All Runner Shells in Marathon: Roles and abilities explained

Runner Shells in Marathon are a type of loadout selection that weaves into a player’s playstyle. While you can choose to run your preferred shell, strategizing a combination of different shells could be more beneficial for squads during skirmishes. However, there are bound to be some pros and cons for each of the choices, so it is best to understand the Runner Shells before diving into the game.

This article will highlight all of the available Runner Shells in Marathon.

Note: Parts of this article are subjective and reflect the author’s opinion.

What are Runner Shells in Marathon?

Runner Shells are ability loadouts that you can choose for your biosynthetic. These determine which perks and power-ups you will have access to, resulting in different playstyles. That said, here is a quick overview of all the Runner Shells in Marathon:

Destroyer

As the name suggests, this Runner Shell is heavy on offense, while packing a personal defense system. The shell also boasts increased movement abilities that fans can use to chase down opponents and enjoy an overall aggressive playstyle.

• Role: Combat Specialist
• Tech: Offense/Defense
• Search and Destroy (Prime Ability): Use this to activate shoulder-mounted missile pods. By dealing damage to enemies, these pods release homing missiles that can immobilize and damage opponents upon impact.
• Riot Barricade (Tactical Ability): An energy shield that activates and mitigates incoming damage. The shield consumes tactical ability energy when the shield takes damage.
• Thruster (Trait 1): This trait can be used to fire up boosters mid-air to thrust forward in the direction of movement.
• Tactical Sprint (Trait 2): Double-tap sprint to enjoy faster running speed. Using this generates more heat for the shell.

Vandal

Vandals are Runner Shells in Marathon that are based around increased agility. These shells come with Microjets to enable a second jump and amplification for high-speed movement while reducing the generated heat. These may be great for players who enjoy gunfights while taking high ground and capitalizing on flank strategies.

• Role: Combat Anarchist
• Tech: Enhanced movement
• Amplify (Prime Ability): Increase the effectiveness of the movement systems while reducing heat generation to boost movement speed and weapon handling.
• Disrupt Cannon (Tactical Ability): Use to activate a hand cannon that can shoot out an energy projectile at enemies. The shots deal damage and can knock back opponents.
• Microjets (Trait 1): Can be used mid-air to launch a second jump, but generate more heat.
• Power Slide (Trait 2): This trait can be used to slide on terrain at the cost of generating heat.

Recon

Recons are information gatherers that rely on intelligence when facing threats. These are lethal hunters who are capable of seeking out injured opponents and detecting enemies in the vicinity with their unique application of sonar pulses.

• Role: Intel Specialist
• Tech: Threat detection
• Echo Pulse (Prime Ability): Use sonar pulses to detect nearby enemies by activating the shell’s detection system.
• Tracker Drone (Tactical Ability): Release a microbot that can automatically seek out nearby opponents and explode near them, causing overheating.
• Interrogation (Trait 1): Whenever marked by an enemy, you are notified on the shell HUD. Finishing an enemy reveals the position of the surviving crew members.
• Stalker Protocol (Trait 2): A holographic trail is left behind by enemies when you break their shield.

Assassin

Assassins are able to blend in with the surroundings and disrupt the line of sight of opponents when necessary with smoke. These shells are great for sneaking behind enemy lines and eliminating unsuspecting teams during a run.

• Role: Shadow Agent
• Tech: Invisibility systems
• Smoke Screen (Prime Ability): Deploy a smoke disc to generate a smoke field and block the vision of enemies. Opponents entering the smoke field will have their vision disrupted.
• Active Camo (Tactical Ability): Activate this ability to go invisible. Attacking, taking damage, or using consumables will disrupt the ability for a short duration.
• Shadow Dive (Trait 1): Can be used mid-air to generate a smoke field on the ground with a smoke disc.
• Shroud (Trait 2): The shell automatically enters a temporary Active Camo whenever inside a smoke field. The invisibility effect remains for a while after leaving the smoke.

Triage

Triage is a support Runner Shell in Marathon that specializes in tending to teammates. While it is a good pick for keeping the squad healthy, its abilities can be used offensively to launch EMPs at enemy combatants. Having a Triage shell in the team can help you sustain more damage during fights, while keeping up the fight by utilizing faster revives, and enjoying more efficient consumable effects.

• Role: Field Medic
• Tech: Damage mitigation
• Reboot+ (Prime Ability): Activate the defibrillator of the shell. Fire the ability at teammates to revive or EMP enemies.
• Med-Drone (Tactical Ability): Launch a drone that can connect itself to squadmates and heal them or recharge shields. This can also be used to prevent downed allies from bleeding out when knocked.
• Shareware.exe (Trait 1): Medical consumable effects are shared when Med-Drone is attached.
• Battery Overcharge (Trait 2): Increase the performance of weapon but generates more heat. It can also be used to hit enemies with EMP if you break their shield with a volt weapon.

Thief

Thief shells are perfect loot gatherers with their specialized visors and drones. These drones can also be used to steal valuable items from opponents by forcing them to drop the loot. This shell also gets access to a grapple system to increase mobility and open up the ability to take high ground.

• Role: Covert Acquisitions
• Tech: Advanced heist mechanics
• Pickpocket Drone (Prime Ability): Launch a piloted and limited lifetime drone. This can be used to tether an enemy to eject valuable loot from the inventory. It can also be used to open doors. You can freely exit out of piloting the drone and re-enter if the drone remains active.
• Grapple Device (Tactical Ability): Use a grapple to attach at different points and propel toward it.
• X-Ray Visor (Trait 1): Use the visor to locate loot containers through walls in the vicinity. Enemies in direct line of sight can also be scanned to check loot value for each opponent. It can also be used to disrupt vision for enemies when aiming at them with the ability active.
• The Finer Things (Trait 2): Activate to increase weapon handling and Grapple Device recharge rate depending on the amount of loot in the bag.

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Edited by Krishanu Ranjan Sarma