Best Guns for PvP & PvE

Knowing what weapon to use in Marathon can separate a casual player from one of the most successful Runners. Players who feel they fail to Exfil too much due to not performing well at PvE or PvP might be just a choice away from the winning streak they need. This tiered list of weapons analyzes the key aspects of every gun in the game, separating the gold from the rubble.

For players who want to know which weapons are S-Tier, the lists below will offer a clear and concise review of the weapons’ performance, and each entry is ordered in terms of success rate/top choices after a long and exhaustive analysis. Taking into consideration not only how effective these weapons are for PvP, but also how well they respond while facing UESC forces and eliminating priority targets like bosses and commanders.

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S – Tier Weapons in Marathon

Weapons like the Bully SMG and the Misriah 2442 are top of the meta and the deadliest at short range. The VR33 Volley Rifle, Longshot, and V99 Channel Rifle are at the top of the charts in terms of range, damage, and accuracy.

For situational builds and skilled hands, the ARES Railgun is a true monster that can obliterate even heavy UESC Commanders and players alike. On the other hand, the sawed-off WSTR Combat Shotgun is quickly becoming a player favorite for fast and deadly PvP skirmishes.

	Bully SMG	A nasty SMG using Volt ammo can shred through shields like butter.
	Misriah 2442	A tremendously effective shotgun for sliding takedowns.
	VR33 Volley Rifle	The most precise and powerful Scout Rifle in the game. Ideal for precision takedowns at long and mid range.
	Longshot	The very best Sniper Rifle with the longest range of all weapons. Enemies won’t know what took them down.
	WSTR Combat Shotgun	A Sawed-off shotgun designed for high mobility combat. Lethal in the hands of Vandals.
	ARES Railgun	This thing is incredible. Though a bit slow to charge and hard to master, it deletes foes in a second.
	V99 Channel Rifle	A Volt Sniper Rifle that charges a Single Beam Shot and fires at the speed of light, instantly hitting the target. It has a deadly range and damage, but requires expert hands.

• If you want a fast and responsive weapon for close-encounters, pick the Bully SMG.
• If you came to Marathon to Slide and Shoot, pick the Misriah 2442.
• If you want to snipe heavy opponents with high Hardware (Destroyer) resistance, pick the Longshot.
• If sniping is what you want to do, but find yourself facing fast opponents like the Thief, Assassin, or Vandal, then grab the V99 Channel Rifle. It will hit them faster than they can run.
• For heavy PvE encounters where you need to quickly measure distances and strike fast and deadly, use the VR33 Volley Rifle.
• For taking down priority targets, use the ARES Railgun. It is an expensive and hard-to-use weapon, but its payoff is great.
• For quickdraws and having a backup plan, pick the WSTR Combat Shotgun. No one expects a sawed-off to the chest when you’re running an Assassin build, but it is one of the deadliest combos out there.

A – Tier Weapons in Marathon

Image via Bungie

A Tier- Weapons are top choices, and good enough to carry around for PvP and PvE. Most of them do a fine job at keeping Runners alive, but some are a bit hard to find or hard to master.

	Hardline PR	A tremendous asset for the long-range player. It can be obtained relatively early and does a ton of precision damage.
	V75 Scar	A Volt-Magazine Assault Rifle with tons of potential. Deadly at short range, and useful at mid range exchanges.
	BRRT SMG	Extremely effective 5-projectile burst-fire light weapon. Ideal for high-mobility builds.
	M77 Assault Rifle	With a built-in scope (activated by pressing Z on PC, left key on D Pad), this deadly weapon can cause some serious damage.
	Magnum MC	A compact but deadly weapon. Can be readied up really fast, and its headshot damage is incredible.
	V 100 Zeus Railgun	Charge this beast up, and it will shoot a stream of Railgun projectiles that disintegrate foes.
	Stryder M1T	A semi-auto light ammo Assault Rifle. Good precision and has a 1.4x Zoom. Decent hip-fire precision.

• The Hardline PR might not be S-Tier, but it’s close enough and cheap. Players can get it early on or as part of Free-Loadouts, so it’s a great weapon to master.
• The V75 Scar perfectly balances PvE utility and decent PvP effectiveness. Carry one around, and you’ll notice a decent improvement in your chances for successful exfils.
• The BRRT SMG might be a weird weapon to get used to, but once you do, it fires like magic. Ideal for fans of Burst-Fire modes and lightweight builds. Works like a charm with Thief, Vandal, or Assassin Shells.
• The M77 Assault rifle is the weapon you were looking for, but didn’t know existed. With its attached scope, it solves that annoying lack of precision that most players suffer from in the early stages of their seasons. Finding this rifle is a Godsend. Losing it is a hard blow.
• The Magnum MC is a cheap and reliable option, available early by unlocking its Schema with the Season Pass, or purchasing it from the Armory. It can also be obtained on Free Loadouts, and it’s extremely effective in both PvP and PvE situations.
• If you like Railguns but hate to shoot one projectile at a time, the V100 Zeus is what you’ve been asking for. A strange weapon, hard to master, but deadly nonetheless. It’s a bit less effective in PvP, but in the right hands, it feels like cheating.
• The Stryder M1T balances precision, recoil, and has a decent range. It is the perfect beginner weapon.

B-Tier Weapons in Marathon

Image via Bungie

These B-Tier Weapons are optimal for players learning the ropes, since they are easier to find than most weapons. Some might be found only in Supply Drops, while others can be found in Encoded Caches, Weapon Lockers, and Lockboxes.

