Energy Sword

Design Details

The Energy Sword's plasma is shaped and held into a blade-like form by a small magnetic-field generator built into the handle of the weapon. The hot energy of the blade can cut through most armor and can cut an opponent in half with one swipe, it is also quite effective against Flood organisms. This same technology is utilized in all Covenant plasma weapons. In Halo: Combat Evolved, if the Elite wielding the sword drops it, a fail-safe activates, deactivating the magnetic field without first dispensing the plasma, consuming the handle and thus destroying the weapon. In Halo 2, a similar fail-safe is active when not wielding the weapon directly. The handle must be under pressure from the handler to be activated so that the weapon can be stored safely.

Varying amounts of energy are used up when killing various foes (e.g. Flood Combat Form: 2.5 battery units e.g Flood infection form: 0 battery units e.g. Elite 10-11 battery units). Destroying certain non-living things also consumes power. (e.g. a machine gun or Mongoose: 10 units) Normal swipes that merely strike a foe do not drain the Sword's battery as you must kill the foe to consume power. Therefore, it may be prudent to strike a foe until it nears death and then use another weapon that has ammunition that can be found more frequently in the level. Around 10 percent of the sword's energy is consumed by killing a normal opponent in the Halo 2 campaign, but only 3 percent of the sword's energy is consumed when killing Flood (Combat Form). Killing Infection Forms does not use any battery energy, but it is highly ineffective anyway, and so should be avoided whenever possible.

In Halo 2 Multiplayer, there is no limit on the amount of energy the Energy Sword can use before running out. However, it is not in every map, and even so, the maps that do have a sword only have one. In Halo 3 there is a limit on the amount of energy, only allowing the wielder to eliminate 10 players, before the Energy Sword runs out of energy and cannot be used. After the Energy Sword runs out of energy; however, you can still use it to attack your enemies. The damage is then equal to a regular melee attack and will take a longer time to kill, unless you assassinate your enemy.

Advantages

The Energy Sword is one of the most powerful weapons in Halo 2 and Halo 3. A single lunge can kill even a fully shielded Spartan or Covenant Elite (depending on rank; in Halo 2, it takes many lunges to kill a fully shielded Ultra, even on Easy). An over-shielded enemy can take two lunges to kill. In Halo 2 and Halo 3 it is also one of the very few weapons that can destroy the bodies of dead Combat Forms, preventing their revival by Infection Forms. Doing this, however, will still take up energy.

In contrast in terms of multiplayer gameplay from Halo 2 to Halo 3, the lunge is shorter. Normally (but not if your opponent makes an evasive move), the lunge will connect and will eviscerate your opponent. A normal swing of the sword can deplete 1 and 2/5's of the shielding. This is enough to eliminate a normal shield, and your health. The amount of damage can be increased if you jump, run, do a lunge, do a jumping lunge, do a melee, lunging melee, etc; but can be blocked by parrying with a melee when the opponent makes a lunge, causing the loss of your shields, but not actually killing you. The sword can also parry melees with appropriate timing. This is most common with other swords, but there is picture evidence of a sword parrying a hammer strike.

The primary fire button initiates a lunge when the cross hair goes red or a swipe if it is not, and the melee button initiates a fast melee. [2] Unlike the Gravity Hammer in Halo 3, it is very hard to tell that a player has the sword when it is not the primary weapon being used, making it much easier to catch an opponent off guard, thus the player wielding it is less likely to be targeted so quickly by snipers. Remember to bear in mind the time now taken to unsheathe them, as this can give them the chance to get a shot in.

Disadvantages

The Energy Sword is purely a close-quarters weapon, meaning that it is completely useless past close range. A skilled Spartan or Sangheili can defeat a sword wielder with weaker weapons like the SMG or the M6C Magnum by avoiding getting close to a player wielding a sword. It is key, much like with any other close-range only weapon, for the wielder to conceal it until he is close enough to use it properly; should an enemy spot the weapon at a distance he can easily kill off the player as he backs up to keep his distance.

