Get ready to drop into Bungie’s upcoming extraction FPS, Marathon! Just like choosing your character in a hero shooter, you’ll select a Runner, each offering a distinct playstyle to shape your expedition. While Marathon’s intense action might grab you instantly, understanding your Runner is key to survival. This guide provides a detailed overview of the currently revealed Marathon Runners and their unique abilities. We’ve mentioned the first four, but we will update our guide as the game adds more when it launches on September 23rd.
As mentioned above, Marathon has revealed four runners or classes for now. Currently, the Marathon Alpha and the gameplay overview suggest that two more runners will join the roster soon. Between Marathon matches, you’ll have the flexibility to swap Runners, and the vast majority of your gear is universally compatible. Aside from a few high-tier, Runner-specific exceptions, weapons, cores, and implants can be freely exchanged. Each Runner boasts a suite of four abilities: a powerful ‘Prime‘ ability akin to a super, a versatile ‘Tactical‘ ability, and two passive abilities that significantly influence gameplay.
While the majority of the core Marathon experience remains consistent across Runners, your chosen character will introduce nuances, particularly in how you approach and engage in gunfights. With that said, let us begin the list of all Runners or classes in Marathon.
1. Glitch
- Playstyle: Glitch dances across the battlefield with lightning speed and uncanny agility, a master of verticality. Her unparalleled movement allows her to seize advantageous positions that remain inaccessible to most, turning the very architecture of the arena into her personal playground.
- Prime Ability:
- Amplify: Intensify your kinetic systems to significantly mitigate the heat generated by movement. This also grants enhanced movement speed and quicker weapon handling.
- Tactical Ability:
- Disruptor: Unleash a devastating energy blast by morphing your arm into a powerful cannon. A quick tap fires a damaging projectile that knocks enemies back. Charging the cannon by holding down the trigger intensifies the blast, significantly increasing its size and destructive force.
- Trait 1:
- Microjets: While airborne, you can trigger a second jump, but be mindful that this extra burst of mobility will cause your heat levels to rise.
- Trait 2:
- Power Slide: Glitch’s slide ability not only propels her forward at incredible speed but also intensifies her internal heat levels.
- Voice Actor: Erica Lindbeck
2. Void
- Playstyle: Void becomes a phantom on the battlefield, a master of the unseen strike. Void executes devastating hit-and-run tactics, melting back into the shadows before their presence is even registered. For Void, remaining unseen isn’t just an advantage; it’s the key to their dominance, and if you are all about striking from the shadows in a shooter, this is the ideal class for you in Marathon.
- Prime Ability:
- Smoke Screen: Launch a disc that unfurls into a linear veil of smoke, obscuring the vision of any who dare to cross its path.
- Tactical Ability:
- Active Camo: Blend into your surroundings by activating your shell’s cloaking device, rendering yourself unseen.
- Trait 1:
- Shadow Dive: While in the air, trigger the device to launch a smoke disc downwards, creating a concealing cloud upon impact.
- Trait 2:
- Shroud: Stepping into a smoke field instantly cloaks your shell in camouflage, rendering you invisible. This invisibility lingers briefly even after you emerge from the smoke.
- Voice Actor: Elias Toufexis
3. Locus
- Playstyle: If you live for intense gunfights and leading the charge, Locus is your ideal Runner in Marathon. This brutal soldier is packed with formidable offense, rewarding aggressive tactics. Be mindful of a less robust defense, but embrace the delight of pushing your loadout to its limits with Locus.
- Prime Ability:
- Search and Destroy: Activate your shoulder-mounted missile pods. Dealing sustained damage to targets launches homing missiles, immobilizing and dealing damage upon impact.
- Tactical Ability:
- Riot Barricade: Activate an energy barricade that blocks incoming damage, draining tactical ability energy over time. Taking damage drains additional energy.
- Trait 1:
- Thruster: Activate while airborne to fire boosters that thrust you in the direction you are moving.
- Trait 2:
- Tactical Sprint: Double-press sprint to move faster at the cost of generating additional heat.
- Voice Actor: TBA
4. Blackbird
- Playstyle: Blackbird becomes your eyes in the field, skillfully revealing enemy and player locations while simultaneously striking from the shadows. This is an ideal Runner for the team extraction environment of Marathon.
- Prime Ability:
- Echo Pulse: Use your shell’s high-tech sensors to fire a barrage of sonar pulses that will expose the whereabouts of any surrounding enemies.
- Tactical Ability:
- Tracker Drone: Set up a robotic microbot that detects enemies in the area and then detonates an explosive device, rendering them unconscious.
- Trait 1:
- Interrogation: You instantly get a warning on the HUD of your shell when a hostile Runner pings you. If you use a finisher on a Runner, it will ping their crew.
- Trait 2:
- Stalker Protocol: When playing Blackbird, if you break an enemy shield, it will leave behind a lingering holographic trail for a short time.
- Voice Actor: Nika Futterman
While those are all the Marathon classes for now, we do have two unconfirmed Marathon runners making their way into the game. These include a class clled Lifeline that will be the medic with a healing drone. Furthermore, we should also get a Marathon class named Thief that will scout chests and steal from enemies. However, we will have to wait and see for the game’s official reveal for more information.
That is everything about the runners in marathon. So, which class are you excited to try out first in the game? Are you going light-speed with Glitch, or do you prefer the stealthy Void? Do tell us in the comments below.