	Repeater HPR	The closest to a lever-action rifle you’ll find in Marathon. Effective, though slow to reload. Good Precision damage.
	Demolition HMG	As its name indicates, this is an artifact of pure destruction. This Heavy Machine Gun has a moderate rate of fire and lots of damage, but reloads slowly.
	Twin Tap HBR	A burst rifle that shoots two heavy bullets per repetition. Decent precision and moderate damage.
	V22 Volt Thrower	A small-bore SMG with tracing bullets. Deadly at short range, but becomes less effective against high mobility targets.
	Copperhead RF	A decent SMG that uses Light Bullets. Not the most effective of ballistic weapons, but it does the job at close range.
	V66 Lookout	A decent Assault Rifle with tons of firepower and precision, the problem is it heats up and needs to vent. A mechanic that should only be allowed in a Gatling gun.
	Outland	The second best Sniper Rifle. Its major flaw is that it’s a bolt-action rifle, so it has a slow fire rate.
	V 85 Circuit Breaker	A Volt Ammo Heavy Shotgun, with decent projectile spread but super slow. Does lots of damage but other short-range weapons can overpower it easily.

• The Repeater HPR underperforms most of the time in PvP, but it’s super effective in PvE encounters, especially against light UESC forces.
• For those cases when you need heavy suppression fire, the Demolition HMG is the right tool for the job. Shooting from cover against many foes yields the best results.
• Twin Tap HBR burst rifles are rare to find, and even harder to keep. When an enemy Recon sees you carrying one, it will hunt you to the ends of the world to snatch it. It is really a good weapon for Recon and Assassin. Balanced, reliable, and deadly.
• The V22 Volt Thrower might not be the finest of the SMG/Handgun type weapons, but it’s a reliable option, and the easiest weapon to find around. Almost all UESC enemies will drop one when defeated, and the ammo is nearly everywhere.
• The Copperhead RF has its shortcomings, but it’s fast, hits hard, and has a decent reload speed. Not your weapon of choice if you prefer long-range fights.
• For some, the V66 Lookout is the best Assault Rifle in Marathon. Sadly, its tendency to overheat is a fault this weapon doesn’t need at all; it drains all its potential away.
• In terms of power, the Outland is not far from the Longshot or the V99, but it’s too slow, too hard to use, and aiming is a nightmare. Against PvE enemies is super effective, but it’s like throwing a Hail Mary in PvP situations.
• A shot from the V 85 Circuit Breaker one-shots most PvE enemies, and players too! The problem is mobility. Not having enough mobility and being hard to ready-up is this weapon’s Achilles Heel.

Related

All Weapons & Weapon Types in Marathon

Here’s a full list of all weapons and guns that you can find in Marathon, along with their dedicated stats, so you can see what weapon you want.

C-Tier Weapons in Marathon

Image via Bungie

The lesser tier in terms of reliable weapons. They’re effective, but not enough to carry you until you are safe enough for exfil. Switch them out the second you get a chance.

	Overrun AR	Standard Free Loadout weapon. Moderate damage on PvE, nearly useless in PvP. Still better than most C-Tier and D-Tier weapons.
	Conquest LMG	An aggressive Light Machine Gun with decent spread, but falls short compared to other auto weapons. It becomes more stable if players use it while crouching.
	V11 Punch	This Handgun has two fire modes: Tap to single-shot semi-auto or hold to charge a burst of projectiles. Useful in PvE at close range, but its a high-risk weapon.
	Impact H-AR	Slow heavy Assault Rifle with decent damage but more utility in PvE. Lacks enough precision and fire rate to be viable in PvP.

• If you got the Overrun AR on a Free-Loadout, then consider yourself lucky: It’s one of the best free weapons to have. Now, ditch it the second you get a better one.
• The Conquest LMG is unreliable and hard to use. It’s not really worth the effort, and 90 % of the weapons will overpower it in a PvP one-on-one.
• The V11 Punch is a weird weapon that can be found almost everywhere. It does the job in PvE, yes, but in PvP, it lacks precision and damage.
• The Impact H-AR might be the worst of all Assault Rifles in the game. No precision, not enough damage to consider it a top-tier weapon, and also super rare to find. It is one of those weapons to keep in the Vault (if you know what I mean).

D – Tier Weapons in Marathon

Image via GameRant; Source: Bungie / Marathon

If you are using one of these weapons: Congratulations, you are playing Marathon in hardcore mode. Now, seriously: These weapons are the absolute worst. Throw them away if you see any of the C-Tier weapons around, or use the knife.

	CE Tactical Sidearm	The short-straw. Worst weapon to have as a free-loadout. Lacks power, lacks range, lacks everything. The second you pick a new weapon, discard this. It’s useless.
	Retaliation LMG	The only good aspect about this weapon is its high rate of fire. The rest is a total disaster: slow to recharge, heavy, slow to aim down sights, nasty recoil, a total piece of trash.

• Having the CE Tactical Sidearm is even less effective than having a Knife. Unreliable, weak, and consumes ammo like crazy without generating any impact. To the trash it goes.
• The Retaliation LMG‘s only good aspect is its badass name; besides that, it’s deadweight and not worth carrying around under any circumstance.

Marathon

Released

March 5, 2026

ESRB

Teen / Animated Blood, Language, Violence, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op

Cross-Platform Play

Full