Marathon Faction Guide: How to Rank Up and Unlock All Rewards

How Factions Work in Marathon

Marathon's six factions are the backbone of long-term progression in Bungie's extraction shooter. Each faction assigns contracts, builds reputation, and unlocks permanent seasonal upgrades that carry across every run you take into Tau Ceti IV. These upgrades reset each season, which means you rebuild your faction tree every season rather than earning permanent account-wide bonuses. Think of it as closer to Destiny 2's Seasonal Artifact than a traditional RPG progression system.

You start with access to CyberAcme and unlock the remaining five factions through Liaison Contracts early in the game. There is no lock-in: you can progress all six factions simultaneously, and choosing to focus on one does not prevent you from leveling the others. Before every run, you select a contract from any unlocked faction and carry that objective into the match. Successfully completing the contract and extracting alive earns you reputation with that faction, along with XP, cash, and gear.

Contracts come in two types: Standard Contracts are repeatable objectives you can run as often as you like, and Priority Contracts are one-time story missions that must be completed to advance your Faction Rank past certain thresholds. Completing a Priority Contract chain is required to unlock the highest-tier upgrades for each faction. As you accumulate reputation and climb through faction ranks, upgrade nodes unlock that you can then purchase using cash and faction-specific Salvage Materials found in the field.

Once purchased, upgrades apply to every run for the remainder of that season, covering stat boosts, cooldown reductions, mobility perks, and access to better gear in the Armory. The strategic question every Runner faces is: which faction do you pour your early resources into, and in what order do you tackle the rest?

CyberAcme: The Starter Faction and Foundation of Every Build

CyberAcme is the default starting faction and the first organization every Runner works with on Tau Ceti IV. Its agent is ONI (Onboard Navigational Intelligence), who guides newly awakened Runners through their first contracts. CyberAcme is the most broadly useful faction in the game because its upgrade tree improves the structural conditions of every run, regardless of your playstyle.

The CyberAcme upgrade tree is built around three practical pillars: inventory management, heat control, and looting efficiency. Inventory upgrades increase your Vault space and unlock access to Backpacks and eventually Deluxe Backpacks, dramatically expanding how much you can carry out per run. Heat upgrades reduce how quickly your Runner overheats during sprinting and sliding, letting you move faster and more aggressively across the map for longer. Looting upgrades reduce the time it takes to search containers and loot fallen Runners, which directly translates to more value extracted per run.

CyberAcme also holds a unique structural position in the faction network: it fields six Liaison Contracts, one for each of the other factions in the game. Completing these Liaison Contracts is how you unlock access to NuCaloric, Traxus, MIDA, Sekiguchi, and Arachne. This means CyberAcme is not just a progression faction but a gateway faction, making it doubly important to engage with early.

CyberAcme's contracts cover a wide range of activities: combat, looting, datacard retrieval, TAD use, and consumable recovery. This variety makes it easy to make progress without committing to a narrow playstyle. The faction fields 38 upgrade nodes across its full tree, with rank bonuses including Torso Implants, Backpacks, and Deluxe Backpacks. Key materials for CyberAcme upgrades include Unstable Diodes at early tiers, moving into Enhanced and Deluxe circuit-type components at higher ranks.

NuCaloric: Survival Upgrades and the Data Reconstruction Chain

NuCaloric Agricultural is the survival faction. Its handler, Gaius, issues contracts centered on zone control, resource node interactions, long-term data recovery, and environmental objectives. NuCaloric contracts reward methodical, patient play over aggression, making this faction a natural complement to CyberAcme's looting-focused upgrades.

The NuCaloric upgrade tree is the most defensively oriented progression in Marathon. Early upgrades include Reinforce.EXE and Unfazed.EXE, which improve your Hardware and Firewall stats and reduce damage from environmental hazards including Toxin, Overheat, EMP, and Hack effects. The Recovery.EXE chain increases your Self Repair Speed across three tiers. Together, these early upgrades keep you alive through punishing environmental conditions that would otherwise end your runs early.

