All Skulls and LASO Playlists in Halo: The Master Chief Collection

mcc-skulls

In the latest Halo Bulletin, Halo Waypoint details all of the available skulls in the Master Chief collection, what games they are present in and what skulls are active for the LASO playlists for each campaign.  All 37 skulls are divided up into two categories: Scoring (gold) and Non-scoring (silver) skulls.  Scoring skulls add a difficulty multiplier to game scoring and makes things more challenging for players, while non-scoring or zero multiplier skulls either have a neutral effect or help the player.  Zero multiplier skulls disable achievements and leaderboard scoring and times.  All skulls are unlocked with the exception of the pre-order skulls which globally unlock December 12th.  Here is the full list of skulls:

  • Anger – Enemies fire their weapons faster and more frequently.
    • Halo 2: Anniversary
  • Assassins – All enemies in the game are permanently cloaked.
    • Halo 2: Anniversary
  • Bandanna* – Infinite Ammo.
    • Halo CE: Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary
  • Black Eye – Your shields only recharge when you melee enemies. Bash your way to better health!
    • Halo CE: Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 4
  • Blind – HUD and weapon do not display onscreen.
    • Halo 2 Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 4
  • Bonded Pair* – Co-op skull: When one player dies, the other player gets a large damage boost that lasts a while.
    • Halo 2: Anniversary
  • Boom* – Explosions have twice the damage radius. Light fuse, run away.
    • Halo CE: Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary
  • Catch – Enemies throw and drop more grenades.
    • Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 4
  • Cowbell – Acceleration from explosions is increased.
    • Halo 3, Halo 4
  • Envy – Chief trades his flashlight for Active Camo.
    • Halo 2: Anniversary
  • Eye Patch – Auto aim features disabled for all weapons. You’ll miss it when it’s gone.
    • Halo CE: Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary
  • Famine – Weapons dropped by AI have half the ammo they normally would. You might want to pack an extra magazine.
    • Halo CE: Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 4
  • Feather* – Player and enemy melee strikes impart more movement physics.
    • Halo 2: Anniversary
  • Fog – The motion tracker is disabled. You’ll miss those eyes in the back of your head.
    • Halo CE: Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 4
  • Foreign – Covenant weapons: How do they work? Players cannot pick up or use Covenant weapons.
    • Halo CE: Anniversary
  • Ghost – AI no longer flinch from attacks.
    • Halo 2: Anniversary
  • Grunt Birthday Party – Grunt headshots lead to glorious celebrations.
    • Halo CE: Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 4
  • Grunt Funeral* – Grunts die in a blaze of glory. And plasma.
    • Halo CE: Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary
  • Iron – Death carries a heavy price. Dying in co-op resets you at your last saved checkpoint. Dying solo restarts the level.
    • Halo CE: Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 4
  • IWHBYD – Rare combat dialogue becomes more common.
    • Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 4
  • Jacked – Players can only enter ground vehicles by boarding.
    • Halo 2: Anniversary
  • Malfunction – Every time you respawn, a random element of your HUD is disabled.
    • Halo CE: Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary
  • Masterblaster –  Co-op skull: One player’s shields recharge to overshield level and can only melee while the second player has no shields but infinite ammo. Roles switch after a number of enemy kills.
    • Halo 2: Anniversary
  • Mythic – Enemies have increased health.
    • Halo CE: Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 4
  • Piñata* – Punching enemies makes them drop grenades. Beat them ’til candy comes out!
    • Halo CE: Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary
  • Prophet Birthday Party – Punch that Prophet up to 11.
    • Halo 2: Anniversary
  • Recession – Every shot is worth twice the ammo. Save those bullets, playa.
    • Halo CE: Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary
  • Scarab – All player-held weapons fire Scarab Gun beams.
    • Halo 2: Anniversary
  • SO…ANGRY… – Enraged Brutes explode like a frag grenade if not dispatched within seconds. Base Brute score values are increased.
    • Halo 2: Anniversary
  • Sputnik – Mass of objects is decreased, making them more easily displaced.
    • Halo 2: Anniversary
  • Streaking – Player shields constantly decay at a slow pace but recharge some with every enemy kill.
    • Halo 2: Anniversary
  • Swarm – Hunters are much stronger. Base Hunter score values are increased.
    • Halo 2: Anniversary
  • That’s Just… Wrong – Increases enemy awareness of player.
    • Halo 2: Anniversary
  • They Come Back – Flood Combat Forms spawned by Infection Forms reanimating a corpse are much more dangerous. Flood Combat Form score values are increased.
    • Halo 2: Anniversary
  • Thunderstorm – Upgrades the rank of most enemies.
    • Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 4
  • Tilt – Enemy resistances and weaknesses are increased.
    • Halo 3, Halo 4
  • Tough Luck – Enemies always go berserk, always dive out of the way, never flee.
    • Halo 3, Halo 4

