Welcome to the best Cyber Ninja Build for Cyberpunk 2077 (Patch 2.31). This build turns V into a katana-wielding death machine that dashes through Night City in slow motion, cuts entire squads apart and finishes them off with animations that make you invincible. It works on Very Hard, and it does not ask you to be good at aiming.
The Cyber Ninja Build combines the Apogee Sandevistan, a Byakko katana and the Dash perks to slice through everything in Cyberpunk 2077, including MaxTac.
Table of Contents for the Cyber Ninja Build:
Strengths and Weaknesses list for the Cyber Ninja Katana Build:
Strengths
Weaknesses
Cyberpunk 2077 Cyber Ninja Build Overview
This Cyberpunk 2077: Cyber Ninja Build is built around three things: the Apogee Sandevistan for slow motion, a katana for damage, and the Dash perks for movement. Every kill feeds the loop. Finishers make you invincible while the Sandevistan recharges, dashing makes you untouchable, and Axolotl cuts your cooldowns down with every enemy you drop.
Attributes – Cyber Ninja Build
Distributing Attributes correctly for the Cyber Ninja Build is important. Attributes delegate the direction of the build and give access to different tiers of perks depending on how many points you invest in each category.
The Cyberpunk 2077 Cyber Ninja Build’s Attributes are spread out between 
Reflexes, 
Body, 
Technical Ability, and 
Cool. 
Intelligence stays at 3. We are cutting people in half, not hacking them.
Perk Unlocks
Unlocks occur at attribute levels 4, 9, 15, and 20.
Perks are the bread and butter of every Cyberpunk 2077 build; they make it unique. At 9 & 15, you gain powerful perks that enhance your playstyle. At 20, you get the cherry on top with perks that can further change your playstyle with any given build.
Read here how to get more Perk Points in Cyberpunk 2077.
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Cyber Ninja Start Attributes
At the start of the game, select the following Attribute allocation to give us the optimal start for the Cyber Ninja Build in Cyberpunk 2077. Reflexes is the first tree you should invest in.
| Attribute | Points | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
|
None |
|
|
Technical Ability |
+2 |
|
|
Reflexes |
+4 |
|
|
Cool |
None |
|
|
Body |
+1 |
|
Max Level Attributes
At max level, you want to have the following distribution of Attributes for the Cyber Ninja Katana Build in Cyberpunk 2077:
20 Reflexes- 20 Body
- 20 Technical Ability
- 18 Cool
- 3 Intelligence
No Phantom Liberty? Without the DLC your max level is 50 instead of 60, so you are 10 attribute points short. Take those 10 points out of Cool. That tree is throwing knives only and it is a bonus, not a requirement.
Perks – Cyber Ninja Build Cyberpunk 2077
In this section of the Cyberpunk 2077: Cyber Ninja Build (Katana), I will explain the perks that we use for each attribute.
Perk Points: To get perk points, you can either simply level up or farm Perk Shards. Read our guide on all 13 Perk Shard Locations in Cyberpunk 2077, with map locations, screenshots, and the nearest fast travel point for each shard.
Spare Points: The bold perks are the core of the build, so pick them up before the non-bold ones. While you are still leveling, put your first points into Reflexes, then Technical Ability, then Body.
Reflexes Perks
The Reflexes Perk-Tree is the core of the Cyber Ninja Build and the first tree you should invest in. The middle path gives us Dash and Air Dash, the right path is all Blades. Once you have played with these movement perks you will not want to play without them again.
Perk Prioritization: Prioritize perks in bold.
Level 4 Perks
Start at the bottom of the middle path. Slippery unlocks everything else and already keeps enemies from landing shots on you while you move.
| Perk | Description |
|---|---|
|
The faster you move, the harder you are to hit, scaling further while dashing, dodging, sliding, sprinting and vaulting. You have to take it anyway to reach the rest of the tree, and it is genuinely strong on a build that never stops moving. |
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Increases your slide distance. Cheap, and it chains nicely into dashes and leap attacks. |
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Increases vaulting and climbing speed. Nice to have, but one of the first perks to drop if you are short on points. |
Stuntjock |
Lets you jump or slide out of moving vehicles and throw your knife during the stunt. Fun, but not necessary for this build. |
Level 9 Perks
Level 9 is the big one. Dash goes in the middle, Lead and Steel opens the Blades branch on the right.
| Perk | Description |
|---|---|
|
-15% stamina cost for Blade attacks, then unlocks blocking projectiles with your blade. Your gateway to every katana perk further up the tree. |
|
Increased damage and Stun chance with Counterattacks. Need this to be able to get Flash and Thunderclap. |
|
Rank 1 cuts dash and dodge stamina cost by 20%, rank 2 actually unlocks the Dash. Slightly odd that the unlock is the second rank, but this is the single best movement tool in the game. Rebind it from Left Ctrl unless your hands are built like a tarantula. |
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+100% dash range toward enemies. Doubles your gap closer and, more importantly, unlocks Flash and Thunderclap together with Seeing Double. |
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Strong Attacks now automatically leap at enemies within range, in midair too, with up to +100% damage based on leap distance. This is the perk that makes the build feel like an anime. Hold a heavy attack and you fly across the room and cut someone down. |
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Lets you attack while dashing. The tooltip says guns, but it covers your katana too. |
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+100% mitigation chance while dashing. You are effectively invincible during a dash, which is how you walk into a room full of MaxTac and walk back out. |
|
Restores 40% stamina when you neutralize an enemy while dashing. Helpful, but one of the last dash perks I would grab. |
Skip: Bullet Deflect and Bullet Time are a waste of points here. We are slicing enemies down, not standing around holding block waiting for bullets. You can still deflect bullets without them, they just won’t be reflected accurately.
