Halo 5 Mythic Difficulty Guide

Halo 5 Mythic (LASO) Walkthrough by MythicTyrant

Halo 5 Mythic Difficulty Guide

Days Gone By

Here we are celebrating 10 YEARS of Mythic Difficulty in the Halo franchise! Thank you all for the amazing support you've given me for the past decade. It certainly has been one hell of a ride.

So then, hey there! And welcome to my Halo 5 Mythic Difficulty Walkthrough! For those scratching their heads, Mythic refers to playing a Halo campaign on Legendary with ALL SKULLS ON with no saves or deaths for each mission as well as scoring applied (in games that apply. Batteries sold separate). And if you saw that coveted LASO emblem on another player's profile and are gunning to achieve it yourself, then congratulations! You came to the right place!

Before I get too far into this, I need to take a second to thank the members of both the Halo Mythic Community as well as the Halo Speedrunning Community for assisting me in forging tactics for this walkthrough. Without them, I would have replaced my TV, controller, and Xbox many times at this point.

In terms of Halo 5 Mythic itself, I won't lie, there are pros and cons in which we've never encountered before in a Halo game; both in terms of rewards and setbacks. Halo 5 is a significantly different chapter in the Halo saga both in terms of narrative as well as gameplay. So, even if you managed mastered Mythic on previous installments, throw all of your old knowledge out the window, because things are about to get crazy!

So, what has changed anyway? Turns out, quite a bit actually! Right off the bat you'll find yourself venturing off with an entire team of Spartans. In a surprise attempt at trying to transform Halo into Ghost Recon, your fellow squad mates can be given various commands including being sent to specified locations, picking up certain weapons, and targeting specific enemies. But perhaps the cream of the crop here is having the option to have your buddies revive you when your suit goes into "armor lock". That's right! Now, once you're shields and health reach zero, you're merely down but not out. Of course, there are a few exceptions to this, such as getting stuck by plasma grenade or shot in the face by a heavy weapon like the Fuel Rod Cannon or Incineration Cannon.

And while many of the enemies and weapons have been heavily evolved since the previous installment, perhaps the most noteworthy change has been the tossing out of those horrific Armor Abilities from from Halo: Reach and Halo 4, and the addition of the more universal and consistent Spartan Abilities. Say what you will enhanced mobility versus classic, but I'll take consistency over chaos any day! You have a range of new abilities to toy around with here from infinite sprint, smart scope, hover, clamber, Spartan charge, and ground pound. All will play key elements to your success throughout your Mythic journey, and I'll go more into detail later in the guide.

However, with great power comes great responsibility. No, wait. That's "Spider-Man". What I meant to say was, with new powers comes over-powered legions of enemies! Yes, that's what I meant to say. All of your cool new friends and gadgets come at a cost. Enemies are now far more numerous on the battlefield and can shoot from far greater distances. Many of these weapons have homing capabilities, and if that wasn't enough, now grenade-wielding foes can now chuck grenades at breakneck speed with perfect precision. Remember earlier when I told you that getting stuck was an insta-kill? Yeah... you'll be feeling that one a lot...

This makes your so-called strong Spartan allies being demoted down to simple decoys while you cower in a corner slowly picking off your enemies one by one so you can advance to the next area. In fact, you're going to be spending quite a bit of time babysitting your allies so that not only can they prevent you from being killed, but also so that they don't actually get you killed. Yes, at times your good ol' Spartan buddies can be more of a nuisance than a necessity, and they're "wit" can make Kat from Reach look downright competent at Warthog driving!

Alright, we've talked about some of the major changes that have taken place in general, so now let's break things down into a little more detail...

Skullpocalypse

One obvious keynote regarding Mythic is that it involves playing the game on Legendary with all 13 skulls activated in the main menu (as well as scoring enabled in games that apply). This time around, however, 343 decided to pull the ol' switcharoo on us! That's right. Instead of having the skulls available to you right from the get-go, you'll have to hunt them all down throughout the campaign one by one. Don't worry. I have a handy guide that will walk you through it. So, how do each of these skulls effect the game once activated? Let's examine...

Iron - Checkpoints no longer exist. And in in Halo 5, that also means the old "Save & Quit" trick doesn't work either. You'll have to make it through the mission from start to finish without dying at all. Many Mythic completionists consider THIS to be the true heart and challenge of Mythic Difficulty.

