The server slam for Marathon has been illuminating for new players interested in the game and wanting to check it out ahead of its official launch. Bungie’s unique take on gunplay brings a new twist to the extraction shooter genre, and the game is shaping up to be a hit as Marathon has already beaten ARC Raiders on the Steam Top-Seller charts. For players looking to enjoy the game solo on launch, the server slam for Marathon makes it clear that one class above all others will be the meta in solo queue.
Unlike other extraction shooters like ARC Raiders, Marathon adopts a similar feature to Bungie’s other ongoing game, Destiny 2, and includes classes for players to choose from before dropping into Tau Ceti. There will be a total of 7 classes available at launch, with 6 available for players to try during the server slam. However, even without experiencing the final launch day class, it’s already clear that Assassin will be the go-to class for solo Runners on Marathon‘s launch day.
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Marathon’s Assassin Class Has an Ace Up Its Sleeve for Solo Players
Of Marathon‘s 7 classes, Assassin seems designed specifically for solo players, providing Runners with a variety of skills geared toward a stealthy play style. Each of Marathon‘s classes has its own unique role, such as Destroyer acting like a tank, while Triage acts like a medic. These classes are ideal when playing in Marathon’s 3-player squads mode, but for solo queue, players have different priorities to consider when they don’t have teammates to back them up.
Assassin Runner Shell’s Abilities
|
Ability Type |
Ability Name |
Ability Effect |
|---|---|---|
|
Primary |
Smoke Screen |
Throw a smoke disc that emits a line of smoke fields in front of you, disrupting the optics of those who step inside. |
|
Tactical |
Active Camo |
Activate your Shell’s camouflage systems, pulling a shroud of invisibility over yourself. Performing offensive actions, taking damage, and using abilities or consumables briefly disrupts your invisibility. |
|
Trait 1 |
Shadow Dive |
Active while airborne to slam a smoke disc into the ground, deploying a smoke field. |
|
Trait 2 |
Shroud |
Your Shell automatically activates its camouflage systems when entering any smoke field, making you invisible. Invisibility persists for a short time after leaving the smoke field. |
The Assassin’s abilities revolve around two core ideas: deploying smoke fields and using invisibility to evade enemies. Both of these abilities are geared toward a stealthy play style, allowing the Assassin to activate their Smoke Screen when under fire, either by using their Primary ability or the Shadow Dive trait to activate it with a ground slam. Shroud then allows them to go invisible while in a smoke field, but activating the Assassin’s Active Camo Tactical ability also lets Marathon players gain temporary invisibility.
When it comes to solo queue in Marathon, the most desirable traits in a Shell are the ones that keep the player alive on their own without having to rely on the support of a squad. This makes Triage immediately the least desirable class since it primarily focuses on supporting teammates. At the top of the list for solo players would be Assassin, simply because it is the Marathon class most geared toward a lone wolf approach.
Players can use Assassin’s Smoke Screen and Active Camo abilities to infiltrate highly guarded areas without blowing their teammates’ cover, or retreat from risky situations without having to worry about leaving a squad member behind. Solo Assassin players also have an easier time taking out other players in Marathon‘s PvP since they can use their invisibility to get the drop on opponents without their teammates potentially revealing their position.
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Other Marathon Classes May Not Hold a Candle to Assassin For Players
- Destroyer — Tanky with abilities focused on blocking incoming damage and dealing high bursts of damage to multiple enemies at once.
- Recon — Emphasizes scouting enemies with abilities that reveal their location.
- Triage — Focuses on supporting and healing teammates with abilities that can recharge ally shields and revive squad members from afar.
- Thief — Ideal for players looking to collect as much loot as possible during a run, with abilities that let the player knock loot off of enemy players and see loot containers through walls.
- Vandal — A DPS-oriented class with abilities designed to enhance movement and weapon handling and deal AoE damage.
- Rook — The “Free Loadout” class option for solo players only.
The only other Marathon class available at launch that might be worth using as a solo player is Recon. In an effort to counter the invisibility of Assassins, Recon comes with the Echo Pulse Primary Ability that pings nearby players, potentially making the Assassin’s invisibility useless. Recon also comes with the Interrogation Trait, which notifies the player when they are pinged by an enemy Recon. Even with the chance of being revealed by Recon’s Echo Pulse, Assassin is still going to be the ideal choice for solo Runners once Marathon is released.
The Thief class isn’t available during Marathon‘s server slam, but its skills aren’t particularly geared towards solo players unless they are intent on playing as a loot goblin.
Rook is another class that is specifically designed for solo Marathon players, but it’s not going to be the meta anytime soon. The Rook Shell in Marathon can only be played in solo queue, and can’t be equipped with any gear from the player’s vault, making it essentially the “free loadout” class for players just looking to get in, get some loot, and get out. For solo players serious about completing Marathon‘s Contracts or engaging in PvP for the best loot, Assassin will be the most desirable class to play at launch.
- Released
-
March 5, 2026
- ESRB
-
Teen / Animated Blood, Language, Violence, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Multiplayer
-
Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