Level 15 Perks
Level 15 unlocks katana finishers, which are the defensive backbone of the build, plus the Air Dash line.
| Perk | Description |
|---|---|
|
|
|
+25% movement speed and attack speed for 6 seconds after a finisher. Chain finishers and you never drop out of that buff. |
|
Enemies affected by Stagger, Stun, Blinding or Bleeding are more susceptible to finishers. Combined with Slaughterhouse, almost everything becomes finisher bait. |
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+100% finisher range. Optional, but it saves you from walking into the last metre before the animation triggers. |
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Another cut to dash stamina cost, +20% dash speed, then the ability to dash in midair. Together with the double jump from Reinforced Tendons, you can fight in the air. |
|
Improves your midair maneuverability, so you actually control where you land after a leap attack. |
|
Massively increases mitigation strength while you are in midair. |
Level 20 Perks
Reflexes is at 20, so we take the Blades capstone for our Cyber Ninja Build in Cyberpunk 2077.
| Perk | Description |
|---|---|
|
All attacks, counterattacks and deflected bullets apply Bleeding, which increases dismemberment chance and makes enemies more susceptible to finishers. It also gives +1 stamina per dismemberment. This is what keeps the finisher loop running. |
Tailwind |
Air Dashes cost no stamina and you gain +25 stamina from air dashes and double jumps. Optional, but a good place for a spare point if you live in the air. |
Technical Ability Perks
The Technical Ability Perk-Tree covers two things for us. The middle is all Cyberware, which matters for every build in the game, and the right side is grenades and explosives, which is what powers the Projectile Launch System between katana combos.
Perk Prioritization: Prioritize perks in bold.
Level 4 Perks
One perk here, and it exists purely to unlock the grenade branch further up.
| Perk | Description |
|---|---|
|
An extra Health Item charge and faster out of combat recharge. Required to reach Health Freak and, through it, the entire Pyromania line. |
Level 9 Perks
Level 9 is where Cyberware scaling begins and where the recharge speed of consumables opens.
| Perk | Description |
|---|---|
|
Improves your health items, and unlocks the path to Pyromania. Take both ranks. |
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+10% to all cyberware stat modifiers and -20% Cyberware Capacity cost for Integumentary System and Skeleton implants. Both ranks are essential. |
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Adds a secondary stat modifier to all cyberware. Free stats across the entire build. |
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+4 Cyberware Capacity for every Attribute above the threshold. With three attributes at 20 and one at 18, this is a big chunk of free capacity. |
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Reduces incoming damage by 5% while your Integumentary System and Skeleton slots are full. |
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More crafting components from looting. Quality of life while you are still upgrading gear. |
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Gives you two stat modifier options when upgrading cyberware instead of one. Equip it at the Ripperdoc while upgrading, then refund the point if you are short on perk points. |
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15% faster use of Health items in combat. Not that important, but nice to have. |
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100% instant recharge of a health item after neutralizing an enemy if you are below 25% health and have no charges left. Best not to get into this situation at all, but nice to have as a last resort. |
Level 15 Perks
The middle gives us armor and two extra Cyberware slots. The right side turns explosives into a real damage source.
| Perk | Description |
|---|---|
|
Faster health item and grenade recharge, +10% explosion radius, then a stacking movement speed and explosion damage buff whenever you hit an enemy with an explosion. The heart of the explosives branch, and it works with the Projectile Launch System too. |
|
At 6 stacks of Pyromania, those stacks are consumed to instantly replenish a grenade charge while the bonuses stay active. This is what makes the grenade spam sustainable. |
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+50% resistance to damage and effects from your own explosions. You are in melee range when your own rockets go off, so take it. ITogether with Ambidextrous, it gates Doomlauncher. |
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Adds mitigation chance per stack of Pyromania. Nice defensive layer while you are spamming explosives. |
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+10% to all cyberware stat modifiers, +40 armor, and an extra Skeleton slot with boosted stats. Max it out. |
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Unlocks the Cellular Adapter, which is 162 armor for only 8 Cyberware Capacity. You get it just for having the perk. |
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Reduces cyberware cooldowns by 15% when all available slots are filled. This is why we fill every slot, even with filler chrome. |
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Increases the duration of active cyberware effects by 15%, including your Sandevistan. |
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Unlocks an extra Hands cyberware slot. Needed to get access to the Doomlauncher perk. |
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Extra charges, +100% recharge speed and a 20% instant recharge on every kill for the Projectile Launch System. Basically makes your Projectile Launch System never run out of charges. |
Level 20 Perks
Two capstones, and one of them is criminally underrated for your Cyberpunk 2077: Cyber Ninja Build.
| Perk | Description |
|---|---|
|
Lets you exceed Cyberware Capacity by up to 50 points at 0.5% max health per point. Kills then have a chance to trigger Fury: +10% damage, +30% crit chance and +50% crit damage. |
|
Every time you activate your Sandevistan, you charge a powerful EMP that stuns and damages nearby enemies, scaled by how much chrome you have installed. You also take massively reduced damage while it charges. Free value on a build that constantly pops its Sandevistan. |
Body Perks
The Body Perk-Tree is purely the middle path here. We take zero shotgun perks. What we want is health regeneration and Adrenaline Rush, which is what lets a melee character stand in the middle of a fight.
