Every Playstyle in Marathon Explained (And What’s Best for You Based on Destiny 2)

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Marathon is recovering well from the challenges it faced during its 2025 development, and its ‘Runner Shells’ system really shows that confidence. While class systems aren’t common in games where you collect loot, Bungie recently explained that these Shells are a key part of the game. Players who have experience with Destiny 2 might even recognize some similarities, though the Shells might not be as straightforward as they appear.

Building on what Bungie learned designing classes in the Destiny games, Marathon takes a different approach, focusing on how classes work within the core gameplay of extracting from missions. While Destiny 2 classes let you pick a playstyle based on how powerful you wanted to feel, Marathon is about making smart choices and understanding limitations. Considering what strengths from your favorite Destiny 2 class you might need to sacrifice – or emphasize – will help you quickly adapt when Marathon launches in March.

How Runner Shells Define Marathon

Image via Bungie

In Marathon, each character, known as a Runner Shell, is designed to fit a specific role – like fighting, gathering information, moving quickly, or providing healing. However, these roles aren’t rigid. While each Shell starts with unique skills and powers, you can customize them significantly using Cores and Implants. Cores change how a Shell’s abilities work, and Implants are universal upgrades that boost stats and add extra benefits, sometimes offering substantial bonuses at higher levels.

Okay, so combining these two systems opens up a ton of different ways to build your character. The blog showed that a Shell like the Vandal can become either a super powerful area-of-effect threat, almost like rocket jumping, or a really mobile, triple-jumping frame – it all depends on the Cores and Implants you pick. Honestly, if Destiny 2 is about getting good at a specific class and subclass, Marathon’s system feels like it’s about figuring out how much risk you’re willing to take with each build. It’s about crafting a playstyle that suits you.

Runner Shell – Destroyer (Combat Specialist)

The Destroyer is the easiest Shell to understand in Marathon, and that simplicity is what makes it so effective. It comes with a portable shield, missiles, and boosters, allowing players to aggressively claim territory and challenge opponents. This Shell is ideal for those who prioritize staying alive while also applying constant pressure.

Best For Destiny 2 Players Who Prefer:

  • Titan (Striker or Sentinel): Mobile personal barricade and frontline capability translate almost one-to-one.
  • Solar Titan: Sustain-focused playstyles that reward staying in combat.
  • Berserker Titan: Move in, tee off, move out.

The enemy known as the Destroyer Shell is equipped with a customized suit of armor that originally appeared in the classic game Marathon.

Runner Shell – Assassin (Shadow Agent)

The Assassin Shell in Marathon is designed for players who prefer to stay hidden and avoid detection. It uses smoke and camouflage to control engagements – letting players dictate when and how battles happen, or slip away if things get too dangerous. This Shell focuses on clever tactics and precise timing over simply dealing a lot of damage.

Best For Destiny 2 Players Who Prefer:

  • Hunter (Nightstalker): Invisibility, disengagement, and positional advantage.
  • Void Hunter PvP Mains: Comfort with soft control and opportunistic strikes.
  • Solo-Oriented Players: Those solo dungeon or Nightfall players who value survivability tools as much as kill potential.

The Assassin Shell can also use its smoke ability to negate fall damage.

Runner Shell – Recon (Intel Specialist)

Recon Shells prioritize giving players a clear advantage through information. They feature abilities like echo pulses that reveal enemies through walls, tracker drones that disable opponents, and visible footprints, all working together to maximize awareness and control on the battlefield. Bungie developers jokingly referred to this Shell as the “fun police” during development, suggesting it will be a powerful – and potentially frustrating – choice when the game launches.

Best For Destiny 2 Players Who Prefer:

  • Hunters Who Lean Tactical: Gunslinger or Nightstalker players who value setup.
  • Knucklehead Radar Users: Those who want that extra heads-up.
  • Raid Guides/Leaders: Those who naturally set roles and funnel information to their squad.

Runner Shell – Vandal (Combat Anarchist)

In Marathon, the Vandal class is designed for players who love fast movement and causing chaos. Vandal characters can quickly traverse levels using abilities like powersliding, double jumping, and a knockback cannon, allowing them to exploit the environment and gain a height advantage. By equipping the right upgrades, a Vandal can go beyond simply running quickly and become a difficult, unpredictable force for enemy teams.

Best For Destiny 2 Players Who Prefer:

  • Arcstrider Hunters: Momentum-first combat and aggressive repositioning.
  • Dawnblade Warlocks: Comfort fighting from the air and controlling space mid-movement.
  • Striker Titans: For the ever-satisfying slam.

Runner Shell – Thief (Covert Acquisitions)

The Thief Shell is designed for efficient looting. It features upgrades like special visors to spot valuable items, a drone that can tag enemies and steal their loot, and a grapple for quick escapes. This shell is perfect for players who prioritize collecting resources over simply surviving – those who want to maximize profit during a run.

Best For Destiny 2 Players Who Prefer:

  • Hunters: Revenant or Nightstalker players who prioritize escape and enhanced vision.
  • Aggregate Value Warlocks: Those Warlock mains who play the class because value accumulation is the real win condition.

Runner Shell – Triage (Field Medic)

Triage Shells are designed to help squads survive and succeed. They offer tools like healing drones, the ability to revive teammates, and combat boosts. This support role will likely be essential for team play in Marathon, keeping everyone alive long enough to win fights or escape when necessary.

Best For Destiny 2 Players Who Prefer:

  • Well of Radiance Warlocks: players who heal or use the Hellion Aspect to buff their team’s DPS.
  • Coordinated Squads: Groups willing to play longer, riskier matches.

Scavenger Mode Shell – Rook

The Rook Shell isn’t like a typical Runner Shell. It’s specifically made for Marathon’s Scavenger Mode. When you use it, you join games that are already happening without any starting equipment, and you won’t lose any of your existing gear. You can only gain or lose items found during that match.

As a gamer, I’d say Rook feels a lot like playing as Scavs in Escape from Tarkov or doing free loadout runs in ARC Raiders – you’re kind of thrown into the action with limited gear. But what really makes Rook different is that I can actually blend in with the enemy AI, which is super cool. And honestly, if you find extraction shooters really stressful, Rook lets me enjoy the Marathon experience without constantly worrying about getting punished for every little mistake. It’s a much more relaxed way to play.

Shells Set Marathon Apart From the Genre

Compared to the three main classes in Destiny 2, the different ways of playing Marathon are much more focused and unique. By basing each character type on a balance between risk and reward instead of just pure strength, Bungie is changing the game to better fit the extraction shooter genre. This is a welcome change, as other games like Escape from Tarkov and Arc Raiders don’t offer similar systems.

These new Shells in the game are definitely connected to the established character classes in Destiny. Whether this design will work well in a competitive game like an extraction shooter remains to be seen. For now, though, Shells offer a welcome and interesting experience that feels familiar to players.

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2026-01-27 18:06