Promotion Messages
Maintenance & Update Messages
Marathon: Factions & Upgrades Guide
Learn how Marathon’s six factions work, which upgrades matter most, what resources each faction uses, and where to focus your contracts each season for the strongest long-term progression.
The Important Details
- Factions are one of Marathon’s main seasonal progression systems, giving you stronger base stats, better Armory access, and more reliable recovery after bad runs.
- You can only bring one active contract into a run, so every run should have a clear purpose tied to the faction you want to progress.
- Faction upgrades require reputation/rank, credits, and specific salvage materials, so efficient progression means farming with intention instead of looting randomly.
- Faction progression resets each season, but your liaison unlocks carry over, so you do not need to re-unlock factions from scratch every season.
- Unlocking all six factions is now especially important because they are required for access to Cryo Archive.
- For early value, CyberAcme, NuCaloric, and Sekiguchi tend to offer the most reliable account-wide power and quality-of-life benefits.
May 25, 2026
Quick Menu − What are you looking for?
START HERE, RUNNER
WHAT ARE FACTIONS?
- Factions are six mega-corporations that act as the primary engine for your long-term progression.
- Unlike traditional RPG factions, they function more like mercenary employers; you aren’t locked into one and can work for all of them simultaneously to unlock specific gear and seasonal upgrades.
- Each faction favors a specific playstyle and offers unique benefits:
- CyberAcme: The safest starting faction, focused on economy, inventory comfort, loot speed, heat capacity, backpacks, and general account stability.
- NuCaloric: Focuses on health, shields, recovery, and survival. It is one of the best early factions for solo players and anyone who wants cheaper, safer runs through Patch Kits, Shield Charges, Enhanced Shields, and Self-Revive access.
- Traxus: A weapon-and-mod focused faction built around stronger Armory access, precision weapons, advanced attachments, and higher-end combat loadouts.
- MIDA: Specializes in mobility, disruption, traps, explosives, and area control. It is ideal for players who want to reposition quickly, control chokepoints, and make enemy squads uncomfortable before the real fight begins.
- Arachne: Tailored for aggressive PvP. Rewards focus on combat stats, faster Time-to-Kill (TTK), and weapon attachments for high-intensity gunfights.
- Sekiguchi (SekGen): Best for recovery and resilience. This faction is ideal for solo players, providing “forgiveness” mechanics like reduced death punishments and faster health recovery.
HOW FACTION PROGRESSION WORKS
- Contracts: You advance with a faction by completing Contracts during a run. You can only carry one active contract at a time, requiring you to choose the goal of each run deliberately.
- Unlocking: You start with access to one faction (like CyberAcme) and must complete Liaison Contracts to unlock the other five early in the game.
- Seasonal Resets: Most faction progression, including rank-up rewards and stat bonuses, resets every three months. This keeps the playing field level and encourages you to try different faction paths each season.
WHICH FACTION SHOULD YOU LEVEL FIRST?
| Priority | Faction | Focus | Why Level This First? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | CyberAcme | Economy, vault space, backpacks, and loot comfort. | CyberAcme is the safest starter foundation. More storage, better inventory comfort, and economy-focused upgrades make every other part of Marathon easier to manage. |
| 02 | NuCaloric | Healing, shields, recovery, and survival tools. | NuCaloric helps you stay alive, recover from bad fights, and rebuild after mistakes. It is especially valuable for solo players and newer Runners. |
| 03 | Sekiguchi | Runner Shell identity, cores, and ability-focused buildcrafting. | Sekiguchi becomes stronger once you know which Runner Shells you enjoy. It helps sharpen your build and gives more value to your preferred playstyle. |
| 04 | MIDA | Mobility, disruption, traps, explosives, and area control. | MIDA is excellent for players who like movement, utility, chokepoint control, and making enemy squads uncomfortable before the real fight begins. |
| 05 | Traxus | Weapons, weapon mods, Armory access, and combat loadouts. | Traxus is great once you can survive riskier routes and want stronger weapon access. Level it when you are ready to invest more heavily into combat power. |
| 06 | Arachne | PvP pressure, finishers, aggressive combat, and high-risk rewards. | Arachne is best for confident PvP players who can consistently win fights, secure downs, and convert aggression into profit. |
| Flex | Your Main Playstyle | Whatever strengthens how you actually play. | This is not a strict rule. If you already know your favourite Runner Shell, map, or role, prioritize the faction that supports that playstyle first. |
CYBERACME
- CyberAcme is the AI and cybernetics giant behind the ONI systems installed in Runner Shells.
