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After the long and engaging ARG, Bungie unveiled Marathon and its group of runners coming to this eagerly anticipated extraction shooter. While some of us are used to Guardians and the holy trinity they represent, Marathon is taking a different approach. At launch, there will be six playable Runners, with four of them already out there and available during the closed alpha test period. Since there won’t be a role or character queue of sorts and team composition is as flexible as it can be, we’ve ranked all Marathon Runners from best to worst.
[Important note: This article contains information from the pre-alpha and alpha period. We will update the ranking as new updates come out and other Runners are added.]
4. Locus
Locus isn’t a bad Runner in Marathon, but it certainly isn’t the best. Locus is the tank archetype and a much-needed member in any team. It can launch homing missiles, raise a shield, and even dash while jumping. It is a moving bastion that will hold the frontlines while other Runners do the fighting from afar. However, we feel it might be a bit niche, especially since other Runners have more fun gimmicks. Yet, when it comes to pure chaos and on-your-face encounters, the Locus is second to none.
3. Void
If, for whatever reason, you plan to play solo, Void is the best choice. However, it is also a good option for any team. Void is all about stealth, quick eliminations, and remaining unseen around the battlefield. In an extraction shooter, the latter is essential, especially if you’re diving alone into a match. However, we still think the Void might not be as powerful as other Runners in Marathon, especially since, without its stealth kit, there’s nothing else going for it. Yet, things can change in the future. Also, Void can do great in teams while hiding in plain sight and maybe finishing a few enemies off while your other teammates are fighting head-on.
2. Blackbird
If there’s one Runner that will make it to the meta, that is Blackbird. In terms of archetypes, it is a scout. However, the abilities are highly broken and extremely powerful. Almost everything Blackbird does will reveal enemies on the map. The Prime Ability will ping enemies around. The Tactical Skill will detect enemies around the area and can even render them unconscious. There are also other traits that, guess what? They also detect enemies. If there is a must-have Runner for every team, that’s the Blackbird. However, we still feel there’s one last runner that is more engaging to use.
1. Glitch
The best Runner in Marathon so far is Glitch, hands down. Even during the alpha period, Glitch is extremely fun to play. For starters, she’s the most mobile of the bunch. A lot of things are useful in an extraction shooter, but being mobile is a huge blessing. Glitch can double-jump, slide, and even get more speed while also improving her weapon handling. A few of these skills come at an increased Heat generation cost, but if you manage to mitigate those, you’ll be great. On top of that, her skill lets her blast a wave of sorts that pushes enemies away, which is great to get enemies out of cover or just knock back foes if they’re approaching you. Did we also mention the legendary Erica Lindbeck is the voice behind Glitch? Yeah, that’s a huge plus.
