Welcome to the best SMG Build for Cyberpunk 2077 (Patch 2.5). Two iconic SMGs that I swap instead of reloading: the Raiju shoots through walls and fires Bolts that ignore Armor, and the Problem Solver fires almost 1000 rounds per minute. A shotgun covers close range, and the Apogee Sandevistan slows the whole fight down. Some players call it a submachine gun build or a Tech SMG build.

The SMG Build combines the Raiju, the Problem Solver, Submachine Fun, Bolt and the Apogee Sandevistan: swap SMGs for a free reload, fire Bolts that ignore Armor and arc lightning through the group, and stun the whole room with an EMP every time time slows down.

You can find more builds here on the Cyberpunk 2077 Builds Database page.

Table of Contents for the SMG Build:


Strengths and Weaknesses list for the SMG Build:

Strengths

  • SMG BUILD WITHOUT RELOADING
  • SHOOTS THROUGH WALLS
  • BOLTS IGNORE ARMOR
  • CHAIN LIGHTNING THROUGH GROUPS
  • 85% SLOW MOTION
  • EMP ON EVERY SANDEVISTAN
  • ARM ROCKETS THAT RECHARGE
  • ADRENALINE RUSH SECOND HEALTH BAR

Weaknesses

  • EATS RIFLE AMMO FAST
  • SHORT SANDEVISTAN WINDOW
  • NO QUICKHACKS

More Gun Builds: Prefer Smart SMGs that aim for you? Read my Smart SMG Build. For assault rifles, my Assault Rifle Build, and for shotguns, my Double Barrel Shotgun Build.


Cyberpunk 2077 SMG Build Overview & How To Play

Cyberpunk 2077 SMG Build Overview

I play this Cyberpunk 2077: SMG Build loud and fast. I open with the Apogee Sandevistan, and Ticking Time Bomb stuns everyone around me a second later. Then I hold the trigger on the Raiju, which shoots straight through cover and fires Bolts that ignore Armor and arc lightning to the enemy next to my target.

When the Raiju runs empty, I don’t reload. I swap to the Problem Solver, and Submachine Fun reloads it during the swap. When that one runs empty, I swap back, and the Raiju is full again. Whoever gets too close meets the shotgun, and a rocket from my arm takes care of the rest.

Here is a summary of the most important pieces of the SMG Build.

Must-Have Cyberware:

  • Operating System: Militech Apogee Sandevistan icon Cyberpunk 2077Militech “Apogee” Sandevistan
    • Slows time by 85% with +20% headshot damage, +20% Crit Chance and +20% Crit Damage, and every activation triggers Ticking Time Bomb. How to use it.
  • Nervous System: Kerenzikov icon Cyberpunk 2077Kerenzikov
    • Aim during a slide, dodge or Dash and time slows by 60%. The Kerenzikov Boost System icon Cyberpunk 2077Kerenzikov Boost System makes every shot free on Stamina while it runs.
  • Arms: Projectile Launch System icon Cyberpunk 2077Projectile Launch System
    • Arm rockets for groups and enemies behind cover. With Jailbreak, a held shot fires five at once.
  • Integumentary System: Cellular Adapter icon Cyberpunk 2077Cellular Adapter
    • Armor, plus +0.5% Tech weapon damage per Technical Ability point, so +10% Raiju damage.

Make sure to read the full list of Cyberware for the rest of the setup.

Must-Have Weapons:

For the alternatives, read my rankings of the Best SMGs and Best Shotguns for this build.

Relic Perks (for Endgame):

Before the iconics: You can get the Fenrir early in Watson, and any Senkoh LX (Tech) or M221 Saratoga (Power) from a weapon vendor does the job until then. The Problem Solver comes in Act 2 with Panam’s storyline, and the Raiju with Phantom Liberty. The Dynalar Sandevistan from level 10 holds the Operating System slot until the Apogee unlocks at level 40.

No Phantom Liberty?: The Raiju, the Cockatrice Optics and the Relic perks come from Phantom Liberty. Without it, I use the Senkoh LX as my Tech SMG, since Bolt, Shock Value and Chain Lightning work with every Tech weapon, and Kiroshi “Sentry” Optics in the Face slot. The Problem Solver, the Apogee, Kerenzikov and the Projectile Launch System are all in the base game.


How I Fight With Two SMGs

This is how almost every fight goes for me:

  1. Open with the Sandevistan: The Militech Apogee Sandevistan icon Cyberpunk 2077Militech “Apogee” Sandevistan slows time by 85%, and Ticking Time Bomb icon Cyberpunk2077Ticking Time Bomb sends out an EMP 1 second later that stuns everyone around me.
  2. Rocket the group: Fire the Projectile Launch System icon Cyberpunk 2077Projectile Launch System into the biggest group, or hold the button for five rockets. Every explosion adds a Pyromania icon Cyberpunk2077Pyromania stack, and at 6 stacks Burn This City icon Cyberpunk2077Burn This City gives me a charge back.
  3. Shoot through cover: The Raiju icon Cyberpunk 2077Raiju doesn’t need to charge to go through walls. I charge it up and let go just before the charge is full, and Bolt icon Cyberpunk2077Bolt fires a burst of Bolts that ignore Armor with Shock Value icon Cyberpunk2077Shock Value. How Bolts work.
  4. Swap, don’t reload: When the Raiju runs empty, I swap to the Problem Solver icon Cyberpunk 2077Problem Solver. Submachine Fun icon Cyberpunk2077Submachine Fun reloads it during the swap and gives it extra fire rate. When that one is empty, I swap back to a full Raiju.
  5. Shotgun up close: Bloody Maria icon Cyberpunk 2077Bloody Maria obliterates enemies at low Health with Spontaneous Obliteration icon Cyberpunk2077Spontaneous Obliteration. Every dismemberment speeds up my reload with Rush of Blood icon Cyberpunk2077Rush of Blood and spreads Dread icon Cyberpunk2077Dread to the enemies nearby.
  6. Dash out: Dash, slide or dodge and aim. Kerenzikov icon Cyberpunk 2077Kerenzikov slows time by 60%, the Kerenzikov Boost System icon Cyberpunk 2077Kerenzikov Boost System makes every shot free on Stamina, and Can't Touch This icon Cyberpunk2077Can’t Touch This gives +100% Mitigation Chance during the Dash.

Ammo: SMGs and assault rifles share Rifle Ammo, and the Problem Solver burns through it. That is why my third weapon is a shotgun: it uses Shotgun Ammo, so I always have something to shoot. Craft Rifle Ammo before big fights.


Tech SMG Bolts Explained

Tech weapons charge up when you hold the trigger. Bolt icon Cyberpunk2077Bolt in Technical Ability adds a timing trick on top: let go of the trigger right before the charge is full, and you fire a Bolt.

