Cyberpunk 2077 Best Builds Tier List (Patch 2.5)

This is my Cyberpunk 2077 Builds Tier List for Patch 2.5. I have played every build on this list on Very Hard, and here I rank all 27 of them from SS Tier to B Tier, with the reason for every placement and who each build is best for. If you are looking for the best build in Cyberpunk 2077, or just the best build for your playstyle, this is where I would start.

Every build here is strong enough for Very Hard. The tiers show which ones get there with the least effort.

Table of Contents:

Quick Picks: Best Build for Every Playstyle
How I Rank the Builds
Best Builds Tier List Overview
SS Tier Builds
S Tier Builds
A Tier Builds
B Tier Builds
New Character? Start Here
Builds Tier List FAQ

Browse by playstyle: Netrunner Builds, Melee Builds, Gun Builds, Character Builds, Sandevistan Builds, Berserk Builds, Stealth Builds, Tank Builds, Smart Weapon Builds and Tech Weapon Builds.

Quick Picks: Best Build for Every Playstyle in Cyberpunk 2077

No time to read the whole list? These are my picks:

Best Build Overall: Morgan Blackhand Build, no weak matchup, from grunts to bosses.
Best Netrunner Build: Contagion Build, clears whole rooms with one upload.
Best Melee Build: Cyber Ninja Build, katana and Apogee Sandevistan in one endless loop.
Best Sandevistan Build: David Martinez Build, slow motion, rockets and guns, very forgiving.
Best Stealth Build: Lucy Netrunner Build, quickhacks from the shadows, nobody reacts.
Best Gun Build Without Aiming: Smart SMG Build, the bullets do the aiming for you.
Best Build for Beginners: Gorilla Arms Build, works from level 10 and is very hard to kill.

How I Rank the Cyberpunk 2077 Builds

I rank every build at level 60 with Phantom Liberty, on Very Hard. These are the things I look at:

Damage and clear speed: How fast the build empties a room.
Grunts, elites and bosses: A build that melts grunts but struggles with bosses drops a tier. I rate all three for every build as Excellent, Good or Okay.
Survivability: How often I die on Very Hard, and how much the build forgives mistakes.
How easy it is to play: How much timing, aiming and setup it needs to work.

Lower tier doesn’t mean bad: The B Tier builds are some of my most fun playthroughs. They just need more work to reach the same power.

Cyberpunk 2077 Best Builds Tier List Overview

Tier	Cyberpunk 2077 Build
	Contagion Cyber Ninja Lucy Morgan Blackhand
	David Martinez Throwing Knife Gorilla Arms Mantis Blades Smart SMG Tech Sniper Monowire Dual Wield Adam Smasher
	Double Barrel Assault Rifle Talia Yang Ghost Netrunner Sniper Revolver D Netrunner SMG
	Hammer Terminator Rebecca Johnny Weak Kingsley John Wick

SS Tier Builds in Cyberpunk 2077

The best builds in Patch 2.5. They kill fast, survive Very Hard without effort and have no real weak matchup.

Build	Type	Grunts	Elites	Bosses
Contagion Build	Netrunner	Excellent	Excellent	Good
Cyber Ninja Build	Melee, Sandevistan	Excellent	Excellent	Good
Lucy Netrunner Build	Netrunner, Stealth	Excellent	Excellent	Good
Morgan Blackhand Build	Character, Smart, Sandevistan	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent

1. Contagion Build (Netrunner)

Contagion clears rooms faster than anything else I play. I upload Contagion on the enemy standing closest to the others, the poison jumps to up to 4 more enemies within 8 metres, and Burn or Overheat on an infected enemy makes it detonate. The Prototype: Shingen Mark V cleans up whoever is still standing, and I never have to leave cover. Bosses take longer, because the poison has nobody to jump to.

Best for: Wiping whole groups from mid-range.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Excellent / Excellent / Good

Read my full Contagion Build.

2. Cyber Ninja Build (Melee, Sandevistan)

The Apogee Sandevistan, a katana and the Dash perks all feed one loop. Every kill extends the slow motion, finishers make me invincible while the Sandevistan recharges, and the Axolotl cuts my cooldowns with every enemy I drop. Once the loop runs, I barely get hit. The arm rockets cover vehicles and enemies I can’t reach with the blade.

Best for: Fast katana melee in slow motion.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Excellent / Excellent / Good

Read my full Cyber Ninja Build.

3. Lucy Netrunner Build (Netrunner, Stealth)

I play Lucy from the shadows. I queue up to four quickhacks on a target, and the Tetratronic Rippler and my perks give most of the RAM back, so I rarely run dry. Sonic Shock goes first, so nobody around the target reacts when it drops. If someone does get close, the Thermal Monowire handles them.