Perk Prioritization: Prioritize perks in bold.
Level 4 Perks
The full health regen row. These stack with each other, and with a melee build you benefit from all of them at once.
| Perk | Description |
|---|---|
|
Unlocks passive health regeneration during combat. Everything else here multiplies it. |
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The lower your health, the faster you regenerate. Exactly what you want on a build that gets hit. |
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A burst of mitigation chance right after using a health item. |
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More health regen while sprinting. You are always sprinting. |
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+10% health regen rate per nearby enemy. A katana build is surrounded by definition, so this is close to permanently active. |
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Vehicle collision damage bonuses. Purely optional and one of the last perks I would take. |
Level 9 Perks
We don’t use any level 9 perks. The left side of the Body tree is shotguns, LMGs and HMGs, which does nothing for a katana.
Level 15 Perks
Adrenaline Rush and everything attached to it. This is the reason Body goes to 20.
| Perk | Description |
|---|---|
|
+35 max health, +20% to all health regen, then Adrenaline Rush itself. Health items now also grant Adrenaline worth 30% of max health, up to 50%, which soaks damage as a separate bar before your health is touched. |
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Adds a 3 second delay before Adrenaline starts decaying. |
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Immunity to movement penalties and non-damaging status effects such as knockdown and blinding while Adrenaline Rush is active. Being knocked down in melee range is how you die, so this is a big one. |
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+20% movement speed and +10% damage while Adrenaline Rush is active. |
Level 20 Perks
One capstone that is important during longer fights for your Cyber Ninja Build.
| Perk | Description |
|---|---|
|
+20% Health Item recharge after neutralizing an enemy while Adrenaline Rush is active. Kills bring back your heals, which bring back your Adrenaline. |
Cool Perks
The Cool Perk-Tree is the bonus tree. Everything we take here is throwing knives and axes, which are a lot of fun with a Sandevistan and still hit hard. If you do not own Phantom Liberty, this is the tree you cut.
Perk Prioritization: Prioritize perks in bold.
Level 4 Perks
One perk we actually want, plus three that are the first to go if you need points elsewhere.
| Perk | Description |
|---|---|
|
+25% damage with knives, axes and silenced guns outside of combat, plus a damage preview. Your entry into the throwing branch. |
Road Warrior |
Lets you use your Sandevistan while driving. Fun, not necessary. |
|
Delays detection from nearby enemies after you hit someone. Save it for last. |
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Movement speed after an undetected kill. Save it for last. |
Level 9 Perks
One perk, and it gates the good stuff at 15.
| Perk | Description |
|---|---|
|
-15% recovery time for throwables, then crit hits, headshots and weak spot hits apply Poison. Required for Juggler. |
Level 15 Perks
This is where throwing knives become a real weapon rather than a novelty.
| Perk | Description |
|---|---|
|
Faster throwable recovery, +20% headshot and weak spot damage, then an instant cooldown reset for all throwables after a headshot, crit or poison kill. Throw, kill, throw again. |
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+20% Crit Damage for 8 seconds whenever Juggler activates, stacking 5 times. |
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Unlocks a Throwable Weapon Finisher that restores 200% health and automatically activates Juggler. A second invincibility button next to your katana finisher. |
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Lets you trigger finishers from a greater distance if you hit the enemy with a throwable first. |
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+200% damage on your first melee attack with a throwable after retrieving it from an enemy. |
Level 20 Perks
We don’t use any level 20 perks. Cool sits at 18 in this build. If you push it to 20 and take Ninjutsu, Style Over Substance gives guaranteed crits on thrown weapons while dashing, which fits, but it costs you the Reflexes or Technical capstones.
Intelligence Perks
We don’t spend any points in the Intelligence perk tree, so it stays at 3. The Cyber Ninja isn’t the smartest, but definitely the fastest and most skillful when it comes to Katanas and throwing knives.
Relic Perks (Phantom Liberty DLC)
Relic Perks (Phantom Liberty DLC)
The Relic skill tree only exists if you own Phantom Liberty. You unlock Relic points by finding Relic Data Terminals in Dogtown, which appear on your map as you explore the district.
For the Cyber Ninja Build, we spend our points on the Arm cyberware branch, which turns the Projectile Launch System into a proper weapon, and on the Vulnerability branch for crit damage.