  1. Charge: Hold the trigger on the Raiju. Bolt makes Tech weapons charge 20% faster and adds +15% damage to charged shots.
  2. Release just before full: The shot counts as fully charged and deals bonus damage. Full-auto Tech weapons like the Raiju fire Bolts in a short burst. To keep firing Bolts, press and hold the trigger again after the burst.
  3. Ignore Armor: Shock Value icon Cyberpunk2077Shock Value makes every Bolt ignore enemy Armor.
  4. Hit the group: Chain Lightning icon Cyberpunk2077Chain Lightning turns Bolts into Electrical damage and releases an arc that electrocutes nearby enemies.
  5. Through walls: Bolts lose no damage when they go through cover. The Raiju goes through cover even without charging, so I can kill enemies before they see me.

Tip: If you miss the timing and the charge fills up, the Raiju fires a normal charged shot. That is still a good hit, so don’t worry about the timing at first. The Cellular Adapter icon Cyberpunk 2077Cellular Adapter adds +10% Tech weapon damage on top at 20 Technical Ability.


How To Use The Apogee Sandevistan

The Militech Apogee Sandevistan icon Cyberpunk 2077Militech “Apogee” Sandevistan is short but brutal. It lasts 6 seconds, plus 0.1 seconds per Reflexes point, so 8 seconds at 20 Reflexes, and Extended Warranty icon Cyberpunk2077Extended Warranty adds 15% on top.

  1. Pop it at the start of the fight: Time slows by 85%, and Ticking Time Bomb charges an EMP that stuns the whole group 1 second later. You take less damage while it charges.
  2. Go for heads: You get +20% headshot damage, +20% Crit Chance and +20% Crit Damage while it runs, and the Raiju already has a higher headshot Crit Chance.
  3. Keep killing: Every kill extends it by 10% and gives +22% Stamina, so I can keep shooting and dashing.
  4. Turn it off early if you want: You can activate it at any charge level and turn it off again. The cooldown is 25 seconds, minus 15% from Cyborg icon Cyberpunk2077Cyborg.

Apogee or Falcon?: The Militech “Falcon” lasts longer and heals you on every kill, and I use it in my Assault Rifle Build. The Apogee hits harder in a short window, which fits two SMGs that empty a room in seconds. If you want a long Sandevistan build, check out the David Martinez Build.


Attributes – SMG Build

Distributing Attributes correctly for the SMG Build is important. Attributes dictate 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 SMG Build’s main Attributes are cyberpunk 2077 attribute reflexes icon Reflexes for the SMGs and movement, cyberpunk 2077 attribute technical ability icon1 Technical Ability for the Raiju’s Bolts, the rockets and the chrome, and cyberpunk 2077 attribute body icon Body for the shotgun and health. cyberpunk 2077 attribute cool icon Cool only goes up for its bonus, and cyberpunk 2077 attribute intelligence icon Intelligence stays at 3.

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.


SMG Build Start Attributes

At the start of the game, select the following Attribute allocation to give us the optimal start for the SMG Build in Cyberpunk 2077.

Attribute Points Description

cyberpunk 2077 attribute reflexes icon
Reflexes

+3
  • Unlocks Slippery, Multitasker and Power Slide right away, and gets you closer to Ready, Rested, Reloaded and Dash at 9.
cyberpunk 2077 attribute technical ability icon1

Technical Ability

+2
  • Unlocks Glutton for War, First Aid and Transfusion for better health items.
cyberpunk 2077 attribute body icon

Body

+2
  • Unlocks Painkiller and the health regen row.
cyberpunk 2077 attribute cool icon

Cool

None
  • N/A until later. It goes to 9 for Renaissance Punk.
cyberpunk 2077 attribute intelligence icon

Intelligence

None
  • N/A


Max Level Attributes

Cyberpunk 2077 SMG Build Max Attributes

At max level, you want to have the following distribution of Attributes for the SMG Build in Cyberpunk 2077:

  • cyberpunk 2077 attribute reflexes icon 20 Reflexes
  • cyberpunk 2077 attribute technical ability icon1 20 Technical Ability
  • cyberpunk 2077 attribute body icon 20 Body
  • cyberpunk 2077 attribute cool icon 18 Cool
  • cyberpunk 2077 attribute intelligence icon 3 Intelligence

Why these numbers: Reflexes goes to 20 for Submachine Fun and Tailwind, Technical Ability to 20 for Chain Lightning, Ticking Time Bomb and Edgerunner, and Body to 20 for Pain to Gain and +2 Max Health per point. Cool has no perks in this build, but every Cool point adds +1.25% Crit Damage, so 18 Cool is +22.5% Crit Damage on every bullet. Reflexes, Technical Ability, Body and Cool are all at 9 or higher, so Renaissance Punk gives +16 Cyberware Capacity.

Why Intelligence stays at 3: This build doesn’t hack, and nothing in the Intelligence tree helps an SMG that isn’t a Smart weapon. Self-ICE in the Frontal Cortex blocks the enemy netrunners instead.


Perks – SMG Build Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 SMG Build Perks

In this section of the Cyberpunk 2077 SMG Build, 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.

Perk Order: The bold perks are the core of the build, so pick them up before the non-bold ones. While you are leveling, rush Reflexes to 9 for Ready, Rested, Reloaded and Dash. Technical Ability to 9 comes next for All Things Cyber and Renaissance Punk, then Reflexes to 15 for Sharpshooter and Air Dash, Body to 15 for Adrenaline Rush, and Technical Ability to 15 for Bolt and License to Chrome. Put Cool to 9 for Renaissance Punk along the way. Submachine Fun, Chain Lightning, Ticking Time Bomb, Edgerunner and Pain to Gain come last, since they need 20.

Perk Points: This build uses all 80 Perk Points at level 60: 35 in Technical Ability, 24 in Reflexes and 21 in Body.


cyberpunk 2077 attribute reflexes iconReflexes Perks

Cyberpunk 2077 SMG Build Reflexes Perks

The cyberpunk 2077 attribute reflexes icon Reflexes Perk-Tree is where the SMGs live. We take the whole gun branch on the left for Sharpshooter and Submachine Fun, and the movement branch in the middle for Dash, Air Dash and Tailwind. Max it out to 20.

Perk Prioritization: Prioritize perks in bold.

cyberpunk 2077 attribute reflexes icon Reflexes Perk Tree Summary

Everything an SMG needs.

  • More Crit Chance, Crit Damage and Armor Penetration with every hit
  • SMGs that reload themselves when you swap to them
  • Less recoil, more range and faster swaps
  • Shoot while sprinting, sliding and vaulting
  • Dash, Air Dash and Stamina from double jumps

Level 4 Perks

Slippery and the movement row.

Perk Description
Slippery icon Cyberpunk2077

Slippery

The faster you move, the harder you are to hit. It also opens the movement branch.
Multitasker icon Cyberpunk2077

Multitasker

Shoot while sprinting, sliding and vaulting. The SMGs never stop firing.
Power Slide icon Cyberpunk2077

Power Slide

Longer slides, so more time to aim with Kerenzikov.

Level 9 Perks

Ready, Rested, Reloaded on the left, Dash in the middle.

