Marathon: Which Runner/Class Should You Play With?

Rook

Scavenger

Limited

Signal Mask (Tactical): Rook blends in with UESC forces for a short time.

Recuperation (Prime): Start health regeneration that can be interrupted when damage is received.

Rook acts as a free kit that comes with a random weapon and basic gear. Players can take Rook into matches for quick looting sessions, without risking their own equipment in the vault. Although Contracts will be paused when using Rook.

Destroyer

Combat Specialist

Offense/Defense

Riot Barricade (Tactical): Destroyer can activate a plasma shield in front of them to block incoming projectile damage.

Search and Destroy (Prime): Launches homing missiles from shoulder-mounted cannons.

Destroyer caters to a typical run-and-gun playstyle. Their abilities can let them tank damage, apply pressure to enemies, and clear a path for their teammates to advance forward.

Vandal

Combat Anarchist

Enhanced Movement

Disrupt Cannon (Tactical): Shoots a high-powered energy projectile that can damage and push back enemies.

Amplify (Prime): Massively reduces heat produced and super-charges movement speed and weapon dexterity.

Vandal is perfect for players who love maneuvering through areas and flanking enemies. Their double-jump abilities can also allow them to reach high points on the map to find a vantage point or a sniping position.

Recon

Intel Specialist

Threat Detection

Tracker Drone (Tactical): Deploys a small bot that will track nearby hostiles and explode, overheating enemies caught in the blast.

Echo Pulse (Prime): Releases sonar pulses that will reveal the position of nearby hostiles.

Recon is what you call an anti-camper character. They specialize in tracking enemies and revealing their locations to you and your squad. If you time your abilities right, Recon can prove to be one of the deadliest Runner Shells in Marathon.

Assassin

Shadow Agent

Invisibility Systems

Active Camo (Tactical): Activates Assassin's invisibility cloak, which will become disrupted with combat or consumables.

Smoke Screen (Prime): Throws smoke disks that cover the area in front of the Assassin in plumes of smoke that disrupt the enemy's optics.

Assassin is a great Runner Shell for solo players who prefer taking a stealthy approach to combat and infiltrating heavily-guarded areas for loot. The invisibility cloak will prove to be pivotal in catching unsuspecting players off guard or escaping a dangerous situation.

Triage

Field Medic

Damage Mitigation

Med-Drone (Tactical): Deploys a drone that can heal allies, recharge their shields, and prevent them from bleeding out when downed.

Reboot+ (Prime): Can simultaneously attach cybernetic tendrils to allies and enemies. Triage will be able to revive their allies while disrupting the enemy's systems with EMP.

Triage is your support healer class that will mostly play on the sidelines, responsible for keeping their team's HP and shields topped up. Learning when to time Triage abilities will be key for a team to survive a raid against huge odds.

Thief

Covert Acquisitions

Advanced Heist Mechanics

Grapple Device (Tactical): Thief can launch a grapple device in the air and propel themselves towards it. It does not need a surface to latch on to.

Pickpocket Drone (Prime): Thief can pilot a small drone that can fire a tether and steal the highest

For players who are literal loot, goblins will have a field day with Thief. Their entire kit is focused on acquiring the most amount of loot out of a raid, even if they have to steal another player's loot without even getting into combat.