Cyberpunk 2077 Weapons Guide: Locations and Builds

As an action packed shooter filled with futuristic gear, it’s no wonder why the appeal of Cyberpunk 2077 refused to fade, as throughout the story and side quest each weapon plays a decisive role that can either make your journey easy or a living hell, whether you’re doing side quests for Solomon Reed or going to the Mikoshi for one last battle, each wave of enemies in Cyberpunk 2077 is not only hardest but also requires strategies through weapons builds. 

Each weapon has its own unique ability synergy that makes your overall gameplay experience efficient the way you desire, whether you’re modding your Pozhar X-MOD2 with Firecracker for explosive auto-shot or Wallbreaker to deal huge damage, or going for Rifles like Umbra and SMGs like Fenrir, rest assured because in this guide we’ll cover all the basics about combat style, weapon types, locations, best builds, and upgrade tips.

Types of Weapons in Cyberpunk 2077

Each weapon and play style built has its own merit and flaws, well this is one of the most common rules in RPGs, if you’re going for speed you have sacrifice your defense or if you’re going for your defense you have to sacrifice your attack, just like that Cyberpunk 2077 has its own unique mechanics, whether players want to take a silent melee approach or take a loud path blazing guns for glory.

1. Melee Weapons

From sharp and deadly katanas to blunt bats and hammers, there are many iconic closed-range weapons in Cyberpunk that provide quick kills and silent attacks perfect for stealth lovers. 

Here’s the list of the Best Melee Weapons in Cyberpunk, 

• Blade: Byakko (Katana), Tier 5, Unmatched speed, low cooldown after kills, ideal for clearing mobs.
• Blunt: Gold-Plated Baseball Bat, Tier 5, High bleeding chance.
• Two-Handed Club: Baby Boomer, Upgradable to Tier 5++, All-rounder, for armor penetration, bleeding, and stunning.
• Throwable: Punknives, Upgradable to Tier 5, Quick to return, perfect for headshots.

2. Ranged Weapons

 

 

The iconic power and hybrid smart type weapons are the core part of the game’s combat, depending on the type of missions, whether it’s an open combat, infiltration, or long-range takedowns, different scenario requires different weapons. Remember that smart weapons require a Smart Link with Cyberware.

Here’s the list of the best ranged weapons for different styles,

Firearms

Providing good accuracy, perks boost crit damage, and mid-range quick kills, they’re highly versatile for different playstyles.

• Pistols: Pride (Assassin) / Malorian Arms 3516 (Roleplay) / Genjiroh (Netrunner)
• Revolvers: Archangel (Aggressive) / Her Majesty (Stealth) / Doom Doom (Burst Explosive)

Shotguns

For heavy artillery lovers, it provides a powerful burst of attack at close range, best for aggressive builds.

• Shotguns: Guts (Power Shotgun), Best for Mobs / Ba Xing Chong (Smart Shotgun) requires Smart Link for Carnage / Sovereign (Double-Barrel Shotgun), Quicks shots and reload speed.

Tactical

Versatile, high fire rate, effective for most combat scenarios, the classic tactical guns have a wide range of selection from types to styles, including assault rifles, sub or light machine guns and snipers. They cater to various playstyles, whether seeking precision, stealth, or high damage build. 

• Assault Rifles: Kyubi (Power Rifle), perfect for raw damage / Yinglong (Smart Rifle), Ideal for Netrunners / Moron Labe (Power Rifle) , high assault, less recoil for stealth.
• SMGs: Pizdets (Smart SMG, highly suppressed for stealth / Problem Solver (Power SMG,) aggressive and explosive / Fenrir (Power SMG,) quick combat, great perks.
• LMGs: Wild Dog (Power LMG), High-crit for open combat / MA70 HB (Power LMG), Slow fire-rate, high defense for tankers.
• Sniper Rifles: Overwatch (Power Sniper) silenced, high damage, stealth / Ashura (Smart Sniper) auto shoots, and versatile for quick builds.

3. Tech Weapons

 

Compared to iconic weapons, tech-weapons are futuristic gadgets in the player’s arsenal that provide charged shots, wall-penetration, smart targeting, and ricochet tech. Offering tech pistols, rifles, and shotguns, which are excellent for bypassing cover or hitting enemies automatically, adding more depth to playstyles. 

Here’s the list of the Best tech weapons,

• Pistol: Lizzie (High ammo and High damage)
• Revolver: Comrade’s Hammer (Explosive like a hand grenade)
• SMG: Raiju (Quick and extremely powerful)
• Precision Rifle: Widowmaker (Fire Poisonous Shots) / Achilles X-MOD2 (Modded, Powerful, Fast-firing)
• Sniper Rifle: Breakthrough (Powerful, long-range, and insane wall penetration)

4. Explosives

The explosives are the tactical tools that are very useful for clearing groups, disabling drones/mechs, or stopping vehicles. From grenades, to mines, EMPs and rocket launchers, they’re ideal for heavy builds and to do high damage in situational combat or open combat to clear through enemies.