Perk Description
Ready, Rested, Reloaded icon Cyberpunk2077

Ready, Rested, Reloaded

-10% Stamina cost for shooting with Assault Rifles and SMGs, then +30% reload speed while you are above 50% Stamina. It opens the whole gun branch.
Spice of Life icon Cyberpunk2077

Spice of Life

Faster weapon swaps, and less bullet spread for a moment after swapping. I swap between the two SMGs every magazine.
Tunnel Vision icon Cyberpunk2077

Tunnel Vision

+20% effective range and accuracy. SMGs lose damage fast over distance, and this pushes that point further out.
Mind Over Matter icon Cyberpunk2077

Mind Over Matter

-75% recoil when aiming. The Problem Solver fires almost 1000 rounds per minute, and this keeps it on the target.
Dash icon Cyberpunk2077

Dash

Rank 1 cuts dodge and dash Stamina cost, rank 2 unlocks the Dash itself. Aim during a Dash and Kerenzikov slows time.
Can't Touch This icon Cyberpunk2077

Can’t Touch This

+100% Mitigation Chance while dashing.
Mad Dash icon Cyberpunk2077

Mad Dash

+100% Dash range toward enemies. The fastest way into shotgun range.

Level 15 Perks

Sharpshooter and everything behind it, plus Air Dash.

Perk Description
Sharpshooter icon Cyberpunk2077

Sharpshooter

Faster aiming and better weapon handling, then Sharpshooter stacks. Every successful shot adds a stack, and each stack lowers your Stamina cost and speeds up Stamina regen for a few seconds. SMGs build stacks very fast.
Practice Makes Perfect icon Cyberpunk2077

Practice Makes Perfect

+2% Crit Chance and +2% Crit Damage per Sharpshooter stack. The longer you hold the trigger, the harder you crit.
Shoot to Chill icon Cyberpunk2077

Shoot to Chill

+2% Armor Penetration with automatic weapons per Sharpshooter stack. Both SMGs are automatic.
Spray and Pray icon Cyberpunk2077

Spray and Pray

-10% Stamina cost for hip-firing. I hip-fire the Problem Solver most of the time.
Gundancer icon Cyberpunk2077

Gundancer

Aiming no longer slows you down, and you can shoot while vaulting.
Air Dash icon Cyberpunk2077

Air Dash

Lower dash Stamina cost, faster dashes, then the ability to dash in midair. Tailwind needs it.

Level 20 Perks

Reflexes is at 20, so we take two capstones.

Perk Description
Submachine Fun icon Cyberpunk2077

Submachine Fun

Swapping to an SMG is faster and reloads it automatically, and it fires faster until you reload it normally. This is the whole build: when the Raiju runs empty, I swap to the Problem Solver, and when that one runs empty, I swap back.
Tailwind icon Cyberpunk2077

Tailwind

Air Dashes no longer cost Stamina, and Air Dashes and double jumps give you Stamina back. More Stamina means more shooting.

Skip: Salt in the Wound only works with assault rifles, so it does nothing here.


cyberpunk 2077 attribute technical ability icon1Technical Ability Perks

Cyberpunk 2077 SMG Build Technical Ability Perks

The cyberpunk 2077 attribute technical ability icon1 Technical Ability Perk-Tree is the biggest tree in this build. The left branch gives us health items and the rockets, the middle branch handles the chrome and leads to Edgerunner, and the right branch is for Tech weapons, which is where the Raiju’s Bolts come from. Max it out to 20.

Perk Prioritization: Prioritize perks in bold.

cyberpunk 2077 attribute technical ability icon1 Technical Ability Perk Tree Summary

Bolts, rockets and chrome.

  • Bolt shots that ignore Armor and arc to nearby enemies
  • More health items that recharge faster
  • More Projectile Launch System charges that recharge much faster
  • An EMP that stuns everyone nearby when you activate the Sandevistan
  • More Cyberware Capacity from Renaissance Punk and Edgerunner

Level 4 Perks

The health item perks on the left.

Perk Description
Glutton for War icon Cyberpunk2077

Glutton for War

+1 health item charge. Every health item also fills your Adrenaline once Adrenaline Rush is unlocked.
First Aid icon Cyberpunk2077

First Aid

+15% recharge speed for health items when you have only used one charge.
Transfusion icon Cyberpunk2077

Transfusion

+30% health from the final charge of your health item.

Level 9 Perks

Health items and grenades on the left, the Cyberware perks in the middle.

Perk Description
Health Freak icon Cyberpunk2077

Health Freak

Faster recharge for health items and grenades, then an instant partial recharge after every kill. Max it out.
Borrowed Time icon Cyberpunk2077

Borrowed Time

If you are below 25% health and out of health item charges, your next kill instantly recharges a health item.
Demolitions Surplus icon Cyberpunk2077

Demolitions Surplus

+1 grenade charge, and much faster grenade recharge outside of combat.
Coming in Hot icon Cyberpunk2077

Coming in Hot

+50% grenade recharge speed when you have no grenades left.
All Things Cyber icon Cyberpunk2077

All Things Cyber

+10% to all cyberware stat modifiers and -20% Cyberware Capacity cost for Integumentary System and Skeleton chrome. That discount saves about 18 capacity in this build. Max it out.
Driver Update icon Cyberpunk2077

Driver Update

Every cyberware gets an additional stat modifier.
Chipware Connoisseur icon Cyberpunk2077

Chipware Connoisseur

When you upgrade cyberware, you can choose between two stat modifiers, and from Tier 3 between three. You get to pick Crit Chance and Crit Damage instead of hoping for them.
Renaissance Punk icon Cyberpunk2077

Renaissance Punk

+4 Cyberware Capacity for each Attribute at 9 or higher. Reflexes, Technical Ability, Body and Cool all count, so that is +16 capacity.
Chrome Constitution icon Cyberpunk2077

Chrome Constitution

-5% incoming damage while all your Integumentary System and Skeleton slots are filled. This build fills all of them.

Level 15 Perks

Pyromania and the rocket perks on the left, chrome in the middle, and Bolt on the right.