As you climb NuCaloric's reputation ranks across its 16 contracts, the faction begins providing free daily consumables directly from the Armory. Patch Kits unlock at Rank 5, Shield Charges shortly after, and Advanced versions of both arrive as you continue progressing. Later upgrades unlock access to Enhanced and Superior Shield Implants, self-revive mechanics, and noise reduction while healing. The Shield Comm, Health Comm, and Resist Comm upgrades also improve the quality of rewards from standard contracts across the board.

NuCaloric's Priority Contract chain is called Data Reconstruction, a three-part series that sends you hunting Bioprinters across South Relay and Overflow, then downloading reports from North Relay across multiple POIs per run. Completing Data Reconstruction [3/3] rewards the Protector V1 implant, Faction Intel, a random Enhanced Material, a Self-Revive consumable, Patch Kits, Shield Charges, and 450 faction reputation. This chain is essential for unlocking NuCaloric's best defensive upgrades. Key materials for NuCaloric include Unstable Biomass at early tiers, progressing to Enhanced Biomass and Biomata Resin at higher ranks.

Traxus: Weapon Mods, Gear Upgrades, and the Equitable Distribution Chain

Traxus OffWorld Industries is the richest and most powerful corporation in human history, and its handler Vulcan tasks Runners with doing exactly what the company does best: salvaging high-value weapons and mods, tracking down specific equipment scattered across the battlefield, and disrupting UESC supply chains. Traxus contracts are oriented around gear recovery and economic disruption, making this faction ideal for Runners who enjoy hunting specific weapon types across the map.

Traxus fields 19 upgrades across its progression tree, gated at Ranks 1, 2, and 3. Each node requires cash alongside two material types, making Traxus one of the more investment-heavy factions to rank up. The rewards reflect that cost: progression through the tree unlocks heat management improvements, expanded Vault capacity, shield access, Firewall resistance, and Finisher Siphon enhancements. Traxus is also the faction that gates access to sniper rifles: ranking up Traxus is the most reliable way to guarantee access to the Longshot sniper rifle and precision optics without relying on random field drops.

One of the most valuable Traxus upgrades is the extraction smoke cloud, which deploys automatically when a Runner activates extraction. This provides defensive cover at one of the most vulnerable moments in any run, covering your team's exit from enemy Runners hunting for last-second kills. Improved ping upgrades also make item and enemy tracking more effective throughout a run.

The Traxus Priority Contract chain is called Equitable Distribution, a four-part series that escalates from data drive deliveries to eliminating a traced UESC Commander. Completing this chain is required to unlock Traxus's highest-tier gear rewards. Key materials for Traxus upgrades include Unstable Lead at the earliest tiers, progressing through Enhanced Lead and Volatile Compounds as you advance through the tree.

MIDA: Agility Upgrades and the Protect/Destroy and Truth/Lies Chains

MIDA, the Military Intelligence and Development Agency, is a banned terrorist organization with deep roots in anti-UESC ideology. Its agent on Tau Ceti IV is Gantry, who tasks Runners with furthering MIDA's goals through sabotage and disruption. MIDA contracts reward destroying assets, deploying malware, using explosives, completing sabotage objectives, and disrupting UESC supply lines. This makes MIDA one of the most thematically distinct factions in Marathon, rewarding players who enjoy a destructive and aggressive approach to the environment.

The MIDA upgrade tree rewards agility, disruption, and explosive potential. Key upgrades increase movement speed and jump height, expand heat capacity for sustained sprinting and sliding, and enhance explosive damage output. MIDA also unlocks a variety of grenades and equipment options for players who run aggressive PvP or enjoy environmental sabotage. For Runners who prioritize mobility and chaos over careful looting, MIDA's upgrade path provides meaningful combat and movement advantages that compound over the course of a season.