Projectile Launch System

The PLS is a cyberwear implement that shoots explosive projectiles. Three types of projectile launch systems offer different effects.

• Chemical: This implant aims and launches toxic damage that poisons enemies in AoE (Area of Effect). 
• Electric: Similarly, this implant also does the same but does electrifying damage that shocks/stuns enemies.
• Thermal: Lastly, this implant does thermal damage that burns enemies.

Grenades

As their name suggests, grenades are your typical throwable explosives that explode after a few seconds. However, the grenades in Cyberpunk 2077, are have a mix of technology, providing a wide variety and effect. 

• • F-GX Frag Grenade: A basic frag grenade that does physical damage with a chance to knock down. Further, this grenade has a variant called Ozob’s Nose, which has less damage but a higher knockdown chance.
  • MOLODETS BioHaz Grenade: This grenade releases a cloud of toxic gas that does chemical damage with a chance to poison enemies.
  • CHAR Incendiary Grenade: This grenade creates a fiery cloud that does thermal damage and burns enemies.
  • EMP Grenade: The electro-magnetic-pulse grenade does an electrifying damage to the enemies, it does bonus damage against tech-based enemies like netrunners, drones, mechs, turrets, etc. At tier two, it can also disable enemies’ cyberwear for a few seconds.
  • GASH Antipersonnel Grenade: It is one of the special grenades in the game that has a homing effect, so when the closest enemy is near its range, it bounces up and shoots a like laser, doing shrapnel damage.
  • Recon Grenade: Another special grenade that lures enemies through a pulsating sound that also reveals their location. 

• Smoke Grenade: A classic and tactical smoke grenade that creates a smokescreen that lasts 5-15 seconds.

• X-22 Flashbang Grenade: A standard-issued flash grenade that blinds enemies for 3-6 seconds, while also reducing their accuracy, works only on human-based enemies.

Best Weapons and Their Locations

Legendary and Rare Weapons

There are many rare and legendary weapons from iconic pistols to legendary katanas to rare rifles throughout the game, and with Phantom Liberty DLC adding Tier 5++ grade in the game, players are eager to find more and better loot through progress. In contrast, some weapons are locked with a singular grade tier. Iconic weapons have unique effects and can reach higher tiers through upgrades. 

So if you want to find rare and legendary weapons in the game, be sure to check out hidden crates, high-level enemy drops, specific side gigs, late-game shopping area throughout the map.

Tips for Unlocking Hidden or Secret Weapons

The secret weapons are the powerful version of the standard gear, which have more powers and special modified effects. They are often placed in hidden spots throughout the game so they’re easy to miss. Here are some of the best tips to unlock hidden or secret weapons, 

• Always check NCPD scanner hustles. These are repeatable side quests that offer xp, money, and a chance to find hidden gems.
• Completing character-specific questlines is also essential to unlock great weapons in the game. These weapons can be found in specific locations during the quest or as a reward for your effort.
• High-risk, high-reward, exploring restricted zones in the map, they offer a chance to get your hands on powerful items that are stashed away in deep locations.
• Sometimes it is possible that you miss out on something while exploring, so be sure to revisit previous areas during different times of day or after events, to find changes and hidden items.

Quest-specific Weapons

While the game offers a conventional way to find good weapons, some weapons are locked behind the main quest and special side missions that heavily involve your trust score with friends and campionions, with dialogue choices that heavily implement your rewards and story path.

Here are some cool weapons you can find only through main and side quests.

• Fenrir: Fenrir is a powerful SMG that is found in the side job called the Monk Without a Cause questline.
• Widow Maker: The Widow Maker is a powerful precision rifle, found in the main job “Ghost Town.”
• Her Majesty: Her Majesty is another powerful firearm that comes from Phantom Liberty DLC, given by Songbird during the mission “Get it Together.” 
• Byakko: One of the strongest Katanas in the game, which you can earn by completing all Wakako’s gigs.  
• Overwatch: If you complete the Ghost Town quest, you’ll get a new side job called “Riders on the Storm”, which rewards you with one of the strongest sniper rifles in the game. 

