Choose Your Starting Shell Wisely With Marathon now live and 88k peak players flooding the zones, your shell choice determines survival. New Runners should start with **VandalCombat** — it's beginner-friendly with A-tier solo and squad ranked ratings. Avoid RookFlex despite its accessibility; you'll get outgunned by specialists quickly.
Essential Weapon Priorities Grab the **M77 Assault RifleAR with Barrel Mod — this extends its range to Long and dominates ranked play. The V75 ScarAR pairs well with Grip Mod** to control its natural recoil. Avoid the Rook Pistol entirely in competitive matches.
Ranked Mode Preparation Ranked launches soon with Holotag-based scoring. Death means losing both gear AND rank points. **ThiefStealth will be S-tier solo for hitting Holotag targets and extracting safely. DestroyerCombat and TriageSupport** combinations will dominate squad ranked — Destroyer forces engagements while Triage ensures extraction consistency.
Launch Week Survival Tips With player counts at half the Server Slam numbers, lobbies are still dense with competition. Focus on learning extraction routes over combat engagement. Chip Mods should always prioritize higher rarity — they provide the strongest baseline performance boost across all weapons.
Map Awareness The new Outpost map rewards players who understand loot efficiency. **ReconIntel's** Spider Bot becomes invaluable for spotting rival Holotag carriers — essential intel for ranked play.
Marathon's launch confirms no pay-for-power microtransactions, meaning skill and knowledge determine success. Master one shell thoroughly before branching out to specialists.