Perk Description
Bolt icon Cyberpunk2077

Bolt

+20% charge speed for Tech weapons, +15% damage for charged shots, then Bolt shots. Let go of the trigger right before the charge is full to fire a Bolt: it counts as a fully charged shot, deals bonus damage and loses nothing when it goes through cover. Full-auto Tech weapons like the Raiju fire Bolts in a short burst. How Bolts work.
Shock Value icon Cyberpunk2077

Shock Value

Bolt shots ignore enemy Armor. Armored enemies go down as fast as everyone else.
Pyromania icon Cyberpunk2077

Pyromania

Faster health item and grenade recharge, a bigger explosion radius for grenades and the Projectile Launch System, then Pyromania stacks when your explosions hit enemies. Ticking Time Bomb sits behind it.
Burn This City icon Cyberpunk2077

Burn This City

At 6 Pyromania stacks, the stacks are used up to instantly give you a grenade charge back, and their bonuses stay active for 1 more second. With Doomlauncher, the Projectile Launch System gets the same bonus.
Heat Shield icon Cyberpunk2077

Heat Shield

Every Pyromania stack gives you Mitigation Chance. Rocket first, then walk in.
Friendlier Fire icon Cyberpunk2077

Friendlier Fire

+50% resistance to damage and effects from your own explosions. Rockets at close range hurt you a lot less.
Doomlauncher icon Cyberpunk2077

Doomlauncher

More Projectile Launch System charges and much faster recharge, faster still when you are out of charges or out of combat, plus 20% of a charge back after every kill. Together with Launch Capacity Override, the rocket arm is almost always ready.
License to Chrome icon Cyberpunk2077

License to Chrome

+10% to all cyberware stat modifiers, +40 armor and an extra Skeleton slot. Max it out.
Ambidextrous icon Cyberpunk2077

Ambidextrous

A second Hands slot, which holds the Shock Absorber next to the Ballistic Coprocessor.
Extended Warranty icon Cyberpunk2077

Extended Warranty

+15% duration for all cyberware effects. The Apogee and Kerenzikov both last longer.
Cyborg icon Cyberpunk2077

Cyborg

-15% cooldown for all cyberware while every cyberware slot is filled. This build fills every one, so the Sandevistan comes back faster.
Built Different icon Cyberpunk2077

Built Different

Unlocks the Cellular Adapter for the Integumentary System, which you can then buy and install at any Ripperdoc. This perk is also what makes it work properly.

Level 20 Perks

Technical Ability is at 20, so we take three capstones.

Perk Description
Chain Lightning icon Cyberpunk2077

Chain Lightning

Bolts deal Electrical damage and release an electric arc that electrocutes nearby enemies. One Bolt burst into a group hits more than one target.
Ticking Time Bomb icon Cyberpunk2077

Ticking Time Bomb

Every time you activate the Sandevistan, you charge an EMP that hits nearby enemies 1 second later. It stuns them and deals damage based on how many cyberware implants you have and their tier, and you take less damage while it charges. Every fight starts with the whole group stunned.
Edgerunner icon Cyberpunk2077

Edgerunner

Go up to 50 points over your Cyberware Capacity, for -0.5% Max Health per point. Kills can also put you into a Fury state with +10% damage, +30% Crit Chance and +50% Crit Damage, and the further you are over capacity, the higher the chance. This build sits about 28 points over, see the Cyberware section.

Skip: Lightning Storm resets its stacks every time you swap weapons, and this build swaps every magazine.


cyberpunk 2077 attribute body iconBody Perks

Cyberpunk 2077 SMG Build Body Perks

The cyberpunk 2077 attribute body icon Body Perk-Tree keeps you alive and powers the shotgun. The middle branch is health regen and Adrenaline Rush, and the left branch is for the shotgun. Max it out to 20 for Pain to Gain.

Perk Prioritization: Prioritize perks in bold.

cyberpunk 2077 attribute body icon Body Perk Tree Summary

Survival, and the shotgun.

  • Health regen during combat that gets faster the lower your health is
  • Adrenaline Rush as a second health bar
  • Immunity to knockdown and blinding during Adrenaline Rush
  • Shotguns that obliterate enemies at low Health
  • Faster reloads and more Adrenaline from dismemberment

Level 4 Perks

The health regen row.

Perk Description
Painkiller icon Cyberpunk2077

Painkiller

Unlocks passive health regeneration during combat.
Comeback Kid icon Cyberpunk2077

Comeback Kid

The lower your health, the faster you regenerate.
Speed Junkie icon Cyberpunk2077

Speed Junkie

+100% Health Regen while sprinting. You sprint a lot with Multitasker.
Army of One icon Cyberpunk2077

Army of One

More health regen for each nearby enemy.
Dorph-head icon Cyberpunk2077

Dorph-head

Using the Blood Pump or a health item gives you a big boost to Mitigation Chance for 1 second.

Level 9 Perks

The start of the shotgun branch. These only work with shotguns, LMGs and HMGs.

Perk Description
Die! Die! Die! icon Cyberpunk2077

Die! Die! Die!

Faster Stamina regen, then better weapon handling the lower your Stamina gets. It opens the whole shotgun branch.
Like a Feather icon Cyberpunk2077

Like a Feather

No movement speed penalty with shotguns. Swapping to the shotgun doesn’t slow you down.

Level 15 Perks

Adrenaline Rush in the middle, Obliterate on the left.

Perk Description
Adrenaline Rush icon Cyberpunk2077

Adrenaline Rush

+35 max health, +20% to all health regen, then Adrenaline Rush itself. Health items and the Blood Pump now also give Adrenaline equal to 30% of your max health, shown as a yellow second health bar.
Juggernaut icon Cyberpunk2077

Juggernaut

+20% movement speed and +10% damage while Adrenaline Rush is active.
Calm Mind icon Cyberpunk2077

Calm Mind

A 3 second delay before Adrenaline starts decaying.
Unstoppable Force icon Cyberpunk2077

Unstoppable Force

Immunity to movement penalties, knockdown and blinding while Adrenaline Rush is active. Nothing stops you mid-burst.
Bloodlust icon Cyberpunk2077

Bloodlust

While Adrenaline Rush is active, dismembering a nearby enemy gives you extra Adrenaline. The shotgun takes limbs off all the time.
Spontaneous Obliteration icon Cyberpunk2077

Spontaneous Obliteration

More Crit Chance as your Stamina drains, +10% damage against nearby enemies, then Obliterate: a chance to instantly kill and dismember enemies at low Health with a shotgun.
Rush of Blood icon Cyberpunk2077

Rush of Blood

Much faster reload for 1 second after dismembering an enemy. The shotgun is ready again right away.
Dread icon Cyberpunk2077

Dread

Shotgun attacks strip enemy armor, and dismemberment spreads the effect to nearby enemies.

Level 20 Perks

Body is at 20, so we take one capstone.

Perk Description
Pain to Gain icon Cyberpunk2077

Pain to Gain

While Adrenaline Rush is active, every kill gives +20% health item recharge. Together with Glutton for War and Health Freak, I almost never run out of heals.


cyberpunk 2077 attribute cool iconCool Perks

We don’t spend any perk points in Cool. It goes to 18 for the Attribute bonus: every Cool point adds +1.25% Crit Damage, so that is +22.5% Crit Damage on every bullet. Cool at 9 or higher also counts for Renaissance Punk, and the Shock Absorber gets +0.2% headshot damage per Cool point.


cyberpunk 2077 attribute intelligence icon Intelligence Perks

We leave Intelligence at 3 and spend nothing here.


cyberpunk 2077 attribute relic iconRelic Perks (Phantom Liberty DLC)

Cyberpunk 2077 SMG Build Relic Perks

The Relic tree only exists if you own Phantom Liberty, and it runs on Relic points rather than attribute levels. I take four perks across two branches: one to turn the Projectile Launch System into a real weapon, and one to make every SMG bullet count.

