Halo 3 ODST Campaign Weapon Tier List

On this page you will find my weapon tier list for Halo 3 ODST Campaign. This list is built around ODST's Campaign instead of Firefight like my other ODST Weapon Tier List. I put together these lists to help new players determine which guns are the best to use in any given situation and explain why.

Even though this list was made with ODST's Campaign in mind it still has good information that you may find helpful in all versions of Halo 3 ODST as well. If you'd like to see some of the other lists I have made for Halo: The Master Chief Collection then follow the link provided or click on any of the links below.

Halo MCC Weapon Tier Lists
- Halo CE Tier List
- Halo 2 Tier List
- Halo 3 Tier List
- Halo 3 ODST Campaign Tier List
- Halo 3 ODST Firefight Tier List
- Halo 4 Tier List
- Halo Reach Campaign Tier List
- Halo Reach Firefight Tier List

 

God Tier

Battle Rifle: As is typical, if I had to choose one weapon that is better than the rest it would be the Battle Rifle. You can strip a target's shields off and then finish them off with a shot to the head very easily with this weapon and ammo for it is plentiful throughout certain parts of the game.

Infinity Hammer: Infinity Hammers are basically an AoE version of the Energy Sword. Brute Chieftains carry these into battle and will drop them once defeated. This weapon is very powerful if you use it properly - meaning in close quarters typically indoors. If you try to charge at a pack of enemies across a field - they're going to gun you down before you get there.

Energy Sword: The Energy Sword is a staple Halo weapon and the reason it's pretty much always God Tier is because it one shots 99% of targets. Unless the target has Invincibility active or is using an Overshield - an Energy Sword will kill it in one attack. All around great weapon and I can't recommend it enough. Best used against shielded targets, using it against Grunts and Jackals etc is kind of a waste.

Rocket Launcher: Rocket Launchers are very powerful in Halo and given to you at specific times through the Campaign. Normally when you're given a Rocket Launcher there will be extra ammo nearby too so keep this in mind for restocking. All in all, it's a very powerful weapon and even more powerful if you know the ammo spawns on each map.

Sniper Rifle: As usual, the Sniper Rifle makes God Tier due to how powerful it is and how frequently available ammo is for it. When playing through the ODST Campaign any time you're given this weapon there's normally ammo hidden around the area for you to find if you run out. Speaking about the power of this weapon, one shot to the head even if the target has full shields will be a one-shot (most of the time). There are certain "boss" targets like Infinity Hammer Brutes that will still take more than one hit. However, all normal targets will die in 1 shot to the face or 2 shots in total (one to the body removes shields and the second shot kills the target).

 

S Tier

Plasma Grenade: It's a grenade that sticks to your target, that's really all there is to it. This grenade does more or less the same amount of damage and has more or less the same splash radius as a normal Frag Grenade. I believe the only real difference with this grenade is that you can stick it to enemies and surfaces which gives you a bit more versatility.

Beam Rifle: A Beam Rifle is the Covenant version of a Sniper Rifle. It comes with a hefty amount of ammo if you get it at full capacity and the only downside to using it is overheating. Like all Covenant weapons, if you use it too much it'll overheat and that means you can't fire it as it cools. The solution to this is wait .5 - 1 sec between each shot and only do 3 shots at most in a cluster. Once you get the hang of how this works it'll be easy to use the Beam Rifle.

Covenant Carbine: Covenant Carbine is a long range single shot weapon which can take out an enemy in a single shot if they don't have a shield and it's a head shot. This weapon is strong in the hands of someone who is capable of precision shots and ammo is plentiful for it since it's a commonly used weapon by the Covenant. I recommend this if you're someone who likes the long range sniping sort of playstyle more.

Fuel Rod Cannon: The Fuel Rod Cannon is the Covenant Rocket Launcher and it's slightly different than the UNSC version. Instead of only 2 shots this weapon comes with 5 and it also has a smaller splash radius than the UNSC Rocket Launcher from my experience. Another difference between the two is the shots from a Fuel Rod Cannon can ricochet if you're shooting from a slight angle. This will take some getting used to but it's not a super big deal once you understand how it works. One of the main reasons I put this so high on the list is because getting ammo for it is very easy. Many different Covenant enemies use this weapon but Grunts are probably the most notable and common.

Spartan Laser: Spartan Lasers are a great weapon in the right hands and a mediocre weapon in the wrong hands. This weapon works mostly the same way a normal Rocket Launcher does except that when firing a beam it hits the target immediately after it shoots. Unlike a rocket which has to travel through the air first and gives your target a chance to avoid the hit. The only downside with a Spartan Laser is it takes a few seconds before you fire to charge up the shot; a skilled player can change this from a downside though into an upside. Plan your next shot and hide behind cover until you're a second away from firing - jump out of cover and slam your target with a red beam. This is how you correctly use this weapon. I would argue that this weapon is strongest against vehicles because they will have no time to dodge the incoming attack.

Plasma Pistol: Plasma Pistols are an extremely important weapon in the Halo Campaigns the higher up you go in difficulty. When playing on Legendary using a Plasma Pistol to take out an enemy's shield is the "meta" way to play. Once their shield is down all it takes is a single headshot to take them out with the right weapon. I'd argue that the lower you go in difficulty the less effective this weapon becomes. If you're playing on Normal there's no point to use this to drop their shield since it drops quick enough without it.

 

Covenant Carbines are an early version of the UNSC DMR Rifle which was added in Reach

 

 

A Tier

UNSC Pistol: The standard issue UNSC Pistol can either be a fantastic or totally useless weapon depending on who is using it. Hitting an enemy in the head with this weapon (if they have no shields) will result in a one-shot kill. More or less, this is all the weapon is good for. I strongly recommend you do not ever try taking an enemy out with this weapon outside of a headshot. It'll take forever and won't be worth it.

