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As part of our latest silver anniversary community topic, we asked fans on Discord to name their worthiest weapons from the Halo canon, be they blunt or sharp, ranged or personal, or endowed with spikes, radioactive needles, or good old-fashioned lead.

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Come armed with knowledge, because this 25-question trivia set is sure to test the caliber of any would-be arena champion.

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A good grouping of ranged standbys claimed the top spot (31%), with the trusty Battle Rifle earning high marks beside the DMR (its Halo: Reach analog) and the Covenant Carbine, its time-honored opponent from the Halo 2 sandbox.

The dependable Battle Rifle fires three-round bursts and boasts a long service history in defense of humanity’s colonies—not to mention its acclaim as a decisive ally on the proving grounds of the Halo Championship Series.

• Okudah: The BR! You can never go wrong with it; it’s like a man’s best friend. When you need it at the right time it’s there for you. A BR is all I need.
• HaloFanForLife1: The BR just feels like Halo. Precise, short bursts with heavy damage and headshots, FTW! Overall, it’s just the best weapon, IMHO.
• Ali A.: The Battle Rifle, especially Halo Infinite's rendition.
• Master Chef: The Battle Rifle is the pinnacle of gunplay. Gauss cannons are awesome too—the burst on the Battle Rifle is just too satisfying, though.
• Nearluigi: I'm a battle Rifle man myself, but specifically the Halo 3 one, and also the Energy Sword.
• Hern: BR for life!
• darthnam: BR55 the goat!
• MizuShinobi23: DMR! I like its sound so much.
• Mr Girthzilla: Halo 3 Carbine!
• destroyer 66: Covvie carbine <3
• ClearyMonkey: H2 Covenant Carbine, if you're rocking as an Elite.
• Davy Timns: I'll always love the satisfying feeling of the Covenant Carbine.
• Carbon Underpressure: Carbine FOR LIFE!

Art by spartan.cassius. (Source)

Barreling into second place (18%) came the standard-issue magnum, the quintessential weapon for a hero in need. Though they're not always kept loaded, Misriah Armory’s M6-series magnums pack sufficient wallop to repel boarders, throw a quick Grunt birthday party, and penetrate even the toughest worm-gestalt hides.

• warbrand2: The whole M6 series, not just from a gameplay but a lore perspective. The UNSC really went, “Okay, let’s just give our whole military DEAGLES because they will need that stopping power,” and only decided to get pistols meant to be sidearms after the war. I love the thought that the pistol was designed as a sidearm but due to its power was put into the place of a primary weapon for many and did that role well.
• RoadDogTV: The magnum is just like seeing an old friend again.
• master freak: The Halo: Combat Evolved magnum is legendary and nothing can compare. I beat the entire game using nothing but the magnum. It was difficult, but she’s trusty, and I still grieve her nerf in later installments.
• Kaizen: The magnum and sniper will always be my favorite weapons.
• Skytangoxx75: Magnum and Energy Sword are the most iconic weapons of Halo.

Art by artificialangel22. (Source)

Not far behind (and characteristically too close for comfort), the Energy Sword carved out a clean 16% of the popular vote to lunge its way to third place. This dual-edged Sangheili plasma blade separates the Blademasters from the smattered, with an artisanal lineage that predates the Covenant.

• Anilelator: Energy Sword easily. Sweetest lore out of any of the weapons.
• retro: It's obviously the Energy Sword.
• Wade_Weinhmann: Energy Sword for obvious reasons. While using it, I feel like a Jedi.
• John117: Energy sword, hands down! Most recognizable.
• nonono666nono: I love using the Energy Sword on 0%.

Art by B_does_stuff. (Source)

Beyond the top three choices, Halo fans shouted out a full complement of essential armaments, from spray-and-pray stalwarts like the MA5B Assault Rifle to precision instruments such as the Spartan Laser or Sticky Detonator.

Some folks thought a bit bigger (MAC, anyone?), while others asked hard questions (“What if the SAW and the Commando had a kid?”) or praised a rogue’s gallery of OP variants from the Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer sandbox.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t also mention a few “oddball” inclusions, like the M7057 Flamethrower from Halo: Combat Evolved’s PC edition, The Weapon (a.k.a. Joyeuse), Halo 2’s hidden Scarab Gun, or the deliciously ridiculous Mythic Sandwich.