Perk Description
Jailbreak icon Cyberpunk 2077

Jailbreak

Unlocks new abilities for all Arm cyberware, and for this build it overhauls the Projectile Launch System. Holding the button overcharges the launcher into a burst of five projectiles covering a much wider area.
Launch Capacity Override icon Cyberpunk 2077

Launch Capacity Override

+1 Projectile Launch System charge. Stacks with the extra charge from Doomlauncher in Technical Ability.
Vulnerability Analytics icon Cyberpunk 2077

Vulnerability Analytics

Shows Vulnerabilities on enemy armor and cyberware during combat. Hitting one gives 100% Crit Chance and +25% Armor Penetration, and destroying it sets off an EMP blast in a 3 metre radius. Two SMGs put a lot of bullets into them.
Machine Learning icon Cyberpunk 2077

Machine Learning

Destroying a Vulnerability makes new ones appear more often and grants Crit Damage against them, stacking five times with the effects doubled at max stacks.


Cyberware for the SMG Build in Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 SMG Build Cyberware

Slow motion, crits, rockets and staying alive: The Apogee and Kerenzikov slow time, the Cockatrice Optics add Crit Chance to every bullet, the Projectile Launch System handles groups and cover, and the Skeleton, Circulatory and Integumentary Systems keep you standing in the middle of it. Every slot is filled, so Cyborg and Chrome Constitution are always on.

Cyberware Capacity: At level 60 you have 201 Cyberware Capacity, plus 15 from the Engineer skill tree and 16 from Renaissance Punk, so 232 in total. Everything marked bold or without a note below costs about 260 at Tier 5++, already including the -20% from All Things Cyber on the Skeleton and Integumentary System.

That is about 28 points over, and Edgerunner lets you go up to 50 over. It costs -0.5% Max Health per point, so about -14% Max Health, which the Epimorphic Skeleton and Adrenaline Rush give back. Edgerunner needs 20 Technical Ability, so until you have it, use the Kiroshi “Sentry” Optics instead of the Cockatrice. That brings you down to about 232, right at the limit.

Once you have collected Capacity Shards, you don’t lose any Max Health at all. I explain it in With all Capacity Shards below.

Important: Priority Cyberware is marked in bold.

How to get and upgrade Cyberware

  • Finding vs. Buying: Cyberware can be found as world loot or bought from Ripperdocs. Both world loot and Ripperdoc store inventories are strictly locked to your character’s level. You cannot buy higher tier cyberware than your level allows.
  • Level Tiers:
    • Tier 1 – Level 1-9
    • Tier 2 – Level 10-19
    • Tier 3 – Level 20-29
    • Tier 4 – Level 30-39
    • Tier 5 – Level 40+
  • Upgrading: While you can’t buy high-tier cyberware early, you can upgrade any cyberware you already own all the way to Tier 5++ at any Ripperdoc, regardless of your level, as long as you have the required item components.

Ripperdocs Inventory

All Ripperdocs in Night City have the same inventory, except the Ripperdoc in Dogtown (Phantom Liberty DLC), who has exclusive iconic Cyberware.

  • Night City Ripperdocs – Standard Cyberware (Tier 1-5).
  • Dogtown (Phantom Liberty DLC) – Standard Cyberware + Iconic Cyberware

Operating System

Cyberware Description
Militech Apogee Sandevistan icon Cyberpunk 2077

Militech “Apogee” Sandevistan

  • Slows time by 85% while you move at full speed, and you can activate it at any charge level.
  • +20% headshot damage, +20% Crit Chance and +20% Crit Damage while it runs.
  • Every kill extends it by 10% and gives +22% Stamina, so the SMGs keep firing.
  • 6 seconds with a 25 second cooldown. Attuned to Reflexes: +0.1 seconds per point, so 8 seconds at 20 Reflexes, before Extended Warranty. Cyborg cuts the cooldown by 15%.
  • Every activation also triggers Ticking Time Bomb, so every Sandevistan starts with an EMP.
Militech Falcon Sandevistan icon Cyberpunk 2077

Militech “Falcon” Sandevistan
(Alternative)

Slows time by 70% for 10 seconds, and every kill while it runs restores 12% Health. Less damage, more sustain.
Dynalar Sandevistan icon Cyberpunk 2077

Dynalar Sandevistan
(Early Game)

Slows time by 50% with +15% Crit Chance and +15% Crit Damage for 9 seconds. The Sandevistan I use until the Apogee unlocks, and it only costs 18 capacity.

Location of items:

  • Militech “Apogee” Sandevistan: Iconic, any Ripperdoc once you reach level 40.
  • Militech “Falcon” Sandevistan: Iconic, any Ripperdoc after level 30. You also get it during Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos (Phantom Liberty) if you enlist Carol Emeka’s help.
  • Dynalar Sandevistan: Any Ripperdoc from level 10, with tier improving as you level.

Frontal Cortex

Cyberware Description
Kerenzikov Boost System icon Cyberpunk 2077

Kerenzikov Boost System

While Kerenzikov is active, shooting costs no Stamina, and time slows by a further 19% relative to your enemies. Only 3 capacity.
Mechatronic Core icon Cyberpunk 2077

Mechatronic Core

+40% damage against drones, robots, mechs and turrets. Only 5 capacity.
Self-ICE icon Cyberpunk 2077

Self-ICE

Automatically negates an enemy quickhack, with a 20 second cooldown. This build can’t hack back, so it is my answer to enemy netrunners.

Location of items:

  • Kerenzikov Boost System: Sold by any Ripperdoc after level 20.
  • Mechatronic Core: Sold by Ripperdocs, with quality scaling as you level.
  • Self-ICE: Sold by any Ripperdoc after level 20.

Face

Cyberware Description
Kiroshi Cockatrice Optics icon Cyberpunk 2077

Kiroshi “Cockatrice” Optics

+35% Crit Chance for every bullet. Practice Makes Perfect stacks on top of it.
Kiroshi Sentry Optics icon Cyberpunk 2077

Kiroshi “Sentry” Optics
(Before Edgerunner)

Highlights cameras and turrets when scanning. Only 2 capacity, so it fills the slot until you have Edgerunner.

Location of items:

  • Kiroshi “Cockatrice” Optics: Iconic, Dogtown Ripperdocs from level 35 (Phantom Liberty DLC), also found in Dogtown airdrops.
  • Kiroshi “Sentry” Optics: Any Ripperdoc.

Arms

Cyberware Description
Projectile Launch System icon Cyberpunk 2077

Projectile Launch System

  • Fires an explosive rocket from your arm. My answer to groups, enemies behind cover, mechs and anyone in a car.
  • Jailbreak lets you hold the button to overcharge it into a burst of five projectiles.
  • Doomlauncher and Launch Capacity Override together add extra charges plus large recharge bonuses.
  • Every explosion builds Pyromania stacks, which convert back into free charges through Burn This City.

