That's right. After doing some research, I have concluded that turning on the Tilt skull actually makes the campaign easier. I have completed the Reach campaign solo, legendary and I have completed two of the Mythic (LASO) weekly challenges SOLO (films in fileshare). It seemed to me that Mythic difficulty was more forgiving than Legendary. Sure your enemies are a little more super charged, but it seemed that it was harder to die with all skulls on. At first I didn't suspect the Tilt skull because the description (in Halo 3) says "All enemy weaknesses and resistances double." So I didn't believe this applied to Spartans. But once I realized that something was different on Mythic I did some research.
First, on Legendary difficulty with NO skulls on, it takes 13 individual plasma shots to kill a Spartan. Exhibit A: [url=http://seventhcolumn.bungie.net/Stats/Reach/FileDetails.aspx?fid=14807431&player=dukemeiser]13 shots legendary[/url]
Second, on Mythic difficulty (Legendary all skulls ON), it takes 19 individual plasma shots to kill a Spartan. Exhibit B: [url=http://seventhcolumn.bungie.net/Stats/Reach/FileDetails.aspx?fid=14807406&player=dukemeiser]19 shots LASO[/url]
Third, on Mythic difficulty with Tilt skull OFF, it also takes 13 individual plasma shots to kill a Spartan. Exhibit C: [url=http://seventhcolumn.bungie.net/Stats/Reach/FileDetails.aspx?fid=14807415&player=dukemeiser]LASO Tilt OFF[/url]
Lastly, because Spartans become resistant to plasma, it is possible to survive a direct sticky grenade with the Tilt skull on. Exhibit D: [url=http://seventhcolumn.bungie.net/Stats/Reach/FileDetails.aspx?fid=14281621&player=dukemeiser]Stuck in face, did not die[/url]
The last film is actually from one of my Mythic attempts on Sword Base. I rendered it because it was impressive. I rendered the first two videos for casual viewers, but there is no way you can count the plasma shots online. I had to watch the film in slow motion in the Theater to count all the shots. I also turned ONLY the Tilt skull on and died in 19 shots so my theory is correct.
My conclusion? If you're having trouble completing the campaign on solo legendary, you might try turning the Tilt skull on. What will this mean? It will mean that all of the shots the Covenant fire at you will have less damage. It will take about 50% more shots to kill you than normal. The downside is that popping an Elite's shield with your DMR will be nearly impossible, but you shouldn't be doing it with your DMR anyway! The best way to pop an Elite's shield - Tilt or not is to use plasma weapons. The Tilt skull does not affect headshots. One DMR or pistol shot to any unshielded enemy's head will kill them. Therefore grunts, jackals, skirmishers, and brutes without helmets will all die with one shot to the head.
The strange thing is that shields actually take MORE plasma shots to pop with Tilt. Vanilla Legendary it takes 4 plasma shots to pop a Spartan's shields. Mythic it takes 5! Which means 9 unshielded shots for the kill on Legendary and 14 unshielded shots to kill on Mythic. Elites are the same with 7 plasma shots to pop an Elite Officers shields on Legendary and 8 shots with Tilt. An overcharged Plasma Pistol shot will NOT pop an Officers shields with Tilt. One additional shot will pop it, so the n00b combo will be slightly harder. I've always found that peppering their shields works better anyway.
So if you still haven't got [i]A Monument To All Your Sins[/i] achievement yet, try the Tilt skull and see if you like it. If you're playing the campaign on Normal, I wouldn't bother. You could probably melee every enemy in the campaign on Normal difficulty without dying. Which sounds like a good challenge...
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love the way human weapons are useless with Tilt enabled, literally. mate of mine shot a fuel-rod cannon Brute in the face with a rocket launcher, nothing, shot him again, nothing (not even shields!), I then hit him in the head no fewer than four times with the sniper rifle from range, nothing, not even shields! focus beam, did nothing, fuel rod cannon, did nothing, grenades did nothing, that isn't the only enemy we've had that sort of problem with as well. what exactly does Tilt do, does anyone know the actual working of it, rather than just modifies the damage table. was doing the daily challenge tonight, assault rifles, pistols, dedicated marksman rifles, shotguns, sniper rifles (barring head-shot) did absolutely nothing against anything. however on the other end of the scale, the needler has suddenly became a weapon of mass destruction, it absolutely murders everything in seconds. also gravity hammer has been rendered totally worthless as well with Tilt on, plasma pistols seem really effective against grunts and unshielded brutes, but anything with shields takes a huge huge huge amount of punishment from every type of weapon before dying, barring the needler. has Bungie ever had the sense to actually describe in detail what Tilt does?!