MIDA fields two major Priority Contract chains. The Protect/Destroy chain runs five parts deep, involving lab destruction, biohazard acquisition, malware uploads to dropships, UV Protocol tagging, and container scanning across multiple zones. The Truth/Lies chain runs six parts deep and begins by sending you to Outpost to acquire a Transponder in Flight Control, hack it at a terminal, and upload malware to UESC dropships, granting 810 faction reputation on the first contract alone. Both chains are essential for unlocking MIDA's best mobility and disruption upgrades.

Sekiguchi: Endurance Upgrades, Cores, and the Parasitism Chain

Sekiguchi Genetics is responsible for the most fundamental technology in Marathon: the Runner Shells known as biomata, maintained by WEAVEworms that allow digital minds to inhabit physical forms and survive what would otherwise be lethal injuries. Sekiguchi's agent Nona tasks Runners with gathering research data from across Tau Ceti IV's most dangerous zones. The faction rewards survival and endurance above all else, encouraging methodical play, situational awareness, and the ability to outlast hostile environments rather than dominating through force.

Sekiguchi's upgrade tree spans 12 nodes and focuses on resilience, endurance, and post-respawn recovery. Progression unlocks health upgrades, resistance improvements, and regeneration-adjacent perks that improve your baseline survivability. Most importantly, Sekiguchi is the primary faction for Runner Cores: items that fundamentally change how your Prime and Tactical abilities function. Ranking up Sekiguchi unlocks new Core types in the Armory that are otherwise unavailable, and it also reduces the cooldown timers on your active abilities, letting you use your Runner's signature toolkit more frequently during each run.

Sekiguchi's Priority Contract chain is called Parasitism, a five-part series that is among the most demanding in the game. It sends you into Outpost and Dire Marsh repeatedly, requiring field testing and research across multiple runs. Objectives include stealing data drives from UESC Ghosts in the Pinwheel Base, collecting specific salvage types, and synthesizing and injecting samples during your runs. The chain is long and tough, but completing it gates access to Sekiguchi's deepest resilience upgrades and highest-tier implants. Key materials include Unstable Biomass at early tiers, progressing to Chitin Samples and Biolens Seeds at higher ranks.

Arachne: PvP and Combat Upgrades, Fleeting Grave, and Melee Finishers

Arachne is a mysterious death cult obsessed with the thermodynamics of violence. Its agent Charter sends Runners out to hunt other players, framing every kill as a ritual and a form of research. In gameplay terms, Arachne is the definitive PvP faction in Marathon. Its contracts reward kill streaks, looting fallen Runners, landing precision kills, performing finishers, and extracting with Arachne valuables. Reputation is earned through direct, aggressive engagement with other Runners rather than through environmental looting or objective play.

The Arachne upgrade tree reflects its violent philosophy. Unlocking higher ranks provides access to weapon mods, advanced Armory weapons, and upgrades to melee performance. The Finisher Siphon progression is a core Arachne mechanic: it allows Runners to recover resources by finishing downed opponents, turning PvP victories into economic advantages rather than just kills. Revive speed upgrades also let you get teammates back into the fight faster after a down. Arachne also sells some of the most powerful weapons available through the Armory at higher ranks.

Arachne's first Priority Contract is called The Fleeting Grave. It requires you to defeat 10 downed Runners using your finisher ability, and it extends directly from your introductory Arachne contract. The catch: you must land the final blow with your finisher, not just any attack. Team finishers count toward your progress, so coordinating with squadmates helps. Completing The Fleeting Grave and the subsequent Priority Contract chain is required to access Arachne's highest-tier PvP upgrades. Standard Arachne contracts continue to reward PvP performance across zones, making every contested engagement a potential source of faction progress.

Recommended Progression Order: Which Faction to Level First

Because faction upgrades reset each season and all factions can be leveled simultaneously, the early choices you make determine what tools you have available for the middle of the season. Here is the recommended progression order for most players:

1. CyberAcme (First): CyberAcme is the absolute best faction to level first. Its upgrades reduce friction across the entire gameplay loop: more Vault space means more loot per run, faster looting means more income per engagement, and better heat management means more ground covered per raid. CyberAcme also gates access to the other five factions through its Liaison Contracts, making early CyberAcme investment doubly efficient. Push CyberAcme to at least Rank 2 before diversifying heavily.

