Marathon: the best weapons and complete tier list (March 2026)

28 weapons. That's what Marathon throws in your face from your first hours on Tau Ceti IV . Pistols, assault rifles, SMGs, snipers, railguns, shotguns — the catalog is dense and, let's be honest, you won't have time to test everything before getting robbed by an Assassin hiding behind a door.

Bungie's shooter extraction is unforgiving. You lose your stuff when you die, period. So you better know what weapons are worth risking your run and which you can leave on the ground without regret.

We compiled community feedback, Server Slam data, and our own hundreds of hours to come up with this tier list. Updated March 2026, including Cryo Archive endgame and Ranked.

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Before detailing each weapon, here is the overall ranking. We took into account effectiveness in PvP, versatility against UESC bots, the type of ammunition, and available mods. The current meta revolves around the combo shotgun + sniper — it's expensive to maintain, but formidable.

Two shots. That's all you need. The WSTR is a double-barreled MIPS ammunition cannon that destroys any shield at point-blank range. Even after the nerf, it's probably the most satisfying weapon in the game Combine it with the Assassin to sneak up behind an enemy and put two shots in their back - there's no better feeling on Tau Ceti.

On the mods side, the MIPS Slug Converter (mod prestige) boosts ranged damage if you aim well. The mod Blue Blood regen your life when you take down a player, and Circuit Tracers recharges automatically the weapon when you eliminate. Both are monstrous on a two-shot shotgun.

The BR33 is the weapon everyone was looking for during the Server Slam. A burst rifle with light ammunition that shreds shields at any distance . Against UESC bots, against players, in close or mid-range — it does it all. No matter the rarity, if you see a BR33 on the ground, you pick it up. Period.

The strongest SMG in the game. It uses heavy ammunition — yes, for an SMG — and you can feel it. In mid-close range, the Bully melts any opponent. If you're the type to rush and take fights head-on, this is your weapon. The recoil is manageable and the TTK is brutal.

THE Marathon sniper. MIPS ammunition, infinite range, massive damage. If your team plays from a distance and avoids close engagements, the Longshot is non-negotiable. One headshot and it's over. The classic combo is Longshot + WSTR: you pick from afar, you finish up close. Costly to maintain, but it's the meta for a reason.

A charge shotgun. It may sound strange put like that, but a full charge shot from the Circuit Breaker is devastating. And unlike railguns, you don't have to wait for the full charge to shoot. You can push an angle with a charged shot and one-shot someone, or defend a position and turn a fight with one shot. Gentle learning curve, huge power ceiling.

A lever-action rifle. Yes, it's slow to reload bullet by bullet. Yes, it's a bit clunky. But the raw damage more than makes up for it: one-tap on an enemy without a shield, two shots on a green shield. It's the weapon that many players got the most kills with during the Server Slam. Perfect as a backup for a shotgun or SMG.

The prestige model Lever Overhaul Interface transforms this weapon into a machine — it's worth a look if you come across it.

The Misriah is the pump shotgun for those who want more comfort than the WSTR. More cartridges before reloading, still as deadly in close combat. Peek an angle, shoot, go back behind the wall. Simple.

The M77 is a versatile assault rifle with an intrinsic scope that you can switch with iron sights. Good in mid-range, decent in long range, economical on ammunition. A solid choice when you don't have access to high-end S-tier.

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Placement a bit odd. The Outland hits harder than the Longshot shot by shot, but its much slower rate of fire penalizes it. Against well-equipped players, the TTK is actually better than the Longshot — but against under-equipped players, it's the opposite. A niche weapon that remains very strong in the right hands.

Many consider the V99 as the best sniper in the game . Its mechanism is unique: the damage increases as long as you look through the scope, without having to hold the trigger. A full charge shot is devastating, and if the target survives, you can immediately follow up with an uncharged shot to finish the job. Perfect for ambushes.

The Magnum hits like a truck. If you've played Destiny 2, think Hand Cannon — that's exactly it. The gun with the best range in the game, significant bullet damage. A solid option when you haven't found anything better.

The Twin Tap is the best burst rifle behind the BR33. Mid-long range, effective and predictable. It's your plan B when the Volley Rifle is unavailable. The V66 Lookout, on the other hand, is a very pleasant precision rifle to use in mid-long range. Not the flashiest, but reliable.

The V11 Punch is a basic but ubiquitous Volt pistol - UESC bots drop them everywhere. Single shot, predictable, easy to handle. Nothing exceptional, but you'll always find one when you need it. The Demolition HMG is a heavy machine gun with a good rate of fire, effective at mid-range. High-level variants tear apart UESC bots of any tier.

B-tier weapons are not bad — some are even very nice. But they are consistently outperformed by higher tiers in meaningful battles.