Blind - HUD, weapon, and arms are removed from your view, though you can still look down at your feet (which can come in handy if you're not sure whether or not you have shields). For many Mythicers out there, this skull is the bane of their existence. Not because you have to shoot from the hip, but rather because with your arms and weapon also being removed from the picture, the immersion of the game is completely shattered. But if you need a point of reference as to WHERE to aim your weapon, unlike in previous installments, this time around it's directly in the center of your screen.

Black Eye - Shields (with the exception of the Mantis) no longer recharge automatically. Worse, they can be taken down by as little as two to three hits from a LIGHT enemy weapon, so expect your shields to be down most of the time. The only way to recharge them is by successfully meleeing an enemy. That's right. Not even your buddies can recharge your shields. Your health bar, however, will recharge normally.

Catch - Enemies will now through grenades more often. While this skull seems to have been toned down compared to previous installments, it's worth noting that enemies who do throw grenades (including Grunts, Elites, and Soldiers) now throw with far greater speed and accuracy, making your once harmless Grunt now a threat to be reckoned with. And while a stick from a plasma grenade will kill you instantly, your allies can usually withstand one direct stick.

Tough Luck - Enemies are now more likely to dodge your shots and grenade tosses and fire from heavy weapons. Even splattering enemies with vehicles is now more challenging.

Mythic - Enemy health is now doubled. In previous installments, the health multiplier also seemed to apply to the player as well, but this time around, that feature seems to have been nixed. Your allies, though, definitely appear to be more resilient to enemy fire.

Tilt - Damage modifiers for enemies are altered. Ballistics are now nearly useless against energy shields (stick with plasma weaponry), and anything that isn't a Promethean weapon becomes rather pointless to use in most scenarios involving Prometheans.

Thunderstorm - Enemy ranks have now been raised a notch. This, however, is mainly only noticeable with Elites, as most Elites that aren't Rangers or Special Ops will now be promoted to the gold-plated Warrior class. While ranks with other foes are also raised, it won't effect the way you engage them in combat quite as steeply.

Famine - Weapons you gather from fallen foes will now only contain half the normal amount of ammo. This won't effect crates, however, and in certain missions you can even find "Infinite Ammo Crates" that will endlessly refill your ammo supply for certain weapons.

Cloud - Radar has now been eliminated from your HUD, but with Blind already removing your entire HUD, who really cares...

Cowbell - Physics for explosions have now been increased. This can be particularly useful for grenade jumps as well as propelling your enemies off of platforms.

IWHBYD - This fun little skull doesn't have any real effect on actual gameplay, but it does make rare dialogue more common for both friend and foe alike!

Grunt Birthday Party - Every time you shoot a Grunt in the head, you get to blow out your candles and make a wish!

Keep Your Friends Close

With Halo 5 tossing out the array of Armor Abilities from the previous installments, we've been given an entirely new array of abilities and features to use that will remain universal from start to finish. Even if you're not a fan of the enhanced mobility concept, at the very least we have a very consistent and reliable pallet of tools at our disposal.

Sprint - Sprint is now unlimited. You can use it as long as you like even while taking hits from enemies!

Slide - While sprinting, you can press the crouch button to perform a slick and speedy sliding action which also gives a slight boost to your speed.

Dash - With a quick press of a button, you can now do a quick dash in any direction to help you avoid both enemy fire and grenades. It can also give you a slight speed boost while you're sprinting.

Smart Scope - This feature allows you to either zoom or better align your weapons via the "aiming down sites" mechanic. It's something we've seen before in numerous other shooters, but this is the first time it's been introduced into the Halo franchise. This will allow you to more accurately fire even weaker weapons from greater distances, but be warned. You're enemies can do the same thing.

Stabilize - While you're in mid-air, if you hit the zoom button, you'll now be able to hover for a short time which can be quite useful when it comes to no longer needing to constantly jump in and out of cover to target and re-target your enemies.

Clamber - This passive ability is essentially the game's version of accident forgiveness as you can now grab on to and climb up on ledges that in previous games may have been too far or too high. It's also worth noting here that if you combine Sprint + Slide + Dash + Stabilize + Clamber you can sail across otherwise seemingly impossible gaps!

Spartan Charge - While sprinting, you can tap the melee button to perform a destructive charge at both opponents and breakable barriers. This can become quite a useful tool when recharging your depleted shields as well as finding hidden shortcuts within the missions themselves.

