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The Two Arbiters Glitch is a glitch that can be performed in many Halo 3 Campaign levels such as The Covenant, The Ark, and Halo. The glitch, which can only be performed in single-player, causes Thel 'Vadam to be duplicated for a part of the level.
Instructions[]
The Ark[]
- Main article: Life After Death#The Ark
Killing the Arbiter immediately before you activate the Cartographer will result in his duplication, though one of the Arbiters will leave as scripted. The Arbiter spawned outside the building at Mission Start and Rally Point Alpha is invincible. The Arbiter spawned inside the building can be killed.
The Covenant[]
When you have de-activated the third tower, get in the Scorpion tank before the Arbiter gets in the Phantom and blow it up while he's in it. The Arbiter won't leave the level like he's scripted to, and after the second comes down from the Phantom, there won't be a waypoint above his head. The second one may be teleported when you get to certain parts in the Citadel.
Another method simply requires that you kill the Arbiter just as Truth starts speaking, immediately before the cutscene when you enter the Citadel after defeating the two Scarabs.
Four Arbiters[]
This glitch can only be performed on the Halo 3 level The Covenant. This glitch is a combination of three methods (one previously unknown or unexplained) used to attain a second Arbiter in the Two Arbiters glitch. To do this glitch, you must start from either Mission Start or Rally Point Alpha. It is advised that you do not bring along any marines to the third tower.
In September 2010, Rockslider, the owner of badcyborg.net, wrote a very informative and well-detailed article concerning this glitch, as well as expansions, such as bringing the four Arbiters to the end of the level and having them engage the Covenant in battle, which you can read here.
The following walkthrough is part of this article, not the aforementioned article.
Assuming your starting point is Mission Start, after destroying the first tower outside defenses (or bypassing the beach battle and infiltrating the first tower with a Ghost), do not pick up the Cloaking. Go through the door, jump on the stacked supply cases, pick up the Power Drain, headshot the three Grunts on the same level as you, go onto the elevator and activate it. Throw the Power Drain at the Brute Chieftain and his bodyguards, headshot the bodyguards (preferably in front of the screen, to prevent the Brute Chieftain from activating Invincibility (if he spawned with it), and assassinate the Brute Chieftain. Pick up his Invincibility (if he drops a Flare, restart the level). Activate the elevator. When you come down, there will be a mass gathering of Covenant ahead. Get as close as possible without dying. Activate the invincibility and go through the door and stand over the Cloaking equipment; you will automatically pick it up.
After destroying the third tower defenses, before you go up the elevator to deactivate the third tower's barrier, you will need to bring with you a headshot-capable weapon and a Fuel Rod Gun. The headshot-capable weapon will allow you to knock out Arbiter temporarily after draining his shield, which will cause the game to spawn the second Arbiter (from now on, the first Arbiter will refer to the original Arbiter). The Fuel Rod Gun will allow you to destroy the Separatist Phantom that comes to pick up Arbiter, preventing him from leaving. If you're playing on a higher difficulty, it is advised that you give one or two Elites the Energy Sword, so they can handle the Flood later. After deactivating the third tower's barrier, rush past the Flood, get on the elevator and activate it. When you come down, you will see Arbiter and the surviving Elites in combat with the Flood. Wait for them to destroy the Flood and knock out Arbiter. Go to the door and headshot the human combat forms (or just retreat and let your allies deal with the Flood).
You can let Arbiter, the second Arbiter, and the surviving Elites handle it from here. Head outside. You should see the Separatist Phantom. Do not go down to it, as you will trigger the loading point that causes Arbiter to board it. Get the bulbs on the Phantom in your sight and blast them with your Fuel Rod Gun (four shots to the bulbs or tails (the damage is linked) will destroy it on any difficulty). If Tilt is turned on, it will take eight shots. If this is the case, shoot the bulbs with four shots then shoot the tails with four shots. Headshot the Sergeant. Go down.
Knock out the first Arbiter, or he may not participate in battle if you decide to have the four Arbiters battle the Covenant. Note that killing allies too frequently will cause them to turn on you so if you're playing on a higher difficulty, it is advised you give them time to forgive. You can arm the Arbiters with any weapon by knocking him out and picking up his dropped weapon. However, they will not use the Beam Rifle or the Gravity Hammer. Now get in the Scorpion to prevent the marines from boarding the Warthog. The marine wielding the rocket launcher will usually get in the Mongoose, leaving the Warthog passenger free. Get in the Warthog to get the Arbiters to ride on it. Proceed to the snow area. Be sure to eliminate the War Chieftain or he will head towards the Hornets.
Go to the Hornets. When you get to the Hornets, run over the pilot that offers you his Hornet. If you're on a higher difficulty, it is advised to get the other pilot out and push him off. That way, you will have an extra Hornet should you lose your other Hornet. Leave the Warthog (the Arbiters will not leave their position) and get in one of the Hornets. After destroying the Scarabs, the third Arbiter will appear, wielding the Energy Sword. If you want to give him a different weapon, pick up that weapon, blast the third Arbiter off the platform with the Hornet's missiles, fly in close, shoot him with the machine gun until he dies, get out, and quickly take his weapon before he gets back up.
Go back to the Warthog and drive it to the third Arbiter. After the light bridge materializes, drive it to the end of the bridge, get out, get one of the Arbiters out, push and melee them off the light bridge, and get in the driver's seat (to disrupt the third Arbiter's scripted path and to get him on the Warthog). If you're fast enough, you can stick one of the Arbiters with a spike grenade, which will either kill him or drain his shield allowing you to headshot him, and get in the driver's seat. Then melee one of the Arbiters (for example, the passenger) until his shield goes down and headshot him. Do the same to the other Arbiter (the gunner). Then melee the three Arbiters into the Citadel entrance. Go forward to trigger the Cortana moment, and after it, you will get a checkpoint. Save and quit. If you have a Xbox 360 memory unit or a USB drive, back up your game save. When you get to the third bridge in the Citadel, there will be four Arbiters.
Note: If you get an unwanted checkpoint, do not save and quit. Instead, press the Xbox guide button and sign out. Press the B button to dismiss the Xbox guide. Now you'll be able to resume from the last checkpoint you saved.
Explanation[]
The glitch works on the Covenant because when the Phantom begins to engage its Active camouflage, all of the Elites on board are removed from the level, as can be seen by players who actually get on the Phantom with the Elites. By destroying the Phantom, a player performing this glitch stops the Phantom from engaging Active camouflage, which prevents the Arbiter and the Elites from being removed from the level. Therefore, the Arbiter remains with you. As the game is unaware of the Phantom's destruction and this Arbiter's continued existence (as the Phantom is expected to leave the level), it spawns another Arbiter the next time the Phantom shows up.
As for the early second Arbiter, the game is scripted to spawn him when it cannot detect the first Arbiter. This is why when you choose not to destroy the Anti-air Wraiths (which would cause the game to spawn the Phantom with Arbiter), deactivate the third tower, and then go outside, the second Arbiter will still be spawned.
Cloning Thel 'Vadam by killing him prior to a cutscene is merely a manifestation of the Life After Death glitch.
Halo[]
- Main article: Life After Death#Halo (Arbiter)
By using a Spartan Laser with infinite ammo to kill the Arbiter immediately before the fight with 343 Guilty Spark, players can duplicate the Arbiter. Outside the Control Room, after the battle, one Arbiter will be standing around, and the other will already be attacking the awaiting Flood; the latter has the waypoint above his head. Once near the end of the hallway, both Arbiters will stay back.
References[]