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The '''Pfhor''' are a [[:Category:Species|species]] of hostile alien slavers in the Marathon series.<ref>[https://marathon.bungie.org/story/counterattack.html#M1.03.4.1 Marathon Defend THIS! Terminal 4]</ref> They attacked the [[UESC Marathon]] in [[2794]].<ref>[[Marathon]],[[Arrival]], Terminal 1</ref> They seek to control the galaxy and perform numerous evil deeds in the games, including ecocide. The Pfhor were ultimately defeated in 2881, when the Pfhor system was sacked by the combined fleets of the UESC and S‘pht’kr. By the time [[Durandal]] returned to Earth 10,000 years after ''Marathon 2'', they are a distant memory.
{{Species infobox
|image=
[[File:M2.12.4.1.1.gif|300px]]
|caption= [[Admiral Tfear]], a member of the Pfhor.
|latin=
|classification=
|height= ~2 meters
|weight=
|distinctions= Hairless light-skinned bipeds, with three red eyes arranged in a triangular pattern.  
|lifespan=
|homeworld= Pfhor Prime
|techlevel=
|notable-person= Admiral Tfear
|languages=
}}


== Description ==
The '''Pfhor''' were an alien species that ruled over a vast interstellar empire, comprised of many subservient client races. Hailing from a world of unknown location or make, the Pfhor terrorized the galaxy, subjugating many species such as the [[Wasp|Wasps]], [[Drinniol]] and [[S'pht]].<ref> [https://marathon.bungie.org/story/counterattack.html#M1.03.4.1| ''Marathon'' (1994) '''Defend THIS!''', Terminal 4]</ref><ref>[https://marathon.bungie.org/story/rebellion.html#M1.24.1.1 Marathon (1994), Welcome to the Revolution, Terminal 1]</ref>


The Pfhor are bipedal, somewhat taller than humans and have three red eyes and grey skin. Pfhor are generally thinner and lighter than humans and are superbly adapted for low gravity environments. The arrangement of their eyes was changed from a triangle pointing down in Marathon to a triangle pointing up in the later games.<ref>[[Marathon (1994)|Marathon]], [[Marathon 2: Durandal]], [[Marathon Infinity]]</ref>
They attacked the [[UESC Marathon]] on July 25, 2794, when the rampant AI [[Durandal]] compromised the location of the human colony of [[Tau Ceti IV]]. This initial raid would be successfully repelled, though the colony would not escape the Pfhor Empire's swift retaliation. Nevertheless, this contact with Durandal and humanity at large would begin a series of events that would inevitably crush their Empire.


=== Culture ===
== History ==
Little is revealed about Pfhor culture. They appear to have a rather complex bureaucracy, and according to [[Durandal]] their religion is "pathetically boring."<ref>[[Marathon 2: Durandal]], [[Ex Cathedra]], Terminal 1</ref> The only information that has been gathered about their religion is the presence of [[Sfiera]], a goddess of lightning and passion. The Pfhor have an empire and specialize in slavery.
{{stub|section=yes}}


== Caste ==
== Culture ==
A distinctive aspect of Pfhor culture is the presence of a strict caste system.  
Little is revealed about Pfhor culture. They appear to have a rather complex bureaucracy, and according to Durandal their religion is "pathetically boring." The only information that has been gathered about their religion is the presence of Sfiera, a goddess of lightning and passion. The Pfhor have an empire, and specialize in slavery.  


