Marathon Nightfall Refresh: What Reset and What Is New (Oct 6 – Dec 8)
Everything that reset in the Marathon Nightfall Refresh, the free NuCaloric pass, the event schedule and Symbiosis.
On October 6 Marathon wiped the slate. Levels, gear and vaults reset, and every Runner started over on the same line.
Here's exactly what reset, what's new, what's on the calendar until Symbiosis, and how to make the most of the fresh start.
• Levels, credits, equipment, vaults, Rank, Priority Contracts and zone access all reset on October 6.
• The new NuCaloric Reward Pass is free for every owner and has no time limit.
• Sponsored Queues and Cryo Archive run every Thursday to Monday.
• Cradle XP is up 30% and most Armory wares cost 30% fewer credits.
• Vault Breaker runs until November 10. Symbiosis arrives on December 8.
What reset in the Nightfall Refresh?
Almost all of your progress. Assume you're starting over.
- Runner, Cradle and Faction levels
- Your credits, equipment and vault contents
- Cradle enhancements and Faction aftermarket upgrades
- Priority Contracts and Rank
- Zone access
What's new: the NuCaloric Reward Pass
Every Marathon owner gets the new NuCaloric Reward Pass at no extra cost. It isn't time-limited, so you can finish it at your own pace.
Logins pay too. There's a new set of login rewards every week, and they pile up if you miss a week.
Nightfall Refresh schedule
Most of the action now happens from Thursday to Monday. Here's what's on until Symbiosis.
- Sponsored Queues: Every Thu–Mon, rotating Perimeter, Marsh and Night Marsh
- Cryo Archive: Every Thu–Mon, since October 15
- Vault Breaker: October 20 – November 10
- Ordnance Heist: November 10 – 23
- C.A.R.R.I. Armory: Until the Refresh ends
Sponsored Night Marsh runs from Thursday, October 22 to Monday, October 26.
Planning the weekend? Read our Cryo Archive guide and Vault Breaker guide first.
Economy and progression changes
The climb is shorter this time. Bungie made leveling and buying cheaper across the board.
- Cradle XP: +30% for the whole Refresh. See our Cradle guide.
- Factions: lower reputation needed per rank, and an easier VIP. See our factions guide.
- Armory: most wares cost 30% fewer credits, and salvage barters cost 20–50% less.
- UESC kills: more XP per kill.
Runner and weapon changes
The meta got a shake-up too. The Repeater and Hardline were reworked, while the Magnum and DRRVSH got weaker.
Recon's Echo Pulse now fires in a cone where you aim instead of all around you. Our Runner shells guide covers every shell change.
What comes after: Symbiosis on December 8
Symbiosis brings Marathon's first permanent PvE mode and a bigger, reshaped Perimeter.
- Bishop: a new shell built around speed and melee bursts.
- Team Deathmatch: a new PvP mode.
- Social space: with a firing range.
- Onboarding: a smoother start for new players.
In March Bungie plans an entirely new zone and a refactored Cradle.
Fresh-start tips
- Start easy. Pick the zones you know best for your first runs.
- Claim the free pass and login rewards. They stack, so nothing is lost if you skip a week.
- Level the Cradle now while XP is boosted.
- Do your weekly faction contracts for the bonus rep.
- Save your weekends for Cryo Archive and the Sponsored Queue.
Short on time to rebuild after the wipe? CarrySquad's Marathon services can get you back up to speed.
FAQ
When did the Nightfall Refresh start?
Did my progress reset?
Is the NuCaloric Reward Pass free?
When is Cryo Archive open?
What is Symbiosis?
More Marathon guides: Runner shells, Factions, Cradle, Cryo Archive and Vault Breaker.