Ground Pound - Basically a more fun way of say "controlled descent". You can use this while in mid-air to place a precise landing zone target that's far below you and/or make a devastating drop on a few unsuspecting enemies.

Squad System - While this may not technically be an ability, it is an important feature that you're going to need to learn to both utilize and master if you want to get through the entire campaign on Mythic in one piece. Regardless of whether you're playing as Osiris or Blue Team, you'll be paired with three additional Spartans who all have the same abilities as you, and you'll all start off every mission with the same set of weapons assigned to your team. You can issue a variety of commands to your squad mates as well. This includes sending them to a certain location (although note that this will only be temporary as they will eventually start doing their own thing again), picking up specific weapons from the battlefield which will have infinite ammo for your allies (also worth noting here that they may switch to their default weapons in certain situations), and attacking specific enemies and targets. In addition to all of that, when you or one of your teammates health and shields are depleted from enemy fire, you can call them over to revive you, you can revive them, or they can revive each other. However, I've noticed that quite often if you're at a higher elevation, they tend to not respond to your call for help. And it also needs to be mentioned that your allies won't always follow your commands. This is mostly likely a glitch in the game but tends to be more prominent in some areas of the game more than others. I'll cover this further in the guide.

But Keep Your Enemies Closer

While the Covenant has only received a few minor changes and upgrades since Halo 4, the Prometheans have undergone a rather hefty transformation. Let's dig a little deeper to find out more.

Grunts - Your basic cannon fodder for the Covenant. They usually show up in groups and can easily be dealt with via dome shot from any precision weapon. And while they normally carry Plasma Pistols and Needlers, they will occasionally sport of a Fuel Rod Cannon instead. Their two most notable upgrades this time include the ability to jet pack boost up to higher ledges as well as a much more effective ability to throw and successfully land Plasma Grenade sticks.

Jackals - The basic support unit for the Covenant. The average Jackal will sport a rounded energy shield while also carrying either a Plasma Pistol or Needler. However the introduction of Storm Jackals now enables shieldless variants to not only wield the automatic Storm Rifle, but this also gives them a higher tendency to show up in groups. Jackal Rangers can be significantly more menacing with their Carbines making any shieldless Spartan an easy target. But perhaps the gold metal for sheer anguish should go to the almighty Jackal Sniper who's back and more infuriating than ever. It's been a while since we've seen these guys be able to take out a Spartan with a single shot with near supernatural speed and precision. At least they still prefer to wear the lighted scope on their heads, signally when one is looking directly at you.

Elites - The leader units that break you and the backbone of the Covenant. You'll usually see at least a few of these menacing units leading a squad of Covenant carrying a variety of weapons ranging from the Storm Rifle all the way up to the Fuel Rod Cannon. The most basic type you encounter are the Rangers. Dawning white-ish armor, their shields are light in comparison to the higher ranks, but their ability to thruster boost gives them the ability to gain the high ground quickly. Special Ops Elites have the ability to camouflage themselves and sneak up on unsuspecting players with their powerful Energy Swords. These types of Elites are relentless and will pursue you across large stretches of terrain, all the while chucking Plasma Grenades at you from afar. However, the gold-plated Warrior class Elites are the truest threat of them all. Strong energy shielding makes them extremely resilient to even heavy weaponry and grenades. A coordinated effort between you and your teammates is often needed in order to get the jump on them. And lastly there are two additional ranks, both Storm Elites and Commander Elites, that while exist in the game, they rarely (if ever) make an appearance on Mythic and are not much harder than Rangers when it comes to dealing with them.

Hunters - The tank units you do everything you can to avoid. They're back and stronger and more agile then ever. Thanks to a major upgrade in terms of speed and reflexes, the typical Hunter dance that worked in previous installments is no longer a truly valid option when dealing with these hulking monstrosities. Though they are susceptible to back smacks from the Energy Sword, they can quickly turn around in flash for a strikingly quick and lethal melee attack. On top of that, their infamous Fuel Rod Cannons have also received an upgrade. Now they have two firing modes. The first is the standard earth-shattering fuel rod round, but the second is a player-tracking automatic weapon. The latter can prove to be much more devastating given that a single burst can be enough to bring down even a fully shielded Spartan. My advice here would be to load up your teammates with heavy weaponry and let them do most of the leg work. Fortunately, the times where you're forced to contend with these creatures are both few and far between.

