How many runners are in Marathon?

There are 8 playable runners in Marathon: Assassin, Destroyer, Recon, Rook, Sentinel, Thief, Triage, and Vandal. Each has a unique role, passive ability, and set of compatible cores.

What is the best runner in Marathon?

The best runner depends on your playstyle. Assassin and Vandal suit aggressive solo players, Triage is the top support pick for squads, and Rook rewards opportunist looting builds. See the Marathon runner tier list on MarathonDB for community rankings.

Do runners have abilities in Marathon?

Yes. Every runner in Marathon has a unique passive ability that defines their role. These are further customised by equipping Cores — active and passive upgrades that modify how the runner performs in extraction matches.

Can you customise runners in Marathon?

Yes. Runners are customised through Cores (gameplay modifiers) and cosmetic Skins. Each runner has a pool of compatible cores that change their playstyle. You can find the full core list and runner skins for every character on MarathonDB.

Marathon Runners — All 8 Characters, Abilities & Stats

About this page

The complete database of all 8 playable runners in Marathon, Bungie's extraction shooter. Runners are the playable characters you choose before each match — each one brings a distinct role, a unique passive ability, and a curated pool of Cores that shape how you play. Picking the right runner for your team composition is one of the most important decisions you'll make.

The current roster spans every playstyle: Assassin and Vandal are built for aggressive flankers, Destroyer anchors frontline combat, Recon handles long-range intel, Thief rewards covert looting runs, Triage is the squad medic, Sentinel is the defensive specialist, and Rook is the opportunist wildcard. Every runner page includes their full ability breakdown, compatible cores, available cosmetic skins, and community ratings.

Click any runner card to dive into their detail page. Want to build out a full loadout? Jump into the Complete Loadout Builder or check the Marathon runner tier list to see how the community rates each character.