Cyberpunk 2077 Guide
Best Builds And Perks To Unlock Early In Cyberpunk 2077
The best early builds in Cyberpunk 2077 are Shooter, Hacker, and Stealth.
Quick Answer
The best early builds in Cyberpunk 2077 are Shooter, Hacker, and Stealth. Each focuses on different attributes and perk trees, allowing you to specialize in direct combat, hacking, or sneaky takedowns.
For gun-focused players, prioritize Reflexes. For netrunners, invest heavily in Intelligence. For stealth-focused characters, build around Cool. Choosing perks that support your preferred playstyle early can make combat and progression much smoother.
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Best Early Builds In Cyberpunk 2077
One of the biggest strengths of Cyberpunk 2077 is the freedom to shape V into almost any type of character.
Attributes, Skills, and Perks all work together to define your playstyle. Attributes improve your core capabilities, Skills level naturally through use, and Perks provide specialized bonuses and abilities.
If you're unsure where to spend your early points, these three build paths offer strong foundations for new players.
Shooter Build
The Shooter build focuses on direct combat and maximizing weapon damage.
Players who enjoy charging into fights with rifles, pistols, shotguns, or sniper rifles should prioritize:
- Reflexes
- Technical Ability
Reflexes improves critical damage and weapon performance, while Technical Ability improves crafting and effectiveness with Tech Weapons.
Recommended Shooter Perks
Assault Tree
Eagle Eye
Improves weapon handling while aiming.
Bullseye
Increases damage output while aiming down sights.
Executioner
Deals 25% additional damage to enemies above 50% health, making opening attacks significantly stronger.
Handguns Tree
O.K. Corral
Increases handgun damage by 50% against enemies below 25% health.
On The Fly
Allows pistols and revolvers to be drawn and holstered 25% faster, making weapon swapping much more efficient.
Hacker Build
The Hacker or Netrunner build focuses on defeating enemies through quickhacks, surveillance, and cyber warfare.
This build should prioritize:
- Intelligence
Increasing Intelligence raises your available RAM, which functions as the resource used for hacking abilities.
Essential Early Quickhack
Complete the The Gift quest as soon as possible.
This rewards the Ping quickhack, one of the most valuable tools for netrunners. Ping reveals nearby enemies, cameras, and devices, allowing you to scout locations before engaging.
Recommended Hacker Perks
Breach Protocol Tree
Mass Vulnerability
Reduces enemy physical resistance by 30% for three minutes after a successful breach.
Quickhacking Tree
I Spy
Reveals hostile netrunners attempting to hack you.
Biosynergy
Recovers RAM automatically over time, allowing more frequent quickhack usage.
Hacker's Manual
Provides benefits for players who prefer crafting their own quickhacks.
Stealth Build
Players who prefer sneaking, silent eliminations, and avoiding direct fights should focus on the Stealth build.
The primary attribute for stealth is:
- Cool
This attribute improves stealth effectiveness and unlocks powerful perks designed around infiltration and silent takedowns.
Recommended Stealth Perks
Stealth Tree
Crouching Tiger
Increases movement speed while sneaking by 20%.
Silent And Deadly
Boosts damage dealt by silenced weapons while sneaking.
Dagger Dealer
Unlocks the ability to throw knives as a ranged stealth attack.
Breach Protocol Tree
Big Sleep
Disables nearby cameras temporarily, making infiltration much easier without constantly spending RAM.
Which Build Is Best?
There is no single best build in Cyberpunk 2077.
Choose the build that matches how you want to approach encounters:
- Shooter for aggressive gunplay.
- Hacker for cyber warfare and remote takedowns.
- Stealth for silent infiltrations and non-lethal approaches.
The good news is that you can mix elements from multiple builds as you progress. A stealthy hacker or a gunslinger with hacking support can be just as effective as a pure specialization.
Focus on one primary attribute early, and your character will become much stronger much faster.
Video
Step-by-Step
- Decide whether you want to play as a Shooter, Hacker, or Stealth character.
- Invest early Attribute Points into your primary attribute.
- Unlock the core perks associated with that build.
- Upgrade your gear to support your chosen playstyle.
- Continue specializing until your build feels complete.
- Add secondary skills later to create hybrid builds.
Best Strategy
- Pick one primary attribute early instead of spreading points across everything.
- Complete The Gift quickly if you plan to play a hacker build.
- Unlock foundational perks first before investing in niche abilities.
- Focus on perks that improve survivability and damage output during the early game.
- Don't worry about creating the perfect build immediately. Cyberpunk offers plenty of flexibility later.
Tips
- New players often find Shooter builds the easiest to learn.
- Hacker builds become much stronger once you gain access to more quickhacks and RAM.
- Stealth builds can complete many encounters without ever triggering combat.
- The best build is the one that feels fun to play, so don't be afraid to experiment.
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How To Upgrade Weapons In Cyberpunk 2077
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