Machine Gun Turret (Detached): Detached Machine Gun Turrets make excellent on the go weapons for you. My advice is to leave them stationary until all of the enemies are defeated - then if you want to bring the turret with you detach it and carry it forward. There will be many turrets that you cross paths with throughout the game making this a rather common weapon for you if you're interested. My biggest advice to you is to run diagonally instead of in a straight line when you're carrying this turret. Your character will do a shuffle walk which is faster than a straight line.

Plasma Cannon Turret (Detached): Plasma Turrets are the Covenant version of a Machine Gun Turret. Like most energy based weapons this turret will deal less damage against flesh and more damage against shields. As usual, my advice to you when carrying this weapon is to walk diagonally since you'll move faster than going in a straight line.

Flamethrower: Flamethrowers are carried like turrets and start off detached automatically - there is no such thing as a mounted Flamethrower in this game. All in all this is a very powerful weapon and will turn most enemies to a crisp. I'd say that the biggest downside to using a Flamethrower is accidentally lighting yourself on fire. If you torch enemies that are too close to you or enemies that run towards you there's a chance you'll be lit on fire too. Much like with every other turret that you can carry, you'll run faster when you move diagonally than running in a straight line.

 

 

B Tier

Silenced SMG: The Silenced SMG is a weak weapon with bountiful ammo which is why I put it so high on the list. I would argue that finding ammo for this weapon during the Campaign is easier than any other weapon. Search around the corpses of other Marines that were fighting for ammo or in the many, many areas that have it spawned in by default.

Missile Pod Turret (Detached): A Missile Pod Turret is quite rare but when you do find one they make powerful weapons. In my opinion this weapon is best used against a vehicle but it can make quick work of normal enemies too when you hit them dead on. Ultimately, I would describe this weapon as a watered down Rocket Launcher. One piece of advice I can give you is to run diagonally when using this weapon to move faster than running in a straight line.

Incendiary Grenade: The Incendiary Grenade is not very common throughout the Campaign but is useful when you do find one. Essentially, these grenades create a small fire on the ground that lingers for a couple of seconds and any target hit by the grenade or that comes in contact with the fire will die. If you're hit by the grenade that's guaranteed death; If you accidentally step into the fire once the grenade goes boom that'll be a significant health loss.

Frag Grenade: Frag Grenades are the standard UNSC Grenade that you start with pretty much no matter what game mode you're playing. You throw it and it goes boom, not much else to say.

Needler: Needlers are actually a pretty decent weapon with readily available ammo since so many Covenant enemies carry it. This weapon has two unique features that make it impressive - the first of which is the bullets you fire with this weapon will track enemies to a slight extent. It's hard to explain but you'll see it in action with the weapon. Next up, if you hit the enemy with enough needles from this weapon they will explode. If the enemy is standing around other enemies they'll be caught in the explosion and you can score multiple kills this way.

 

 

C Tier

Brute Shot: Brute Shots are the Covenant grenade launcher in Halo and they are ok at best. In my opinion it takes too many hits with this weapon to take out any enemy and the push back with each hit that this weapon does is annoying to deal with too. There is only one scenario that I can actually recommend this weapon and that's when ammo is plentiful. You will have many parts throughout the game where you fight a lot of Brutes or where you can find this weapon available in the Covenant weapon supply stations.

Plasma Rifle: Plasma Rifles are a standard Covenant weapon that have been around since the first Halo game. There are actually two versions of this same weapon in Halo 3 ODST, one of them is a regular Plasma Rifle (purple in color) and the other is a Brute Plasma Rifle (red in color). Both of these weapons deal more damage against shields than when it's used against flesh. Many people consider the Brute Plasma Rifle to be the superior one because it comes with a faster fire rate, this also results in it overheating faster too though.

Spike Grenade: The Spike Grenade is the non-Plasma sticky grenade that is primarily dropped by Brutes. I don't really like this grenade when compared to the other ones, it has a very small blast radius and doesn't seem to kill an enemy unless you stick them with it. The one upside to this grenade is that it is very effective against vehicles.

UNSC Assault Rifle: Halo 3 ODST is the first Halo game where every Marine isn't using this weapon and you don't always start with this weapon. Other than this, the UNSC Assault Rifle is the same weapon it has always been. It's good for spray and pray purposes but otherwise it's not that great. For the most part in Halo 3 ODST the Silenced SMG replaces this weapon as the primary weapon you start with and that most Marines use.

 

 

Garbage Tier

Spiker: I think the Spiker is the worst weapon in most of the Halo games that it appears. The best way I can think to describe this weapon is it's a crappier version of a Needler. Unlike the Needler, your target won't explode if you hit them with enough spikes and the spikes also don't track the target like they do for the Needler. I can only recommend this weapon to people who are out of ammo for literally everything else.

UNSC Shotgun: This weapon used to be great in Halo 1 and 2 but it's gotten worse in pretty much every Halo since. Shotguns deal low damage against shielded targets - sometimes taking an entire mag to kill one enemy. Against enemies without shields, the Shotgun isn't too bad... but there are still better weapons for the job. I think the only situation I can really recommend this weapon is during Floodfight which is one of the Firefight modes. The main reason it works somewhat well in Floodfight is because the Flood don't have shields.

Brute Pistol Shotgun: My recommendation of the UNSC Shotgun wasn't very good so you can imagine that this one is going to be worse. It's basically the UNSC Shotgun just in pistol form and it sucks. The only time I can recommend using this weapon is against enemies without shields but even then there's always something better that you can be using.