* [[Fighter]]: They are the most common type of Pfhor encountered by players. They all carry and attack with a shock staff. Fighters are further divided into colours which also decides their toughness in battle.<ref>[[Marathon (1994)]], [[Defend THIS!]], Terminal 4</ref>
=== Castes ===
** Green fighters are of the lowest rank and can only use their shock staff as a melee attack.
** Purple fighters have increased health.
** Blue and orange Fighters are capable of firing energy bolts from their staff. They have increased health and a higher rate of fire.
** Black fighters are the strongest of all, being faster and more aggressive than the blue fighters, and stronger than the purple. They use both melee and ranged attacks


* [[Trooper]]: Troopers are Pfhor soldiers in vacuum-enabled suits. They carry an assault rifle with attached grenade launchers, similar to the player's.<ref>[[Marathon (1994)]], [[Defend THIS!]], Terminal 4</ref>
Most of the Pfhor encountered (with the exception of the Enforcer) are of the Aggregate Rank. However, Pfhor of higher castes are mentioned or speak to the player in the terminals. For example, Commander Tfear, who has supreme command of Pfhor Battle Group Seven, is of the Command caste. The Pfhor are divided into at least six "Ranks":
** Green Troopers are the weakest and least aggressive.
** Purple Troopers have increased health and are more aggressive. They fire grenades at an increased rate.
** Blue-Gray Troopers have increased health and are as aggressive as the Purple troopers.
** Black Troopers are the most powerful troopers.


* [[Hunter]]: Hunters are heavily armoured Pfhor who are able to withstand the most damage and have shoulder-mounted plasma cannons. They are known to let out a howl whenever they identify an enemy. They are also known to be ruthless, leaving behind no survivors, even killing those who surrender.<ref>[[Marathon 1994]], [[Cool Fusion]], Terminal 2</ref>
==== Conditioned ====
** Brown Hunters are the weakest and most common variant.
** Green Hunters have increased health and rate of fire.
** Blue and Grey hunters are physically larger and have increased health and rate of fire.


* Enforcer: The Pfhor Enforcers are classified as the most intelligent in the Pfhor infantry; they are a rank above Hunters. The Enforcers come in two sub-ranks, the Minor and Major Enforcers. They carry a rapid-fire alien machine gun. Later games have them carrying weapons that act as long-distance flamethrowers. They are tasked with keeping order among Pfhor troops and are known to attack them. They also play the role of interrogators as shown in some terminals.<ref>[[Marathon 1994]], [[Cool Fusion]], Terminal 2</ref>
The Conditioned rank is primarily reserved for slave races such as the S'pht, Drinniol and Human Cyborgs.  
**The Minors have blue skin and are weaker, slower, and have poorer vision.
**The Major Enforcers, who have turquoise skin are faster, have sharper vision and increased health.  


* [[Juggernaut]]: The Pfhor Juggernauts or Utfoo Heavy Assault Crafts are the strongest enemies throughout all of the Marathon Trilogy. They are essentially large flying tanks. All Juggernauts are equipped with an automatic close-range weapon and a secondary guided weapon, both are dual-wielded. They are part of Battle Group 7's air combat wing, the 723rd Heavy Air Cavalry. They are infamous for decimating enemy resistance.  
==== Aggregate ====
**Minor Juggernauts are grey in colour.
 
**Major Juggernauts are orange in colour, have higher health, and shoot more often.
The most commonly encountered caste in game, consisting of fighters, troppers, and hunters.
 
==== Willful ====
 
Higher ranking Pfhor who seem to oversee the other Pfhor do their duty, this caste is only encountered in the form of the Enforcer.
 
==== Attentive ====
 
==== Imperial ====
 
==== Command ====
 
== Gameplay ==
 
The separate types of soldier equipped within the Pfhor garrison are divided up into a caste system, each with its own armor and weapons:
 
=== Fighters ===
Fighters are the first and most common enemies the player will encounter. All fighters wield a shock staff but the types of attacks they can perform are dependent upon their "color".
*Green and purple fighters can only use the staff as a melee weapon. Purple fighters have more health than green ones.
*Orange and blue ones are capable of melee as well as a ranged attack that fires energy bolts. These fighters have additional health. Blue fighters are faster and more aggressive.
*Black fighters are the strongest of all, being faster and more aggressive than the blue fighters, and stronger than the purple. They use both melee and ranged attacks, and are exclusive to Marathon Infinity.
 