Best for: Stealth hacking and character fans.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Excellent / Excellent / Good

Read my full Lucy Netrunner Build.

4. Morgan Blackhand Build (Character, Smart, Sandevistan)

This is the build with no weak matchup, which is why it is my pick for the best build overall. I open with the Falcon Sandevistan, Ticking Time Bomb stuns the whole group a second later, and the Prototype: Shingen Mark V locks on to up to 4 enemies with explosive rounds. The rocket arm handles vehicles and bosses, and every kill under the Falcon restores Health, so I can stay in the middle of the fight.

Best for: The best all-round build.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Excellent / Excellent / Excellent

Read my full Morgan Blackhand Build.

S Tier Builds in Cyberpunk 2077

Top performers with one small trade-off, like a shorter range or a weaker matchup against bosses. Any of them carries you through Very Hard.

Build	Type	Grunts	Elites	Bosses
David Martinez Build	Character, Sandevistan	Excellent	Excellent	Good
Throwing Knife Build	Melee, Sandevistan	Excellent	Good	Okay
Gorilla Arms Build	Melee, Berserk	Excellent	Excellent	Good
Mantis Blades Build	Melee, Sandevistan	Excellent	Good	Good
Smart SMG Build	Gun, Smart	Excellent	Excellent	Good
Tech Sniper Build	Gun, Tech, Stealth	Good	Excellent	Good
Monowire Build	Netrunner, Melee	Excellent	Good	Good
Dual Wield Build	Gun, Sandevistan	Excellent	Good	Good
Adam Smasher Build	Character, Gun, Tank	Excellent	Excellent	Good

5. David Martinez Build (Character, Sandevistan)

I play David chromed to the limit and always on the move. I open with the Apogee Sandevistan, fire the arm rockets into the group while time is slowed, and clean up with a shotgun up close and a pistol or sniper at range. It is very forgiving, because the slow motion gives me time to fix mistakes. It needs more weapon swapping than Morgan Blackhand to cover every range, which keeps it out of SS.

Best for: Sandevistan fans and Edgerunners fans.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Excellent / Excellent / Good

Read my full David Martinez Build.

6. Throwing Knife Build (Melee, Sandevistan)

I start every fight under Optical Camo, pop the Apogee Sandevistan, and the Headhunter marks the toughest enemy so my next headshot deals +200% damage. Against groups, few builds feel this good. Long boss fights are the weak spot, because the knives run out faster when there is only one big target.

Best for: Headshots and stylish kills.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Excellent / Good / Okay

Read my full Throwing Knife Build.

7. Gorilla Arms Build (Melee, Berserk)

I charge a jump, Air Dash over the group and come down with a Quake Superhero Landing that knocks them flat. Then BioDyne Berserk halves the damage I take and makes every punch free. Gorilla Arms and BioDyne Berserk are both sold from level 10, which makes this my pick for a first playthrough. It only fights up close, which keeps it out of SS.

Best for: Beginners and tanky brawlers.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Excellent / Excellent / Good

Read my full Gorilla Arms Build.

8. Mantis Blades Build (Melee, Sandevistan)

Optical Camo turns every Jinchu-Maru hit into a guaranteed crit, the Mantis Blades leap 30 metres across the battlefield with Jailbreak, and the Apogee Sandevistan gives me Oda’s speed. Two SMGs cover anything I can’t reach. It plays stealthy or loud, whichever the fight needs.

Best for: Arm blades with stealth or loud play.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Excellent / Good / Good

Read my full Mantis Blades Build.

9. Smart SMG Build (Gun, Smart)

Guns first, hacks second. I open quietly with the silenced Pizdets, and the moment I get spotted, I hit Overclock. Smart Synergy makes every Smart weapon lock on instantly, so the bullets do the aiming. It is one of the easiest strong builds to play.

Best for: Easy damage without aiming.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Excellent / Excellent / Good

Read my full Smart SMG Build.

10. Tech Sniper Build (Gun, Tech, Stealth)

I scan the building and tag everyone I can see, and they stay outlined through the walls. Then the Breakthrough goes straight through the wall, and every headshot is a guaranteed crit. Nobody knows where the shots come from. It is slower against big groups than the SS builds.

Best for: Shooting through walls from stealth.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Good / Excellent / Good

Read my full Tech Sniper Build.

11. Monowire Build (Netrunner, Melee)

Every charged Monowire swing uploads Cyberware Malfunction for free, normal swings spread it to everyone they hit, and the COX-2 makes every quickhack crit. It is a strong netrunner, but I have to stand in the middle of the fight, which is where most netrunners don’t want to be.