- It acts like the game’s most natural “starter backbone” faction, focused on stability, utility, and broad account progression.
- Its contracts and reputation sources line up with normal play: completing contracts, extracting, activating TADs, and participating in Intercept events.
- If you want a faction that improves your overall economy and comfort without forcing a niche playstyle, CyberAcme is the safest opening investment.
UPGRADE BENEFITS
- Expansion is one of the best early upgrades in the game because extra vault space pays off every single run.
- Informant.exe boosts data card credit value and helps your economy ramp much faster.
- Carrier / Carrier+ unlock Enhanced and Deluxe backpacks, which are extremely useful because good backpacks are not always easy to find naturally.
- Scavenger.exe improves loot speed, letting you clear containers faster and spend less time exposed.
- Heat Sink.exe improves heat capacity, making movement feel better during sprinting and sliding.
- Locksmith adds keys to your Armory options, giving you more control over locked loot access.
RESOURCES REQUIRED
- CyberAcme upgrades require faction rank, Credits, and salvage materials.
- The full CyberAcme tree is the most expensive overall at roughly 200,000 Credits.
- Its biggest material demands are Unstable Diode, Unstable Gel, Unstable Gunmetal, Unstable Biomass, and Unstable Lead.
- This is a strong faction to progress while doing general-purpose loot and exfil runs because its rep sources are broad and easy to layer into normal gameplay.
TIPS & TRICKS
- Prioritize Expansion early, then move into Informant.exe, Scavenger.exe, and backpack unlocks.
- Take CyberAcme contracts when you are doing “standard” loot runs rather than risky PvP hunts.
- This is one of the best factions for players who want smoother stash growth and less punishment after a rough loss streak.
- If you are unsure where to start in a fresh season, CyberAcme is the most forgiving first stop.
NUCALORIC
- NuCaloric is a consumer-goods and agricultural megacorp tied closely to humanity’s survival and the Tau Ceti mission.
- Its whole identity revolves around sustain, recovery, and keeping Runners stocked with the basics.
- Reputation comes from contracts, looting Medical Cabinets and Tick Nests, harvesting plants, participating in Supply Drops, and extracting with NuCaloric valuables.
- If CyberAcme is about smooth progression, NuCaloric is about staying alive long enough to profit.
UPGRADE BENEFITS
- Safeguard, Advanced Shields, and Safeguard+ are some of the strongest early unlocks because they give you regular access to free shield consumables.
- Restore, Advanced Patch, and Restore+ do the same for healing, which saves Credits and stabilizes your prep between runs.
- Shielded unlocks Enhanced shield implants, giving you a much better baseline defensive setup.
- Recovery.exe improves self-repair speed, making healing more efficient.
- Self-Revive is a huge milestone unlock because reliable self-revives are game-changing and not something you want to depend on random drops for.
RESOURCES REQUIRED
- NuCaloric upgrades require faction rank, Credits, and biomaterial-heavy salvage.
- Completing the full tree costs roughly 85,000 Credits.
- The largest material demands are Unstable Biomass, Sparkleaf, and Reclaimed Biostripping, with later needs for Dermachem Pack, Tarax Seed, and Neurochem Pack.
- This is one of the more efficient factions to build early because many of its best benefits start paying you back immediately through reduced prep costs.
TIPS & TRICKS
- If you play solo or regularly recover from scuffed runs, NuCaloric should be high on your priority list.
- Push toward free healing and shield unlocks early, then build toward Self-Revive.
- NuCaloric is excellent for consistent players who value survival, economy preservation, and cleaner reset loops after death.
