Three Kinds of Progress
| Progress | How you earn it | Survives a wipe? |
|---|---|---|
| Runner level | Playing runs; your final level unlocks Sponsored Kits next season | No |
| Faction reputation and upgrades | Contracts plus each faction’s Reputation Gain actions | No (faction access is kept) |
| Codex, cosmetics, LUX, SILK | Challenges, the reward pass, purchases | Mostly yes |
Sources: All Things How for the June 2 Season 2 rules, The Click for the October 6 Nightfall Refresh. Seasons last about three months (Wikipedia).
Factions and Contracts
There are six factions. Their contracts pay experience, gear and reputation, and faction levels unlock permanent shell upgrades and pre-packed loadout kits for the season (Wikipedia). You can hold only one contract at a time, from one faction, so PC Gamer calls contract-only progress “a bit glacial.”
Pick shells with that in mind: ROOK, the scavenger shell, cannot progress faction contracts, so take a full shell on contract runs and save ROOK for pure loot runs.
Reputation Beyond Contracts
Each faction lists its Reputation Gain actions under its Agent section: items that give rep when you extract with them, and events it wants you to join. PC Gamer’s example is NuCaloric, where each looted Tick Nest is worth 10 reputation; they found them in the Data Wall and the infested building in the Columns. Small amounts, but they stack on top of the contract you are already running.
After the Nightfall Refresh, The Click reports lower faction reputation requirements, and VIP rank requirements now match each faction’s final standard rank threshold.
Runner Level
Runner level is your account level for the season. All Things How notes that your final Season 1 runner level decided which Sponsored Kits you could claim at the next start: levels 10, 25, 50 and 75 unlocked Enhanced, Enhanced, Deluxe and Superior kits. That makes the last weeks before a reset worth playing even though the level itself is wiped.
The Click lists two XP changes in the Nightfall Refresh: Cradle XP is up 30% while it runs, and UESC enemy kills give more XP. Solo playlists also have UESC enemies dealing 20% less damage, which makes solo PvE-heavy runs a safer way to level.
Ranked
Ranked arrived in beta on March 21, 2026, with Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Pinnacle tiers of three divisions each. Platinum and above open more dangerous zones, and every ranked run needs a minimum loadout value in Credits (Wikipedia). Rank resets with the season; only the emblem for your best rank is kept (All Things How).
Dates to Plan Around
- October 6, 2026: Nightfall Refresh wipe (The Click).
- October 15: Cryo Archive reopens; October 20 to November 9: Vault Breaker event (The Click).
- December 8, 2026: Symbiosis, with permanent PvE content, an expanded Perimeter, another shell and a social space (The Click).
Claim mailbox and faction rewards before any reset: All Things How warns that unclaimed items are lost.
Buying Progress
Faction ranks and runner levels reset with the season, so any paid progress lasts weeks, not months. See our Marathon page for reviewed sellers, and read the Credits guide for the upgrades worth rebuilding first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does faction reputation reset in Marathon?
Yes, faction levels and upgrades reset with each season and with the October 6 Nightfall Refresh. Faction access is kept, so you do not redo the liaison contracts.
How can I level factions faster?
Run a contract every run and pick up the faction’s Reputation Gain items, such as NuCaloric’s Tick Nests at 10 rep each (PC Gamer). Requirements were lowered in the Nightfall Refresh.
When is the next Marathon wipe?
The next big update is Symbiosis on December 8, 2026. Check Bungie’s notes for what it resets.
Sources
Checked October 14, 2026. Game systems change with patches, so confirm numbers in game.
- The Click: Nightfall Refresh, what reset on October 6 (Oct 12, 2026)
- All Things How: Season 2 reset rules and what carries over (May 19, 2026)
- PC Gamer: you can lessen Marathon’s faction rep grind (Mar 5, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Marathon (2026 video game)
- GamingBolt: Marathon guide, how to farm credits (Mar 12, 2026)