Best for: Netrunners who like melee.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Excellent / Good / Good

Read my full Monowire Build.

12. Dual Wield Build (Gun, Sandevistan)

Dual wielding came with Update 2.5, and this build gets the most out of it. I open with the Falcon Sandevistan, Ticking Time Bomb stuns everyone around me, and Run ‘N’ Gun makes hip-firing both pistols free. The damage output is very high for a pistol build.

Best for: Akimbo pistols and fast fights.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Excellent / Good / Good

Read my full Dual Wield Build.

13. Adam Smasher Build (Character, Gun, Tank)

Every round from my LMG explodes with the Firecracker mod, and the overcharged Projectile Launch System fires five rockets at once. Nothing stands up to that much area damage. There is only one Chimera Core per playthrough for the Firecracker, so I plan for it.

Best for: Explosions and area damage.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Excellent / Excellent / Good

Read my full Adam Smasher Build.

A Tier Builds in Cyberpunk 2077

Strong builds that are more specialized. They shine in their own playstyle and need a bit more care outside of it.

Build	Type	Grunts	Elites	Bosses
Double Barrel Shotgun Build	Gun, Sandevistan	Good	Excellent	Good
Assault Rifle Build	Gun, Sandevistan	Good	Good	Good
Talia Yang Build	Character, Melee, Berserk	Excellent	Good	Good
Ghost Netrunner Build	Netrunner, Stealth	Excellent	Good	Okay
Sniper Build	Gun, Stealth	Good	Excellent	Good
Revolver Build	Gun, Sandevistan	Good	Excellent	Good
D Netrunner Build	Character, Netrunner, Smart	Excellent	Good	Okay
SMG Build	Gun, Tech	Excellent	Good	Good

14. Double Barrel Shotgun Build (Gun, Sandevistan)

I open with the Apogee Sandevistan, send a rocket into the biggest group, jump into the middle of it and then it is two barrels to the face. The burst damage is huge, but I have to be close to use it.

Best for: Huge burst damage up close.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Good / Excellent / Good

Read my full Double Barrel Shotgun Build.

15. Assault Rifle Build (Gun, Sandevistan)

The most well-rounded gun build I have. The Falcon Sandevistan opens, the arm rockets handle anyone behind cover, and every hit builds Sharpshooter stacks for more Crit Chance and Crit Damage. It works at every range, but it doesn’t peak as high as the S Tier builds.

Best for: A classic shooter at any range.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Good / Good / Good

Read my full Assault Rifle Build.

16. Talia Yang Build (Character, Melee, Berserk)

I pop a health item, hit BioDyne Berserk and leap from enemy to enemy with the Mantis Blades. While Berserk runs, I take half damage, my health can’t drop below 25% and every blade attack is free. The Gorilla Arms Build does the same job with more crowd control, which is why this one sits a tier lower.

Best for: Mantis Blades with Berserk.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Excellent / Good / Good

Read my full Talia Yang Build.

17. Ghost Netrunner Build (Netrunner, Stealth)

This build is about never being seen. I scout with Ping, a Memory Wipe, Reboot Optics and Sonic Shock queue knocks a guard out without a trace, and Her Majesty gets guaranteed headshot crits from Optical Camo. It is very safe, but slower than Contagion or Lucy once a fight breaks out.

Best for: Full stealth runs.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Excellent / Good / Okay

Read my full Ghost Netrunner Build.

18. Sniper Build (Gun, Stealth)

I take the first headshot from high ground with Deadeye and Killer Instinct, then the Apogee Sandevistan lets me drop the rest one by one. It is great at range, but weaker when enemies push into my position.

Best for: Long range and rooftops.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Good / Excellent / Good

Read my full Sniper Build.

19. Revolver Build (Gun, Sandevistan)

I open with a headshot from Ol’ Reliable at full Stamina, and Deadeye with Nerves of Tungsten-Steel turns every headshot into a guaranteed crit. The further away the target is, the harder it hits. The fire rate is slower than pistols, so groups take longer.

Best for: High burst headshots.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Good / Excellent / Good

Read my full Revolver Build.

20. D Netrunner Build (Character, Netrunner, Smart)

I open every fight with Overclock and hack with my own health instead of RAM. Contagion and Blackwall Gateway jump from enemy to enemy, Synapse Burnout deletes whoever is still standing, and the Yinglong cleans up. It is a fun hybrid, but the dedicated netrunners clear faster.

Best for: Aggressive hacking with Smart guns.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Excellent / Good / Okay

Read my full D Netrunner Build.

