Runner Shells in Marathon: All Classes and Their Roles

Marathon is a new extraction shooter by Bungie, scheduled for release on March 5, 2026. The game focuses on raids, survival, and high-risk decision-making, where every choice can either cost you your loot or bring a major reward. You can read more about the project itself, its setting, and core mechanics in Marathon — Everything We Know. In this article, however, we will focus specifically on character classes.

In Marathon, players control Runners — characters whose consciousness has been transferred into biosynthetic shells. At launch, the game will feature 7 Runner shells, each representing a distinct archetype and playstyle while still allowing deep customization to fit individual approaches.

What Are Runner Shells in Marathon?

A Runner is a human who has sacrificed their physical body and transferred their consciousness into a biosynthetic shell designed specifically for survival in the world of Marathon. This transformation makes death non-final and turns it into a core part of the gameplay loop.

Each Runner shell is built around a specific archetype. Depending on your choice, you can assemble a character focused on information gathering, combat disruption, or ally support. While the archetype defines the shell’s baseline capabilities, it does not lock you into a single playstyle.

Runner customization is handled through cores, implants, weapons, and modifications that you bring into a raid. This combination shapes your unique build and overall survival strategy. Bungie has stated that details about visual customization will be revealed later.

Playstyles of Runner Shells

Source: bungie.net

Each Runner shell is not limited to one fixed playstyle. Its archetype sets a general direction, but the final role of the character is shaped by ability tuning and loadout choices. Because of this, the same Runner can fulfill different roles depending on the selected build.

By modifying cores, implants, weapons, and gear, players can enhance specific abilities, adjust pacing, mobility, survivability, or combat impact. This allows for the creation of custom Runner shells tailored to aggressive play, tactical control, or team support.

A good example is the Vandal shell. Depending on configuration, it can become an extremely mobile Runner focused on rapid movement, vertical gameplay, and repositioning. Alternatively, it can be built as a chaotic combat tool that uses abilities to break enemy positions, disrupt engagements, and control space. All of this is achieved not by class selection, but through combinations of cores, implants, and weapons.

This system makes every raid in Marathon unique, with Runner buildcrafting serving as a core element of strategy and survival.

What Are Cores and Implants?

Source: bungie.net

Cores are modifiers tied to a specific Runner shell. They alter or enhance its unique abilities, unlocking new mechanics or alternative ways to use skills. Cores define how your Runner functions at a fundamental level.

Implants are universal upgrades available to any shell. They improve character stats and provide additional perks that affect efficiency, survivability, and combat awareness.

Together, cores and implants allow for deep Runner customization and adaptation to different scenarios in Marathon.

Runner Shell Overview

Each Runner shell in Marathon corresponds to a specific archetype and sets the general direction of its playstyle.

While each Runner shell has a clearly defined archetype, none of them restrict players to a single playstyle. Cores, implants, weapons, and modifications allow for flexible adaptation to different tactical scenarios.

Runner shells in Marathon are not traditional classes in the classic sense. They define an archetype and a baseline role, but do not limit how you play. Through cores, implants, weapons, and various modifications, you can create unique builds that match your personal playstyle.

This design philosophy is what makes every raid feel different and encourages experimentation with new builds and strategies every time you drop into Marathon.