Like any extraction shooter, solo play in Marathon is a risky proposition, with the potential to lose your entire loadout in a firefight. Players can mitigate that risk by deploying with a specific Runner Shell that is purpose-built for scavenging loot while utilizing free equipment.
This guide is all about the advantages of the ROOK Runner Shell for playing solo in Marathon.
ROOK Abilities
‘Recuperation’ slowly restores health over time, mitigating the need to seek out and maintain a supply of consumables that also take up previous inventory space.
‘Signal Mask’ allows you to evade the UESC AI, thus allowing you free reign in areas densely populated by them and that also tend to have the best loot for the taking.
Avoid running and jumping, and hope that other players don’t take random potshots at you and break the illusion.
ROOK Advantages
While the other Runner Shells begin matches normally, ROOKs drop into games that are well underway, with most other players either eliminated or extracting soon. This leaves the AI as the primary hostile force to contend with, and even they can be mitigated through the use of ROOK’s abilities, and certain Cores and Implants.
As ROOK ranks up each of the factions, they will unlock better starting gear and even free Credits just for loading into matches.
ROOK Disadvantages
The initial lack of good starting gear will make early runs with ROOK a tad harder to accomplish, but tactical use of abilities and patience can help with entirely avoiding firefights with both better geared players and the AI.
The inability to accept and complete Contracts makes ROOK a non-starter for anyone hoping to level up quickly. The compromise lies in the ultimate objective: either ranking up or looting without consequence.
ROOK Tactics And Strategies
Maintain any relevant Cores and Implants that ROOK can put to best use, such as the Cores ‘Cash Flow’ and ‘The Big Score’ which help with looting. Also the Implants ‘Nimble Fingers V3’ for extra credits from AI kills, and ‘Distance Runner V3’ for bonus gear on exfiltration.
While you do have access to weaponry, it’s best used against the AI, rather than other Runners. As it stands, most Runners recognize ROOKs as not-necessarily hostile scavengers and tend to not reflexively fire at them, so return the courtesy.
That being said, don’t hesitate to return fire if the accepted practice is not being respected by some players.
Ideally, you will only approach a battle zone after the dust has settled. Let everyone clear out, then loot the leftovers that they couldn’t fit into their inventories.
Good looting locations include areas with especially tough AI forces, where player challengers tend to fail and die. Their lost loot is yours for the taking with your ability activated.
When looting, prefer items that are required to upgrade the factions, especially those that will unlock better starting gear for ROOK.
When extracting, remember that ‘Signal Mask’ gives you the advantage of avoiding UESC firefights, letting you extract from guarded locations a lot easier than other Runners.
Those are some tips and tricks to bear in mind while attempting to solo scavenge with ROOK in Marathon.
