Marathon Best Weapons Tier List in 2026

Marathon Best Weapons Tier List Quick Summary:

• Eight types of weapons: sidearms, SMGs, shotguns, precision rifles, assault rifles, LMGs, Railguns, and sniper rifles.
• S-Tier: BRRT Smg, WSTR Combat Shotgun, Hardline PR, Stryder M1T, Overrun AR, M77 Assault Rifle, Ares RG
• A-Tier: Magnum MC, Bully SMG, Copperhead RF, Misriah 2442, V85 Circuit Breaker, Twin Tap HBR, BR33 Volley Rifle, Impact HAR, Retaliator LMG, Longshot, Outland, V99 Channel Rifle
• B-Tier: V22 Volt Thrower, V66 Lookout, V75 Scar, Demolition HMG, V00 Zeus RG
• C-Tier: Repeater HPR, Conquest LMG
• D-Tier: CE Tactical Sidearm, V11 Punch

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Marathon Weapons Tier List

This tier list is based on the weapons available in beta, so it may change significantly at release due to balancing. Many of the weapons in Marathon draw their roots from previous games made by the same developer. Such examples are the V11 Punch pistol, which is reminiscent of the Plasma Pistol from the Halo series, or the Stryder M1T precision rifle, which is a MIDA Multitool not only in design but in the way you use it as well. If you’ve enjoyed the games by this developer previously, you’ll feel right at home with this arsenal. There are eight types of weapons in the game:

1. Sidearms: Utility guns that can do well depending on the situation and mods.
2. SMGs: Fast and deadly in CQC.
3. Shotguns: Fast and deadly in CQC 2.
4. Precision Rifles: Unbeatable in mid to long range with great damage and accuracy.
5. Assault Rifles: Everyone’s darling. Fast and accurate, viable at any distance.
6. LMGs: Best weapons to deal with crowds of enemies.
7. Railguns: Extremely hard-hitting, but difficult to use. Good luck finding their ammo.
8. Sniper Rifles: I mean, it’s a sniper rifle. Aim well, shoot far.

Not every weapon is available in beta, though, or at least, not every weapon has been found and tested. I’ll try to provide as many details on weapon stats as possible, but some of them will only be revealed with the game’s release. The weapon stats are also kind of inaccurate, as each source cites its own numbers that somewhat vary from each other. 

Note that some of these weapons can be drastically improved with the right mods, but I’m rating them on their raw performance. Now, let’s take a look at the preliminary tier list of the best weapons in Marathon:

Tier	Weapons
S-Tier	BRRT SMG, WSTR Combat, Hardline PR, Stryder M1T, Overrun AR, M77 Assault, Ares RG
A-Tier	Magnum MC, Bully SMG, Copperheard RF, Misriah 2442, V85 Circuit Breaker, Twin Tap HBR, B33 Volley, Impact HAR, Retaliator, Longshot, Outland, V99 Channel
B-Tier	V22 Volt Thrower, V66 Lookout, V75 Scar, Demolition, V00 Zeus
C-Tier	Repeater HPR, Conquest
D-Tier	CE Tactical, V11 Punch

This tier list is obviously subjective, but these are the guns I had the most success with in killing the opponents. There is a chance that some of these weapons weren’t tested enough, and I didn’t understand their potential, so as I said before, this tier list is subject to change. I’ll update this tier list again after I’ve played the OBT that starts on the 26th of February and lasts until the 2nd of March. For now, I’m pretty happy with it.

Marathon Best Weapons

Now, the names above probably don’t tell you anything if you haven’t played the game, so I’ll try to provide some info on each of these guns, marking their type, their stats where they are available, and some general info on the weapon and how it plays. Most of it is taken from my own experience, but some I’ve taken from the Marathon’s wiki or Reddit. 

If I’m 100% honest, I think most weapons in Marathon are viable, except a few that are utter trash. The list below serves more as a Marathon best weapons guide in helping you find the weapon you’d be most excited to play with.

Sidearms

Sidearms in their default state are mostly bad and are a niche choice when it comes to choosing them as your main weapon.

V11 Punch: Volt Batteries

• Firepower - 30
• Accuracy - 36
• Handling - 44
• Range - 21m
• Volt Drain - 2.5
• Zoom - 1.1x

It’s underwhelming, but it can save you in some situations. Can shoot in semi-auto or overcharge and shoot a high-damage burst.

CE Tactical: Light Rounds

• Firepower - 36
• Accuracy - 56
• Handling - 58
• Range - 21m
• Magazine - 18
• Zoom - 1.1x

Rook's starting weapon. This weapon also has a golden mod that grants invisibility if you kill an enemy and reload after that. Can be used as a great utility, but killing enemies with it is just asking for losing your loot.

Magnum MC: Heavy Rounds

• Firepower - 69
• Accuracy - 35
• Handling - 50
• Range - 21m
• Magazine - 12
• Zoom - 1.1x

Has high stopping power and decent stats across the board. It can kill enemies quickly, especially if you can land headshots. This is one of the top-tier entries on the list, but it requires precise aim. Potentially, the best sidearm in Marathon.