• Moss: I love the Halo CE shotgun, but also dual-wielding SMGs in Halo 2 against the Flood is just amazing.
• Goober: The shotgun is my worthiest lady. She may kick like a mule, but she makes such a sweet sound.
• Den: Don't make me elaborate on why the shotgun beats them all.
• TekHardy: I’ve always loved the Shotgun in every iteration. Nothing beats killing aliens with a pump action shotgun.
• System 2.0: Can't go wrong with a rocket launcher!
• smashingdead#647: SPNKr, every game. Rocket launchers and bombs are great in Fiesta!
• TardisGal: The SPNKr! I love the satisfying turn of the rocket tubes and the sounds followed by a huge BOOM.
• EXMOK: Does the Shock Rifle count as a sniper rifle? I love me a good sniper rifle and anything adjacent!
• Cameron: I think the SMG is the classic Master Chief weapon.
• zany: M7S (silenced SMG) and M6C SOCOM.
• Mayhem: ODST SMG, my beloved.

Art by wulfeart. (Source)

• D77 Pelican: MA5B. From when I first stepped into that cafeteria, little-kid me would always freak out about the number gun. I was so glad to finally see props I could buy like BOOMco and Nerf, and now I finally got the Airsoft version.
• Ryan-09C#117: The holy bullet-hose MA5B. I will die on Reach again with an Assault Rifle in my hands! Or alternatively, the SAW.
• Late: The old reliable Assault Rifle.
• The Storm War: AR forever 🧡
• Waltuh White: The Assault Rifle is too iconic to not answer with. It's the weapon of the Master Chief.
• VONWOLF3NST3IN: Assault Rifle! It's a classic.
• LindonGremlin11: I've always had an attachment to the Assault Rifle.
• dead inside: You can never go wrong with the old reliable (or not) AR.
• S904 Jacob: Assault Rifle. MA40, MA37, MA5s, old faithful. DMR is the hunting rifle of Reach.
• TheColbinators: Sticky Detonator all the way!!
• kna52: I love the Sticky Detonator in Halo 4. It's so fun to use.
• Aegisfate: Let's get those Sticky Detonator numbers up!
• Spy: Sticky Detonator? Am I right?! Anyone?!? Alright… I’ll see myself out….
• NebulaPaladN: Grenade launcher—become one with the bounce.
• GILBERT BAREN: The grenade launcher from Halo: Reach.
• Max: Grenade Launcher is the goat! Loved it in Reach and Halo 5, has such fun utility and always satisfying to get a good bounce into a cluster of enemies.

Art by Solar_Elemental. (Source)

• gurshly: Halo Infinite's Gravity Hammer always felt so satisfying.
• AJH: The Gravity Hammer is the most fun to use across all games, IMO.
• SenkajoRole: All rise in the glory of the Needler Rifle.
• Mr Man: I like the Needle Rifle.
• Spartan Fred: Sulok-pattern Beam Rifle.
• c4nn0nh0und: Focus Rifle. Y’all can fight me.
• VimMan: Design and weapon mechanics alone? Needler, hands down.
• ShinAlex: What a great and complicated question! My favorite ones are the Assault Rifle, Plasma Rife, Brute Plasma Rifle, the Spiker, the Needle Rifle, the Needler, Plasma Pistol, Brute Shot, Sniper Rifle from the Covenant, and Grenade Launcher.
• cybercommando317: My favorite normal weapon is probably the Fuel Rod Gun, but my favorite weapons in all of Halo gotta be some of the weapon variants that Halo 5 had, like the Blood of Suban, the Answer, the Halo 2 Beam Rifle Delta, etc.
• Yozeph: Needle Rifle, DMR/Bandit, Storm Rifle—gimme those semi-autos, baby!
• John Entrenched: Sticky Detonator makes me feel smart whenever I play Halo 4 in MCC, but my heart in Infinite belongs to the Fuel Rod SPNKr.
• Unidus: The green gun (Plasma Pistol)! It is your number one friend for Legendary runs!
• Stev: Plasma Rifle needs to make a return!
• He11Nino: Dual-wielding Maulers. I was a surgeon with those in H3.
• Senabunn: Brute Shot!! Who doesn't love a grenade launcher with a huge blade on it? It's like some sort of "knifle."
• Knight04291: The Brute Shot or the Carbine. If I had to choose one it's the Carbine.
• Spartan 623 ☈: I like the Brute Shot! It just gets everything done in a matter of seconds, and it's also fun to blow up friends with in co-op campaign.
• Msandman86: The Brute Shot has to be the best weapon in the OG Halo trilogy.
• FlyingGrayson317: Fuel rod gun/cannon, my beloved.
• Partan5852: I think it’s the Needler because, yeah, you can kill like a monster, but the ammo runs out so fast and normally, on original Halo: CE, it was normal to fail some shots, mostly with Elites because they dodge. In multiplayer it’s good.
• Olympic: Brute Plasma Rifle. Fast-firing, high-damage gun that basically anyone can use! Given they know how to use a weapon at all… And it’s red.