Vendor and Craftable Weapons

From the beginning of the game to the finale, the Craftable weapons and vendors provide convenient options to the players to gain access to the high-quality gear to explore without diving into the story. It’s one of the best ways to farm experience to make your story progression easier. You can find these ripper docs and vendors who’ll sell guns and rifles, while some specific vendors will sell strong melee weapons like Blue Fang and provide you with weapons upgrades all over the map. At the same time, you can craft high-tier items like Comrade’s Hammer that can be upgraded and become remarkably strong. However, note that craftable weapons require components that can be found and salvage throughout the games from hidden crates and enemies. 

Weapon Builds and Playstyles

Stealth Build

Fast, deadly, and precise, the best stealth build in Cyberpunk 2077 heavily focuses on major attributes such as, Cool, Reflexes, and potentially Intelligence/Body, utilizing silenced pistols (like The Pride, Her Majesty, The Nue) or throwing knives (Blue Fang) for headshots, combined with Optical Camo cyberware and perks for silent movement (Ninjutsu), critical damage, and quickhacks for distractions, creating an “Arasaka Ninja” or “Hitman” playstyle with a strong Plan B for when you get detected. Key cyberware includes Kiroshi Optics, Optical Camo, and leg mods like Lynx Paws, with silencers being crucial for max damage. 

Assault Build

Glorify your kills, the best Assault Build in Cyberpunk 2077 relieson Reflexes for weapon skills & SMGs/ARs, paired with high Technical Ability for cyberware/tech weapons, and some Body for survivability, using iconic weapons like the QBX-02 (XOD2) (AR) and Fenrir (SMG), plus strong cyberware for damage/mitigation (e.g., Reflex Tuner, Dense Marrow), often mixing in Smart Weapons with Netrunner skills for versatile, high-damage combat from any range.

Sniper Build

One hit precision, the best Cyberpunk 2077 sniper build focuses on Cool, Reflexes, and Technical Ability, using a mix of silenced rifles like Overwatch for stealth and tech rifles like Breakthrough for wall-penetrating shots, combined with Optical Camo and crit-boosting cyberware (like Kiroshi Optics) to become an invisible, one-shot-kill assassin, often leveraging Sandevistan or quickhacks for tactical advantages.

Tech/Smart Build

Smart and strategic, the best Tech/Smart build in Cyberpunk 2077 blends Netrunning with Smart Weapons, creating a “Net-gunner” that uses quickhacks for control (like Reboot Optics) and buffs weapon damage, especially with Smart SMGs/Assault Rifles, letting you tear through enemies with rapid-fire, homing projectiles and hack combos, often maxing Intelligence, Technical Ability, and Body for cyberware and survivability. Key elements involve the Tetratronic Rippler cyberdeck, the Overclock ability (spending health for RAM), and perks for weapon/hack synergy, turning you into a Terminator-esque force.

Tips for Upgrading and Modding Weapons

Always be sure to upgrade your iconic weapons since they scale well throughout the game, and use crafting to create perks while reducing component cost. Also, remember to remove mods before dismantling weapons to avoid losing your favorite mods. Be sure to focus on weapon’s rarity upgrade from rare to epic to legendary as higher tier weapons have better quality and effects. Lastly, save your high-level components for your main build weapons to immerse yourself like a true ninja, tech-runner, or warrior.

FAQs:

What is the best weapon type for beginners in Cyberpunk 2077?

In early games, basic pistols and rifles are the easiest to handle, as they offer good accuracy, manageable recoil, and simply work well for most situations. In addition, smart weapons are also beginner-friendly due to their auto-tracking effects against targets.

Where can I find legendary or iconic weapons early in the game?

You can find many great weapons early in the game, from several vendors, to locations and side gigs.

• Dying Night: It’s available for free from the pistol vendor at the Watson megabuilding.

• Widow Maker: One of the best throughout the game, found during the “Ghost Town” mission with Panam.

• Chaos: Dropped by Royce if you take him out during “The Pickup.”

Which weapon mods and perks give the biggest damage boost?

The strongest boosts come from the following,

• Crit Chance & Crit Damage mods.
• Silencers for stealth builds.
• Ricochet-enhancing mods for tech weapons.
• Perks like Focus for Handgun, Run ‘n’ Gun for Assault, Ping for Stealth, and Chain Lightning for tech weapons will amplify the effectiveness. 
• Also, upgrading weapons increases overall damage significantly.

Conclusion:

Cyberpunk 2077 offers an endless arsenal of weapons and play styles that provide a deep, immersive experience while catering to gamers’ preferences. These preferences allow gamers to try approaching the game’s combat system in their own way, whether by taking a stealthy assassin-like approach or being wild and rowdy with explosions, or being tactical like a soldier. There are many ways to play the game. Further, there are also many great melee and versatile weapons that serve as all-rounders ideal for every mission and side gig, transforming difficult strategies into an effortless challenge.