SMGs

SMGs are pretty strong and are in a good position. All of them are good and have shown good performance during the beta test. They can be decently efficient even at mid-range fights, and it looks like some of them, like Bully SMG, are made for it.

V22 Volt Thrower: Volt Battery

• Firepower - 21
• Accuracy - 66
• Handling - 42
• Range - 11m
• Volt Drain - 1.2
• Zoom - 1.4x

Has an overheating system, which slows the fire rate the longer it shoots. Also has a lock-on system. In a pretty strange place, but I think that with the right mods can be good.

BRRT SMG: Light Rounds

• Firepower - 15
• Accuracy - 63
• Handling - 35
• Range - 16m
• Magazine - 35
• Zoom - 1.1x

Five-round burst weapon. One of the best weapons in Marathon beta. Has a fast firing rate and can even deal with mid-range fights.

Bully SMG: Heavy Rounds

• Firepower - 22.5
• Accuracy - 62
• Handling - 47
• Range - 27m
• Magazine - 23
• Zoom - 1.1x

The biggest problem with the weapon is that you need to find a lot of heavy ammo to use it consistently. Heavy ammo drop in a stack of X bullets, so you'll need to fill up your inventory with them, taking space that could’ve been occupied with loot. I mean, much more space compared to medium round guns.

Copperhead RF: Light Rounds

• Firepower - 17
• Accuracy - 49
• Handling - 46
• Range - 20
• Magazine - 21
• Zoom - 1.1x

Highest Firerate in the SMG category. It is used in extremely close quarters and has low per bullet damage. It behaves similarly to HK Vector in other FPS games. It's a good weapon held back by it's low mag size. With the right mods it can be S-Tier.

 

 

Shotguns

During the beta, I wouldn’t say that there was anything interesting going on with shotguns. They’re good up close, as you’d expect, and the variations shown here are pretty standard.

WSTR Combat: MIPS

• Firepower - 195
• Accuracy - 45
• Range - 8m
• Spread Angle - 3.4
• Magazine - 2
• Zoom - 1.1x

Your standard double-barreled shotty. Melts up close, loses its edge fast when you're even a bit further away than the effective range. I think it’s the best shotgun in the game so far, but its limitations can be very punishing if you don’t aim well enough.

Misriah 2442: MIPS

• Firepower
• Accuracy
• Handling
• Range
• Magazine
• Zoom

A standard pump-action shotgun. Expect a bit faster shooting and a longer range, probably like 12 metres. If it has a choke as an attachment, it can be really dangerous. More info on stats coming during Server Slam.

V85 Circuit Breaker: Volt Battery

• Firepower
• Accuracy
• Handling
• Range
• Magazine
• Zoom

So far, not much is known about V85. Considering that we don’t have auto shotguns, this might be the one. Considering that shotties are pretty good in any game, I’ve put it in A-Tier pre-emptively. More info on stats coming during Server Slam.

Precision Rifles

In my opinion, precision rifles will dominate the Season 0-1 meta, even more than ARs. They’re accurate, deal high damage, are pretty fast-firing, and even have pulse rifles like Destiny. Out of 6 weapons presented in this category, I’d say 4 of them feel really good to use.

Hardline PR: Light Rounds

• Firepower - 44
• Accuracy - 61
• Handling - 36
• Range - 69m
• Magazine - 16
• Zoom - 1.2x

Potentially OP. Has a very high fire rate, deals big damage, has zero recoil, and shoots far.

Twin Tap HBR: Light Rounds

• Firepower - 21
• Accuracy - 73
• Handling - 51
• Range - 48m
• Magazine - 20
• Zoom - 1.4x

Burst-fire precision rifle, shoots in 2-bullet bursts. Great gun, especially if you manage to land both shots on the enemy's dome.

Repeater HPR: Heavy Rounds

• Firepower - 96
• Accuracy - 60
• Handling - 52
• Range - 37m
• Magazine - 9
• Zoom - 1.2x

Slow, but hits like a ten-ton truck. In addition, the reload is laughably slow. You load one ammo at a time, so this gun is better used as a side option, not your main one. There have been rumors that upon release, the devs will change it to two ammo at a time, which significantly reduces downtime. If it's the case, it will go up in the tier list.

V66 Lookout: Volt Battery

• Firepower - 47
• Accuracy - 126
• Handling - 45
• Range - 62m
• Volt Drain - 3.5
• Zoom - 1.2x

A charging weapon, so it naturally has a slower fire rate. The shots hit hard, though. Like most other charging weapons, this one requires mastery to make it work. Its accuracy is so far unknown. Has the longest TTK out of all PRs.

