Okay, so can someone explain the etymology of the "noob combo" to me? I would think the "noob" thing to do would be to waste all your ammunition trying to take someone down. What is exactly is "noob" about ammo conservation, strategic thinking, and efficiency?

Huh? It comes from Halo 2 where the plasma pistol was god like.

Halo 2, when you could duel wield the Plasma Pistol and SMG. Also the Plasma Pistol could hold it's charge indefinitely so people would just run around the entire game with it fully charged.

You walk around with an overcharged pistol and a BR or a DMR, as soon as you see someone you pop their shields with the plasma pistol and change to the BR/DMR straight away and pop them in the head. 
 
Its no as much noob as it is cheap.

Halo 2 was when it was really bad, as people just kept the plasma pistol charged, and had an SMG at the ready in the other hand. It's still cheap in Reach, but nowhere near as bad as it was in Halo 2.

I haven't seen people get upset at the noob combo since Halo 2, but it's still a little "-_-" when I see it. 
It's not so much that it's looked down upon because it's still cheap, but just because there has been a gentleman's ban on it for so long.

I can't seem to get it to work in Reach matchmaking, but goddamn is it making my Legendary playthrough a million times easier.

Plasma Pistol = Best Gun In The Game :3 
 
That is all...

" Huh? It comes from Halo 2 where the plasma pistol was god like. "

Ahh, gotcha. I only played the single player Halo 2, and a long time ago at that, so that makes sense. In Reach that combo is completely indispensable (especially on Legendary), but I forgot about the dual wielding in previous games, so that makes sense.

Thanks!

" Halo 2 was when it was really bad, as people just kept the plasma pistol charged, and had an SMG at the ready in the other hand. It's still cheap in Reach, but nowhere near as bad as it was in Halo 2. "

It worked better in Halo 2, since you could literally switch to a BR and shoot before the pistol plasma hit your target. Also there was more auto-aim, so it was impossible to dodge if you're locked on.

wow good thing they decided dual wielding it pretty stupid

" @Fullmetal216 said:

" Halo 2 was when it was really bad, as people just kept the plasma pistol charged, and had an SMG at the ready in the other hand. It's still cheap in Reach, but nowhere near as bad as it was in Halo 2. "

Why would you use an SMG... Magnum was such a better option >.> "

the smg was better, it was good at close to medium range, and you could charge the plasma bolt, shoot, then hold down fire button and by the time the plasma bolt connected you were pelting the targets head with alot of lead.

" @Fullmetal216 said:

" Halo 2 was when it was really bad, as people just kept the plasma pistol charged, and had an SMG at the ready in the other hand. It's still cheap in Reach, but nowhere near as bad as it was in Halo 2. "

Why would you use an SMG... Magnum was such a better option >.> "

I'm surprised so many people are referring to it as involving the SMG, when generally I think it's thought of as being used with the battle rifle. Anyway, yeah, the SMG and plasma pistol was a more deadly combo up close, but from medium range, the BR was just incredible.

The term exists but there's no such thing as a noob combo, just people getting upset that you came to a fight with anything other than a BR/DMR.  

I'll always use the most effective weapon combinations, although i love a good a BR duel.

The noob combo has always referred to Plasma Pistol + Battle Rifle.  You guys don't remember "combo training" in action sack?  It was BR + PP spawns.

" Ahh, gotcha. I only played the single player Halo 2, and a long time ago at that, so that makes sense. In Reach that combo is completely indispensable (especially on Legendary), but I forgot about the dual wielding in previous games, so that makes sense. Thanks! "

I remember once in Halo 2 I went 50 and 3 by myself against a team of four by just hunting out and hoarding the Plasma Pistol and Battle Rifle. It was seriously a stupid-good combo. 

Ugh, I don't get why they made it so you can hold the plasma charge forever.  In Halo on an original Xbox it would discharge, but if you play Halo on a 360 they made it so it'll hold its charge forever.  It looks  ridiculous, you're hand just starts freaking out but it never fires the charged shot.

Wasn't it the overcharged plasma pistol plus punch?

" Wasn't it the overcharged plasma pistol plus punch? "

The Noob Combo is Plasma Pistol overcharge + Battle Rifle headshot.  It was insanely good in Halo 2.
 
I can't believe people don't know this.

The combo is still pretty effective in reach if you get used to the plasma pistols lock on, which is about the same as halo 3 I think. I love using it, it is also fun to hold a charge in the plasma pistol, wait around corners and do a shoot/hit combo. it will kill them instantly. People also seem to completely hate when you do it, which I guess carries over from all the people used to the lock-on being incredibly generous from halo 2.

Personally, I don't think it's as cheap nowadays. It's pretty legitimate now, what with the bolts being easy as hell to dodge, the shot discharging if you hold it too long and the battery of the Plasma Pistol itself getting drained as you hold it. In the hands of someone good, it can be very good, but if you're just in a mad rush to get it off most of the time it'll just miss and you'll be the worse off in the encounter rather than the best.

Hmmm. I don't understand how this is considered noob or cheap when it's a tactic that's advised in the official Halo Reach Strategy Guide.  Just sounds like smart playing for the situation to me.

I was under the understanding it was Plasma Pistol and BR.
You can still do it with the DMR or the Needle Rifle. It still feels a little cheap an happens a lot in Elite Slayer cause you start with those. Still isn't a big deal though, the PP continually uses ammo when you have it charged and it doesn't seem like it auto tracks as well as it used to.
All you have to do is dodge then take the effer down.

They've done a lot to fix it, thankfully; in the late days of Halo 2, when people were stopping to play on their new 360s and abandoning the Xbox, all anyone did was have a fully charged plasma pistol and use that. No other guns got any use at all. In Halo 3, the ammo counts down to counteract it, lowering the effect - but it still remained a good tactic. In Reach, you have Armour Lock to utterly negate it, which is fantastic.

" The Noob Combo is Plasma Pistol overcharge + Battle Rifle headshot.  It was insanely good in Halo 2. I can't believe people don't know this. "

" Ugh, I don't get why they made it so you can hold the plasma charge forever.  In Halo on an original Xbox it would discharge, but if you play Halo on a 360 they made it so it'll hold its charge forever.  It looks  ridiculous, you're hand just starts freaking out but it never fires the charged shot. "

" Ugh, I don't get why they made it so you can hold the plasma charge forever.  In Halo on an original Xbox it would discharge, but if you play Halo on a 360 they made it so it'll hold its charge forever.  It looks  ridiculous, you're hand just starts freaking out but it never fires the charged shot. "

Yo, if it's in the game and you don't need a code to unlock it, then it's fair game. Complaining makes you an admitted pussy. The two piece in gears pre patch...fun and effective. Screw whiners

"Huh? It comes from Halo 2 where the plasma pistol was god like. "

" You walk around with an overcharged pistol and a BR or a DMR, as soon as you see someone you pop their shields with the plasma pistol and change to the BR/DMR straight away and pop them in the head.  Its no as much noob as it is cheap. "

"Okay, so can someone explain the etymology of the "noob combo" to me? I would think the "noob" thing to do would be to waste all your ammunition trying to take someone down. What is exactly is "noob" about ammo conservation, strategic thinking, and efficiency? "