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[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] darkclerick (i think this is how this works) tilt reverses the damage tables, causing plasma to be strategically good against flesh and bullets good against shields. so yes the plasma rounds would take your shields down slower.[/quote] This is not the case in either scenario. As I said in the OP, it takes 9 unshielded plasma shots without Tilt and 14 unshielded plasma shots with Tilt on. So even against flesh it takes longer to kill a Spartan. And as far as bullets go, turn on Tilt and find an Elite in campaign. It will take FOREVER to drop his shields with Tilt on using human weapons.
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(i think this is how this works) tilt reverses the damage tables, causing plasma to be strategically good against flesh and bullets good against shields. so yes the plasma rounds would take your shields down slower.
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[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] TalonOTW It's also worth noting that thunderstorm skull removes all focus rifles from the enemies.[/quote] Not in all cases. I decided to try SLASO on Nightfall, The first big area with a lot of enemies had an inviso Elite with a focus rifle.
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Nice find! Like many of the other members who posted, I thought skulls only applied to the enemies (with exception of Black Eye though). If a mission has lots of plasma weapons lying around, I'll make sure to turn Tilt on the next time I run through the campaign!
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Interesting theory...
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Damn, if I finished the game after I heard about those tips and Tyrant's legendary guide, it would've been a whole lot easier. But well, I already did it, but really nice find OP.
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You took that sticky grenade to the face like a boss!
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Tilt also affects frags. You can do some impressive grenade+Concussion Rifle stack jumps with tilt on, but without it you just blow yourself to bits. I like that its 6 months into the game's life and we're still discovering nuances like this. Its satisfying.
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This is so pointless
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[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] Michael Knight2 Sooo.. it takes longer to kill the Spartan, but it takes longer to kill the elite too? So what happens when you're fighting 2 elites at once? I don't think Bungie would have put a skull into the game to make it easier. Your theory might work for the first campaign mission only.[/quote] Popping the Elite's shield would take one more shot with a plasma pistol, for an Officer anyway. I haven't tested it on the Field Marshal or Zealots. I tested my theory for Spartans on ONI: Sword Base, which is the second mission. The Elite shield test was done on Nightfall, where I assassinated the two grunts and used one of their plasma pistols on the Elite. It seems to vary if the Elite is a Minor or an Officer so I just kept playing until I got an Officer for both. If the game is played with only human weapons, it makes the game much harder. Sniper Rifles become nearly useless against Elites. If you play the game to take advantage of all the weapons available, it could make it easier.
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interesting. i always thought it only affected ennemies (except black eye, iron and IWHBYD)
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Sooo.. it takes longer to kill the Spartan, but it takes longer to kill the elite too? So what happens when you're fighting 2 elites at once? I don't think Bungie would have put a skull into the game to make it easier. Your theory might work for the first campaign mission only.
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Thats a lot of research. Nice thread.
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Very nice thread.
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I never would have thought that Tilt affected the Spartans also. Interesting...
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Wow! I had sort of noticed this myself during my own Mythic/Legendary attempts, but never did I think that it was actually [i]harder [/i] to die on Mythic! This is amazing!
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[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] Sanuel Jackson Nice find, although I wouldn't recommend this. Ranger Elites are very difficult to hit with plasma-based weapons. You can pop their shields on Legendary with just 5-6 shots. They're incredibly mobile so overcharged Plasma pistols aren't recommended.[/quote] I don't think I would recommend this for every level, but it is certainly possible to do with all. If your technique was to pepper them anyway, this might help keep you alive a little longer. This will allow you to take more damage while seeking cover. It could be enough to save your life.
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[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] Nuke incoming [quote][b]Posted by:[/b] TalonOTW It's also worth noting that thunderstorm skull removes all focus rifles from the enemies.[/quote]Are you serious? I wish I knew that earlier.[/quote] Yeah, it upgrades all of the elites, so the plasma rifle ones get repeaters, and everyone else gets concussion rifles, which are much easier to deal with than the frickin' death beams.
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Nice find I might try this.
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Unrelated note: I always found then Black Eye skull made Cortana on Legendary in Halo 3 easier. Always lotsa stuff in front of your to melee for free shield regens.
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[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] TalonOTW It's also worth noting that thunderstorm skull removes all focus rifles from the enemies.[/quote] 125 Gamerscore, here I come.
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[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] TalonOTW It's also worth noting that thunderstorm skull removes all focus rifles from the enemies.[/quote]Are you serious? I wish I knew that earlier.
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Nice find, although I wouldn't recommend this. Ranger Elites are very difficult to hit with plasma-based weapons. You can pop their shields on Legendary with just 5-6 shots. They're incredibly mobile so overcharged Plasma pistols aren't recommended.
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interesting to say the least
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It's also worth noting that thunderstorm skull removes all focus rifles from the enemies.