From Traxus

Health rechargers allow the player to recharge his shielding, similar to health canisters. Oxygen rechargers refill the player's oxygen, similar to oxygen canisters.

The difference between a recharger and a canister is a recharger is actually a panel placed on a wall and can be used any number of times. Canisters are items on the floor and can only be used once. (Another may spawn in its place later, depending on the level.)

Contents 1 Health 1.1 Shield levels 1.2 Strategies 1.2.1 Single-player 1.2.1.1 Level specific strategies 1.2.2 Multi-player 2 Oxygen

Health

Rechargers are the primary method for healing and knowing their locations on each level is extremely useful.

Shield levels

All three Marathons have recharges for each of the three levels of shielding available: 1x (red), 2x (yellow), and 3x (purple). The remaining amount of shield is depicted in the lower left of the HUD and is displayed as a thermometer. The thermometer has lines etched on it and the range between the lines is referred to as a "bar". ^{[citation needed]}

The first level of shields is the basic start. Every new game begins with "full" shields with the only exception being levels that are rebellion style. Rebellion levels begin with less than full shields.

The player has a base shield value of 150 points, to use the engine's units[1] for vitality and damage.

For comparison with an in-game model: The actual amount of damage that a full, 1x shield is less than a rocket's worth of damage.

The second level of shields can withstand a rocket hit if fully charged. ^{[citation needed]}

The third level of shields is the maximum amount of shielding that is possible. These are fairly rare within the Marathon trilogy.

The actual numbers:

	Energy	Per tic
1x	150	1
2x	300	2
3x	450	3

Strategies

If a player is attacked or moves while recharging, the recharging stops. Keeping oneself as barely visible as possible can help prevent being interrupted.

Single-player

Single-player strategies are fairly basic. A player can freely hug a recharger without much worry of interruption because the enemies on most levels are not actively hunting people down. A common strategy is to recharge, find and fight a group of enemies, and return to the recharger to repair the damage taken from the battle.

Sometimes backtracking through a majority of the level is required to recharge, but if shields are too low to survive another battle it may be necessary.

Keeping an eye on the motion sensor while recharging can help being attacked from behind by wandering enemies.

Level specific strategies

For level specific strategies, please view the article on that particular level.

Multi-player

Learning where the rechargers are on a level is extremely important. In Every Man for Himself, a point is lost by dying so preventing death is as necessary as killing others. Knowing exactly where the rechargers will obviously save time when more shields are needed.

Camping rechargers is a common tactic and one should be wary of a recharger with no one near it. Players may be waiting around the corner or on a ledge. Due to the motion sensor they do not have to see someone to know they are there and if they are camping they will be standing still, meaning they will not appear on the motion sensor themselves.

Keeping an eye on the sensor will give an advanced warning of other players coming around corners or along hallways. If you hear a shot instantly move out of the way. A rocket can be heard before it hits ^{[citation needed]} and all weapons may miss the first few shots. There will more than likely be more coming so the faster you leave a recharger the less damage you will take.

Every bit of shields helps. If you are near a recharger and you know no one else is around, top your shields off.

Oxygen

Oxygen rechargers refill the oxygen that allows a player to breathe under liquids and in a vacuum. Rechargers are scarce but can often be found if they are needed. These rechargers take significantly longer than health rechargers.