=== Troopers ===
Troopers are Pfhor soldiers that wear vacuum-enabled suits and carry a weapon similar to the player's assault rifle, which, unlike the player's weapon, never runs out of ammunition. Troopers come in three versions: Green (minor), Purple (major) and Blue-Gray (Super). *Troopers in green suits are the least aggressive, firing at you with their assault rifles in bursts, and occasionally launching a single grenade.
*Troopers in purple suits are more aggressive than their cousins in green. Firing more often and using their grenades in two round bursts.
*Super Troopers wearing grey armour are the strongest of all, and are exclusive to certain levels of Marathon Infinity.
 
=== Hunters ===
Hunters are heavily armored Pfhor who are able to withstand most projectiles, but possess a vulnerability to energy weapons such as the fusion pistol. They're equipped with a shoulder-mounted plasma cannon and howl when disturbed in Marathon, but do not do so in the sequels. The suits of Hunters can be compromised, which makes them explode. This is most commonly done with grenades  or with bolts from the Fusion Pistol in Marathon 2: Durandal and Infinity. Similar to Troopers, Hunter appear as two versions, Brown (minor) Hunters and Green (major) Hunters.
*Brown Hunters fire their shoulder cannons in three round bursts.
*Green Hunters fire their shoulder cannons in five round bursts.
In Marathon 2 and Marathon Infinity there is a third version of the Hunter that is blue (or gray in certain levels of Marathon Infinity) known as the MOAH, or Mother of All Hunters. The MOAH fires more projectiles, has significantly more health, and is physically larger.
=== Enforcers ===
Enforcers are tall and thin aliens that fire a unique weapon that the player can pick by any other means other than incineration. In Marathon, this weapon acts like a more accurate version of the assault rifle, but in the sequels is more like a long-range flamethrower that can also fire symmetrically. When such a weapon is picked up, an error message is shown in the weapons panel, ammunition is random and there is no method of reloading. Also, when an Enforcer is killed with this weapon and the Flamethrower, the Enforcer's own weapon is destroyed in the process. The Pfhor Enforcers in Marathon look quite different than the Enforcers in Marathon 2: Durandal and Marathon Infinity. The Enforcers in Marathon have two eyes and an elongated head. In Marathon 2, they have seven eyes and a differently shaped head. In all of the games they are very skinny, with somewhat bulky armor over the chest and a robe covering their legs. In Marathon 2 and Marathon Infinity, they also wear a cloak. Enforcers will only fire upon aliens unless disturbed by the player. Blue Enforcers are weaker than green ones. Alternately-colored Enforcers (yellow and silver) also appear in Marathon Infinity.  
 
===Juggernauts ===
Juggernauts are essentially large flying tanks that attack the player with guided rockets and alien projectiles. Their proper name being "Utfoo Heavy Assault Craft", Juggernauts are also known as "The Big Floaty Thing What [sic] Kicks Our Asses" by the Nebulons, a race of aliens mentioned in the game. Though a Juggernaut's rockets are not as powerful as human ones, they are the strongest enemy in the series. When a Juggernaut is killed it slowly descends to the ground, accompanied by the sound of a loud alarm. Upon reaching the ground it explodes in a bright white flash which is audible and visible from every part of a level. This explosion does massive damage to anything within its range. In Marathon, Juggernauts are gray, rounded and organic looking, but in Marathon 2 and Marathon Infinity, their have a more mechanical appearance. In Marathon 2 and Marathon Infinity Juggernauts can also appear as an bronze version that has more health and attacks more aggressively.  