- Even if it is not your “main” faction, it is worth leveling enough to make your everyday loadouts cheaper and safer.
TRAXUS
- Traxus is an industrial and economic superpower focused on profit, tech, and high-value recovery.
- It is the most weapon and mod-driven faction, making it especially attractive to players who want better gun access and stronger buildcrafting.
- Reputation comes from contracts, looting Arms Lockers and Tool Carts, destroying UESC drones, completing Convoy and Lockdown events, and extracting with Traxus valuables.
- Traxus feels less like a starter safety net and more like a faction you chase when you want your loadouts to hit harder.
- Fun Fact: Vulcan is voiced by the amazing Morla Gorrondona, the voice of Eris Morn in Destiny and Empress Lilandra from X-Men ’97!
UPGRADE BENEFITS
- Traxus is loaded with weapon and mod unlocks, especially chip mods and higher-tier attachment options.
- Enhanced Heavy Submachine Gun gives you an early solid weapon option in the Armory.
- MIPS Sniper unlocks the Longshot Sniper Rifle, one of the most desirable Traxus unlocks for players who like ranged control.
- Its late progression improves access to Deluxe weapons and Superior weapon mods, giving it one of the strongest long-term offensive ceilings.
- If your goal is stronger combat loadouts rather than pure sustain, Traxus is one of the best faction paths in the game
RESOURCES REQUIRED
- Traxus upgrades require rank, Credits, and a more tech-industrial resource pool.
- The full Traxus tree costs roughly 62,750 Credits.
- Its biggest salvage demands are Unstable Gunmetal, Deimosite Rods, Altered Wire, and Plastic Filament, with later investments into rarer materials like Tachyon Filament and Predictive Framework.
- Compared to CyberAcme and NuCaloric, Traxus asks for a more deliberate farming plan if you want to progress it quickly.
TIPS & TRICKS
- Traxus is strongest once you already understand the maps and can survive riskier routes reliably.
- Treat it as a power spike faction for weapons and mods, not your first “stability” faction.
- Great for players who want stronger gun quality, more refined attachments, and better late-run lethality.
- It becomes much more valuable once your core sustain and stash management are already in a decent place.
MIDA
- MIDA is a radical anti-establishment movement that sees the UESC Marathon and the corporations around it as symbols of oppression.
- MIDA is about mobility, disruption, traps, gadgets, and area denial.
- Reputation comes from contracts, looting Lockboxes and Munitions Crates, finding coordinates and caches, completing Secured Resource events, and extracting with MIDA valuables.
- If you like fast repositioning, utility tools, and dictating space during fights, MIDA has a lot to offer.
UPGRADE BENEFITS
- Flex Matrix.exe increases Agility, improving movement speed and jump height.
- Sprinter, Graceful, and Survivor unlock some of the most practical implants for movement, landing control, and survival.
- MIDA also unlocks a large set of utility gear: Claymores, Trap Packs, Proximity Sensors, Ammo Crates, and multiple grenade types.
- Anti-Virus tools add more utility for dealing with environmental threats and pressure scenarios.
- Late in the tree, MIDA adds access to Bubble Shields, reinforcing its role as a disruption-and-control faction rather than a pure damage faction.
RESOURCES REQUIRED
- MIDA upgrades require rank, Credits, and a utility-focused salvage mix.
- The full tree costs roughly 59,250 Credits.
- The biggest material demands are Surveillance Lens, Dynamic Compounds, and Unstable Lead, with later investments into Volatile Compounds, Thoughtwave Lens, and Biolens Seed.
- Because so many MIDA unlocks are equipment-based, you get a lot of practical value from even partial investment.
TIPS & TRICKS
- MIDA is especially useful for players who like controlling chokepoints, extraction zones, and vertical routes.
- Prioritize Flex Matrix.exe and the core movement implants if you want value immediately.
- Then decide whether you want to lean harder into grenades, traps, sensors, or anti-virus utility.
- MIDA rewards smart players who win fights before the shooting really starts.