21. SMG Build (Gun, Tech)

I hold the trigger on the Raiju, which shoots straight through cover and fires Bolts that ignore Armor and arc to the next enemy. When it runs empty, I swap instead of reloading. It is strong, but the Smart SMG Build does a similar job with less aiming.

Best for: Fast SMG fights through cover.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Excellent / Good / Good

Read my full SMG Build.

B Tier Builds in Cyberpunk 2077

Fun and theme builds. They trade some power for the playstyle, but every one of them still clears Very Hard.

Build	Type	Grunts	Elites	Bosses
Hammer Build	Melee, Berserk, Tank	Good	Good	Okay
Terminator Build	Character, Gun, Tank	Good	Good	Good
Rebecca Build	Character, Gun, Tank	Good	Good	Good
Johnny Silverhand Build	Character, Gun	Good	Good	Good
Weak Kingsley Build	Character, Gun, Berserk, Tech	Good	Good	Okay
John Wick Build	Character, Gun	Good	Good	Okay

22. Hammer Build (Melee, Berserk, Tank)

Most of my swings either kill an enemy outright or knock them flat, Quake slams the whole group to the ground, and Militech Berserk makes me invulnerable when things get dangerous. The swings are slow and it only works up close, which holds it back.

Best for: Pure bruisers.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Good / Good / Okay

Read my full Hammer Build.

23. Terminator Build (Character, Gun, Tank)

I walk in with the Wild Dog and keep the trigger down. Every kill refills the magazine, and Rara Avis, Chitin and Adrenaline Rush soak up whatever comes back. It is extremely hard to kill, but without slow motion, fights take longer.

Best for: Walking through gunfire.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Good / Good / Good

Read my full Terminator Build.

24. Rebecca Build (Character, Gun, Tank)

Close range shotgun damage, massive health regen and Adrenaline Rush, plus enough chrome to trigger Edgerunner’s Fury mode. Rebecca runs no Sandevistan and no Berserk, so the range and the escape options are limited.

Best for: Shotgun tanks and Edgerunners fans.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Good / Good / Good

Read my full Rebecca Build.

25. Johnny Silverhand Build (Character, Gun)

The build is built around the Malorian Arms 3516, with Gorilla Arms as the closest thing V gets to Johnny’s silver arm. Johnny doesn’t run a Sandevistan, so the Chrome Compressor takes the Operating System slot. Solid, but it lacks the burst of the higher tiers.

Best for: Playing as Johnny.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Good / Good / Good

Read my full Johnny Silverhand Build.

26. Weak Kingsley Build (Character, Gun, Berserk, Tech)

At range I charge the revolver and fire Bolts through cover, and up close I switch to the Gorilla Arms and Zetatech Berserk. The mix is a lot of fun, but switching between the two costs time.

Best for: Tech revolver and fists.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Good / Good / Okay

Read my full Weak Kingsley Build.

27. John Wick Build (Character, Gun)

I mark the toughest enemy with the Headhunter, put a headshot into him with the Kongou and dash through the room while Kerenzikov slows time for every shot. It plays exactly like the movies, but without a Sandevistan or Berserk, it has less to fall back on.

Best for: Playing like the movies.
Grunts / Elites / Bosses: Good / Good / Okay

Read my full John Wick Build.

New Character? Start Here

Every build on this list is an endgame build. On a new character, I follow my Starter Build for Levels 1-15 first: the start attributes, the free iconic weapons and how to make 150k Eddies before the first Ripperdoc visit. At level 15, I switch to the build I want to play until the end.

Builds Tier List FAQ

What is the best build in Cyberpunk 2077 Patch 2.5?

For me, the Morgan Blackhand Build. It has no weak matchup, from grunts to bosses. For pure clear speed, the Contagion Build is even faster. SS Tier builds.

What is the best build for beginners?

The Gorilla Arms Build. Gorilla Arms and BioDyne Berserk are sold from level 10, and the build is very hard to kill. Why I rank it S Tier.

What is the best Netrunner build?

The Contagion Build for clearing rooms, and the Lucy Netrunner Build for stealth. Contagion.

What is the best melee build?

The Cyber Ninja Build. The katana and the Apogee Sandevistan feed each other in one loop. Cyber Ninja.

What is the best build for Very Hard?

Any SS or S Tier build. If you die a lot, go with the Gorilla Arms Build or the Morgan Blackhand Build, which are the hardest to kill. How I rank the builds.

Are B Tier builds bad?

No. Every build on this list clears Very Hard. B Tier builds trade some power for a fun playstyle, so they need more work to get there. B Tier builds.

Cyberpunk 2077 Builds Tier List: Best Builds Ranked (Patch 2.5)