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Marathon Cores provide big boosts to your characters’ skills, making it important to get the best ones to build a strong setup. We don’t yet know everything about how the Cores system works for each Runner Shell, but we have a pretty good idea based on alpha tests and some info Bungie shared before the game’s launch. Below, I’ve listed all the Marathon Runner Cores we know about so far.
How Marathon Cores function
Cores in Marathon are upgrade items you can equip, usually tailored for specific Runner Shells. They boost abilities by either enhancing certain features or adding entirely new functions. Some Cores can be used on any of the Marathon Runner Shells, offering general upgrades. You can have up to two Cores equipped in your Shell’s loadout, so it’s smart to gather and use the best ones to face the hardest challenges on Tau Ceti IV.
How to get Marathon Cores
You earn Cores by looting them from containers or other players during a match, similar to other items in the game. When you find Cores during gameplay, they go into your backpack. If you have a free slot, you can equip them immediately. If not, they stay in your backpack until you secure a safe exit, after which they move to your vault. From there, you can add them to your loadout manually.
You can also purchase Cores from the Black Market, but this usually requires unlocking a specific faction upgrade. For instance, during the April 2025 alpha test, players could unlock a CyAc upgrade that enabled buying Standard-rarity Cores on the Black Market.
Different types of Cores
Destroyer Cores
These are specialized for certain Destroyer abilities:
– Impact Siphons: Damage dealt to your Riot Barricade turns into shield energy for you.
– Bullrush: Removes the passive energy drain on your Riot Barricade when using Tactical Sprint.
– Ankle Breaker: Your thrusters produce less heat when enemies are nearby.
– Heavy Ordnance: Defeating enemies with explosions reduces the cooldown for your Search and Destroy ability.
Assassin Cores
Designed for stealth and quick attack tactics:
– Shadow Strike: Doing melee or knife attacks while invisible deals more damage.
– Guerilla: Faster recharge for active Camo and Shadow Dive while in smoke.
– Patience: When stationary, your invisibility pauses, but you generate heat.
– Breathing Space: While in any smoke field, your reload speed increases.
Recon Cores
Focused on awareness and scouting:
– Early Warning System: Alert when an enemy player is close.
– Intuition: Triggers awareness after defeating an enemy Runner, instead of only after a finisher.
– Cluster Payload: Enemy tracker drone explosions release additional shrapnel dealing extra damage.
– On The Trail: Footprint trails last longer, and defeating enemies affected by stalker protocols reduces your heat.
Vandal Cores
Aimed at offensive and explosive actions:
– Microjet Efficiency Package: Get an extra microjet charge that produces less heat.
– Adrenal Core: When Amplify is active, movement abilities generate less heat; a Cardio Kick extends Amplify.
– Blast Off: No longer self-damaging when Disrupt Cannon hits; instead, it pushes you away.
– Mechanized Holsters: Power Slide reloads your weapons from reserves and recharges some battery charge.
Thief Cores
Built for quick escapes and sneaky moves:
– Partner in Crime: When not piloting, your drone periodically pings nearby enemies.
– Case The Joint: X-Ray Visor has better vision range.
– Hit And Run: Melee after grappling hacks enemies and knocks random loot from their backpacks.
– Greed Is Good: When your backpack is full, your sprint speed and slide distance go up.
Triage Cores
Support-focused:
– Samaritan: Sharing a consumable reduces the cooldown of your Med-Drone.
– No Good Deed: Healing boosts when your Med-Drone attaches to a teammate.
– Electron Recapture Sinks: Killing or downing an enemy with volt weapons restores some charge when Battery Overcharge is active.
– High Voltage: Defeating EMP-affected enemies reduces your next Battery Overcharge cooldown.
Shared Cores
These can be used across multiple Shells:
– Loot Tracker: Ping nearby loot when using Prime or Tactical Abilities.
– Trophy Hunter: Small boost to tactical and prime ability energy after defeating a UESC commander.
– Worth The Wait: Using a Shield Charge or Patch Kit starts passive regeneration of your shield or health.
– Microjet efficiency and other utility cores that improve various aspects of gameplay and mobility.
Overall, this list covers the Cores we know about so far. Expect the full game to offer many more options, and we’ll keep updating this guide with new findings and recommendations on which cores are the most useful.
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