ARACHNE
- Arachne is a shadowy death cult obsessed with violence, death, and pushing Shells to their limit.
- It is the most openly PvP-oriented faction in the game.
- Reputation comes from contracts, looting other Runners, downing Runners with precision damage, securing finishers, and extracting with Arachne valuables.
- If you prefer hunting players instead of simply looting around them, Arachne is built for that mentality.
UPGRADE BENEFITS
- Hard Strike.exe boosts melee and knife damage, which matters more than many players expect in close-range, low-noise fights.
- Cutthroat.exe improves Finisher Siphon, giving you more shield return after a finisher.
- Reboot.exe speeds up revives and self-revives, which is extremely useful in aggressive squad play.
- MIPS Shotgun unlocks the WSTR Combat Shotgun, one of Arachne’s standout weapon unlocks.
- The faction also adds strong access to LMG, railgun, and shotgun mods, reinforcing its kill pressure identity.
RESOURCES REQUIRED
- Arachne upgrades require faction rank, Credits, and combat-focused salvage.
- The full tree costs roughly 69,000 Credits.
- Its biggest material demands are Unstable Gel, Drone Resin, and Drone Node, with later asks for Biomata Resin, Enzyme Replicator, and rarer components.
- This faction is easiest to justify if your playstyle already revolves around PvP pressure and confirmed downs.
TIPS & TRICKS
- Arachne shines most in squads that actively look for fights instead of avoiding them.
- Prioritize Hard Strike.exe and Reboot.exe early if you want practical value before diving deeper into weapon unlocks.
- If you are not consistently securing downs and finishes, this faction can feel slower and less rewarding than CyberAcme or NuCaloric.
- For confident PvP players, though, Arachne can snowball hard and turn aggression into sustain.
sekiguchi
- Sekiguchi Genetics is the company behind biomata Runner Shells, using WEAVEworm and neural-sync technology to create controllable synthetic-organic bodies.
- Through Nona, Sekiguchi treats Tau Ceti as both a field lab and a proving ground for Shell technology.
- Reputation comes from contracts, looting Bioprinters and Core Storage, engaging with Anomalous Extraction, completing Targeted Treasure events, and extracting with Sekiguchi valuables.
- This is the faction for players who want their chosen Runner Shell to feel stronger, faster, and more specialized.
UPGRADE BENEFITS
- Sekiguchi’s most important unlocks are the Shell-specific core tracks, which add enhanced and later deluxe cores for your favorite Runner.
- TAC_AMP.EXE reduces the cooldown of Tactical and Trait abilities.
- PRIME_AMP.EXE reduces Prime cooldown, supporting more frequent major ability use.
- Head Start.exe is a standout quality-of-life upgrade because it starts your Tactical half charged at the beginning of a run.
- Harvester and Capacitors improve access to ability-focused implants, while upgrades like SCAB_FACTORY.EXE and LETHAL_AMP.EXE further support survivability and ability snowballing.
RESOURCES REQUIRED
- Sekiguchi upgrades require rank, Credits, and advanced tech-biometric salvage.
- The full tree costs roughly 71,500 Credits.
- Its biggest material demands are Fractal Circuit, Storage Drive, and Unstable Diode, with later requirements for Amygdala Drive, Neural Insulation, and Paradox Circuit.
- Because the tree covers every Runner Shell, it can become expensive fast if you try to unlock everything too early.
TIPS & TRICKS
- Do not try to buy every Shell core path right away unless you truly play everything.
- Focus on the one or two Runner Shells you use most, then branch into cooldown and implant upgrades.
- Sekiguchi is one of the best factions for players who want more consistent ability uptime and stronger class identity.
- It is also one of the strongest long-term investments once you know which Shell fits your playstyle best.
video guides
// ONI CONNECTION SUCCESSFUL
9:06
13:27
19:50
9:12
13:43
39:01
END
Leave a Comment!
Subscribe
Login
0 Comments
Oldest
© 2026 − SHATTERED VAULT — NOT AFFILIATED WITH BUNGIE, HASBRO OR SCOPELY