly. Does not recover Overshields.
- Category: Defense
- Negated by: Consistent damage
- Duration:
- Diameter:
- Wait Time: ~
- Recovers fully in wait time
[3.] Tactical Packages
Mobility
- Effect: Permits unlimited sprinting
- Category: Movement
- Best SPs used with: Sensor, Stealth, Nemesis, Drop Recon
- Effect: decreases the time for shield regenerations by about 50%
- Category: Defense
- Best SPs used with: Any
- Effect: Scavenges unused grenades from fallen enemies
- Category: Sustainability
- Best SPs used with: Explosives
- Effect: Increases the recharging speed of AAs by ?
- Category: Power
- Best SPs used with: Any
- Effect: Adds another grenade when you spawn
- Category: Power
- Best SPs used with: Explosives
- Effect: Replace your pistol with another Primary Weapon
- Category: Power
- Best SPs used with: Dexterity
Requisition (Tracker Specialization)
- Effect: Allows a re-roll of the Ordinance selection system
- Category: Power
- Best SPs used with: Ordinance Priority, Ammo
- Effect: Decreases the effects of EMP shock on vehicles by 50%. Apparently makes vehicles more durable, but this is better seen on comparatively more durable vehicles (i.e. not Ghosts or Warthogs)
- Category: Sustainability
- Best SPs used with: Gunner, if the operator also controls a turret.
[4.] Support Packages
Ammo
- Effect: Increases starting ammunition by triple for Loadout weapons and double for Ordinance weapons. Any weapons found will not have these traits applied to them.
- Category: Sustainability
- Negated by: Not using ammunition, loosing an Ordinance drop with Ammo applied to it
- Effect: Doubles both reloading and weapon swapping speeds.
- Category: Power
- Negated by: Still dying while trying either action
- Effect: Increases the range of radar by about 25% (from 40 meters, you get around 50)
- Category: Identification
- Negated by: Still enemies or ones not in the range of the radar
- Effect: The radar can be seen while scoped
- Category: Identification
- Negated by: The above with Sensor
- Effect: Increases the damage dealt from and decreases damage received by explosives by 25%. This multiplier is factored into the lethal, shield-downing, and effective distances.
- Category: Power
- Negated by: Itself against another Explosives user (+25% - 25% = 0%).
- Effect: Decreases the amount of points you need per ordinance drop from ??, ???, ??? to ??, ???, ???.
- Category: Power
- Negated by: Not receiving the optimal amount of ordinance, or simply getting a poor ordinance
- Effect: Decreases the effect of flinch when aiming
- Category: Defense
- Negated by: Large explosives
- Effect: Movement speed of a player holding a Mounted Turret is increased to regular walking speed. All mounted turrets receive increased damage.
- Category: Power
- Negated by: Not having access to such turrets, generally in smaller game lobbies
- Effect: Replicates the Promethean Vision-busting abilities of Active Camo (see Promethean Vision for said traits). Assassination speed is doubled. Footsteps are quiet.
- Category: Deception
- Negated by: Detection (see Active Camo), except there is no radar-jamming field.
- Effect: The player who last killed you has a waypoint above them until they die, regardless of who kills them.
- Category: Power
- Negated by: Death of killer
- Effect: Ordinance drops on the map are called out about 30 seconds in advance to when they will fall from Infinity
- Category: Sustainability
- Negated by: Inability to reach the drop in time, or at all depending on circumstance. Map knowledge also plays a role to know what ordinance will be dropping where.
CHANGELOG:
Started Thread on 2/17/13