Crawlers - Think of them as Promethean Grunts. Downgraded from their wall-crawling swarm status, Crawlers have been reduced to simple cannon fodder on the battlefield. Though definitely quicker than Grunts, they can still be easily destroyed via any precision or Promethean-based weapon. Nowadays, their own weapons only consist of Suppressors and Bolt Shots, but with the upgrades those two weapons have received this time around, you'll want to keep cover close by.

Soldiers - The Prometheans finally have a medium unit! Too strong to be compared to a Jackal but not strong enough to be compared to an Elite, these guys can quickly become battlefield deal breakers. Like all other Prometheans, they have the ability to magically warp in from the abyss, but unlike the others, they also have the ability to phase-teleport at will around the map, making it frustrating difficult to land those perfect headshots, and the Splinter Grenades they throw with deadly pinpoint accuracy are quick to turn vehicles into paperweights. And much like the Flood from Halo 2, they can also operate both UNSC weapons and vehicles. The most basic Soldier unit can usually switch back and forth between a Light Rifle (for distance) and a Suppressor (for medium to close range combat). The Captain grade units sport much larger headgear and typically wield Scattershots while also occasionally toting around a detached Splinter Turret. The snipers, however, prove to be the real threat. While they can easily be seen via the red glare emitting from their Binary Rifles, it only takes one concentrated burst of energy to transform a Spartan into dust. With all Soldier units, aiming for the head with a Light Rifle is always your best option, so do your best to keep one handy as often as possible. And at least in the case of the Snipers, they have no face mask, so it only takes one head shot to do the trick!

Knights - The Promethean tank has been nerfed! You may remember these mobile powerhouses from Halo 4 as been not only border-lined magical, but even tougher than Hunters! Now, however, they've been reworked and toned down for a more balanced battlefield experience. They appear far less often in the game and have been completely stripped of their shields. They've also been given weak spots so they can be gradually worn down using the right weaponry. And although they can still technically spawn Watchers, it's an ability they seldom use. As far as their "superpowers" are concerned, gone are the ways of random teleports. The one super ability they've managed to retain is their long-jump melee attack which can be easily dodged with a quick dash. You'll see them appear in two distinct variants. The Battlewagon is now the standard Knight. It's armor is dark, and it's shoulders are shaped like a rooftop. They normally only wield Scattershots, so close quarters isn't much of an option here, but they are quite susceptible to Light Rifles. The superior Commander units, on the other hand, are covered in thick, white armor with large spikes and horns as well as massive shoulder plating. Their weapon of choice is the Incineration Cannon. And while their weakness is identical to that of the Battlewagon, distance may no longer be your ally. Always make sure there's cover nearby when approaching one of these juggernauts.

Watchers - A Promethean support unit. This creature has the power of flight and will support other, more powerful units fighting on the ground. While it no longer possesses the power to resurrect units from the dead, it can most certainly heal them in real time using it's strange red ray. For offensive capabilities, it sports a pair of non-homing bolt shots, and as with the previous game, it can also catch armed grenades in mid-air and hurl them back towards its foes. While their armor has been scaled back a bit since Halo 4, they do now have a higher tendency to travel in groups, enabling them to heal each other as well as other nearby units. When you see one on the battlefield, taking it down should be your top priority!

Focus Turrets - Classifying these as a type of sentient enemy might be up for debate, but for all intensive purposes, they do at least appear to operate independently from other Prometheans. It's common for them to spawn in during the heat of battle, and while the cannon itself does take a few seconds to charge, the energy beam it releases can be downright unrelenting, especially to an unshielded Spartan. While heavy weapons for dealing with them are preferable, the almighty Light Rifle comes quite in handy as it takes only a few shots to the center of the cannon while it's charging to bring it down. It's side shafts also serve as vulnerable weak spots during the charge phase. Always listen out for the sound of their cannon charging when one is nearby, and also be prepared to make a quick dash into cover.

The Warden Eternal - The Prometheans finally have a boss unit, and it's a whopper! While admittedly the fights do get repetitive after awhile given you end up fighting the Warden several times throughout the campaign, this 16 foot robotic titan is hands down the most balanced boss unit to ever be introduced into the Halo franchise (the Halo 3 Scarab being a close second). This powerhouse comes fitted with a large array of powers and abilities including an orange face laser that can not only cause damage but also EMP vehicles, a close range area of effect stomp attack, and a high intensity heat-seeking gravity bomb. If those weren't enough, he's usually guarded by several of his Promethean minions, and sometimes even additional copies of himself! While shooting him in the face with a weapon like the Binary Rifle will deal a decent amount of damage, his real weak spot is the slip space bubble on his back. Hitting this with a weapon like the Incineration Cannon will almost always deal a critical blow. Whenever you do manage to wound him critically, he'll cry out in pain, and his slip space bubble will start to expand. Five critical hits should be enough to do him in, so make sure to not only arm up yourself, but also your allies as well with heavy weaponry.

