Use your favourite features in-game with our Desktop App

Marathon Recon Guide - Stats, Traits, Abilities and Cores

Recon is a Runner Shell in Marathon. This shell excells in tracking and stalking enemy players, including the invisible ones. This class is a great choice for players who want to stay aware of enemies locations.

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

Updated on Mar 5 2026

Overview

The Recon is the best Runner Shell for gathering intel for their squad to act upon. They're your go-to choice if you hate getting ambushed and want to make Marathon as close to a chess match as possible. Echo Pulse and Tracker Drone allow you to constantly keep tabs on your surroundings while Interrogation and Stalker Protocol give you the ability to track enemies to finish the job.

Strengths And Weaknesses

Best-in-class for info gathering
Keeps stealthed enemies and rats in check
One of the best choices for teamplay

Needs to know how to convert info into value
Lacks raw combat ability
Doesn't have mobility options

Abilities and Traits

Echo Pulse
Prime Ability
Base Cooldown: 229 seconds
Activate your shell's advanced detection systems, releasing a series of sonar pulses that reveal the location of nearby hostiles.

Echo Pulse

Prime Ability

Base Cooldown: 229 seconds

Activate your shell's advanced detection systems, releasing a series of sonar pulses that reveal the location of nearby hostiles.

Tracker Drone
Tactical Ability
Base Cooldown: 74 seconds
Deploy a mechanized microbot that tracks down nearby hostiles and explodes, overheating any targets caught in the blast.

Tracker Drone

Tactical Ability

Base Cooldown: 74 seconds

Deploy a mechanized microbot that tracks down nearby hostiles and explodes, overheating any targets caught in the blast.

Interrogation
Trait 1
When pinged by a hostile Runner, you automatically receive a warning in your shell's HUD. Performing a finisher on a Runner pings their crew.

Interrogation

Trait 1

When pinged by a hostile Runner, you automatically receive a warning in your shell's HUD.

Performing a finisher on a Runner pings their crew.

Stalker Protocol
Trait 2
After breaking a combatant's shields, they leave behind a lingering holographic trail for a short time.

Stalker Protocol

Trait 2

After breaking a combatant's shields, they leave behind a lingering holographic trail for a short time.

Stats

Movement
Heat Capacity	20
Agility	15
Loot Speed	10
Fall Resistance	5

Combat
Melee Damage	5
Finisher Siphon	25

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

Systems
Hardware	10
Firewall	15
Ping Duration	25

Compatible Cores

Core	Description
Hot Pursuit	Your Tracker Drone travels faster and further before automatically detonating.
On the Trail	The trail left by your Stalker Protocol lasts much longer. Defeating hostiles affected by your Stalker Protocol reduces your generated heat.
Cluster Payload	Tracker Drone detonations create shrapnel submunitions that explode on impact, dealing additional damage.
Intuition	Interrogation now triggers upon downing a hostile runner.
Early Warning System	You receive an alert on your HUD when a hostile Runner is nearby.

Factions to Focus

CyberAcme and Sekiguchi are great choices for Recon to prioritize.

CyberAcme gives you improved stats along with vault and wallet space while Sekiguchi gives you access to Recon cores andHEAD_START.EXE (Rank 1) which gives you Tracker Drone faster.

Recommended Weapons

The BR33 Volley Rifle is a reliable option for any Runner Shell due to its range and accuracy while Bully SMG is a useful close-range weapon for Recon to let you push into fights and activate Interrogation.