We already wrote earlier today that Halo 4’s multiplayer Spartan Specializations have been recently announced. But what are these Specializations, specifically? Below, are all eight Spartan Specializations detailed for your viewing pleasure:
1. Wetworks
The Wetwork armour mod brings some much-needed stealth benefits to the hulking, clanging metal armour of a Spartan IV.
Spartan Ops designer David Ellis provides some insight into the specialization, saying,
“When someone’s using Promethean Vision, they show up on screen as a big red figure. With this [mod], you still show up, but the only thing that shows up is your outline,” he says, continuing, “And also when you sprint, it adds some sound dampening so you don’t make as much noise.”
Additionally, the assassination animation will occur faster for Wetworks, meaning that they are vulnerable for a shorter period of time, though Ellis elaborates,
“You definitely still show up on radar, let me make that clear.”
Wetworks is one of the two Specializations that will be immediately available to players at launch.
2. Pioneer
Pioneer is the other Specialization that players will have access to immediately. This one has a Fast Track mod that accumulates experience points for you at a higher rate, allowing you to access high-level goals faster.
Ellis and developer 343, however, are already way ahead of you when it comes to potential exploits, saying,
“You can change loadouts mid-match, but we put fail-safes in. For Fast Track, you only get extra XP for the amount of time you were using it. You can’t just turn it on right at the end of a match and think you’re going to get extra XP for everything you did in a match.”
3. Engineer
Engineer offers players a Drop Recon mod, which gives the Engineer a head-start in getting to new weapon drops, which will prove to be unpredictable both in terms of what drops and where it drops.
“A couple extra seconds before everyone else sees the [drop] coming down, the Engineer is gonna get a heads-up,” says Ellis, adding, “Based on the distance to the weapon, you can get an arrow pointing you to where the nearest timed ordinance drop is coming in. It extends the range of those popping up on your HUD.”
4. Tracker
Tracker brings with it the Requisition armour mod, which may come in handy if the weapon you find isn’t to your liking. Ellis explains,
“When you get an ordinance drop, you get a choice of some grenades, a weapon, and a power-up. What this allows you to do is essentially re-roll. So if the three choices that you have don’t suit your play style, you get a chance to re-roll and get an all-new selection.”
5. Rogue
Rogue is designed for those of us who prefer to snipe from afar, offering players the Stability mod.
“In past Halo games, when you’d be zoomed in and take a shot, you’d be taken out [of your zoom]. Now it’s not necessarily the case. As you’re taking shots [with the Stability mod], it allows you to keep your reticule more stable,” explains Ellis.
6. Stalker
Stalker serves up the Nemesis armour mod, which isn’t as active as the other mods but definitely serves a purpose for those inclined to seeking vengeance.
Ellis explains that the mod tracks enemies that you might want to get back, saying that it, “Pops up on the HUD an icon of the last person that killed you.”
The mod not only tracks enemies that have killed you, but ones that have attacked as well, and may serve as a huge tactical advantage for teams that use it.
7. Pathfinder
Pathfinders have the Gunner mod, which allows you to move faster while carrying a detached emplacement and reduces the cool-down on overheating for vehicle weapons.
“If you like grabbing turrets,” says Ellis, “This will make you a little more powerful than you would be otherwise.”
8. Operator
Finally, the Operator brings up the Wheelman armour mod, meant to offer a bit of resistance against the EMP pulse that a player used to be able to use to “freeze a vehicle,” explains Ellis, adding that the new mod will make it so that “It won’t necessarily stop you in your tracks [anymore].”
This mod also allows you to “recharge the health of a vehicle a little faster. It won’t be [super] fast, but if you can get out of harm’s way, you’re going to recharge the vehicle’s health faster than you would otherwise.”
“You’re going to be rewarded a lot more for [driving well and getting assists] than you were before. We’re going to encourage people to want to be the driver,” says Ellis.
However, armour mod types of the same mod won’t stack, so you won’t be able to make an invincible Warthog full of Operators.
Halo 4 releases this November for Xbox 360.
