A handful of weapons in Marathon, the much-anticipated extraction shooter from Bungie, has emerged as the best of the best. Given that players can only carry two weapons at a time, many want to know what gear to keep or stash for the future (well, at least until the server wipe). The Server Slam event before the game’s release on Thursday, March 5, provided a solid look on what the most powerful guns would be near launch. Players got their hands on the full arsenal of 28 guns that would be available at the very start of Marathon and about five of them have become the most sought-out weapons, especially when combined with specific mods, in the early game. And so far, these guns have continued to dominate the PvP and PvE of Marathon in the early part of Season 1.
The best S-tier weapons in Marathon (so far)
Bully SMG
True to its name, the Bully SMG is one of the strongest picks for its overall strength in both PvP and PvE. Described as a “heavy ballistic submachine gun with brutal reputation,” it’s capable of dealing a high amount of damage in a short amount of time, in part due to it using heavy rounds, despite it not having a lower rate of fire than other SMGs. Its DPS is high enough that it can shred shields and then momentarily stun enemies, which allows you and your teammates to pile on the damage. Its reliability in close quarters and mid-range make it a versatile and safe option for almost any situation.
On top of that, if you can find the right mod that can boost the Bully SMG’s rate of fire and/or extends its magazine size, it packs a greater punch than it already does on its own. Attaching a mod that automatically reloads the gun upon scoring a kill makes it even deadlier.
It should be noted, however, that the weapon does use heavy rounds, which is one of the less efficient types of ammo in the game since it comes in stacks of 60. Still, that’s a small price to pay for its sheer firepower.
BR33 Volley Rifle
The BR33 Volley Rifle has already become such a fan favorite that it’s been affectionately compared to the Battle Rifle from Halo. This semiautomatic burst-fire rifle (it fires a volley of three rounds) has a similar feel and touch, and the weapon handles better than it might seem as first in part due to its relatively low recoil.
One of the BR33’s strengths is its incredible range, capable of taking out enemies in close quarters or at long distance. It also has a decent magazine size by default, making it great for extended firefights and for taking down larger enemy mobs.
More importantly, the BR33 uses light rounds (surprisingly so), giving it a lot of bang for the buck. Light rounds are not only easy to scavenge, but a single stack holds 80 rounds, so the ammo efficiency of the weapon is high. Players who find themselves running out of ammo frequently in the game should think about switching to the BR33.
Any Sniper Rifle (With a Thermal Scope)
Truly, take your pick here. Whether it’s the Longshot or the Outland (which is essentially a Longshot with better base damage), the sniper rifles in Marathon are incredible. Despite the Longshot being a semi-automatic SR, it still hits like a truck. If you’re able to land a headshot, the enemy will likely either be out in a single shot or so vulnerable that they’ll be knocked out with a light hit. Put a thermal mod on the sniper rifle, and it’s almost busted.
Also, maps in Marathon have a tendency to incorporate long corridors and hallways, which can give sniper rifle players a surprising advantage in close quarters.
Important note: The Outland doesn’t drop as often as the Longshot, and that’s fair because it deals more damage and has an even longer range. It’s not as forgiving as its brethren, though, since it’s a bolt-action rifle, but if you’re accurate, the Outland will typically take out enemies in two shots at most.
WSTR Combat Shotgun
First off, we need to put an asterisk on this weapon, as the WSTR Combat Shotgun obliterates enemies in PvP but doesn’t function as well against PvE mobs. That said, the power of this double-barreled shotgun cannot be denied, and the weapon is key in pretty much any up-and-close build. This weapon may only be able to hold two shots before it needs to be reloaded, but it usually only takes a shot or two to take another runner off the board.
In particular, the combat shotgun is great when paired with the melee-oriented Destroyer or the stealth-based Assassin. If you’re type of player that likes to clear rooms fast, this weapon is all you need. Better yet, there are mods that will let automatically reload the gun on kill or on a slide, giving the runner more maneuverability in close quarters.
Honorable Mention: Volt Weapons
The Volt weapons are a special case in Marathon. Whether it’s the V22 Volt Thrower (SMG), V66 Lookout (Precision Rifle), V85 Circuit Breaker (Shotgun), V11 Punch (Pistol), or V75 SCAR (Assault Rifle), these guns are meant to take down shields fast and that’s vital when dealing with gold and purple enemies. If we had to single out one of these to focus on, we suggest the V75 SCAR.
These weapons may not be as important in the early game, particularly in PvP, but as the player base finds rarer shields during the season, these battery-operated guns will likely find greater usage. So we recommend tucking away at least one of these Volt weapons for when that happens.
