Marathon Cradle Guide: WEAVEworm Energy, Resets and Evolution

The Cradle is where your Runner gets stronger between runs. You feed it what you bring home, earn WEAVEworm Energy, and spend that Energy on stats and perks.

The Nightfall Refresh took everyone's Cradle back to zero. Here's how it works, how to level it faster right now, and what Cradle Evolution does once you max it.

What is the Cradle?

The Cradle is the upgrade system for your Runner's body. You power it with WEAVEworm Energy earned from the wares you exfil. That Energy goes into upgrade paths that raise your baseline stats and unlock perks.

How to level your Cradle

Cradle XP comes from what you exfil. You hand over the wares you brought home to the WEAVEworms, and they turn them into progress.

1. Exfil with loot

   A run you survive is a run that feeds the Cradle.

2. Feed the WEAVEworms

   Hand over the wares you exfil to earn Cradle XP.

3. Spend the Energy

   You earn on the upgrade paths you want.

Sekiguchi is the faction built around Cradle XP progression, so it's worth leveling if the Cradle is your focus. Our factions guide covers all six.

Leveling Sekiguchi too?

Marathon Factions Leveling

We level a faction you have already unlocked, Sekiguchi or any of the other five, by the number of levels you set, up to 30. You get access to the upgrades that open at the ranks you reach. Levels further up cost more than the first ones, and the calculator shows the full price before checkout.

from $3Level a faction

How to spend WEAVEworm Energy

Energy goes into upgrade paths. Each path gives stat gains and opens new perks as you go.

The best part: you can reset the Cradle whenever you like. Your Energy is refunded and you can route it somewhere else.

• Try a build, then change it. A reset refunds all your Energy.
• Don't stack recovery past the cap. Prime and Tactical Recovery stats top out at 70% faster recharge.

Some perks you'd expect on cores live in the Cradle now. The old Close and Personal core, for example, became a Cradle upgrade.

Cradle Evolution: what happens at max

When your Cradle is maxed, Cradle Evolution lets you reset it back to zero on purpose.

Each Evolution reset gives you one extra maximum Energy point and unlocks unique cosmetics, including Runner shell styles. It's the long-term goal for players who've already finished the tree.

What the Nightfall Refresh did to the Cradle

On October 6 Cradle levels reset for everyone, and Cradle enhancements went back to default. Everybody is climbing again from the same start.

To make the climb faster, Bungie raised Cradle XP by 30% for the length of the Refresh. The rest of what changed is in our Nightfall Refresh guide.

Looking further out, Bungie plans a refactored Cradle and deeper shell progression in March.

Cradle tips

1. Exfil safe, exfil often. Wares only feed the Cradle if you bring them home.
2. Reset freely. Test builds, since your Energy always comes back.
3. Plan around your shell. Read our Runner shells guide to pick one first.
4. Chase Evolution for the cosmetics once you've maxed the tree.

Next goal for your shell

Runner Codex Mastery

Once your Cradle is where you want it, Codex Mastery is the next long goal. Every Runner shell has its own set of five Mastery challenges in the Codex, and Codex progress earns exclusive cosmetics and lore. We complete the ones you pick, played by hand. Single challenges start at $20 for Recon, Assassin, Thief, Destroyer and Triage, $26 for Vandal and $33 for Sentinel.

from $20Pick your shell

FAQ

More Marathon guides: Runner shells, Factions, Nightfall Refresh, Cryo Archive and Vault Breaker.