Update 2.5 added Glamdocs, so you can now give the Projectile Launch System a new look. Visit one of the 5 Glamdocs (spray paint icon on the map) once you have it installed.

Location of items:

  • Projectile Launch System: Any Ripperdoc from level 10, with quality scaling as you level.

Hands

Cyberware Description
Shock Absorber icon Cyberpunk 2077

Shock Absorber

-24% recoil, and every Cool point adds +0.2% headshot and weakspot damage, so +3.6% at 18 Cool. The Problem Solver kicks hard, and this keeps it on target.
Ballistic Coprocessor icon Cyberpunk 2077

Ballistic Coprocessor

Increased ricochet chance with Power weapons, +35% ricochet damage and a preview of the ricochet path. The Problem Solver and Bloody Maria are both Power weapons. Only 2 capacity.

Ambidextrous gives you the second Hands slot.

Location of items:

  • Shock Absorber: Any Ripperdoc from level 10, with quality scaling by level.
  • Ballistic Coprocessor: You get it during the intro quest The Ripperdoc, and Ripperdocs sell better versions as you level.

Skeleton

Cyberware Description
Epimorphic Skeleton icon Cyberpunk 2077

Epimorphic Skeleton

+13% Max Health. It gives back what Edgerunner takes.
Spring Joints icon Cyberpunk 2077

Spring Joints

+16% Mitigation Strength. Slippery, Can’t Touch This, Neofiber and Heat Shield all give Mitigation Chance, and this makes every one of those mitigated hits hurt less.
Bionic Joints icon Cyberpunk 2077

Bionic Joints

Armor for only 8 capacity, plus a bit more for every Technical Ability point.

License to Chrome gives you the third Skeleton slot. Fill all three for Chrome Constitution.

Location of items:

  • Epimorphic Skeleton: Any Ripperdoc upon reaching level 30.
  • Spring Joints: Any Ripperdoc from level 10, with quality scaling by level.
  • Bionic Joints: Any Ripperdoc, with tier scaling by level.

Nervous System

Cyberware Description
Kerenzikov icon Cyberpunk 2077

Kerenzikov

Aim during a slide, dodge or Dash and time slows by 60% for 3.75 seconds, with a 6 second cooldown. Slow motion between two Sandevistans.
Neofiber icon Cyberpunk 2077

Neofiber

+11% Mitigation Chance and +11% Mitigation Strength, so you simply take less damage in the middle of the fight.
Reflex Tuner icon Cyberpunk 2077

Reflex Tuner

Slows time by 60% for 4.5 seconds when your Health drops below 25%. Time to heal, dash away or finish the last guy. Only 5 capacity.
Adreno-Trigger icon Cyberpunk 2077

Adreno-Trigger
(With Shards)

+30% movement speed for 40 seconds when you enter combat, plus 3 seconds per Reflexes point, so 100 seconds at 20 Reflexes. It replaces the Reflex Tuner once you have Capacity Shards.

Location of items:

  • Kerenzikov: Any Ripperdoc from level 10, with quality scaling by level.
  • Neofiber: Any Ripperdoc after level 20.
  • Reflex Tuner: Sold by Ripperdocs, with quality scaling as you level.
  • Adreno-Trigger: Iconic, Dogtown Ripperdocs (Phantom Liberty DLC), also found in Dogtown airdrops.

Circulatory System

Cyberware Description
Blood Pump icon Cyberpunk 2077

Blood Pump

Works as a second health item: 110 health right away, then 23 health per second for 6 seconds. With Adrenaline Rush it also fills your Adrenaline.
Biomonitor icon Cyberpunk 2077

Biomonitor

Automatically uses your health item when your health drops below 50%, and +16% health item effectiveness. Both hands stay on the SMG.
Heal-On-Kill icon Cyberpunk 2077

Heal-on-Kill

+7.5% Health for every kill. Two SMGs get a lot of kills.

Location of items:

  • Blood Pump: Ripperdocs from level 10.
  • Biomonitor: Sold by Ripperdocs, with quality scaling as you level.
  • Heal-on-Kill: Sold by Ripperdocs, with quality scaling as you level.

Integumentary System

Cyberware Description
Cellular Adapter icon Cyberpunk 2077

Cellular Adapter

A lot of Armor for only 10 capacity, plus +0.5% Tech weapon damage, explosion resistance and faster health item and grenade recharge for every Technical Ability point. That is +10% Raiju damage at 20 Technical Ability. It only shows up at Ripperdocs once you have the Built Different perk.
Countershell icon Cyberpunk 2077

Countershell

+50% Mitigation Chance for 4 seconds when you lose 35% of your health within 3 seconds.
Subdermal Armor icon Cyberpunk 2077

Subdermal Armor

A big chunk of Armor for only 5 capacity, and it fills the third slot for Chrome Constitution.
Chitin icon Cyberpunk 2077

Chitin
(With Shards)

A very durable shell under your skin, plus +10% Health Regen for every Body point, so +200% at 20 Body. It replaces the Countershell once you have Capacity Shards.

Location of items:

  • Cellular Adapter: Any Ripperdoc once you have the Built Different perk.
  • Countershell: Sold by Ripperdocs, with quality scaling as you level.
  • Subdermal Armor: You get it during the intro quest The Ripperdoc, and Ripperdocs sell better versions as you level.
  • Chitin: Iconic, Dogtown Ripperdocs (Phantom Liberty DLC), also found in Dogtown airdrops.

Legs

Cyberware Description
Reinforced Tendons icon Cyberpunk 2077

Reinforced Tendons

Double jump. Every double jump gives Stamina back with Tailwind.

Location of items:

  • Reinforced Tendons: Any Ripperdoc from level 10.

With all Capacity Shards

Capacity Shards permanently raise your Cyberware Capacity by +2, +3, +4 or +6 each, depending on their tier. They drop from enemies, police scanner activities and airdrops until you have them all: 60 capacity from the base game and 14 more from Phantom Liberty. With all of them, you have 306 Cyberware Capacity, and 356 with Edgerunner.

The main loadout costs about 260, so you are under capacity and Edgerunner doesn’t cost any Max Health anymore. There is room for two upgrades:

Slot Swap out Swap in Extra capacity
Integumentary System Countershell Chitin +30
Nervous System Reflex Tuner Adreno-Trigger +15

  • Chitin: +10% Health Regen per Body point, so +200% at 20 Body, on top of Painkiller, Comeback Kid and Adrenaline Rush.
  • Adreno-Trigger: +30% movement speed for 100 seconds at 20 Reflexes every time you enter combat.

That brings the total to about 305 of 306, still under capacity. If you want Edgerunner’s Fury state, you can go over again, but every point over costs Max Health.


Weapons for the SMG Build in Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 SMG Build Weapons

Two SMGs and a shotgun: The Raiju and the Problem Solver do the damage, and Submachine Fun reloads each one when I swap to it. The shotgun is for close range and for the moment the Rifle Ammo runs out.

Upgrade: Weapons can be upgraded when you go to the crafting section and then swap to upgrades.

