Best Marathon characters tier list: All Runner Shell classes explained

Best Marathon characters tier list: All Runner Shell classes explained | PC Gamer Skip to main content Open menu Close main menu PC Gamer THE GLOBAL AUTHORITY ON PC GAMES US Edition UK US Canada Australia Subscribe Sign in View Profile Sign out Search Search PC Gamer Games Hardware News Reviews Guides Video Forum More PC Gaming Show PC Gamer Clips Software Codes Coupons Movies & TV Magazine Newsletter Affiliate links Meet the team Community guidelines About PC Gamer PC Gamer Magazine SubscriptionWhy subscribe?Subscribe to the world’s #1 PC gaming magTry a single issue or save on a subscriptionIssues delivered straight to your door or device From$1Subscribe now Jump to: Tier list All Shells Don’t miss these FPS If you’re hoping to make friends in Marathon like you can in Arc Raiders, expect a knife in the back FPS Marathon Server Slam start times and rewards FPS Hours before its open preview weekend, Marathon is suddenly very close to the top of Steam’s top sellers list FPS The Marathon server slam consumed my weekend: 21 hours later, I’ve gone from ‘meh’ to believer FPS Is Marathon’s time-to-kill too fast, or am I too Arc Raiders-pilled? 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When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Bungie) Jump to: Tier list All Shells Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter PC Gamer Get the PC Gamer Newsletter Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Want to add more newsletters? Every Friday GamesRadar+ Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you’re going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them. Signup + Every Thursday GTA 6 O’clock Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O’clock experts. Signup + Every Friday Knowledge From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what’s on the horizon. Signup + Every Thursday The Setup Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more. Signup + Every Wednesday Switch 2 Spotlight Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo’s new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play. Signup + Every Saturday The Watchlist Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we’ve got you covered. Signup + Once a month SFX Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month! Signup + An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter There are seven characters in Marathon, known as Runner Shells, and each one comes with unique abilities to set them apart. Even if you’ve played old playtests for the game, the classes have changed quite a bit at launch—for one, they’re not characters in the ‘hero shooter’ sense anymore, they’re more like classes.Below, I’ll explain each of the seven Marathon Runner Shells and which ones I’d recommend you use if you’re serious about your survival on Tau Ceti. It’s not known for being a forgiving, friendly place, whether you’re met by robots, aliens, or other people.Best Marathon character tier list (Image credit: Bungie)There are seven classes you can choose from, known as Runner Shells. I’ll immediately point out that there are no bad options here, as each one brings something unique to the table. However, some are more valuable or powerful than others. You may like Best Marathon faction upgrades to unlock first Best weapons in Marathon Marathon: Everything we know about Bungie’s sci-fi extraction shooter Here’s where I’d rank each Runner Shell, plus an explanation for each of my S-tier picks:Swipe to scroll horizontallyRankRunner ShellSTriage, Vandal, AssassinARecon, RookBDestroyer, Thief TriageIt’s hard to overstate just how valuable Triage’s kit is. Medical supplies aren’t easy to sustain, especially early on, and you don’t want to waste any just to heal a smidgen of damage. Triage’s Med Drone keeps you and your team topped up during and in between fights, which really is a lifesaver. Plus, these drones can also be used to prevent downed allies from bleeding out and share healing effects between teammates.Triage’s ultimate, Reboot+, can be used to revive allies from range or EMP enemies. I don’t often recommend using it to zap an enemy, but instantly bringing an ally back from the realm of the dead from afar is very powerful in team fights. Given the team-focused nature of Triage in general, but especially their ultimate, this Shell isn’t quite so strong in solo play. VandalVandal’s not only one of the coolest looking Runners, but they’re also very mobile thanks to their double-jump, enhanced slide, and speed-boosting ultimate. It