Relic Perks
The Relic tree runs on Relic points from Phantom Liberty rather than attribute levels, so there are no level tiers here.
| Perk | Description |
|---|---|
|
Unlocks new abilities for all Arm cyberware. For the Projectile Launch System it adds an overcharged shot that fires a burst of five projectiles across a much wider area. |
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+1 Projectile Launch System charge. Stacks with the extra charge from Doomlauncher in Technical Ability, so you are carrying two extra rockets before recharge speed is even counted. |
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Lets you spot Vulnerabilities in enemy armor and cyberware during combat. Hitting one gives 100% crit chance, +25% armor penetration and weak spot damage bonuses, and destroying it sets off an EMP blast in a 3 metre radius. |
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Destroying a Vulnerability grants +10% Vulnerability spawn frequency and +5% crit damage against them for 25 seconds, stacking five times with the effects doubled at max stacks. |
Cyberware for the Cyber Ninja Build in Cyberpunk 2077
Using the right Cyberware for the Cyberpunk 2077: Cyber Ninja Build matters, but a lot of our power already comes from perks, the katana and the Sandevistan. Iconic variants help, though they cost a lot of Cyberware Capacity, so don’t sweat it if you can’t fit every piece yet.
Cyberware Capacity: if you feel short on capacity, you are probably missing Cyberware Capacity Shards. They are easy to miss in the base game but drop far more often in Dogtown, so loot bodies and airdrops. Leveling up and getting the Engineer skill to level 30 both raise your capacity as well.
Important: Priority Cyberware is marked in bold.
- Operating System (Most Important)
- Frontal Cortex
- Face
- Arms
- Hands
- Skeleton
- Nervous System
- Circulatory System
- Integumentary System
- Legs
Operating System
| Cyberware | Description |
|---|---|
|
|
|
A close second. Longer duration but a longer cooldown too. I take the Apogee’s faster cooldown over the extra seconds, but you will not be playing a bad build with the Falcon. It also costs less Cyberware Capacity. |
Tip: hit level 10 quickly with NCPD scanner missions, then check a Ripperdoc. They all carry the same stock and it refreshes with higher tier gear every 10 levels.
Location of items:
- Militech “Apogee” Sandevistan: Ripperdoc, level 40+
- Militech “Falcon” Sandevistan: Ripperdoc, level 30+
Frontal Cortex
| Cyberware | Description |
|---|---|
|
-7.5% cooldown on all cyberware every time you neutralize an enemy. This is a giant buff to your Sandevistan uptime and the most important implant in this slot by a mile. |
|
Increases damage to drones, robots, mechs and turrets. Covers the enemies a katana usually struggles with. |
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Negates an incoming enemy quickhack. It is mostly here as a placeholder, since every other Frontal Cortex implant is built for Netrunners. |
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Iconic, and pure endgame. Instantly restores the cooldown of a fully used implant and cuts all other cyberware cooldowns by 15%. Amazing with a Sandevistan, but you can live without it. Only available after completing the Songbird ending in Phantom Liberty. |
If you are early in the game and short on Cyberware Capacity, don’t worry about this slot beyond the Axolotl.
Location of items:
- Axolotl: Reward from Regina Jones for completing her gigs in Watson (Last Call), or from the Dogtown Ripperdoc.
- Mechatronic Core: Ripperdoc, level 10
- Self-ICE: Ripperdoc, level 20
- Quantum Tuner: Bonus mission after completing the Songbird ending in Phantom Liberty.
Face
| Cyberware | Description |
|---|---|
|
Flat +35% crit chance with no conditions. Blades crit constantly, so this is the simplest damage increase available for the slot. |
Any optics with crit chance or crit damage will do the job if you can’t get the iconic yet.
Location of items:
- Kiroshi “Cockatrice” Optics: Iconic, Dogtown Ripperdoc, level 35
Arms
| Cyberware | Description |
|---|---|
|
|
Location of items:
- Projectile Launch System: Any Ripperdoc upon reaching level 10.
Hands
| Cyberware | Description |
|---|---|
|
Crit chance with throwable weapons whenever you equip or throw one. Straightforward support for the Cool tree. |
|
Costs 0 Cyberware Capacity. There is nothing else in the Hands slot that helps a katana, so this just fills the slot for the Cyborg perk. |
Location of items:
- Handle Wrap: Any Ripperdoc upon reaching level 10.
- Tattoo: Johnny’s Special: Reward during the quest Chippin’ In.
Skeleton
| Cyberware | Description |
|---|---|
|
A large increase to maximum health plus armor. Essential for a build that fights at arm’s length. |
|
Low Cyberware cost and a solid chunk of armor. |
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More armor, scaling further with Technical Ability. The iconic version, Rara Avis, is the upgrade if you have the capacity for it. |
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+24% melee damage at the cost of +20% melee stamina. A damage option for the third slot if you would rather hit harder than tank. |
License to Chrome in Technical Ability gives you the third Skeleton slot, so you can run armor and melee damage at the same time.
Location of items:
- Epimorphic Skeleton: Any Ripperdoc upon reaching level 30.
- Bionic Joints: Any Ripperdoc upon reaching level 10.
- Para Bellum: Any Ripperdoc upon reaching level 20.