2. NuCaloric (Second): NuCaloric should be your second target. The early Reinforce.EXE and Unfazed.EXE upgrades reduce the environmental damage that kills new Runners most often. The free daily Patch Kits and Shield Charges that unlock at Rank 5 are significant economy boosters, cutting your pre-run spend on consumables. If you are dying frequently in the early season, NuCaloric progress directly addresses the root cause.

3. Traxus (Third): Once your baseline survivability is established, Traxus provides the best gear unlocks in the game. The Longshot sniper rifle, high-tier weapon attachments, improved pings, and the extraction smoke cloud are all practical advantages that pay off across every run. Traxus contracts are also relatively accessible, focused on salvaging valuables and specific weapon types rather than requiring specialized play.

4. MIDA (Fourth): MIDA's movement upgrades become noticeably more impactful once you have the survivability to stay alive long enough to benefit from them. Increased movement speed and jump height change how you navigate zones and engage enemies, and the expanded grenade and equipment access opens up new build options. Push MIDA alongside Traxus if your playstyle leans toward aggressive disruption and environmental sabotage.

5. Sekiguchi (Fifth): Sekiguchi is a deep investment that pays off significantly for Runners who rely heavily on their Runner's Prime and Tactical abilities. If your chosen Runner Shell has a strong active ability, Sekiguchi's cooldown reductions compound in value over a season. However, the Parasitism Priority Contract chain is demanding, and the faction's contracts require patience. Save Sekiguchi for when you have established your other faction foundations and can commit to longer, more methodical runs.

6. Arachne (Sixth for PvE players, earlier for PvP players): Arachne is the most playstyle-dependent faction in the game. If you actively seek out other Runners and thrive in PvP, Arachne should move up to third or fourth on your list. The Finisher Siphon upgrades, melee improvements, and access to powerful Armory weapons all compound for aggressive players. For Runners who prefer avoiding player combat and focusing on looting or objectives, Arachne can wait until your other factions are well developed.

Salvage Materials Guide: What to Keep for Each Faction

Every faction upgrade node costs cash plus two material types pulled from the field. Knowing which materials to stash in your Vault rather than sell is essential for efficient progression. Materials come in five tiers: Unstable, Enhanced, Deluxe, Superior, and Prestige. Early faction ranks require only Unstable materials, but Rank 2 upgrades shift to Enhanced requirements and Rank 3 upgrades demand Deluxe and Superior materials. The rarest Prestige materials drop exclusively from UESC Incursion events, Lockdown Zones, and Superior Locked Rooms.

CyberAcme: Unstable Diodes are the primary early material. At higher tiers, Paradox Circuits (Deluxe) and similar electronic components are required. NuCaloric: Unstable Biomass is the starting material, progressing to Enhanced Biomass and then Biomata Resin at Deluxe tier. The Biolens Seed is among the rarest NuCaloric materials, dropping from Superior sources. Traxus: Unstable Lead is the entry-level material, followed by Enhanced Lead and Volatile Compounds at Deluxe tier. MIDA: Unstable Gel and Unstable Gunmetal are early requirements, progressing to explosive and disruption-type compounds at higher tiers. Sekiguchi: Unstable Biomass appears again here, followed by Chitin Samples at Deluxe tier and the rare Enzyme Replicator at Superior tier. Arachne: Chitin-adjacent and combat-material types feed into Arachne's upgrade tree, with the UESC Obedience Matrix among the notable Deluxe requirements.

The most effective way to track materials in the field is to hover over any upgrade node in the faction screen and select the option to track its required Salvage. This marks relevant POIs on your map during a run so you can prioritize the right containers and rooms. At higher ranks, the rarest materials (Alien Alloy, Synapse Cube, Hazard Capsule, Biogenic Alloy) drop only from the most dangerous areas in the game, so plan your runs accordingly. Stash Unstable materials aggressively from day one: they are the most commonly overlooked items in the early game but are the bottleneck for every early faction upgrade.