Marathon Launches: Essential First-Week Guide for New Runners

and 88k Runners have already deployed. Here's what you need to survive your first drops before ranked mode arrives.

— Rated A-tier for both solo and squad play, Vandal - Combat's Double Jump ability and forgiving design make it the best learning platform. Avoid Rook - Flex Pistol in loadouts; it's marked as avoid-tier for good reason.

— Your starter weapon becomes endgame viable with Barrel Mod, extending range to Long and dominating ranked meta. Prioritize higher rarity Chip Mods on every weapon for stronger baseline performance.

— Ranked launches soon with gear loss and rank penalties for deaths. Holotags set your extraction score target. Practice identifying Holotag carriers now while stakes are low. Thief - Stealth shell excels at hitting targets and extracting safely.

— Barrel Mod on M77 is the highest-impact ranked configuration. Magazine Mods provide crucial value on SMGs and shotguns for extended firefights. Don't sleep on Shield Mod for Conquest LMG - LMG chokepoint control.

— Destroyer - Combat + Triage - Support creates an S-tier ranked duo. Destroyer forces Holotag kills while Triage enables aggressive plays. Add Recon - Intel for A-tier intel on rival Holotag hunters.

— With gear loss coming in ranked, prioritize survival over kills. Thief and Assassin - Stealth excel at Holotag theft, but Assassin requires advanced skills. New Runners should master extraction routes on current maps before ranked pressure begins.

— Bungie confirmed no pay-for-power microtransactions and permanent seasonal rewards, so focus on skill development over wallet concerns.