- Dense Marrow: Any Ripperdoc upon reaching level 10.
Nervous System
| Cyberware | Description |
|---|---|
|
+20% Crit Chance with Blades and throwable weapons for only 12 Cyberware Capacity. One of the best value implants in the whole build. |
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Slows time for 4.5 seconds when your health drops below 25%. A free mini Sandevistan exactly when you need it. |
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Slows time when an enemy starts detecting you. The second mini Sandevistan, and the piece to drop if you want the iconic below. |
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Iconic. Crit chance that grows with distance plus a big chunk of crit damage. The distance part only matters for throwing knives, but the crit damage applies regardless. Swap it in for the Synaptic Accelerator if you have Phantom Liberty and 18 Cool. |
Location of items:
- Stabber: Any Ripperdoc upon reaching level 10.
- Reflex Tuner: Any Ripperdoc.
- Synaptic Accelerator: Any Ripperdoc.
- Deep-field Visual Interface: Iconic, Dogtown Ripperdoc (Phantom Liberty DLC).
Circulatory System
| Cyberware | Description |
|---|---|
|
+25% melee attack speed. A huge boost to your katana damage per second and non-negotiable for this build. |
|
Restores you to full health once when you hit 0. A backup life for the times you misjudge a fall or walk into a rocket. |
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+25% stamina whenever you neutralize an enemy with a melee weapon. Keeps your swings going between finishers. |
Location of items:
- Microrotors: Any Ripperdoc.
- Second Heart: Any Ripperdoc upon reaching level 30.
- Adrenaline Booster: Any Ripperdoc.
Integumentary System
| Cyberware | Description |
|---|---|
|
162 armor for only 8 Cyberware Capacity, plus resistances and recharge speeds that scale with Technical Ability. You get it simply for having the Built Different perk, and it is the best armor per capacity in the game. |
|
A lot of armor plus a 10% chance to release a huge electroshock when you take damage. In melee range, that procs constantly. |
|
Straightforward armor that scales a little with Technical Ability. |
Location of items:
- Cellular Adapter: Any Ripperdoc, after unlocking the Built Different perk.
- Shock-n-Awe: Any Ripperdoc upon reaching level 10.
- Subdermal Armor: Any Ripperdoc upon reaching level 10.
Legs
| Cyberware | Description |
|---|---|
|
Unlocks the double jump. Together with Air Dash this is the reason you stop using vehicles and skip half your fast travels. |
Location of items:
- Reinforced Tendons: Any Ripperdoc upon reaching level 10.
Weapons for the Cyber Ninja Build in Cyberpunk 2077
This build lives and dies by the katana, with throwing knives as a side dish. Your perks decide what is worth carrying.
- Reflexes perks like Lead and Steel, Finisher: Bladerunner and Slaughterhouse only affect Blades, which means katanas and knives used as melee weapons.
- Cool perks like Juggler and Sleight of Hand only affect throwable weapons, so knives and axes.
- Technical Ability perks like Pyromania and Doomlauncher feed your grenades and the Projectile Launch System.
Upgrade: Weapons can be upgraded when you go to the crafting section and then swap to upgrades.
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
|
The best katana in Cyberpunk 2077. Leaps toward enemies, and after a kill you get a buff that removes the pause between attacks in a combo, so you can just keep swinging. Watch for the hatchet icon next to your health bar for the timer. |
|
Probably the coolest looking weapon in the game, added in 2.0. Leaps toward enemies and guarantees Crit Damage against Burning enemies, which lines up perfectly with incendiary grenades and the Pyromania branch. |
|
The best throwing knife in the game. Applies Bleeding on every hit, and if the target is already bleeding from Satori it causes hemorrhaging instead, which drains their health and restores yours. |
Alternative weapons
- Satori (Iconic Katana): the best pre-2.0 katana and still a great early game blade. Its quickdraw attack guarantees Bleeding, and it combos with Nehan for hemorrhaging.
- Katana (Standard): a plain katana with two Cyclone mods is surprisingly strong. After sprinting, your first swing grants a few seconds where you no longer pause between attacks, and the legendary version adds stacking attack speed on every hit.
- Claw x-MOD2 (Iconic Axe): the upgradeable version of the Claw throwing axe, for when you want something heavier than a knife.
- Jinchu-Maru and Tsumetogi (Iconic Katanas): solid alternatives if you want a different look or find them first.
Black market: basically every iconic weapon in the game, katanas included, can be bought from Herold Lowe at the EBM Petrochem Stadium in Dogtown. You just need the Eddies.
Byakko (Iconic Katana)
Byakko has been the best katana in the game for a while, and the great thing is that you can get it very early. Its perfect balancing lets you leap at enemies, and killing one lets you perform a rapid combo without the usual pause between swings.
- Where: Japantown, Westbrook. Reward from Wakako Okada’s gigs.
- How to Get It: Finish Act One, then talk to Wakako Okada or wait for her call. She hands out her gigs in batches, all marked with green gig icons in Japantown. Complete all 8 to get the Byakko.
- What to Do: Complete all of her gigs. The katana lands in V’s stash after the final one (Professional Widow).