laso-playlist

Here are the skulls active per LASO playlist:

Halo CE: Anniversary

Black Eye, Boom, Fog, Eye Patch, Foreign, Famine, Malfunction, Recession

Halo 2: Anniversary

Anger, Assassins, Black Eye, Blind, Boom, Catch, Fog, Eye Patch, Famine, Iron, Jacked, Malfunction, Masterblaster, Mythic, Recession, SO…ANGRY…, Streaking, That’s Just…Wrong, They Come Back, Thunderstorm

Halo 3

Black Eye, Blind, Catch, Cowbell, Famine, Fog, Grunt Birthday Party, Iron, IWHBYD, Mythic, Thunderstorm, Tilt, Tough Luck

Halo 4

Black Eye, Blind, Catch, Fog, Cowbell, Famine, Iron, Mythic, Thunderstorm, Tilt, Tough Luck

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The Ultimate Halo Wireless ASTRO Headset

Halo Astro A50

Anyone who has been around the Halo scene for a long time know that gaming headsets are important if you plan to play competitively or just want the best experience possible when playing.  ASTRO headsets have been a staple for competitive Halo gamers and working with 343 Industries have come out with a Halo Edition A50 Wireless Headset.  Both the headset and mixamp are green/gold themed and can be pre-ordered right now for release on November 17th for 300USD retail.

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Halo: The Master Chief Collection Matchmaking Playlist Update

TMCC-UI-Multiplayer-Ranking-Pick-A-Fight

There’s been some updates to the day-one matchmaking playlists for The Master Chief Collection.  Right now, a dedicated Halo: Combat Evolved playlist is on hold as 343 continues to work out a few network issues, but it will be available in Team Slayer and Big Team Battle.  From community feedback, when the playlist does launch, it will be 2v2.  Team Hardcore will also start with Halo 2 Classic first, but Halo 3 will be integrated into the playlist at a later date.  Here’s the lineup as you’ll see it when you play The Master Chief Collection for the first time:

Team Slayer

Eliminate the enemy team across four Halo games: Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3, and Halo 2: Anniversary. Nothing but Team Slayer, 24/7. 4v4.

Game Types: Halo: CE Team Slayer, H2 Team Slayer, H2 Team BR, H2A Team Slayer, H2A Team Slayer BR, H3 Team Slayer, H3 Team Slayer BR

Maps: Battle Creek, Damnation, Rat Race, Prisoner, Hang ‘em High, Chill Out, Derelict, Wizard, Lockout, Ascension, Midship, Ivory Tower, Beaver Creek, Colossus, Zanzibar, Foundation, Warlock, Sanctuary, Turf, Elongation, Gemini, Warlord, Lockdown, Zenith, Shrine, Stonetown, Bloodline, Assembly, Citadel, Construct, Ghost Town, Snowbound, Heretic, High Ground, Isolation, Last Resort, Narrows, Orbital, The Pit, Standoff, Guardian

Halo Championship Series

The official Halo eSports playlist, featuring the Halo 2: Anniversary Halo Championship Series rule set. 4v4.

Game Types: HCS Team Slayer, HCS Neutral Bomb Assault, HCS 3 Flag CTF, HCS 5 Flag CTF, HCS Team Crazy King

Maps: Shrine, Lockdown, Warlord

Team Halo 2: Anniversary

Play a mix of Team Slayer and objective game types on re-mastered maps. 4v4.

