Halo 5 Guardians Guide: All free secret weapons locations

Halo 5: Guardians is packed with content including amazing easter eggs and lots of secret, mythic and legendary weapons. Some of these can only be acquired through purchasing REQ packs, but the rest 16 unique weapons can be found in both single campaigns and cooperative maps for free. This guide will help you find all the secret weapons in Halo 5 that do not require REQ packs.

Some of these weapons may be hard to find, but they are worth it. Each weapon is a modified variant of the standard setup, but with much better stats that give you higher fire rate, range, scope and ammunition capacity. They also look slightly different and carry a personalized paint job.

We give you a full description on these weapons locations with accompanying videos for your convenience.

Open Hand Boltshot

Mission: Osiris
Type: Pistol

You can find this legendary weapon in the first campaign mission – Osiris. When you approach the battlefield from the area surrounded with icy cliffs, get on top of the ledge to your right and there it is – an Open Hand Boltshot.

This is a modified Closed Fist Boltshot, also known as Z-110 (a Forerunner energy channel weapon), which fires with tracking bolts and RED projectiles. It is fully loaded with 96 ionized bolts when you find it.

Loathsome Thing

Mission: Osiris
Type: Close Combat Rifle

There’s another unique weapon in the first mission: it’s a modified Scattershot with 5 additional rounds, increased damage, faster fire rate, and it is fully loaded with 30 scatter particles. The gun can be found at the first instance of Kraken. Just move forward to the edge of the cliff and look down to find the Loathsome Thing.

This is a remodelled Z-180 combat rifle that was originally used by Builder Security forces, and is commonly carried by Promethean Knight Battlewagons.

Blaze of Glory

Mission: Blue Team
Type: Tactical Shotgun

You can obtain a new type of M45D Tactical Shotgun - Blaze of Glory, which can be found in the second mission Blue Team. After you’ve defeated the Covenant remnants go to the central door of the Control Room.  On your way there you will find a dead body and scaffolds at the sidewall. Use them to climb up and look upward and to the right of the data pad location.

This shotgun is equipped with Forerunner mechanism that fires hardlight projectiles with an extra range and has 15 shells loaded.

Talon of the Lost

Mission: Reunion
Type: Guided munitions launcher

Mission 7 contains a secret weapon location for Talon of the Lost, a modified Needler, which fires with RED needles, has a 1.4 Holographic Scope and a super high rate of fire. After you encounter the Covenant, go up the hills on the right side past the fuel rods. There’s a stash of weapons and a cliff to the left, go behind the cliff and grab the Talon, a great post-Covenant War successor to the Type-33 weapon.

It comes fully loaded with 66 needles, and it fires carefully calibrated shards of blamite capable of penetrating the armor of the enemy vehicles.

Pool of Radiance

Mission: Reunion
Type: Light Anti-Armor Weapon

Right before you cross the bridge in order to meet Cortana, go to the left and climb up the rocks; even if it seems impossible on first glance. There you will find legendary fuel rod cannon - Pool of Radiance.

This weapon fires with unstable projectiles that leave serious residue upon impact. It has 1.7 Holographic Scope, the projectiles detonate 2 times, and it comes with 15 radioactive explosive ballistic projectiles. This Type-58 weapon is a shoulder-fired mortar usually used by Covenant remnants.

River of Light

Mission: Reunion
Type: High-Explosive Munitions Rifle

After taking out the Warden Eternal in Mission 7, go past the platforms and head to the rocks to your right. There’s a crack in the rocks, which is hard to see at first. Jump in there and grab the modified incineration cannon - River of Light.

It fires with energy blasts and uses energy charges instead of projectiles. This type of Z-390 weapon unleashes intense bursts of energy blasts, their intensity depends on the level of charge. This was once a Forerunner anti-material weapon originally used to combat the Flood.

Twin Jewels of Maethrillian (Twin 1)

Mission: Reunion
Type: Special application sniper rifle

As you reach the mountain complex in the Reunion, stop right in front of the metal gates and go to your right. You need to climb up a series of hills and on top you will find a legendary binary sniper rifle - Twin Jewels of Maethrillian.

This rifle has anti-vehicle capabilities, which fires with two beam emitters. It comes with 10 loaded ionized particles. The modified Z-750 Sniper Rifle was used by Forerunners specifically to pierce through enemy armor.

Light of Urs

Mission: Genesis
Type: Light Anti-Armor Weapon

Right at the beginning of Mission 13, after you get the Scorpion tank, head toward the bridge. Fight all enemies and turn left. Reach the edge of the cliff and grab the modified fuel rod cannon - Light of Urs.