== Notable Pfhor ==
== Notable Pfhor ==
* [[Admiral Tfear]]
* [[Admiral Tfear]]
* The Great Mother
 
== Pfhor ships ==
* [[Boomer|Sfiera]] - Corvette that originally attacked the [[UESC Marathon]] but was later taken over by Durandal and renamed Boomer.<ref>[https://marathon.bungie.org/story/volunteers.html#M2.04.3.2 ''Marathon 2: Durandal'', '''What About Bob?''' Terminal 3]</ref>
* [[Khfiva]] - Battleship.<ref>[https://marathon.bungie.org/story/sphtkr.html#M2.26.1.1 ''Marathon 2: Durandal'' '''Fatum Iustum Stultorum''', Terminal 1]</ref>
* [[Hfarl]] - Refueling ship commandeered by [[Robert Blake]] to escape to [[Earth]].
* [[Sepfh'r]] - <ref>[https://marathon.bungie.org/story/hangbrain.html#M3.15.0.1 ''Marathon Infinity'' '''Hang Brain''', Terminal 1].</ref>
* [[65-f cr'etz'ih]] - R'chzne, later Tycho's scoutship.<ref>[https://marathon.bungie.org/story/riserobotrise.html#M3.02.1.1 ''Marathon Infinity'' '''Rise Robot Rise''', Terminal 2]</ref>


== References ==
== References ==

Latest revision as of 22:24, April 13, 2025

Pfhor
Picture of Admiral Tfear.
Admiral Tfear, a member of the Pfhor.
Physical information

Avg. height:

~2 meters

Distinctions:

Hairless light-skinned bipeds, with three red eyes arranged in a triangular pattern.

Sociocultural information

Homeworld:

Pfhor Prime

 

The Pfhor were an alien species that ruled over a vast interstellar empire, comprised of many subservient client races. Hailing from a world of unknown location or make, the Pfhor terrorized the galaxy, subjugating many species such as the Wasps, Drinniol and S'pht.[1][2]

They attacked the UESC Marathon on July 25, 2794, when the rampant AI Durandal compromised the location of the human colony of Tau Ceti IV. This initial raid would be successfully repelled, though the colony would not escape the Pfhor Empire's swift retaliation. Nevertheless, this contact with Durandal and humanity at large would begin a series of events that would inevitably crush their Empire.

History[edit]

Official icon used to represent the Marathon franchise. This section is a stub. You can help CyberAcme by expanding it.

Culture[edit]

Little is revealed about Pfhor culture. They appear to have a rather complex bureaucracy, and according to Durandal their religion is "pathetically boring." The only information that has been gathered about their religion is the presence of Sfiera, a goddess of lightning and passion. The Pfhor have an empire, and specialize in slavery.

Castes[edit]

Most of the Pfhor encountered (with the exception of the Enforcer) are of the Aggregate Rank. However, Pfhor of higher castes are mentioned or speak to the player in the terminals. For example, Commander Tfear, who has supreme command of Pfhor Battle Group Seven, is of the Command caste. The Pfhor are divided into at least six "Ranks":

Conditioned[edit]

The Conditioned rank is primarily reserved for slave races such as the S'pht, Drinniol and Human Cyborgs.

Aggregate[edit]

The most commonly encountered caste in game, consisting of fighters, troppers, and hunters.

Willful[edit]

Higher ranking Pfhor who seem to oversee the other Pfhor do their duty, this caste is only encountered in the form of the Enforcer.

Attentive[edit]

Imperial[edit]

Command[edit]

Gameplay[edit]

The separate types of soldier equipped within the Pfhor garrison are divided up into a caste system, each with its own armor and weapons:

Fighters[edit]

Fighters are the first and most common enemies the player will encounter. All fighters wield a shock staff but the types of attacks they can perform are dependent upon their "color".

  • Green and purple fighters can only use the staff as a melee weapon. Purple fighters have more health than green ones.
  • Orange and blue ones are capable of melee as well as a ranged attack that fires energy bolts. These fighters have additional health. Blue fighters are faster and more aggressive.
  • Black fighters are the strongest of all, being faster and more aggressive than the blue fighters, and stronger than the purple. They use both melee and ranged attacks, and are exclusive to Marathon Infinity.

Troopers[edit]

Troopers are Pfhor soldiers that wear vacuum-enabled suits and carry a weapon similar to the player's assault rifle, which, unlike the player's weapon, never runs out of ammunition. Troopers come in three versions: Green (minor), Purple (major) and Blue-Gray (Super). *Troopers in green suits are the least aggressive, firing at you with their assault rifles in bursts, and occasionally launching a single grenade.