My loadout:

Item Description
Raiju icon Cyberpunk 2077

Raiju
(Main)

My main SMG. An iconic Arasaka Tech SMG: shots go through cover without charging, and headshots have a higher Crit Chance. Charge it for Bolts that ignore Armor and arc lightning through the group. How to get the Raiju.
Problem Solver icon Cyberpunk 2077

Problem Solver
(Swap)

My swap SMG. A modified Saratoga that fires almost 1000 rounds per minute. When the Raiju is empty, I swap to it, and Submachine Fun reloads it during the swap. How to get the Problem Solver.
Bloody Maria icon Cyberpunk 2077

Bloody Maria
(Shotgun)

My shotgun. More knockdown, Bleeding and dismemberment, and every enemy you take a limb off gives you faster reloads and more Crit Chance. Rush of Blood, Dread and Bloodlust all trigger on dismemberment. How to get Bloody Maria.

Grenades: Any explosive grenade. Explosions build Pyromania stacks, Heat Shield turns those stacks into Mitigation Chance, and Burn This City gives you a charge back at 6 stacks.

Health item: MaxDOC MK.5 for the big instant heal. The Biomonitor uses it for you below 50% Health.


Best SMGs for an SMG Build

Every SMG here works with Sharpshooter, Practice Makes Perfect and Submachine Fun. These are my top 3, from best to worst:

  1. Raiju icon Cyberpunk 2077Raiju (Tech, Phantom Liberty): The best SMG for shooting through walls. Shots go through cover without charging, headshots have a higher Crit Chance, and as a Tech SMG it gets Bolt, Shock Value and Chain Lightning. How to get it.
  2. Problem Solver icon Cyberpunk 2077Problem Solver (Power): The best SMG for raw fire rate. Almost 1000 rounds per minute, which also builds Sharpshooter stacks very fast. It eats ammo, but with Submachine Fun I never reload it by hand. How to get it.
  3. Fenrir icon Cyberpunk 2077Fenrir (Power): The best SMG for the early game. Electrical damage with a chance to disable enemy cyberware, and you get it for free early in Watson. How to get it.

Smart SMGs?: The Yinglong, the Chesapeake and the Pizdets need Smart Link and Intelligence perks, so they belong in my Smart SMG Build. I also left out the Erebus: it is locked behind your Phantom Liberty choices and plays very differently, so it gets its own build.


Best Shotguns for an SMG Build

Every shotgun here works with Spontaneous Obliteration, Dread and Like a Feather. These are my top 3, from best to worst:

  1. Bloody Maria icon Cyberpunk 2077Bloody Maria (Power): The best shotgun for dismemberment. More knockdown, Bleeding and dismemberment, and every enemy you take a limb off gives you faster reloads and more Crit Chance. Finish all of El Capitan’s gigs in Santo Domingo, then his side job Ride Captain Ride, and it shows up in your stash. How to get it.
  2. Mox icon Cyberpunk 2077Mox (Power): The best shotgun for crowd control. Judy’s shotgun, lighter and more precise, with more Shock and Knockdown chance when enemies get close. Judy leaves it for you in her apartment after Pyramid Song. How to get it.
  3. The Headsman icon Cyberpunk 2077The Headsman (Power): The best shotgun for mid-range. It fires a single slug instead of pellets, with a unique scope. Headshots speed up your reload and accuracy, and the next headshot deals Crit Damage. The crafting spec drops from the Militech Minotaur mech in North Oak. How to get it.

Raiju (Iconic Tech SMG) – How To Get It

Raiju icon Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 How To Get The Raiju SMG

“Fashion’s last gasp along with your enemy’s in perfect synchrony.” Arasaka’s combat SMG, and the heart of this build.

  • Prerequisites: Phantom Liberty DLC, with Dogtown unlocked.
  • Where: The Increased Criminal Activity on Kress Street in Dogtown, a BARGHEST hideout.
  • How to Get It: Defeat Ross Ulmer and take the Cache Access Card from his body. The card opens the gated cache marked with three blue skulls, and the Raiju is on a table inside.
  • What to Do: Ulmer has a lot of Health. At half Health he retreats deeper into the base and comes back with heavier armor, so watch for turrets and trip mines in the tunnel on the way. His weak spot is on his back.
  • Note: The cache has more good loot than the Raiju, so check the whole room.

Problem Solver (Iconic Power SMG) – How To Get It

Problem Solver icon Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 How To Get The Problem Solver SMG

“Solving problems a thousand rounds per minute.” A modified version of Raffen Shiv’s Saratoga, and my swap SMG.

  • Prerequisites: Act 2, Panam’s storyline. Finish Ghost Town to unlock the side job Riders on the Storm.
  • Where: The Wraiths camp in the Badlands, during Riders on the Storm.
  • How to Get It: A big Wraith on watch at the front gate carries it. He runs off to warn the others when he sees you, so take him down and loot the Problem Solver from his body.
  • Note: It is easy to miss. If you finish Riders on the Storm without it, go back to the camp, or buy it from Herold Lowe at the EBM Petrochem Stadium (Phantom Liberty).

Fenrir (Iconic Power SMG) – How To Get It

Fenrir icon Cyberpunk 2077

How to get the Fenrir SMG in Cyberpunk 2077

“Belches fire like a dragon with heartburn.” The Fenrir is one of the best early weapons in the game, and it carries this build until the Problem Solver and the Raiju.

  • Prerequisites: None. It is available early in Act 1.
  • Where: The side job Losing My Religion in Northside, Watson. Talk to the monk and agree to help rescue his brother from the Maelstrom.
  • How to Get It: Clear the Maelstrom in the shipping area. The Fenrir is on a table next to the captive monk.
  • Note: The monk asks you not to kill anyone, so use non-lethal takedowns or a non-lethal weapon mod. My Starter Build has more on the Fenrir.

Bloody Maria (Iconic Power Shotgun) – How To Get It

Bloody Maria icon Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 Muamar El Capitan Reyes Character Location

“As mean throughout all Night City as it is on the streets of Santo.” El Capitan’s thank-you for a lot of work in Santo Domingo, and my shotgun when the fight gets close.

  • Prerequisites: Finish all of El Capitan’s gigs in Santo Domingo. That unlocks his side job Ride Captain Ride.
  • Where: Santo Domingo, where Muamar “El Capitan” Reyes is the fixer.
  • How to Get It: Finish Ride Captain Ride. Bloody Maria shows up in your stash afterward. Claim it from the stash to finish the quest.
  • Note: It takes a while to finish every gig in Santo Domingo, so use any regular shotgun from a weapon vendor until then.

Mox (Iconic Power Shotgun) – How To Get It

Mox icon Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 How To Get The Mox Shotgun

Judy’s shotgun, from her days with the Mox. Lighter and more precise than most shotguns, and great when a group rushes you.

