Enemies & Enemy Tactics Guide

Learn tactics for Covenant and Promethean enemies in Halo 5: Guardians, including Grunts, Elites, Hunters, and more.

Covenant Forces

The Covenant forces in Halo 5: Guardians include Elites, Grunts, and Jackals. Buggers, Brutes, and Engineers are not present.

• Grunt - These are weak, unprotected enemies often found in groups of four or more. They can be killed with a single headshot (a shot that lands on the enemy's head, usually an instant kill). They typically wield Plasma Pistols and throw Plasma Grenades, but may occasionally have Needlers or Covenant Fuel Rod Cannons. They may flee if their numbers are thinned or an Elite nearby is killed.
• Suicide Grunt - Similar to Grunts, these can be killed with a single headshot. They will charge at you with activated Plasma Grenades and explode on proximity. Shoot them before they reach you. Use your radar (a display showing nearby enemies) to detect them, as they can be stealthy.
• Shield Jackal - These enemies are weak and vulnerable to headshots but possess a small energy shield. They advance with their shield forward, providing cover (press the cover button to crouch behind walls or objects) for other enemies. To defeat them, shoot their gun hand to stun them and drop the shield temporarily, or use a Plasma Pistol overcharge to destroy the shield. Grenades will also cause them to drop their shields. A Plasma Pistol overcharge can strip your shields instantly if it hits you.
• Jackal Marksman - These Jackals lack shields but are accurate at range, using weapons like Beam Rifles and Covenant Carbines from elevated positions. A headshot will kill them, but spotting them before they inflict significant damage is key. In Halo 5: Guardians, some can use jet packs to move quickly between ledges and rooms.
• Elite - Elites are the Covenant's equivalent of Spartans, protected by rechargeable energy shields. You must deplete their shields before damaging their bodies, ideally with a headshot. A Plasma Pistol overcharge is effective for stripping shields. They commonly use Storm Rifles but can also wield Covenant Carbines, Needlers, and Fuel Rod Cannons, and frequently throw Plasma Grenades.
• Hunter - These are the largest Covenant enemies, always encountered in pairs. They have heavy armor, a shield in one hand, and a Fuel Rod Cannon in the other. They will lunge and shield bash if you get too close or fire their Fuel Rod Cannon from a distance. Their weak spots are orange and located on their backs. Use teammates as decoys, explosives, or lure them into lunging, dodge, and attack their exposed backs, preferably with a Shotgun.

Promethean Forces

All Promethean enemy types from Halo 4, including Crawlers, Knights, and Watchers, return in Halo 5: Guardians. Knights have been redesigned, and there are new enemy types and alterations to existing ones.