Lock and Load

With a new Halo game comes with it a new sandbox of weapons as well as tweaks to existing ones. While I'll talk about all of the ones you can find throughout the campaign, I'll be labeling them on the side as either Useful, Niche, or Useless which will highlight just how effective they are on Mythic Difficulty. It should also be noted that there are several specialized weapons that can be found throughout the campaign as well. These are essentially modified and upgraded variants of standard weapons, and while I won't be talking about them specifically in this section here, I do have a series of videos outlining exactly where you can find them in the campaign. So let's see what's in our new armory!

Magnum - (Niche) Your basic headshot weapon. Both Chief and Locke start out with one serving as a sidearm. Both its range and ammo capacity leave a lot to be desired, and the instant you gain the opportunity to trade up, you should definitely do it, but at least it gets the job done.

Assault Rifle - (Useless) While it may be a fan favorite, on Mythic this automatic weapon's weak bullets won't serve any use other than making the enemy stumble. However in the hands of your allies, it can be used as a support weapon to help weaken enemies while you finish them off with a headshot via the much more useful tools at your disposal.

SMG - (Useless) Like with Assault Rifle, the bullets this gun uses aren't strong enough to do any real damage to Mythic enemies. But at least the sound effects are pretty rad!

Battle Rifle - (Useful) Now we're talking! This should be your main go-to weapon for headshotting most enemies. The bullet spread makes it easier for you to land that headshot, and there's next to no recoil making it an absolute staple on the battlefield. Fortunately, this is a starting weapon for Spartan Locke.

DMR - (Useful) Like with the Battle Rifle, this is an excellent mid to long range weapon, though its range is a fair bit better. Though there's no bullet spread, the bullets themselves are strong and can knock back certain enemies, including Elites!

Shotgun - (Useless) Sad, isn't it? This once beloved close range masterpiece use to be ideal for taking out certain enemies like the Flood and even Hunters. But here, it'll barely put a dent in anything unless you're near pointblank range, which needless to say is less than ideal given the types of battle scenarios you'll be facing.

Saw - (Niche) I was surprised to find that this particular automatic weapon actually does some damage when used properly. Though I wouldn't consider it a go-to for any situation really, it can provide an additional way to weaken both Hunters and Elite shielding when your weapons cache is starting to run dry. Though, its "Answer" counterpart that can be found later in the game packing explosive rounds can really pack a punch even on Mythic enemies!

Sniper Rifle - (Niche) While it may very well be the strongest UNSC pinpoint weapon out there, its low ammo capacity and lack of effectiveness against enemy shielding makes this weapon significantly more useful in the hands of your allies. However, when coming across enemy snipers whether they be Covenant or Promethean, having this weapon handy can prove to be quite useful.

Rail Gun - (Useless) While the blast itself certainly packs a punch, it won't do more than simply slightly weaken enemies that you would even remotely consider using it for. It both works and functions like a watered-down Spartan Laser. The charge time takes so long, that by the time you can get a shot of, you're probably already in armor lock. I would only recommend using this against Hunters in the event that you're completely out of rockets and fuel rods. But even then, it won't be enough to turn the tide of battle.

Hydra Launcher - (Niche) What essentially adds up to being a mini-rocket launcher that can fire several small homing rockets at range sounds like it could be quite useful, and in a way it really can be. Though it won't do much for you personally, when given to one of your allies, especially when he/she is a passenger in your vehicle, the result equals an unlimited stream of rocket fueled death. If you come across one, definitely arm one of your allies with it!

Rocket Launcher - (Niche) Easily one of the best weapons out there to use against Hunters and stationary targets, this device has always been a crown jewel for many Halo fans. On Mythic, it's low ammo capacity makes it a weapon that's better off in the hands of your allies, but at the same time, it's extremely useful when going up against heavily armored enemies like Hunters, and due to the fast moving speed of its projectiles, it can be incredible difficult for enemies to dodge.