- Note: Upgrade it to Tier 5++ when you can. The damage jump is very noticeable.
Errata (Iconic Katana)
Errata is arguably the best looking Katana weapon in the game. It leaps toward enemies like Byakko, and every attack against a Burning enemy is a guaranteed Crit, which is why it pairs so well with incendiary grenades and the Pyromania perks.
- Where: Electric Corporation Power Plant, during the main job Disasterpiece.
- How to Get It: Head inside the building and look for the staircase in the back corner, then follow the markings on the wall toward the sector they point at. If a door says no entry, that usually means yes entry.
- Exact Location: The katana sits in the blast furnace. Wait a few feet away, then rush in and grab it, or you will be burned alive.
- Note: Missed it? You can buy it from Herold Lowe at the EBM Petrochem Stadium in Dogtown.
Nehan (Iconic Throwing Knife)
Saburo Arasaka’s kaiken and the best throwing weapon in the game. Every thrown hit applies Bleeding, and if the target is already bleeding from Satori, it causes hemorrhaging instead, draining their health while restoring yours.
- Where: Konpeki Plaza, during the main job The Heist.
- How to Get It: Search Saburo Arasaka’s body after the scene in the penthouse.
- What to Do: Grab Satori from his AV on the helipad during the same quest so you have both halves of the combo.
- Note: Missed it? Herold Lowe at the EBM Petrochem Stadium sells it.
Gear for the Cyber Ninja Build in Cyberpunk 2077
Since gear is mostly cosmetic, you can wear whatever you want. All of this build’s defense comes from cyberware instead, mainly the Cellular Adapter, Shock-n-Awe, Epimorphic Skeleton, Bionic Joints and Para Bellum.
If you want to wear the same outfit as I have, here is what the items are called ingame:
- Head: Aerodynamic Multi-Axis Carbon Fiber Helmet
- Location: Longshore Stacks in Dogtown from Satoshi Ueno (Phantom Liberty).
- Upper Body: FIA Agent Vest
- Location: Virtual Atelier Mod only (PC)
- Lower Body Pants: Classic Immuno-Cotton Corporate Pants
- Zane Jagger outfit store
- Lower Body Shoes: Predator Exo-Jacks (From Rogue)
- Location: Virtual Atelier Mod only (PC)
Skill Progression in Cyberpunk 2077
This is often overlooked; in the character menu, you can actually click on “Skill Progression”. This will send you to a very powerful mechanic in Cyberpunk 2077.
By leveling up these trees you gain powerful effects.
For our Cyberpunk 2077: Cyber Ninja Build you want to focus on Shinobi, Solo, Engineer and Headhunter. Generally, while playing the game you will naturally level up these anyway. It still pays off to focus on one or two at the beginning. Engineer in particular is worth pushing to level 30, since it raises your Cyberware Capacity.
Shinobi (Reflexes)
- Level 5: +5% Movement Speed
- Level 10: -5% Dodge/Dash Stamina cost
- Level 15: +1 Perk Point
- Level 20: Better accuracy after dodging/dashing
- Level 25: +5% Movement Speed
- Level 30: -10% Dodge/Dash Stamina cost
- Level 35: +1 Perk Point
- Level 40: Increased Mitigation Chance the faster you move
- Level 45: +25% Fast Attack damage
- Level 50: Sliding & Air Dashing reload 20% of your weapon
- Level 55: Mid-air/Slow-mo: low stamina does not penalize combat
- Level 60: Sandevistan Mode: +40% Crit Chance; No movement Stamina cost
How to Level Up Shinobi (Reflexes)
- Looting Skill Shards from chests and enemies.
- Defeat enemies using blade weapons (Katanas, Machetes, Chainswords, or Mantis Blades).
- Actively dodge, dash, air-dash, slide, and vault while in active combat.
- Defeat enemies using Assault Rifles or Submachine Guns (SMGs), especially while moving at high speeds.
Solo (Body)
- Level 5: +50 Carrying Capacity
- Level 10: +10 Max Health
- Level 15: +1 Perk Point
- Level 20: +20% Fist/Gorilla Arms damage & speed (Fists bleed)
- Level 25: +100 Carrying Capacity
- Level 30: +15% Max Health
- Level 35: +1 Perk Point
- Level 40: +10% Crit Chance within 5 meters
- Level 45: +25% Strong/Quick Melee damage
- Level 50: +25% Health after performing a Finisher
- Level 55: Adrenaline decays 50% slower, min 10% floor
- Level 60: Berserk Mode: +30% Finisher threshold, +50% Finisher heal, +30% duration
How to Level Up Solo (Body)
- Looting Skill Shards from chests and enemies.
- Defeat enemies using Heavy Weapons (Shotguns, Light Machine Guns, and Heavy Machine Guns).
- Defeat enemies using blunt weapons, Gorilla Arms, or bare fists.
- Force open locked doors, rip heavy turrets from their mounts, and pass physical Body attribute checks in the world.
- Execute physical melee finishers.
