Best weapons in Marathon

Marathon weapons tier list: A first-person image of a player shooting UESC robots in a hallway.
(Image credit: Bungie)

Being an extraction shooter, you won't be able to pick up every gun you find in Marathon, and, of course, you can lose it all in an instant anyhow. You'll want to prioritise collecting and using the best weapons so you can better defend yourself while picking Tau Ceti clean.

As it stands, there are a whopping 28 guns in Marathon, ranging from pistols and SMGs to railguns, so there's a lot to pick from. And if you're sitting there wondering how you even begin to find good gear, I recommend completing map events during a match, like Lockdown or Priority Targets. These can drop high-end weapons with attachments, alongside shields, Cores, Implants, and so on.

Best Marathon weapons tier list

Right now, the meta is to use a shotgun for close-quarters and a sniper to pick enemies off from afar, and that's unlikely to ever change given how powerful and versatile this loadout is. While there are multiple strong choices in each category, it's nevertheless quite a rare and expensive kit to maintain, so you'll inevitably have to fall back on other weapons, especially earlier on.

Here's where I'd rank each weapon, plus an explanation for each of my S-tier picks:

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Rank

Weapon

S

WSTR Combat Shotgun, Repeater HPR, Bully, Longshot, BR33 Volley Rifle, Outland

A

Misriah 2442, Stryder M1T, Twin Tap HBR, M77 Assault, Impact HAR, BRRT SMG, V11 Punch

B

Conquest LMG, Hardline PR, V99 Channel Rifle, V22 Volt Thrower, V66 Lookout, Magnum MC, Ares RG, V00 Zeus RG, Retaliator LMG

C

Demolition HMG, Overrun AR, CE Tactical, C75 Scar, Copperhead RF

Best Marathon weapons: A side-on view of the WSTR Combat Shotgun against a dark blue background.

WSTR Combat Shotgun

The WSTR double-barreled shotgun might just be the most satisfying weapon in Marathon. Sure, it's only got two shots before you need to reload it, but that's all you need if you can get close enough. It's absolutely lethal and incredibly stylish. If you've never used this weapon with the Assassin Runner shell to sneak up on your enemy and blast 'em in the back, then you need to.

Best Marathon weapons: A side-on view of the Repeater HPR against a dark blue background.

Repeater HPR

The Repeater HPR is a lever-action precision rifle, and it's admittedly rather slow and clunky having to reload one round at a time. However, it more than makes up for it with raw firepower: it can one-tap unshielded enemies and two-shot green shields. It's the gun I racked up the highest kill count with during the Server Slam, and it makes for a perfect backup to a shotgun or an SMG.

Best Marathon weapons: A side-on view of the Bully against a dark blue background.

Bully

Aptly named, the Bully is a very reliable weapon at close range and a great early pick when you're just starting out. It fires heavy ammo so it packs a punch up close, but it's balanced by a slower rate of fire than the other SMGs. In other words, you need good aim and tracking to make your shots count.

Best Marathon weapons: A side-on view of the Longshot against a dark blue background.

Longshot

You might not expect it from a fast-firing semi-automatic sniper rifle, but the Longshot is absolutely devastating. Hit a headshot and your opponent is usually down for the count or low enough for you to move in and finish them off. It being semi-auto also makes it rather forgiving, though, giving you time to line up a second shot. It's borderline overpowered, quite frankly, especially with a thermal scope.

Best Marathon weapons: A side-on view of the BR33 Volley against a dark blue background.

BR33 Volley Rifle

As the name hints, the BR33 is a burst-fire rifle. While you might think this means it would be slow and clunky, it's really not that bad. It's pretty snappy and boasts very little recoil, making it one of my favourite choices for mid-range shootouts when something like the Overrun AR or even M77 would let you down.

Best Marathon weapons: A side-on view of the Outland against a dark blue background.

Outland

The Outland is basically a suped-up Longshot. It deals a wicked amount of damage per shot, even at extreme ranges, but because it's bolt-action, you really can't afford to miss a shot. It's going to be the bane of Ranked lobbies, I can already tell.

All Marathon guns

(Image credit: Bungie)

Here are all 28 guns you can find in Marathon:

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Weapon

Type

Ammo

Impact HAR

Assault rifle

Heavy Rounds

M77

Assault rifle

Light Rounds

Overrun AR

Assault rifle

Light Rounds

V75 Scar

Assault rifle

Volt Battery

Retaliator LMG

Machine gun

Light Rounds

Demolition HMG

Machine gun

Heavy Rounds

Conquest LMG

Machine gun

Light Rounds

Bully SMG

Submachine gun

Heavy Rounds

Copperhead RF

Submachine gun

Light Rounds

BRRT SMG

Submachine gun

Light Rounds

V22 Volt Thrower

Submachine gun

Volt Battery

WSTR Combat Shotgun

Shotgun

MIPS Rounds

Misriah 2442

Shotgun

MIPS Rounds

V85 Circuit Breaker

Shotgun

Volt Battery

CE Tactical Sidearm

Pistol

Light Rounds

Magnum MC

Pistol

Heavy Rounds

V11 Punch

Pistol

Volt Battery

Repeater HPR

Precision rifle

Heavy Rounds

BR33 Volley Rifle

Precision rifle

Light Rounds

Stryder M1T

Precision rifle

Light Rounds

Twin Tap HBR

Precision rifle

Heavy Rounds

Hardline PR

Precision rifle

Light Rounds

V66 Lookout

Precision rifle

Volt Battery

Longshot

Sniper rifle

MIPS Rounds

V99 Channel Rifle

Sniper rifle

Volt Battery

Outland

Sniper rifle

MIPS Rounds

V00 Zeus RG

Railgun

Volt Cell

Ares RG

Railgun

Volt Cell

Marathon roadmapMarathon Lockbox KeysMarathon upgradesMarathon DCONIntroducing TraxusMarathon vault

Marathon roadmap: What's coming
Marathon Lockbox Keys: How to get 'em
Marathon upgrades: Which to pick
Marathon DCON: Where to find one
Introducing Traxus: Find the terminal
Marathon vault: How to get more space

Rory Norris
Guides Writer

Rory has made the fatal error of playing way too many live service games at once, and somehow still finding time for everything in between. Sure, he’s an expert at Destiny 2, Call of Duty, and more, but at what cost? He’s even sunk 1,000 hours into The Elder Scrolls Online over the years. At least he put all those hours spent grinding challenges to good use over the years as a freelancer and guides editor. In his spare time, he’s also an avid video creator, often breaking down the environmental design of his favourite games. If you can’t track him down, he’s probably lost in a cave with a bunch of dwarves shouting “rock and stone” to no end.

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