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Marathon Assassin Guide - Stats, Traits, Abilities and Cores

Assassin is a Runner Shell in Marathon. This shell excells in avoiding detection, staying invisible, and ambushing enemy combatants. This class is a great choice for players who want to stay out of big fights, and prefer more sneaky approach to combat.

Below you will find an overview of this Shell, as well as its abilities, traits, compatible cores, best Assassin builds and loadouts and preferred weapons.

Updated on Mar 6 2026

Overview

Assassins are the stealth class of Marathon, allowing you to have a playstyle akin to a rogue. All four of its abilities (Smoke Screen, Active Camo, Shadow Dive, and Shroud allow you to dictate the time, place, and pace of a fight. If you'd prefer to avoid fair fights at all costs and want to capitalize on chaos and maximize third-party scenarios, this Runner Shell is for you.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Active Camo makes Assassin the master of of ambushes and third-partying
Smoke Screen is one of the best disengage tools
Close to free rein if enemies don't have Recon

Gets detected by Recon, thermal scopes, and other methods
Lacks raw combat abilities if they aren't dictating the pace
Likely to be better at lower levels of play and gradually fall off at higher ranks

Abilities and Traits

Smoke Screen
Prime Ability
Base Cooldown: 163 seconds
Throw a smoke disc that emits a line of smoke fields in front of you, disrupting the optics of those who step inside.

Smoke Screen

Prime Ability

Base Cooldown: 163 seconds

Throw a smoke disc that emits a line of smoke fields in front of you, disrupting the optics of those who step inside.

Active Camo
Tactical Ability
Base Cooldown: 78 seconds
Duration: 14 seconds
Activate your shell's camouflage systems, pulling a shroud of invisibility over yourself. Performing offensive actions, taking damage, and using abilities or consumables briefly disrupts your invisibility.

Shadow Dive
Trait 1
Base Cooldown: 57 seconds
Activate while airborne to slam a smoke disc into the ground, deploying a smoke field.

Shadow Dive

Trait 1

Base Cooldown: 57 seconds

Activate while airborne to slam a smoke disc into the ground, deploying a smoke field.

Shroud
Trait 2
Your shell automatically activates camouflage systems when entering any smoke field, making you invisible. Invisibility persists for a short time after leaving the smoke field.

Shroud

Trait 2

Your shell automatically activates camouflage systems when entering any smoke field, making you invisible. Invisibility persists for a short time after leaving the smoke field.

Stats

Movement
Heat Capacity	10
Agility	20
Loot Speed	15
Fall Resistance	10

Combat
Melee Damage	10
Finisher Siphon	10

Recovery
Prime Recovery	10
Tactical Recovery	5
Self-Repair Speed	10
Revive Speed	15

Systems
Hardware	10
Firewall	20
Ping Duration	10

Compatible Cores

Core	Description
Breathing Space	Your Shroud increases your weapons' reload speed while in any smoke field.
Ghost Protocol	Any smoke field you create lasts longer before dissipating.
Flexweave Casing	You move faster and ready your weapons more quickly while invisible.
Safe Landings	Your Shadow Dive knocks nearby hostiles away when you land and creates a longer-lasting smoke field.
Patience	While stationary, your invisibility timer is paused at the cost of generating heat.
Guerrilla	Your Active Camo and Shadow Dive recharge more quickly while in smoke.
Minus Sights	After aiming down sights or a short time, you become invisible at the cost of generating heat.
Shadow Strike	Your Utility Knife deals greatly increased damage when attacking from invisibility.

Factions to Focus

As an Assassin, consider prioritizing Arachne, Sekiguchi, and Cyberacme.

Arachne gives you access to the WSTR Combat Shotgun and Melee Damage stat bonuses that allow you to maximize your close range assassination consistency.

Sekiguchi helps you attain powerful cores but also boosts your Prime Recovery and Tactical Recovery to enable your ability casts to be more spammable.

CyberAcme unlocks Heat Capacity, Slide Heat Generation, and more that allow you to stay on the move.

Recommended Weapons

WSTR Combat Shotgun is ideal for Assassin that want to fight at close range and two-tap enemies through stealth and smoke.

Pair with with either the V22 Volt Thrower or V75 Scar for engagements at longer ranges. Volt ammo is the most frequently dropped ammo and is easiest to keep up.