Spartan Laser - (Niche) The only reason I'm bumping this up a notch is because unlike the Rail Gun, this weapon can actually do some serious damage when used accordingly. Like with the Rail Gun, it has an extended "charge period" before it can be used, making the wielder extremely vulnerable. This weapon doesn't appear very often in the campaign, but if you decide to make use of it, I would highly recommend handing it off to one of your allies.

Plasma Pistol - (Useful) To be honest, the term "useful" doesn't do this weapon justice. In fact, when going up against the Covenant, you should have one of these little miracle workers equipped at all times as your sidearm as it is hands down the most effective weapon against Covenant shielding in the game. As with all Halo games since Reach, peppering (rather than going for the overcharge shot) is the most effective way to use this weapon. It has received a sizable upgrade this time around in the sense that it now takes multiple plasma bolts before the battery ticks down one percent (as opposed to the previous game where a single bolt would cost you two percent!). However, in some missions, they can be hard to come across when you need them, so always plan ahead, and if need be, make sure one or more of your allies are carrying one as well.

Needler - (Niche) Miraculously, the Needler has also received an upgrade this time around albeit a small one. Many Mythic conquerors have noted that in the absence of a Plasma Pistol, this weapon can serve as a suitable replacement. In my own experience, though, the best use of this weapon is against camouflaged Special Ops Elites. Since they always have a tendency to B-line it straight for you, they'll quite literally walk directly into your destructive stream of needles to land an easy super-combine!

Storm Rifle - (Niche) And when I say "niche", I'm using that term VERY generously. Consider this to be the B-version of the Plasma Pistol. The bolts are far less effective, and its battery drains at a staggering rate. The odds of you managing to get an Elite Warrior's shields down from a single battery charge are slim to none. Still, if there aren't any Plasma Pistols around, and using a Needler seems too risky, this might be your only options for dealing with an Elite's shields with some help from your allies.

Carbine - (Useful) Particularly for Covenant-heavy missions later in the game, this will become your go-to pinpoint weapon. Both accurate and slightly more effective against enemy shields than other pinpoint weapons, this weapon can also take advantage of the Covenant infinite ammo crates that will appear throughout later missions (as well as the Needler), so you should never have to worry about running on empty!

Beam Rifle - (Niche) Like with the UNSC Sniper Rifle, while this weapon may come in handy when entering sniper vs sniper combat, its low battery charge means it won't be useful for long, and in most cases, the Carbine is a better choice. Still, if you happen to have one the next time you stumble across one or more Jackal Snipers, don't hesitate to use it! At least unlike other sniper weapons, as long as you pace your shots, you'll never have to reload.

Plasma Caster - (Niche) This weapon reminds me a lot of the Plasma Launcher from Reach. However, unlike the Launcher, the plasma bombs here don't travel in a straight line but rather arch like the classic Fuel Rod Cannon from Halo: Combat Evolved. And if you hold down the trigger to charge it, it'll release a cluster bomb causing a fair amount of AoE damage. While actually killing an enemy with this weapon might be hard to come by, it can at the very least weaken them enough for your allies to finish them off.

Fuel Rod Cannon - (Useful) In my own personal opinion, this is easily the deadliest and most effective heavy weapon in the game. A large ammo cache coupled with its rapid fire feature and splash damage, this weapon is a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield whether it be in your own hands or in the hands of your allies. Especially when going up against Hunters, the more of your allies that are armed with this beast, the faster the Hunters will fall.

Energy Sword - (Niche) Though the opportunity to actually kill an enemy unit with it will rarely come about, its main highlight is that when equipped, it grants a 10 percent speed boost to the player. In short, if you're planning on trying to speed run through an area, having this weapon at the ready will greatly increase your chances of making it from Point A to Point B in one piece.

Bolt Shot - (Useful) While the pocket shotgun feature seems to be a thing of the past, it has been given a very useful upgrade, allowing the weapon to fire three round bursts that can zero in on your target. When going up against Prometheans, I highly recommend keeping this on you as a side weapon as it can easily mow down Crawlers while also causing significant damage to both Soldiers and Knights!

Suppressor - (Useful) Like with the Bolt Shot, the Suppressor's individuals rounds can now also lock on to enemy targets. While it's not quite as strong as the Bolt Shot, it still comes in plenty handy as an effective secondary weapon, especially when in the hands of your allies going up against large numbers of Prometheans.