Game Types: Team Slayer, Team Slayer BR, CTF BR, Oddball BR, Territories BR, 1 Flag CTF BR, Multi-Bomb Assault BR, Neutral Bomb Assault BR, Ricochet BR, 1 Bomb Assault BR

Maps: Warlord, Lockdown, Zenith, Shrine, Stonetown, Bloodline

Big Team Battle

Battle it out in 16-player warfare with vehicles across Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 4, and Halo 2: Anniversary. 8v8.

Game Types: Halo: CE Team Slayer, Halo: CE CTF, Halo: CE Team King, H2 BTB Team Slayer, H2 1 Flag CTF, H2 1 Bomb Assault, H2 Multi-Flag CTF, H2 Crazy King, H2 Muti-Bomb, H2A BTB Team Slayer, H2A Team BR, H2A 1 Flag CTF BR, H2A 1 Bomb Assault BR, H2A Crazy King BR, H2A 3 Plots BR, H2A Gungoose CTF, H3 BTB Team Slayer, H3 Multi-Flag CTF, H3 Multi-Bomb, H3 1 Flag CTF, H3 1 Bomb Assault, H3 Territories, H3 Team Crazy King, H4 BTB Slayer Pro, H4 CTF

Maps: Sidewinder, Hang ‘em High, Blood Gulch, Ice Fields, Death Island, Danger Canyon, Infinity, Timberland, Gephyrophobia, Burial Mounds, Zanzibar, Coagulation, Headlong, Waterworks, Containment, Relic, Terminal, District, Uplift, Stonetown, Bloodline, Avalanche, Last Resort, Longshore, Rat’s Nest, Sandtrap, Standoff, Valhalla, Wreckage, Harvest, Shatter, Vertigo

(H2A) Rumble Pit

Challenge seven other opponents on re-mastered maps. This is your fight and yours alone. 8-player Free-For-All.

Game Types: H2A Slayer, H2A Slayer BR, H2A Crazy King, H2A Juggernaut, H2A Oddball

Maps: Warlord, Lockdown, Zenith, Shrine

*Note: As previously announced, the Rumble Pit Playlist will focus on Halo 2: Anniversary at launch, and integrate / move to additional games post-launch.

Halo 2 Classic

It’s back. A mix of the most popular Team Slayer and objective game types from the original Halo 2. 4v4.

Game Types: Team Slayer, Team Slayer BR, 1 Flag CTF BR, Crazy King, Team Ball BR, Neutral Bomb, Multi-Fag CTF, Multi-Flag CTF BR, Team Snipers, 1 Bomb Assault, 1 Bomb Assault BR, Multi-Bomb BR, 3 Plots BR

Maps: Lockout, Ascension, Midship, Ivory Tower, Beaver Creek, Elongation, Colossus, Gemini, Zanzibar, Foundation, Warlock, Sanctuary, Turf

Halo 3

A selection of fan-favorite Team Slayer and objective game types from Halo 3. 4v4.

Game Types: Team Slayer, Team Slayer BR, Multi-Flag CTF, Multi-Bomb, Team Crazy King, Team Ball, Multi-Flag CTF, 1 Flag CTF, 1 Bomb Assault, Territories, Neutral Bomb

Maps: The Pit, Construct, Heretic, Assembly, Blackout, Citadel, Cold Storage, Ghost Town, Guardian, High Ground, Isolation, Last Resort, Narrows, Orbital, Standoff

Halo 4

A mix of Team Slayer and objective game types from Halo 4, on a selection of small to medium-sized maps. 5v5.

Game Types: Team Slayer, Legendary Slayer BR, Team Crazy King, Team Ball, Extraction, CTF

Maps: Haven, Adrift, Abandon, Solace, Monolith, Landfall, Skyline, Pitfall, Vertigo

Team Hardcore

A collection of tournament-approved game types from Halo 2 and Halo 3. The Battle Rifle is your primary weapon. 4v4.

Game Types: H2 Hardcore Team Slayer, H2 Hardcore Team Ball, H2 Hardcore CTF MidWar, H2 Hardcore Assault, H2 Hardcore CTF Sanctuary

Maps: Lockout, Midship, Sanctuary, Warlock, Beaver Creek

SWAT (Rotational)

Aim for the head! A collection of SWAT game types on our favorite maps from Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 4, and Halo 2: Anniversary. Players have no shields and are equipped with rifles. 4v4.

