Marathon Vandal Blast Off Core: Turn Knockback into Mobility

Most cores add a stat or an ability. Blast Off changes what knockback does to you.

Our stored core text is a single sentence: knockback no longer deals self-damage, and instead propels you away from the blast. That is the whole confirmed effect. It is a passive, so there is nothing to activate. It is a Deluxe core, exclusive to the Vandal - Combat shell, and it costs 200 Credits.

Vandal's kit is built around movement. Amplify overcharges all movement abilities for 30 seconds, increasing movement speed and weapon dexterity and reducing the heat that movement abilities generate. Microjets give you an additional jump while airborne. Power Slide is a supercharged slide that is faster and covers more ground than a normal slide. Disrupt Cannon fires a projectile that deals damage and pushes hostiles away.

Blast Off matches that identity: knockback becomes something that moves you instead of something that costs you health. Our data does not list which sources of knockback it applies to, so we are not claiming it works against any specific grenade or explosive. Test it in-game before you build around a particular scenario.

Vandal's listed counters are Thief - Stealth and Destroyer - Combat, and its listed counter item is Heat Grenades. We have no data on whether Heat Grenades cause knockback, so we cannot say that Blast Off blunts them.

Microjets and Power Slide both generate additional heat, so heat management matters on Vandal. Blast Off has no stated interaction with heat, so what follows is general Vandal advice, not a Blast Off synergy.

In the Cradle, Endurance's Quick Vent (3 Energy) makes heat recovery begin more quickly after heat-generating actions, and Heat Dissipation (9 Energy) makes generated heat recover more quickly. Dexterity's Full Throttle (14 Energy) grants Cardio Kick effects at the start of every run.

The Cradle can be respecced at any time with no penalty, so trying an Endurance-heavy setup costs nothing. Use the [Cradle planner](/marathon/cradle) to map your Energy investment before you commit a run.

Our data lists Blast Off as ranked-viable. We have no usage or win-rate data for it, so treat that as eligibility, not a verdict on how strong it is.

- Blast Off removes the self-damage from knockback and propels you away from the blast instead. It is a 200-Credit Deluxe passive, exclusive to Vandal. - It fits Vandal's movement kit, but the stored text does not say which knockback sources it covers. Test it in-game before building around it. - Endurance's Quick Vent (3 Energy) and Heat Dissipation (9 Energy) help with the heat that Microjets and Power Slide generate. That is general Vandal advice, not a Blast Off interaction.