I think I’m a rat: Marathon’s Rook class has made me face an unfortunate truth

I have a confession to make. I can't stop playing as a Rook in Marathon. I'm sorry. For the uninitiated, the Rook is basically Marathon's Scav class. You can't complete contracts as Rook, and their abilities are nothing special. But the special thing about it is that you will always spawn into a game that's been going on for 10 minutes already, meaning that you're likely to find all sorts of Runner Shell corpses filled with loot. Image via Bungie Sometimes, playing as Rook for a few rounds is a necessity. Since you don't need to take your own gear, you can go on several Rook runs to try and loot up and fill your vault with the gear you need to take on contracts or enhance your survival odds in PvP. But me? I do it for the thrill of the rooking. Rook is different from Marathon's free Sponsored Kits, where you spawn in with bad gear and try to go from zero to hero. The Rook has its own upgrade path, including the ability to spawn in with claymore mines, a shotgun, a bigger backpack, and more. Basically, it is the ultimate "rat" class. Or, as the image above suggests, a vulture. Spawning into a match late has its benefits, as you can pick the bones of the battlefield clean, but it also means that whoever is still alive is likely fully geared up, and potentially in a group that is just dominating the lobby. Because of this, I will say, my success rate as a Rook is piss poor. Going up against fully geared players will almost always result in me getting utterly wrecked. But I continue to chase those few rounds where I somehow come out on top, whether it be because of sitting behind my Claymore mines or third-partying like an absolute rodent, because it feels oh-so-good when things all come together, and I come away with new gear or a bunch of Credits to spend on gear. Image via Bungie While Rook doesn't have a healing drone or grappling hook like some of Marathon's other Runner Shells, its ability to "cloak" and blend in with other UESC bots so they won't attack you comes in handy quite often, especially when players are duking it out with some high-level bots. Using the cloak ability to sneak around the bots and find an advantageous position to stab some players in the back is a thrill that I find myself addicted to lately. Even with all Rook upgrades unlocked, you're at a massive disadvantage against fully geared players. I think that's also part of the thrill, because the odds are stacked against you as a Rook, and winning to escape with basically free loot is a genuine adrenaline rush. That's why I like to sit in close quarters hallways with claymores galore. I also keep running into other Rooks who feel the need to team up, like they are beholden to some sort of Rook code where you don't fight other ones. No. This is Marathon. Fight me, fellow coward, and to the victor go the spoils. I've been cussed out by other Rooks more times than I can count. Rooks seem to use proximity chat more than other players, I've noticed. But I am not out there rooking to make friends. I want your loot so I can go lose it again on Outpost or Cryo Archive. I don't know how or when I became this way. Maybe it's because I'm a solo player now with no teammates to queue up with, so the rookery agrees with me on a spiritual level like it never could have before. Whatever it is, I'm not sure if I hate or love what I am becoming. Image via Bungie I am Rook. I am rat. Fear me. The post I think I’m a rat: Marathon’s Rook class has made me face an unfortunate truth appeared first on Destructoid.

Mar 31, 2026 - 00:07

I think I’m a rat: Marathon’s Rook class has made me face an unfortunate truth

I have a confession to make. I can't stop playing as a Rook in Marathon. I'm sorry.

For the uninitiated, the Rook is basically Marathon's Scav class. You can't complete contracts as Rook, and their abilities are nothing special. But the special thing about it is that you will always spawn into a game that's been going on for 10 minutes already, meaning that you're likely to find all sorts of Runner Shell corpses filled with loot.

Image via Bungie Sometimes, playing as Rook for a few rounds is a necessity. Since you don't need to take your own gear, you can go on several Rook runs to try and loot up and fill your vault with the gear you need to take on contracts or enhance your survival odds in PvP. But me? I do it for the thrill of the rooking.

Rook is different from Marathon's free Sponsored Kits, where you spawn in with bad gear and try to go from zero to hero. The Rook has its own upgrade path, including the ability to spawn in with claymore mines, a shotgun, a bigger backpack, and more.

Basically, it is the ultimate "rat" class. Or, as the image above suggests, a vulture.

Spawning into a match late has its benefits, as you can pick the bones of the battlefield clean, but it also means that whoever is still alive is likely fully geared up, and potentially in a group that is just dominating the lobby. Because of this, I will say, my success rate as a Rook is piss poor. Going up against fully geared players will almost always result in me getting utterly wrecked.

But I continue to chase those few rounds where I somehow come out on top, whether it be because of sitting behind my Claymore mines or third-partying like an absolute rodent, because it feels oh-so-good when things all come together, and I come away with new gear or a bunch of Credits to spend on gear.

Image via Bungie While Rook doesn't have a healing drone or grappling hook like some of Marathon's other Runner Shells, its ability to "cloak" and blend in with other UESC bots so they won't attack you comes in handy quite often, especially when players are duking it out with some high-level bots. Using the cloak ability to sneak around the bots and find an advantageous position to stab some players in the back is a thrill that I find myself addicted to lately.

Even with all Rook upgrades unlocked, you're at a massive disadvantage against fully geared players. I think that's also part of the thrill, because the odds are stacked against you as a Rook, and winning to escape with basically free loot is a genuine adrenaline rush. That's why I like to sit in close quarters hallways with claymores galore.

I also keep running into other Rooks who feel the need to team up, like they are beholden to some sort of Rook code where you don't fight other ones. No. This is Marathon. Fight me, fellow coward, and to the victor go the spoils.

I've been cussed out by other Rooks more times than I can count. Rooks seem to use proximity chat more than other players, I've noticed. But I am not out there rooking to make friends. I want your loot so I can go lose it again on Outpost or Cryo Archive.

I don't know how or when I became this way. Maybe it's because I'm a solo player now with no teammates to queue up with, so the rookery agrees with me on a spiritual level like it never could have before. Whatever it is, I'm not sure if I hate or love what I am becoming.

Image via Bungie I am Rook. I am rat.

Fear me.

The post I think I’m a rat: Marathon’s Rook class has made me face an unfortunate truth appeared first on Destructoid.

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