- Primary Subject: Marathon Beginner Onboarding & Launch Mechanics
- Key Update: New players should prioritize CyberAcme first to unlock "Liaison Contracts," which act as the gatekeepers for the other five factions. Additionally, players who reached Level 30 during the Server Slam (Feb 26 – March 2) should check their in-game mail for the "Deluxe Arrival Cache" to jumpstart their early-game vault.
- Last Verified: March 12, 2026
- Quick Answer: Focus on "Priority Contracts" to rank up factions permanently, use the Rook shell for zero-risk looting runs, and never manually reload energy weapons.
Marathon is brutal. For a newcomer to extraction shooters, it can be daunting to know exactly what you're supposed to do. That's where our Marathon beginner's guide might come in handy.
I've played a ton of the game between the Server Slam and the initial launch, both Solos and Trios, and I've come up with a series of baseline tips to steer you in the right direction.
Most of the tips are universal, as in they will be helpful whether you're playing alone or with a squad, but there are some specifically tailored for those lone wolves looking to survive Tau Ceti IV.
Marathon Beginner Tips To Help You Survive
In short, my biggest Marathon tips for beginners are:
- Focus on Priority contracts.
- Find a Shell Runner that fits your playstyle
- Don't be stingy with loot.
- Use free loadouts with a plan in mind.
- Keep tabs on unique resources to upgrade your factions.
- For the love of God, don't reload Volt Battery weapons.
Now let's break all of them down.
Do Priority Contracts First
The game offers plenty of ways to gain XP early on, with the biggest of them all being priority contracts.
These are special tasks that not only grant great XP and rewards for a newcomer, but they also give you the opportunity to unlock more factions. Factions mean extra rewards and upgrade trees to tinker with, making your experience much better in the long run.
Pick A Main Runner
Picking a Shell Runner can be daunting early on. There are so many abilities to keep track of, combined with upgrades that enhance each of them.
My early recommendation is that you pick a couple to start and mess around with, especially if you want to try out both Solos and Trios. There are Shells that are very beginner-friendly, like Destroyer, and some that have a steeper learning curve, like Recon. Stick to one and learn it properly rather than hop from one to another, and it'll pay off.
Use Your Loot Early On
After a couple of successful runs, you might be tempted to start hoarding your loot: don't. Use it, Marathon is a brutal game, and one thing's for sure: you will lose that sooner rather than later.
Focus on upgrading essential upgrades, such as inventory space and Shell abilities. Use those tools and lose the fear of losing gear. You'll get even better down the line.
If You Use Free Loadouts, Have A Plan
Free kits are a great way to replenish your gear if you manage to successfully exfil, but they're also great for low-risk, potentially high-reward runs.
If you have a specific contract in mind that may not require too much combat or requires you to do a very specific task (such as the bizarre Sekiguchi ones), using a free kit is great. You can also go on resource runs, where you visit a few POIs and obtain a specific valuable item you need, then exfil out as soon as possible.
Track Resources For Upgrades
Following up from those previous points, did you know you can track resources you need for upgrades? Don't forget to do so,
The Armory offers you MedKits and Shields in exchange for precious resources: do not use this option (even if Bungie recommends it). Things like Unstable Biomass are much more important to upgrade inventory space.
Don't Manually Reload Volt Battery Weapons
Our final tip is a very easy mistake to fix: Do. Not. Manually. Reload. Volt. Battery. Weapons.
The game makes it abundantly clear that all unused ammo will be lost when you manually reload. Instead of doing that, simply let the ammo run out or wait for the weapon to gradually restore ammo on its own, because yes, that's a thing Volt Battery weapons can do.
And that's it. Stick with us at Gfinityesports.com: your go-to source for all things Marathon.