Engineer (Technical Ability)
- Level 5: +15 Armor
- Level 10: +5 Cyberware Capacity
- Level 15: +1 Perk Point
- Level 20: +10% Grenade damage & explosion radius
- Level 25: +25 Armor
- Level 30: +10 Cyberware Capacity
- Level 35: +1 Perk Point
- Level 40: Increased Shock chance when charging Tech weapons
- Level 45: +15% Health Item effectiveness
- Level 50: +30% to all Cyberware stat modifiers
- Level 55: +10% Bolt damage, +40% Bolt burn, Chain Lightning burns
- Level 60: Fury Mode: You occasionally release a massive EMP blast
How to Level Up Engineer (Technical Ability)
- Looting Skill Shards from chests and enemies.
- Defeat enemies using Tech weapons, especially by firing fully charged shots or Bolt shots.
- Get kills using damage-dealing grenades or the Projectile Launch System (PLS) cyberware.
- Craft new weapons, quickhacks, and item components.
- Upgrade weapons and cyberware at Ripperdocs or through your crafting menu.
- Dismantle weapons, armor, and junk items into crafting components.
Headhunter (Cool)
- Level 5: -10% Visibility to enemies
- Level 10: +10% Headshot & Vulnerability damage
- Level 15: +1 Perk Point
- Level 20: No weapon sway when crouched
- Level 25: -10% Visibility to enemies
- Level 30: +15% Headshot & Vulnerability damage
- Level 35: +1 Perk Point
- Level 40: Optical Camo is active while grappling enemies
- Level 45: -30% Recovery time after a throw
- Level 50: +30% Crouch walk & sprint speed
- Level 55: Undetected damage bonus lasts 3s in combat
- Level 60: +15% Optical Camo charge on stealth/special kills
How to Level Up Headhunter (Cool)
- Looting Skill Shards from chests and enemies.
- Perform stealth takedowns and neutralizations on unaware enemies.
- Get headshots and hit enemy weakspots using any weapon type.
- Defeat enemies using pistols, revolvers, sniper rifles, precision rifles, or thrown weapons (knives and axes).
- Deal damage and secure kills while crouching or using Optical Camo.
Netrunner (Intelligence)
- Level 5: +5% RAM Recovery Rate
- Level 10: +1 Max RAM
- Level 15: +1 Perk Point
- Level 20: +20% Smart Weapon lock-on range
- Level 25: +5% RAM Recovery Rate
- Level 30: +1 Max RAM
- Level 35: +1 Perk Point
- Level 40: -20% RAM cost for hacking devices/vehicles
- Level 45: +15% Control/Convert duration; +5% Combat hack damage
- Level 50: +40% Overclock duration
- Level 55: -10% Health loss during Overclock
- Level 60: Overclock Mode: Reveals enemies (10m) & hacks through cover
How to Level Up Netrunner (Intelligence)
- Looting Skill Shards from chests and enemies.
- Use offensive, control, or covert quickhacks on enemies during combat.
- Hack environmental objects, security cameras, and devices to distract enemies or trigger explosions.
- Successfully jack into and hack Access Points (Data Terminals) using Breach Protocol.
- Defeat enemies using Smart weapons or the Monowire.
Leveling Tips for the Cyber Ninja Build in Cyberpunk 2077
Here are a few general leveling tips for the Cyber Ninja Build in Cyberpunk 2077.
- Perfect Start
- How to make Money
- Upgrade Weapons
- How Gear Scaling Works
- How to get Perk Points Fast
- Dogtown Consumables
Perfect Start in Cyberpunk 2077
Here are the steps that I recommend taking with a new Cyberpunk 2077 playthrough.
Starter Build: You can also check out my Cyberpunk 2077 Starter Build that takes you from level 1 to level 15.
- Regular Start (Don’t skip ahead to Phantom Liberty).
- Immediately after the prologue, once you are out of your room and go downstairs before you enter the elevator.
- Weapon Vendor: Buy the Iconic pistol Dying Night.
- Coach Fred: Capacity Boosters (in case you get over capacity so you can still move).
- Buff Routine: Sleep & Shower. This gives you 20% Skill XP acquisition and Health Regen.
- Watson Clean Sweep (NCPD Missions):
- Watson is the first district you play in.
- Clearing all missions takes 1-2 hours. This will give you at least 10 levels, 15 Street Cred and over 150k Eddies Cash.
- Loot all enemies and either disassemble for materials or sell them at the vendor for extra Eddies.
- Get the Fenrir SMG from the monk mission. This SMG is insanely good at the start because it often stuns enemies.
- Visit a Ripperdoc at level 10: After you have enough money, its time to get chromed up.
- Reinforced Tendons (Legs): Allow you to double jump
- Kerenzikov (Nervous System): Slows Time by 60% for 2s.
- Synaptic Accelerator (Nervous System): Slows time by 20% for 2s when enemy detection reaches 50%.
- Whatever else you can fit!
- Time to start playing for real. The Pickup mission is waiting for you!
How to make Money
It is actually fairly easy to make money in Cyberpunk 2077. The best way to make money is to clear all the NCPD and Cyberpsycho missions in each district. As previously mentioned, clearing most of the Watson district NCPD mission alone already gives you approximately 150k Eddies Cash.