Light Rifle - (Useful) This is your true bread and butter when facing the legions of Promethean warriors and is highly effective against all types. A single headshot is enough to down a Crawler, a few headshots can take down even the highest ranks of Soldiers, and it can tear through the weak spots of Knights like a hot knife through butter. In Promethean heavy missions, this should always be your primary weapon. However, you'll find that ammo for it tends to be a bit on the scarce side, so its even more important here that you make every shot count!

Scattershot - (Niche) Like with the Shotgun, since this is a close ranged weapon, you won't find many opportunities on Mythic to be able to effectively use it against your foes. That said, the reason I bumped it up a notch is because unlike the standard Shotgun, this weapon has slightly better range, and a few direct hits can be used to finish off a severely weakened Promethean. I would only recommend taking that approach, however, if you're either extremely low or out of ammo for more effective weapons.

Binary Rifle - (Niche) The adjustments made to this sniper-based weapon have transformed it into a combination of the Binary Rifle of old and the Focus Rifle from Reach. Now when you pull and hold down the trigger, it'll release a continuous beam of intense orange energy. The longer it stays on your target, the more damage it does. This feature, however, works more in your favor when in the hands of the enemy. This time around, being grazed by it doesn't spell instant vaporization, but if you linger around too long, you'll end up as a pile of dust. Like with other sniper weapons, its ammo cache is low, however unique to this weapon is its effectiveness to drastically weaken even stronger enemies like the Knights and even the Warden himself!

Incineration Cannon - (Niche) While this may not be the most effective heavy weapon in the game, it's definitely the most heavy hitting. This version of the Incineration Cannon runs on a battery charge rather than individual rounds. Also unlike the previous version, this time around the weapon has two firing modes. A single pull from the trigger will release a pair of arcing Splinter rounds that do medium damage. However if you hold down the trigger and charge the weapon, it will release a relentless, destructive blast similar to that of the previous game. The most effective use for this weapon is when going up against the Warden Eternal itself. You should always have one equipped in this scenario.

Grenades - (Niche) If previous Halo games on Mythic are any indicator, grenades serve as a support weapon at best and rarely kill enemies on their own. I will say, however, that in this game (at least in certain scenarios) your allies are fairly effective at using them to slowly wear down tougher unshielded enemies like Hunters. There are three types of grenades you'll have access to throughout the campaign. UNSC Fragmentation Grenades tend to have the biggest boom, Covenant Plasma Grenades have the ability to stick directly both friend and foe alike for more concentrated damage, and the new Promethean Splinter Grenades leave behind an orange energy residue that can both drain shields as well as temporarily disable vehicles. Since your enemies can now throw grenades with both deadly speed and striking accuracy, I highly recommend you do the same.

Support Turrets - (Niche) as with every Halo game since Halo 3, every stationary gun can be ripped from its base and carried around, making it mobile but taking away its infinite ammo. There are several in the game, but nearly all of them are better off in the hands of your allies while they're still attached to their respective foundations. For the UNSC, there's the Chain Gun, the Rocket Pod, and the Gauss Cannon, the latter of which tends to pack the most punch. For the Covenant, there's the Plasma Cannon, which of course is completely useless unless it's being used against you. And for the Prometheans, there's the Splinter Cannon, which when being used seems to only truly have any real effect against Knights. Like I said before, there's not much reason to use any of them aside from support from your allies.

Hitchhiker's Guide

Of course it wouldn't truly be a Halo game without the use of vehicular combat, now would it? While the new sandbox doesn't really offer much in the way of "new" things, they have added variations to certain vehicles which give it a little extra boost in performance. More specifically, I'm speaking of the "Ultra" variants of Covenant vehicles you can find hidden throughout the campaign. Typically, these have more resilient shielding and slightly more powerful cannons. Other than that, functionality is basically the same. So let's see what 343 gave us this time around.

Warthog - Your other car is what now?! Ah yes, the staple vehicle of the franchise. With moderate speed and armor in addition to a nifty chain gun mounted on the back, its a decent vehicle for light combat scenarios. And while multiplayer has several variations of this machine, as far as I know, the only two that appear in campaign are the Standard Warthog and the Gauss Hog. Take a guess as to which one I prefer.

Mongoose - And here I thought motorcycles could only have two wheels? This is the fastest terrestrial vehicle the UNSC has to offer, and in Halo 5, there are even "Gun Goose" variants that fire a pair of light explosives with each pull of the trigger! If you're in a hurry, this is not a bad ride to have at your fingertips.

