Halo: Campaign Evolved Guide | All Mission Nine Skulls

Here’s a guide to all the Skull Locations in Mission Nine: Keyes of Halo: Campaign Evolved.

Game Guide by Ragib Rawnak on Jul 30, 2026

The three Skulls in the Keyes mission in Halo: Campaign Evolved can be a little tricky to find in you don't know where to look. This guide covers where to find the Catch, Blind, and Pinata Skulls so you can collect them all without hassle.

Requirements and Gameplay Modifiers

Before starting, keep a few mechanics in mind. Certain Skulls only spawn on Heroic or Legendary difficulty. If you want to make the run much easier, you can adjust your custom damage modifiers in the game menu in Halo: Campaign Evolved

Navigate to gameplay settings and modify preset 01. Max out your shields, damage resistance, output damage, and ammo clips. Activating these options will not block Skull spawns, and it allows you to sprint through initial firefights while taking zero damage.

Halo: Campaign Evolved Guide Catch Skull Location

How to Get the Catch Skull

The Catch Skull only spawns on Heroic or Legendary difficulty. To make it appear, you must reach the gravity lift of the Truth and Reconciliation ship within a hidden time limit.

Start the Keyes level on Heroic or Legendary with your damage modifiers enabled. Sprint past enemy encounters to reach the ground level beneath the ship as fast as possible in Halo: Campaign Evolved

Once there, eliminate the Covenant forces marked with navigation markers near the lift beam. Step directly into the gravity lift to ascend into the ship. As you float up, look straight down toward the ground and hold your action or pickup button to grab the Catch Skull.

How to Get the Blind Skull

The Blind Skull is available on any difficulty and does not have a time limit in Halo: Campaign Evolved

Fight through the ship until you arrive at the Vehicle Bay, which is the area where Cortana mentions that the Flood are gathering biomass.

Look for a wide hallway that appears to be completely blocked off by ship wreckage. Approach the debris, jump over the top of the pile, and walk through the hall filled with enemy remains. You will find the Blind Skull nestled in the far corner right next to the locked door.

How to Get the Pinata Skull

The Pinata Skull requires a specific physical interaction during a key narrative moment in Halo: Campaign Evolved

Progress through the mission until you reach the main cutscene involving Captain Keyes. Once the cutscene ends, walk up to the proto-gravemind mass.

Move along the left side of the biological structure so you are positioning yourself directly above Captain Keyes. Perform a melee strike to the back of Captain Keyes' head, and the Pinata Skull will pop out of the body for you to pick up immediately.

Halo: Campaign Evolved Guide Pinata Skull Location

FAQ

Q. Do gameplay modifiers disable Skull achievements in Halo: Campaign Evolved?

A. No. Using custom gameplay presets for max damage and invulnerability still allows you to collect Skulls and unlock their related achievements.

Q. Why is the Catch Skull not spawning on Keyes?

A. The Catch Skull will not appear if you are playing on Easy or Normal difficulty. It also fails to spawn if you take too long to reach the gravity lift area from the start of the mission.

Q. Do I need to finish the Keyes mission after collecting a Skull?

A. No. Once you pick up a Skull, it saves to your profile instantly, and you can safely go back to the main menu of the game without losing any progress.

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