Upgrade Weapons
This often gets overlooked, but you can upgrade early-game weapons in Cyberpunk 2077. Go to the crafting section, then move to the Upgrade tab. Here you can upgrade all weapons if you have the necessary crafting components.
Gear Scaling in Cyberpunk 2077
Gear scaling is automated in Cyberpunk 2077. The moment you reach a certain level, you will start finding more and more high-quality items. Meaning the faster you reach a higher level the sooner you will find better gear from chests or enemies. That counts for Gear, Weapons, Cyberware, Outfits, etc.
- Tier 1: Level 1-9
- Tier 2: Level 10-19
- Tier 3: Level 20-29
- Tier 4: Level 30-39
- Tier 5: Level 40-44
- Tier Iconic: Level 45-50
How to get Perk Points in Cyberpunk 2077
You need Perk Points to unlock additional Perks for the Cyber Ninja Build in Cyberpunk 2077. Perks are the bread and butter of any CP2077 Build, as they significantly enhance your power.
- You get one Perk Point per character level.
- Skill Progression awards you with Perk Points.
- You can farm up to 13 Perk Shards (10 base game, 3 Phantom Liberty DLC)
Perk Point per Character Level
Not much needs to be said here; leveling up gives you one extra Perk Point.
Skill Progression
This is often overlooked; the Skill Progression system also awards you Perk Points at 15 and 35. So you can get an additional 10 Perk Points from this.
Character menu > bottom right Skill Progression.
Perk Shards
There are 10 base-game Perk Shards and 3 Phantom Liberty DLC Perk Shards you can collect to earn additional perks in Cyberpunk 2077.
Read Guide: All 13 Perk Shard Locations in Cyberpunk 2077
Here is the full list, click on the hyperlink of each location to see images, it will send you to the full Cyberpunk 2077: Perk Shards Location Guide.
| Shard # | Exact Sub-Location | District | Nearest Fast Travel Point | Source Content |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abandoned Warehouse A B C (Garages) | Watson (Northside) | Offshore Street | Base Game |
| 2 | NCPD Scanner Alert (Car Trunk) | Westbrook (Japantown) | Dark Matter | Base Game |
| 3 | Roadside Crash Site (Billboard/Drone) | The Badlands | Sunset Motel | Base Game |
| 4 | Suspected Organized Crime Activity (NCPD) | The Badlands | Sunset Motel | Base Game |
| 5 | Dead Maintenance Worker at Ventilation Shaft | City Center (Corpo Plaza) | Corpo Plaza Apartment | Base Game |
| 6 | At Memorial Park, in a chest during NCPD Assault | City Center (Corpo Plaza) | Arasaka Tower | Base Game |
| 7 | Gang Activity under Bridge (NCPD) | Heywood (The Glen) | Ventura & Skyline | Base Game |
| 8 | Arasaka Park Entrance Building Upstairs | Santo Domingo (Arroyo) | Arasaka Industrial Park | Base Game |
| 9 | Reported Crime Garage (NCPD) | Santo Domingo (Rancho Coronado) | Woodhaven Street | Base Game |
| 10 | Riverside Garage (NCPD) | Santo Domingo (Arroyo) | Red Dirt Bar | Base Game |
| 11 | “Dog Eat Dog” Starter Quest | Dogtown | Dogtown Entrance | Phantom Liberty DLC |
| 12 | Red Van Junk Shop (Marcin) inside EBM Petrochem Stadium | Dogtown | EBM Petrochem Stadium | Phantom Liberty DLC |
| 13 | Longshore Stacks below Jung Store behind cardboard | Dogtown | Longshore Stacks | Phantom Liberty DLC |
Dogtown Consumables (Phantom Liberty DLC)
During the starter quest of the Phantom Liberty DLC in Cyberpunk 2077 called “Dog Eat Dog” you eventually enter the marketplace area (You can also access the area later at any time). Here you can buy various new stuff that isn’t available in the base game. his will also still be availabl
Some vendors also sell permanent consumable upgrades, 12k each. Best you go talk to all the vendors in that area and see what they offer.
- Bartender Shop: Dendritic Protoplasma Supplier permanent +1% Ram Recovery Rate.
- Netrunner Shop: Dendritic Protoplasma Supplier permanent +2% Ram Recovery Rate.
- Note: The items are called the same, but they both work, so you get a total of 3% Ram Recovery Rate.
- Food Vendor: Prototype Pseudo Embryonic Cell Builder permanent +2 Health.
- Meds Vendor: Prototype Pseudo Embryonic Cell Builder permanent +3 Health.
- Note: The items are called the same, but they both work, so you get a total of +5 Health.
- Note: You find the Meds vendor on the opposite side of the Netrunner Vendor in a hallway.
- Food Vendor: Military-Grade Lactic Acid Recyclers: +1% Stamina Regen Rate.
- Herold Weapon Vendor: Sells you all the Iconic Weapons you have missed during your playthrough.
- Marcin/ Michal Kicinski Junk Vendor: 1 Perk Shard and 1 Progression Shard of each type.
Additionally, make sure to check all other vendors in Dog Town. For example at the Longshore Stacks fast travel point, you also have vendors that sell you permanent upgrades.