Mantis - Easily my favorite vehicle in the game (and don't even get me started on the saliva inducing Hannibal variant you can use in multiplayer), this handy mech comes equipped with a light machine gun, rocket pods, and a crushingly powerful stomp ability. But perhaps its most standout feature is its recharging energy shields. When used effectively, this machine can last a surprisingly long time, even in the fiercest of combat situations.

Scorpion - Tank beats everything! Not much to say here other than point, shoot, and run 'em over! Though I do want to add that despite this vehicle being the most powerful in the UNSC arsenal (and quite possibly in the entire game), keep in mind that like any other vehicle, it can be destroyed. When it catches fire, it's time to hold back and use caution if you want to keep your ride in one piece.

Ghost - Coupled with its boost capability and light anti-infantry Plasma Cannons, this is easily the fastest and most maneuverable vehicle in the game. It may be of Covenant creation in origin, but in the hands of a Spartan, getting from Point A to Point B in a flash becomes just as much fun as it is deadly.

Wraith - The Covenant mortar tank has apparently been redesigned by the Macy's catalog since it now resembles more of a high-heeled shoe than it does an actual tank. However, regardless of the new look, the mortars it lobs can pack quite a punch and easily get the drop on an unsuspecting rival opponent.

Banshee - In the hands of a skilled pilot, this Covenant light aircraft can deal a significant blow to anyone (or anything for that matter) on the battlefield. Armed with twin Plasma Cannons, a Fuel Rod Cannon, and the ability to both boost and flip in midair, this vehicle can easily be considered the deadliest in the Covenant arsenal.

Phaeton - What's that, you say? The Prometheans now have their own flying machine? And its definitely not one to be underestimated either. Able to hover in midair with ease, piloting this thing is about as easy as moving around on land. While it doesn't have the tricks up its sleeve that the Banshee does, it is far easier to control for even the most novice of pilots. Its phase-boost capability makes it even tougher to hit while its in the air, and like the Banshee it has two sets of weaponry including a pair of light cannons as well as a pair of projectile light-based explosives. This may very well be my new favorite aerial vehicle!

General Tips and Tricks

And alas, I cannot send you forth unto this great journey without a few general rules of thumb to live by throughout to aid you on your epic quest for Mythic greatness.

Though there are 15 total missions in the game, the written portion of this guide will only cover the 12 combat-based missions. However, if you find your having trouble figuring out where to go at any point during the three non-combat missions, they are included in the Halo 5 Mythic Difficulty Walkthrough playlist that I've created on YouTube.
Your allies can be a burden as much as they can be an asset. You'll need to constantly keep an eye out for them as so they don't interfere with your current strategy. Also, at times they'll flat out ignore your commands, so don't be overly gun-hoe in situations where you THINK they'll revive you. There's a very high possibility that not only will they not be able to, but sometimes they won't even try.
Master Chief always starts with an Assault Rifle and Magnum while Locke always starts with a Battle Rifle and Magnum. The main differences between Blue Team and Osiris appear to be the weapons the Spartans are wielding, and also weirdly enough, Osiris seems to be able to use "Boost" more frequently than Blue Team.
You'll be fighting Prometheans in this game far more often than Covenant, so it's imperative that right from the get-go, you learn how to deal with them as well as properly utilize their weaponry. The Light Rifle should always be your go-to pinpoint weapon whenever possible, and either carry a Bolt Shot or Suppressor as your secondary weapon.
Most Warden fights are far more simple than they look. Some can be fought with a tank, and others can even be skipped entirely! Otherwise, you'll want to fight from a distance. Use heavy weapons on his back and pinpoint weapons on his face. If possible, use your teammates to create a diversion so he'll turn his back to you. Five critical hits should do the job.
In Covenant scenarios, your base weapons should always be a pinpoint weapon like the Carbine or Battle Rifle (for headshots) coupled with a Plasma Pistol (for shields). On later missions where the Infinite Ammo Crates are introduced for Covenant weaponry, rely on the Carbine as you'll almost never have to worry about ammo being a factor. When dealing with Hunters, let your teammates to the bulk of the work while you provide support. Arm them with Fuel Rod Cannons when you can, as they tend to be the most effective heavy weapons to utilize against Hunters.
And finally, just because you CAN skip a section of a mission to speed up time and avoid certain enemies doesn't mean you always SHOULD. Remember that in some cases the risks far outweigh the rewards. And your ultimate reward will be finally completing this game on the hardest difficulty setting imaginable! Godspeed on your journey, Mythic Contender!