  • Troopers in purple suits are more aggressive than their cousins in green. Firing more often and using their grenades in two round bursts.
  • Super Troopers wearing grey armour are the strongest of all, and are exclusive to certain levels of Marathon Infinity.

Hunters[edit]

Hunters are heavily armored Pfhor who are able to withstand most projectiles, but possess a vulnerability to energy weapons such as the fusion pistol. They're equipped with a shoulder-mounted plasma cannon and howl when disturbed in Marathon, but do not do so in the sequels. The suits of Hunters can be compromised, which makes them explode. This is most commonly done with grenades or with bolts from the Fusion Pistol in Marathon 2: Durandal and Infinity. Similar to Troopers, Hunter appear as two versions, Brown (minor) Hunters and Green (major) Hunters.

  • Brown Hunters fire their shoulder cannons in three round bursts.
  • Green Hunters fire their shoulder cannons in five round bursts.

In Marathon 2 and Marathon Infinity there is a third version of the Hunter that is blue (or gray in certain levels of Marathon Infinity) known as the MOAH, or Mother of All Hunters. The MOAH fires more projectiles, has significantly more health, and is physically larger.

Enforcers[edit]

Enforcers are tall and thin aliens that fire a unique weapon that the player can pick by any other means other than incineration. In Marathon, this weapon acts like a more accurate version of the assault rifle, but in the sequels is more like a long-range flamethrower that can also fire symmetrically. When such a weapon is picked up, an error message is shown in the weapons panel, ammunition is random and there is no method of reloading. Also, when an Enforcer is killed with this weapon and the Flamethrower, the Enforcer's own weapon is destroyed in the process. The Pfhor Enforcers in Marathon look quite different than the Enforcers in Marathon 2: Durandal and Marathon Infinity. The Enforcers in Marathon have two eyes and an elongated head. In Marathon 2, they have seven eyes and a differently shaped head. In all of the games they are very skinny, with somewhat bulky armor over the chest and a robe covering their legs. In Marathon 2 and Marathon Infinity, they also wear a cloak. Enforcers will only fire upon aliens unless disturbed by the player. Blue Enforcers are weaker than green ones. Alternately-colored Enforcers (yellow and silver) also appear in Marathon Infinity.

Juggernauts[edit]

Juggernauts are essentially large flying tanks that attack the player with guided rockets and alien projectiles. Their proper name being "Utfoo Heavy Assault Craft", Juggernauts are also known as "The Big Floaty Thing What [sic] Kicks Our Asses" by the Nebulons, a race of aliens mentioned in the game. Though a Juggernaut's rockets are not as powerful as human ones, they are the strongest enemy in the series. When a Juggernaut is killed it slowly descends to the ground, accompanied by the sound of a loud alarm. Upon reaching the ground it explodes in a bright white flash which is audible and visible from every part of a level. This explosion does massive damage to anything within its range. In Marathon, Juggernauts are gray, rounded and organic looking, but in Marathon 2 and Marathon Infinity, their have a more mechanical appearance. In Marathon 2 and Marathon Infinity Juggernauts can also appear as an bronze version that has more health and attacks more aggressively.

Notable Pfhor[edit]

Pfhor ships[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Marathon (1994) Defend THIS!, Terminal 4
  2. ^ Marathon (1994), Welcome to the Revolution, Terminal 1
  3. ^ Marathon 2: Durandal, What About Bob? Terminal 3
  4. ^ Marathon 2: Durandal Fatum Iustum Stultorum, Terminal 1
  5. ^ Marathon Infinity Hang Brain, Terminal 1.
  6. ^ Marathon Infinity Rise Robot Rise, Terminal 2

v • d • e
 
Species
Drinniol • Human • Jjaro • Pfhor • S'pht • Wasp
Retrieved from "https://www.marathonwiki.com/index.php?title=Pfhor&oldid=4059"