Summary
Apart from being one of the best examples of Raytracing in a video game,Cyberpunk 2077also excels in its gameplay department. As an RPG, it presents players with a vast selection of gameplay styles. It can even rivalElder Scrollsgames when it comes to build variety. The beauty of games that have such a gameplay structure is that it allows players to create some breathtaking builds.
Cyberpunk 2077is no stranger tooverpowered buildsbecause of what the developers allowed and what the players could tinker with. So, regardless of how many playthroughs they have had, gamers will find great strength in these builds and can said power to take on a megacorporation like Arasaka.
Updated June 10, 2025, by Aldous Foster:The Phantom Liberty expansion completely changed theperk systemin Cyberpunk 2077, meaning that players will want to read on to find out which perks are now the best fit for each of these powerful builds. With new perks, these builds have also become even more powerful, allowing players to do things they never could before. Phantom Liberty also introduced new gear and cyberware, as well as Relic Perks, which provide major changes to the gameplay loop of certain builds. With all these changes, players can look forward to tearing through even MaxTac with ease.
Quickhacks
This Sandevistan build is quite similar to the Sandevistan Samurai, except it puts more focus on the Brawler perk tree,turning David into a maelstromof punches with lighting quick movements thanks to Sandevistan. Also, players can further reduce Sandevistan’s cooldown with Heatsink and Bioconductor upgrades. When not relying on Sandevistan, some of the perks allow the build to move faster, and certain neural implants like the Kerenzikov act as a backup. This also slows down time for the players in the same manner as the Sandevistan but with more focus on ranged combat.
Gorilla Arms are extremely strong, especially with some Blunt Perks. When the whole build comes together, players will find themselves completely forgetting about ranged weapons as they speed around the map with high health and damage resistance, smashing entire groups of enemies.
Similar to the Carnage Shotgun build, this build, which isaptly named Rebecca, focuses on giving her as much buckshot power as possible with her own in-game shotgun, Guts. Sadly, there’s no shotgun dual-wielding inCyberpunk 2077, so players can’t quite copy how Rebecca would be behaving in combat. Still, it’s quite a broken alternative.
Players can just run up to enemies thanks to the Kerenzikov implant and then blast said enemies in the face, steamrolling through all targets like a meat grinder, with blood and guts flying all over. The gameplay is rather simple. There’s no need for tricks, asthe shotgun Body Perkswill do most of the work. Once players have unlocked all those perks, they can put some points into the tech tree so they can add some grenades into their mix of chaos.
This Lucy build is similar to the Netgun and Gun hacker build, but it ditches the Smart weapon for something more up-close and personal:the Monowire. Players will want to maximize their Intelligence to boost its damage and ability to spread Quickhacks, allowing it to take out entire groups of enemies.
Players will be prioritizing perks such as Siphon and Finisher: Live Wire. In combat, they’ll open up with Quickhacks such as Ping, then Contagion, and then Short Circuit or Overheat, depending on the enemy’s proximity. Those that get close enough will be ripped to shreds by the Monowire. Players can also put some points into Cool to allow them to get close and personal through stealth.
For anyone who thrives off risky playstyles and being up close and personal, the blunt weapons of the Street Brawler are an excellent choice. This approach can deal massive damage to single targets, while its toughness and ability to stun enemies keep it alive. Although there are not a greatmany unique weaponsto use, even using a simple hammer or bat becomes incredibly fun with this build.
The simplicity of running directly at enemies and bonking them on the head with a pipe is strangely beautiful and has no right to be as strong as it is. This build also has the added bonus of being non-lethal, keeping enemies such as Cyberpsychos alive. However, as the game is quick to inform players, the pure damage and brutality of blunt weapons will quickly make them wish they weren’t.
Players looking to create the highest ranged damage build ever seen may want to consider the Technical Specialist. These characters can charge up their tech weapons to deal absolutely ridiculous amounts of damage with a single shot. This build is also quite variable as it can be used with rifles, pistols, revolvers, or snipers. Whichever the player picks, these perks and Cyberware will allow them to kill enemies from any distance and position.
High Technical investment also means that the player will be able to craft anything they want and will have aneasy way to make moneyin the early game. With a sniper such as Breakthrough and these perks, players can take out almost every enemy in the game with a single shot.
For those who want something a little less thematic and more conventional, the so-called Crit Headshot build from creatorT7 PDMwill more than satisfy them. It takes advantage of the Optical Camo and the Kerenzikov or Sandevistan to slow down time and allow players to headshot just about all the enemies in an encounter.
Due to the perk and Crit stacking, 900 percent Crit Damage and even a 100 percent Crit change are possible. Players just need to make sure that they enter combat with Sandevistan and a headshot (preferably under stealth with a silenced gun). This will kick off a chain of buffs that will make subsequent headshots deadlier and easier to perform.
Contagion, or poison hackers, were all the rage before update 1.5 due to their effortless killing prowess. Fans of the old build will be pleased to know, however, that Contagion is still overpowered. It just went from a scale of 11 to 10 because of the balance changes in patch 1.5. The gameplay is still the same. Players start with Breach Protocol, then Ping, and then Contagion against squads of enemies. After that, it’stime to sit backand watch their health get drained collectively.
Against single-targets, Short Circuit or Suicide works well. Cameras are also great here, as they let players stay hidden. The weapons this build uses are also incredibly powerful. Players can use Erebus if they want to hear enemies scream as the Blackwall consumes them, but Shingen Mark V is the best option here as it spreads explosions among the affected enemies, clearing entire groups in seconds.
For thepremier stealth buildinCyberpunk 2077, players need not look any further than this one. It functions like a hitman who uses silenced pistols or revolvers to shoot enemies at the back of their heads. This does require some tactical skill, positioning, and a bit of patience, but it’s very slick and savvy.
To make sneaking more smooth, players can take advantage of the Big Sleep daemon, which shuts down all cameras in an area. After that, it’s a matter of picking off enemies one by one. Players just need to make sure to land headshots all the time.
For those looking for a more straightforward mode of gameplay, then this build will more thansatisfy anyone’s bloodlust. The idea is simple; players just walk up to enemy groups and rip out a fat and healthy volley of shotgun pellets.
All the passive and triggered effects from the Body perk tree will ensure that players tank hits well and deal so much damage that enemies will not have a chance to respond. Reflex also allows players to close the gap and avoid any pesky snipers. Players can also use smart shotguns for a bit less damage but even less aiming required.
This build is the perfect compromise for those who still want to shoot enemies and hack but don’t want their overall damage output getting neutered. It’s all thanks to the Short Circuit quickhack. The Legendary version of this quickhack deals massive damage, which rises even further if the enemies get hit with a Crit attack.
Paired with weapons that shoot fast and many rounds (such as Smart weapons), the Short Circuit will make short work of any enemy. Smart weapons also pair well as they scale with Intelligence and allow players to speed around without bothering withboring ideas like aiming.