Another disadvantage is that the Energy Sword, like most other Covenant Weapons, has a battery, requiring the player to drop the weapon once the battery is used up. Although the handle can be used as a club, the Energy Sword's combat effectiveness is minimal when its energy runs out (enemies, especially Flood Combat Forms, are less vulnerable to a depleted energy sword and require two attacks before dying). In Halo 2, Energy Swords also show through Active Camouflage, making it harder to be stealthy. However, in Campaign mode, the sword seemingly cannot be seen by enemies through Active Camouflage. Perhaps if they do see it they think the player is a camouflaged Elite. In Halo 3, the sword is completely invisible if you too are invisible.

Also, in both Halo 2 and Halo 3, if you initiate a Sword Lunge, an opponent with a Shotgun can easily fire off one shot and kill you. This also works well with a Brute Shot although it is somewhat harder to pull off without taking damage or killing yourself in the process. You can also be sniped at close range if the enemy is a decent enough sniper. Most of the time, the player wielding the Energy Sword will try and run at a targeted player, and most of the time they will run straight at the player, but even if they strafe from left to right they are still vulnerable while charging at their enemy.

Variations

In Halo: Combat Evolved the Energy Sword, it was sometimes known as a "Plasma Sword" then, has a cyan glow, has a far less defined edge and makes a dull clunk when striking something or someone. It is only used by Stealth Elites and Zealots.The player cannot use the energy sword in Halo: Combat Evolved, because once a Zealot is defeated, the energy sword will activate a fail-safe and disintegrate via the plasma of the former blade collapsing onto the handle, thus rendering the weapon useless.

In Halo 2, the energy sword is blue with purple undertones and electrical energy crackling on it when the blade is activated. As in the previous game, it is only used by higher-ranking Elites, such as Spec-ops, Ultras and Zealots. It has an infinite battery in Multiplayer.

In Halo 3 the sword has more of a light cyan tinge similar to its appearance in Halo: Combat Evolved but still has a tint of purple near the handle. If you look closely, Forerunner letters are on it. It also has an angle near the handle, whereas in the two previous games it was curved. The Sword has a limited battery supply in multiplayer (presumably because of its immense power), and more time is needed to unsheathe it. Interestingly, although the Halo 3 Energy Sword is angular near the handle, the icon on your HUD is still curved as it was in the first 2 Halo games. The reason for this is unknown.

In Halo Wars the energy sword wielded by Ripa 'Moramee has a ceremonial look making it look thinner near the points, since its design relates to his armor. This variation, however, adds a shielded handle that covers his hands for either better grip or protection. It is also possible that since Halo Wars takes place 20 years before Halo: Combat Evolved, the Energy Sword is much older, therefore, more ceremonial for the Arbiter to use rather than a generic military variation. Ripa 'Moramee's Energy Swords also leave behind a trail of what would seem to be escaped plasma from the Sword's magnetic barrier when they slice through the air. This was not seen in Halo 2 and 3, most likely meaning that the Energy Sword's magnetic barrier was improved between the Battle of Harvest and 2552. Although the glow around the Energy Sword seen in Halo: CE may perhaps also be escaped Plasma, still loosely held by the Sword's magnetic field.

Cultural Significance

The Energy Sword holds a high significance in Sangheili culture. Only Spec-Ops Elites, Stealth Elites, and other higher ranks including Aristocrats are normally permitted to wield one. However, both Minor and Major Elites were seen using this weapon in the Halo 2 levels Delta Halo and Regret. Also, in the Halo 3 level Floodgate, the first Elite Major that you come across also has one with it, though this may be due to their recent split with the Covenant. In Halo 3, all Elites, including Minors can pull out Energy Swords and use them when stuck with a Plasma Grenade or a Spike grenade. This technique is used by many players to gain Energy Swords. The distribution to lower ranks could be a side effect of the Great Schism and the subsequent discarding of religious protocols. Though it is commonly used for ceremonial purposes, it is often used in a battle as well. Sangheili culture even allows an Elite with great sword skills to mate with any female he chooses, but they may not marry. This is to ensure that the 'swordsman' genes are passed to the next generation.

Only the most skilled warriors of the Sangheili are normally permitted to use the sword and it is implied that they spend years building and improving their skills in order to become combatants in the lethal art of sword fighting. Nonetheless, despite the cultural taboo against it, any Elite can wield an energy sword with competent skill, becoming a deadly foe.