Game Types: H2 Team SWAT, H2A Team SWAT, H3 Team SWAT, H4 Team SWAT, plus a sampling of SWAT Objective game types from each game, including CTF and Crazy King

Maps: Lockout, Ascension, Midship, Ivory Tower, Beaver Creek, Colossus, Warlock, Sanctuary, Turf, Elongation, Gemini, Zenith, Lockdown, Warlord, Shrine, Adrift, Haven, Landfall, Monolith, Skyline, Pitfall, Vertigo

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Halo Championship Series Registration Now Open!

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Many of us undoubtedly watched this weekend’s Halo: The Master Chief Collection Launch Invitational and see Believe the Hype take the first place prize for the tournament.  With the invitational over, now it’s time for the Halo Championship Series to start kicking things off and right now, registration is open and free over on ESL.  There are currently three pre-seasonal, online cups you can register for that are 4v4 taking place on the next three Sundays.  In additional to the online cups, 343 is partnering with other tournament organizers to officially sanction tournaments that will allow teams and players to earn HCS points for the league.  The first officially sanctioned event will be the Iron Games Columbus LAN event hosted by Iron Gaming December 12th-14th in Columbus, Ohio; the second being the Halo 2 Anniversary 10K tournament hosted by UGC January 2nd-4th in St. Louis, Missouri.  All officially sanctioned HCS events will be played on Halo 2 Anniversary, and while official rules will be coming soon, here’s some more details 343 Industries and ESL have released on the league in addition to last week’s announcement:

  • The official game of the Halo Championship Series is Halo 2: Anniversary.
  • HCS LAN event point allocations will be broken down into tiers based on total prize pool and bracket size. For example, a tournament with a $5,000 prize pool will award less points than a tournament with a $25,000 prize pool.
  • Several established tournament organizers are already on board, and will be announcing their events shortly. In the coming weeks, additional tournament organizers will be able to apply to become an official HCS sanctioned partner.
  • In addition to awarding official HCS points, 343 Industries and Twitch look forward to working with and supporting tournament organizers in a variety of ways to ensure the best experience possible for players and fans alike. This includes, but is not limited to financial support, tech support, promotional support, talent and production support, and more.

Discuss in our forums!

 

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Podtacular 450: Halo eSports is Alive

Finishing the rest of our IGN First coverage of the Master Chief Collection, we have quite a bit of information that came out and it seems like they saved the best for last.  We already had a podcast talking exclusively about Forge for The Master Chief Collection so for this episode, we’re covering the rest of the news.  We had the Cinematic Trailer from Blur, the game launch trailer, Remaking the Legend released and the Halo Championship Series announced, among other things.  With the Halo: The Master Chief Collection Launch Invitational, we have our resident competitive expert JakFire on to discuss the teams competing in the tournament and develop our own bracket.  It’s a good time to be a Halo fan.

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Project Triforce Producing Life Sized Plasma Rifle Replicas

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Project Triforce has just announced their Halo 2 Anniversary full-scale Plasma Rifle replicas.  Prop creators have successfully re-created some of the iconic Halo weapons in the past, but now you can get a fully licensed Plasma Rifle or Brute Plasma Rifle if you’ve got the money for it.  Both of the replicas are available for pre-order right now with a 25% non-refundable reserve deposit with the Plasma Rifle retailing at 600USD and the Brute Plasma Rifle retailing at 650USD.  Both replicas measure 24.5″ and weigh in at 15lbs featuring working LED effects.  If you’re considering getting these at all, now’s the time to reserve them as there will only be 500 of the Plasma Rifle and only 150 of the Brute Plasma Rifle crafted.

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Podtacular 449: Forgecastular

Probably the biggest news that graced our eyeballs this past month from IGN was Halo 2 Anniversary’s Forge.  It is undoubtedly the best Forge editor we’ve seen in any Halo title.  From three completely blank canvas maps, to all new terrain pieces and building blocks, to scriptable switches, this includes the things many Forgers wanted and even more things that the whole Halo community will benefit from.  Since the news was so big, we had to get some help to cover all of it.  We teamed up with the folks at The Forgecast to help us break down everything we saw in the video.  The Forgecast hosts include pete the duck, Psychoduck, NOKYARD, and Ducain23.

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