Art by JackieHernndez6. (Source)

• Punished "Venom" Corgiboi: I remember being an absolute demon with Kelly’s shotgun (Oathsworn) in Halo 5's multiplayer.
• master chief clone 8763: I voted for the BR/DMR but I do have to give my love to the Answer and Nornfang.
• TheBeliever2: Mutilator. It's a double barrel with a gravity hammer. What's not to love?
• vitamin deviancy: Ngl I like the Rain of Oblivion. Blaze of Glory is great, too.
• Dutch: How has no one mentioned my beloved Stanchion?
• staynthepocket: I'm a sucker for H5's variants. Shout out to Linda's Nornfang and Allen "THE ANSWER" Iverson
• Spinning: There's is only one valid worthy weapon: the Weapon, Joyeuse.
• Ru: The Whispered Truth was so good, man. I missed that.
• Jtflorencio6: BloodBlade and GhostPierce ❤️🖤
• TingusPingus: The SAW! So fun to use, and her variants in H5 are just lovely.
• KamodoMurigu: The flamethrower is so good in CE.
• Bank: The flamethrower—because who doesn't love the smell of napalm in the morning? And what if the SAW and Commando had a kid?
• Jyrvz: Nah, what happened to the sniper fans!?
• Arcanum Order: The 14D4A1 Magnetic Accelerator Cannon, of course.
• GohST: I loved the railgun.
• Cheesewizard: I like how the Commando sounds, and after the rework it became a formidable gun. I like it in Firefight because it has steady damage overall.
• Azuli: The Spartan Laser just gives me immense satisfaction—in audio, appearance, and power. Low-key, I hope they bring back useable Hunter cannons one day.
• Onyx one: The Spartan Laser because it looks cool.
• Aegidan: Y'all really forgetting the turret?
• The Sloth: Voted “other,” because personally I'm a big fan of the Sidekick. Just feels incredibly good to use, especially in multiplayer.

No matter what Halo weapon you take to war, it’s safe to say you’re not alone in extolling its many blammable, slammable virtues.

Thanks to everyone who participated in this month’s chat! Stay tuned for a new Discord poll on the next community topic, “Legends and Lore,” covering everything from favorite Halo novels and strictly canon cartoons, to extended universes such as Red vs. Blue and the Halo television series.

Don’t forget to bookmark the Silver Anniversary Community Hub for all the latest updates from our 25th anniversary celebration.

We’ve been floored by the overwhelming response to our anniversary testimonial series. Since we still have countless fan stories to share in future installments of Your Halo Story, we’ve decided to close the submissions portal on August 18, 2026—but we’ll continue celebrating Halo’s iconic legacy with new video quizzes and community polls on Discord!

Whether you’re a battle-hardened Spartan or a Halo rookie, we hope you’ll join the fun by sharing your Halo story through our official submission form, on social media using hashtag #Halo25Together, in our official Discord server, or on r/Halo with the #Halo25Together tag.