B33 Volley: Light Rounds

• Firepower - 21
• Accuracy - 210
• Handling - 41
• Range - 62m
• Volt Drain - 3.5
• Zoom - 1.2x

Another burst-fire rifle that fires 3 bullets. Kind of reminds me of pulse rifles from Destiny 2. It's a great choice if you don't like semi-automatic precision rifles.

Stryder M1T: Light Rounds

• Firepower - 57
• Accuracy - 125
• Handling - 39
• Range - 84
• Magazine - 12
• Zoom - 1.2x

MIDA Multitool, is that you? I've only got this weapon once, and it plays exactly like MIDA from Destiny 2. I loved MIDA, so if you did too in the year one of D2, you'll feel right at home.

 

Assault Rifles

A staple of the shooting genre, these guns felt really reliable. It wouldn’t be a reach to say that they will most likely dominate the meta, along with precision rifles.

Overrun AR: Light Rounds

• Firepower - 14
• Accuracy - 42
• Handling - 36
• Range - 27m
• Magazine - 20
• Zoom - 1.2x

Spews out ammo at 720 RPM. With a 20-round mag, this is a curse rather than a blessing. If you can find a mag to kit it with, it turns from mediocre to an easy S-Tier. We're not rating the potential, however, but I can't put it any lower than A-Tier. This gun excels at close to mid-range fights.

M77 Assault: Light Rounds

• Firepower - 22.5
• Accuracy - 56
• Handling - 41
• Range - 37m
• Magazine - 26
• Zoom - 1.2x

A slower AR with higher mag and range. Unlike Overrun, it's better used at mid-ranges. Deals very good damage for the weapon of its kind.

V75 Scar: Volt Battery

• Firepower
• Accuracy
• Handling
• Range
• Magazine
• Zoom

More info on stats coming during Server Slam. We know that this gun has tracking projectiles and has an overheating mechanic.

Impact HAR: Heavy Rounds

• Firepower
• Accuracy
• Handling
• Range
• Magazine
• Zoom

More info coming during Server Slam. Stats and gun description will be updated then.

LMGs

LMGs are king when it comes to taking out squads. Always were and always will be. Any battle royale player will tell you that. However, the extraction genre is a little different and usually has a lower TTK that doesn’t require a full mag to kill one target. Marathon doesn’t have a huge TTK, but it has a lot of ways to protect yourself, either with shields or movement, so LMGs fight like a glove here.

Conquest: Light Rounds

• Firepower - 22.4
• Accuracy - 65
• Handling - 22
• Range - 60m
• Magazine - 36
• Zoom - 1.2x

Has a charge-up mechanic, much like Devotion from Apex Legends. It starts out slow but gains fire rate the longer you fire.

Retaliator: Light Rounds

• Firepower - 16
• Accuracy - 63
• Handling - 22
• Range - 35
• Magazine - 44
• Zoom - 1.2x

A more classic lmg. Has an average RPM, but deals decent damage and has a huge mag size, enough to deal with a squad. Knowing how good the LMGs in BRs and extraction shooters are, you can be sure it's gonna be strong.

Demolition: Heavy Rounds

• Firepower - 47
• Accuracy - 47
• Handling - 31
• Range - 33
• Magazine - 20
• Zoom - 1.2x

More info coming during Server Slam. Has an extremely slow 225 RPM, but deals 31.5 damage per bullet, which is huge.

Railguns

Only two are available at the time of beta, and we don’t know if there’ll be more added. Railguns are extremely powerful weapons that require a very rare ammo type to function. They compensate for it with very high damage and low TTK.

V00 Zeus: Volt Cells

• Firepower - 180
• Accuracy - 100
• Handling - 49
• Range - 155m
• Volt Drain - 50
• Zoom - 2.5x

Basically, a charging sniper rifle. Hard to handle and only suitable if you're a tracking master or shooting at a stationary target.

Ares RG: Volt Cells

• Firepower
• Accuracy
• Handling
• Range
• Volt Drain
• Zoom

Charges fast, kills fast. This railgun is much more forgiving than Zeus, plus it deals better damage, from what it feels like. More info on stats coming during Server Slam.

Sniper Rifles

Final category in types of weapons. Sniper Rifles are exactly like shotguns. You always know what to expect from them and how to use them. I’ve tried only one sniper rifle in beta, but again, knowing how they work, I can safely say they’ll be a frequent choice as a second weapon.

Longshot: MIPS

• Firepower - 70
• Accuracy - 74.8
• Handling - 29
• Range - 175
• Magazine - 3
• Zoom - 4x

Your cookie-cutter sniper rifle. Very bread and butter but reliable. With 3 ammo in a mag, you don't have much room for mistakes, so every shot counts.

Outland: MIPS

• Firepower
• Accuracy
• Handling
• Range
• Magazine
• Zoom

More info coming during Server Slam. Stats and gun description will be updated then.

V99 Channel: Volt Cells

• Firepower
• Accuracy
• Handling
• Range
• Magazine
• Zoom

More info coming during Server Slam. Stats and gun description will be updated then.

Read our other Marathon guides:

• Runner Shells Tier List

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