  • Prerequisites: Judy’s storyline up to and including Pyramid Song.
  • Where: Judy’s apartment in Kabuki, Watson.
  • How to Get It: After Pyramid Song, Judy leaves it for you. The Mox is on the kitchen table in her apartment.
  • Note: If you are in a relationship with Judy, it can take a few in-game days until she texts you about the gift. If you aren’t, it is there once she leaves Night City.

The Headsman (Iconic Power Shotgun) – How To Get It

The Headsman icon Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 How To Get The Headsman Shotgun

A shotgun that fires a single slug instead of pellets, so it still hits at the range where the SMGs fall off.

  • Prerequisites: Act 2, once North Oak in Westbrook is open.
  • Where: The Suspected Organized Crime Activity Privacy Policy Violation at the Militech site in North Oak, Westbrook. The Minotaur mech is in the warehouse behind the wall in the northeast corner of the site.
  • How to Get It: Destroy the Militech Minotaur and loot the crafting spec from it.
  • What to Do: Open the Crafting menu and craft The Headsman. Upgrade it later like any other weapon.
  • Note: The Minotaur can take most of your Health in one or two hits. The Mechatronic Core adds +40% damage against mechs, and the Raiju can shoot it through cover.

Gear for the SMG Build in Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 SMG Build Outfit Gear

Since gear is mostly cosmetic, you can wear whatever you want. All of this build’s defense comes from cyberware instead, mainly the Epimorphic Skeleton, the Cellular Adapter, Neofiber and Adrenaline Rush.

For the look, I wear:

  • Outer Torso: Maxiwear Midnight Overdrive Synth-Rubber Jacket with Breathe-Tech
    • Location: Clothing vendors in Arroyo (The Manufactory, behind Megabuilding H4 in Santo Domingo), Little China and Wellsprings. Update 2.5 added the MaxiWear pieces. They aren’t always in stock, so skip 24 hours and check again.
  • Inner Torso: Paris Blue Office Shirt and Vest with Reinforced Seams
    • Location: Jinguji, the high-end clothing store in Japantown, Westbrook. It isn’t always in stock, so skip 24 hours and check again.
  • Legs: NUS Infiltrator Pants
    • Location: Saeko’s clothing store in Japantown, one floor above the street near the Sagan & Diamond fast travel point, or the clothing vendor on the elevated walkway north of Regina Jones in Kabuki. Update 2.5 added the NUS Infiltrator set.
  • Feet: NUS Infiltrator Boots
    • Location: Same as the pants: Saeko’s clothing store in Japantown or the clothing vendor north of Regina Jones in Kabuki.

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: SMG Build you want to focus on Shinobi, Engineer and Solo. Shinobi is the big one: every SMG kill and every dash in combat levels it. At level 50, sliding and Air Dashing reload 20% of your weapon, and at level 60 the Sandevistan gives +40% Crit Chance and makes movement free of Stamina cost. Engineer levels from Tech weapon kills, the rockets and crafting. It gives the extra Cyberware Capacity this build counts on, more Shock chance when you charge a Tech weapon at level 40, and more Bolt damage at level 55. Solo levels with the shotgun.


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.

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.

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.

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/Covert 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 SMG Build in Cyberpunk 2077

Here are a few general leveling tips for the SMG Build in Cyberpunk 2077.


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.

  1. Regular Start (Don’t skip ahead to Phantom Liberty).
  2. Immediately after the prologue, once you are out of your room and go downstairs before you enter the elevator.
    1. Weapon Vendor: Buy the Iconic pistol Dying Night.
    2. Coach Fred: Capacity Boosters (in case you get over capacity so you can still move).
  3. Buff Routine: Sleep & Shower. This gives you 20% Skill XP acquisition and Health Regen.
  4. Watson Clean Sweep (NCPD Missions):
    1. Watson is the first district you play in.
    2. Clearing all missions takes 1-2 hours. This will give you at least 10 levels, 15 Street Cred and over 150k Eddies Cash. 
    3. Loot all enemies and either disassemble for materials or sell them at the vendor for extra Eddies.
  5. Get the Fenrir SMG from the monk mission. This SMG is insanely good at the start because it often stuns enemies.
  6. Visit a Ripperdoc at level 10: After you have enough money, it’s time to get chromed up.
    1. Dynalar Sandevistan (Operating System): Sold from level 10. Slow motion for your SMGs until the Militech “Apogee” unlocks at level 40.
    2. Reinforced Tendons (Legs): Allow you to double jump, and Tailwind turns every double jump into Stamina later.
    3. Kerenzikov (Nervous System): Sold from level 10. Slows time by 60% when you aim during a slide, dodge or Dash.
    4. Projectile Launch System (Arms): Sold from level 10. Arm rockets for groups and cover.
    5. Synaptic Accelerator (Nervous System): Slows time by 20% for 2s when enemy detection reaches 50%.
    6. Whatever else you can fit!
  7. 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

Cyberpunk 2077 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 SMG Build in Cyberpunk 2077. Perks are the bread and butter of any CP2077 Build, as they significantly enhance your power.

  1. You get one Perk Point per character level.
  2. Skill Progression awards you with Perk Points.
  3. 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

Skill Progression Perk Points Cyberpunk 2077

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.

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 Dogtown. For example at the Longshore Stacks fast travel point, you also have vendors that sell you permanent upgrades.


Cyberpunk 2077 SMG Build FAQ

What is the best SMG in Cyberpunk 2077?

For this build, the Raiju: an iconic Tech SMG that shoots through cover and gets all the Bolt perks. The Problem Solver has the highest fire rate, and the Fenrir is the best early SMG. See my SMG ranking.

How do I get the Raiju in Cyberpunk 2077?

Defeat Ross Ulmer at the Increased Criminal Activity on Kress Street in Dogtown, take the Cache Access Card from his body and open the gated cache. Full walkthrough.

How do Bolts work with a Tech SMG?

Hold the trigger to charge the Raiju and let go just before the charge is full. Full-auto Tech weapons then fire a short burst of Bolts, which ignore Armor with Shock Value and arc to nearby enemies with Chain Lightning. Tech SMG Bolts Explained.

Why carry two SMGs?

Submachine Fun reloads an SMG automatically when you swap to it. With two SMGs, I swap every time a magazine runs empty and never reload by hand. How I fight.

Do SMGs and assault rifles use the same ammo?

Yes, both use Rifle Ammo. That is why my third weapon is a shotgun, which uses Shotgun Ammo, and why I craft Rifle Ammo before big fights.

Which Sandevistan is best for an SMG build?

The Militech “Apogee”: 85% slow motion with +20% headshot damage, Crit Chance and Crit Damage, and every activation triggers Ticking Time Bomb. The Falcon lasts longer if you want more sustain. How to use the Apogee.

Can I play the SMG Build without Phantom Liberty?

Yes. Use the Senkoh LX as your Tech SMG, since the Bolt perks work with every Tech weapon, and Kiroshi “Sentry” Optics instead of the Cockatrice. The Problem Solver, the Apogee, Kerenzikov and the Projectile Launch System are all in the base game.


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