• Hardware Impact — good at mid-long range thanks to its low recoil, but its slow rate penalizes it up close. Heavy ammunition = expensive in the early game.
• Stryder M1T — pleasant precision rifle, good range, little degradation at a distance. Surpassed in precision damage by competitors, but adequate for harassing.
• Hardline PR — common precision rifle with a good headshot multiplier and very easy recoil to manage. Classic and reliable.
• V00 Zeus RG — railgun with fast charge and almost guaranteed one-shot headshot. Requires a very specific peek-and-fire style.
• V22 Volt Thrower - SMG with a lock-on system on AIs. Surprisingly strong in the early maps.
• Overrun AR — the most basic assault rifle in the game. Light ammunition, no particular advantage. The default gun for Rooks and beginners.
• Retaliator LMG — LMG slow and low bullet damage, but good light ammo economy. Common in early game.

Let's be clear: if you have the choice between a Copperhead and your fists, take the Copperhead. But if you have anything else , leave it.

• V75 Scar (C) — an SMG/AR Volt hybrid with good ammo economy. Not bad in itself, just outclassed everywhere.
• Conquest LMG (C) — heavy ammunition on an LMG chassis. Suffers from aggressive mediocrity.
• BRRT SMG (C) — rapid burst fire and good ammo economy, but the Bully outperforms it in all important scenarios.
• Copperhead RF (C) — fast rate of fire but weak damage. You have to almost only send headshots to compete with a Bully in TTK. And it eats up the ammunition.
• Ares RG (D) — railgun with a charge too slow. In theory it's a one-shot monster, in practice snipers do the same without the charge. Niche.
• THIS Tactical Sidearm (D) — the beginner gun. Good economy, that's about it. Bring it on runs where you don't care about losing your gear.

Marathon lets you carry two weapons. The choice depends on how you play:

• Aggressive / Rush — WSTR Combat Shotgun + Bully SMG. You rush, you hit, you extract. The Assassin is the ideal Runner for this style.
• Versatile / Mid-range — BR33 Volley Rifle + Misriah 2442 (or Bully). You handle all distances without major weakness.
• Sniper / Long range — Longshot (or V99 Channel Rifle) + WSTR. You pick from afar and keep the shotgun for unpleasant surprises.
• Economic / Early game — M77 Assault + V22 Volt Thrower. Light ammunition and Volt = easy to supply, not too much loss if you die.

A piece of advice: don't get too attached to your weapons. Marathon is a game where you will lose your gear. Regularly. The important thing is to know what you're looking for when you loot, not to cling to a perfect loadout that you will end up losing anyway.

If you're wondering how to get your hands on some S-tier, here's what works:

• Map events — Lockdown and Priority Targets events drop high-level loot with attachments. It is the most reliable source of rare weapons.
• Bots UESC — High-level bots can drop decent weapons. Rooks can too, but not as good.
• Other players — Let's be realistic: killing a well-equipped Runner is the jackpot. Risky, but that's the game.
• Cryo Archive (endgame) — Endgame activities offer the best loot in the game. If you're advanced enough to access them, that's where you'll farm your modded weapons.

Think about it too weapon mods . An S-tier without mods is already strong, but an S-tier with the right prestige mod or superior chip, that changes everything. The Long-Range Barrel, Blue Blood, and Circuit Tracers mods are among the most sought after in March 2026.

Detail that is often overlooked: the type of ammunition greatly influences your choices. There are three main families:

• Light Rounds — abundant and inexpensive. BR33, Overrun AR, BRRT, Retaliator. Ideal for budget-running.
• Heavy Rounds — rarer and more expensive. Bully, Impact HAR, Conquest LMG. More damage per bullet.
• MIPS — premium ammunition. WSTR, Longshot, Misriah. Powerful but costly to maintain.
• Battery Volt — the most common thanks to UESC drops. V85, V99, V22, V11 Punch. Good overall economy.

In early game, you will naturally gravitate towards Light and Volt weapons to save. It's normal. The goal is to progress towards MIPS and Heavy once you have a comfortable stock.

The BR33 Volley Rifle is considered the most versatile weapon in the game. It does everything well: PvP, PvE, close, mid, long range. The WSTR Combat Shotgun is the king of close-quarters. Together, they probably form the strongest loadout in the game at the moment.

28 weapons in total in March 2026, divided into pistols, SMGs, assault rifles, precision rifles, snipers, shotguns, LMGs, HMGs, and railguns.

Bungie makes regular patches. The WSTR has already been nerfed once and remains S-tier nonetheless. The 3-month seasons bring progression resets and potentially new balance changes. We will update the article with each major change.

The Assassin is perfect for the shotgun rush. The Destroyer is suitable for mid-range and tank loadouts. The Thief - yes, the one with claymores on drones - is formidable for zone control. The choice of the Runner depends as much on your loadout as on your style.

A lot. A WSTR with the MIPS Slug Converter mod does not play in the same category as a naked WSTR. Prestige mods and superior chip mods like Blue Blood or Circuit Tracers radically change the efficiency of a weapon. Look for map events and the Cryo Archive to obtain them.