This weapon utilizes faster projectiles that deal greater damage and affect a larger area. It comes with 15 radioactive explosive ballistic projectiles and can be mounted on a vehicle. Light of Urs is a bigger and better version of the Type-33 anti-air weapon.

Spitfire

Mission: Genesis
Type: Directed-energy pistol

Right after you beat the first batch of enemies in Genesis, move to your left and you will find the new variant of the energy pistol on the edge of the cliff – Spitfire.

This Type-54 plasma pistol is the post-Covenant War weapon modification of Type-25 directed energy gun. It has a 1.3 scope, higher rate of fire, faster overcharging and does not overheat. It uses energy and not the typical ammunition, so it cannot be reloaded.

The Answer (SAW)

Mission: Genesis
Type: Light machine gun

Right after Exuberant Witness opens up the bridge in Mission 13, go to the crashed Pelican. There you will find a stash of weapons and ammunition. Among the guns there will be a modified light machine gun – The Answer.

It shoots with explosive warheads, but has a lower fire rate. It comes with 216 rounds in a drum magazine. This squad automatic weapon was once used by the UNSC Defense Force. It is also considered by many fans to be the best secret weapon in Halo 5.

Didact's Signet

Mission: The Breaking
Type: Close Combat Rifle

After you reach the third room in Mission 14, head to the ramp either left or right and you will see a pillar with blue light. You will find a modified scattershot on top of that pillar – the Didact’s Signet.

It fires with very fast and long-range charged projectiles that have an ability to bounce off of the objects. It comes with 20 ionized scatterbolts. The weapon was specifically handcrafted by the Ur-Didact for the most devoted Prometheans.

White Scar

Mission: Guardians
Type: Plasma-based explosives launcher

After riding the elevator in the last Mission 15, go straight and you will arrive at an area with demolished vehicles. Head to the right and you should find a secret plasma caster beneath the rocks – the White Scar.

This weapon’s charges detonate with a burst of needles hitting all enemies in close proximity. It comes with 15 charged bolts. This Type-53 launcher is very similar to a Type-56 needler that also shoots with blamite shards.

Vorpal Talon

Mission: Guardians
Type: Handheld, single-handed sword

After picking up the White Scar, you will encounter the Covenant remnants, so take them all out. Then, move to the right side of the spinning orb in the middle and you will see a pelican. Head towards the pelican and go up the ledge to find the new variant of energy sword – Vorpal Thalon.

This sword allows you to execute longer thrusts and provides additional evade. Vorpal Talon is a Type-1 weapon, also referred to as the plasma sword. It doesn’t use any sort of charges, so it cannot be reloaded.

Twin Jewels of Maethrillian (Twin 2)

Mission: Guardians
Type: Special application sniper rifle

Here’s the second twin of the Maethrellian binary sniper rifles. This one can be found in Mission 15 when you are in the middle of searching and destroying cores. Go left from the first gravitational core and move along the icy tunnel until you reach an uphill area. Climb up and reach the very edge of the cliff – there it is.

This is the same type of modification that could be found in Mission 7, and now you can have both of these babies.

Oathsworn

Mission: Blue Team (co-operative)
Type: Tactical shotgun

Oathsworn is a default weapon used by Kelly-087 character, a SPARTAN-II supersoldier, on any cooperative Blue Team map. The weapon is a custom-crafted M45 shotgun and is classified as a mythic weapon in Halo 5: Guardians.

It has an increased damage, accuracy, and fire rate. In addition, the user's movement speed is increased while the weapon is equipped. This is a simple M45 Shotgun slightly reskinned and remodelled with the inscription "Remember Reach" on the side of it.

Nornfang

Mission: Blue Team (co-operative)
Type: Anti-material sniper rifle

Nornfang is Linda's default customized sniper rifle on any cooperative Blue Team map. This weapon fires with explosive anti-armor rounds, which can inflict greater damage than other sniper rifles. It has 4x and 9x zoom, and has Motion Tracking System alongside Smart Scope. It comes with 12 armor piercing bullets. Nornfang is a custom-crafted sniper rifle hand-tuned by Linda-058 herself. The rifle was originally used by Misriah Armory for their internal competitive sharpshooting team.

There exists many other weapon modifications in the game, but as was stated earlier, you can get them only through purchasing REQ packs. If you have trouble with the whole Requisition system in Halo 5, then here’s a great guide for you to check out.

Which secret weapon in Halo 5 is your favorite? Which one do you consider the worst? Give us your impressions in the comments section below.