Cyberpunk 2077: The Bladerunner Build

Every new game obviously starts with the character creation part. I first played with this build on very hard diffculty (only recommended if you have already completed the game or you have a lot of time doing side quests since it’ll make it much easier to complete the main storyline). Life path or gender only matters if you want to make up a cool background story for V. What matters more is where you invest the 7 given attribute points. With this build you want to have Level 6 Reflexes and Cool at the start (my advice here is to put the remaining 1 point into the Body attribute). Now that you have created your character, let’s move on to the next point.

The most important attribute we have is Reflexes here you want to invest in the Blades branch. The first thing you want to do is max out Reflexes as soon as possible. My advice here is that you should achieve both around Level 12 Reflexes and Cool. From that point you should go max out Reflexes. We need the attribute Cool because of the Cold Blood branch since it gives V many buffs. By the time you achieved both Level 20 Reflexes and Cool you still have 32 more levels until 50 (max character level). Personally I put my remaining points into the Body attribute and after what remains goes to the Tech attribute (you won’t need the Intelligence attribute in this build). Throughout the game, you can attain more perk points in various side quests and missions which you can spend on whatever you like (so don’t be surprised if the perks aren’t on max level yet and you have no points left). Also you can spend time on leveling up other branches and put those perk points into the ones you need. Now let’s take a look into the perks.

Reflexes – Blades

• Sting Like Bee – You gain attack speed which is essential in prolonged fights (also consider more attack speed as more damage).
• Roaring Waters – Strong attacks deal more damage and you will more likely to start fights with a strong attack (a must have).
• Crimson Dance – Combos have higher chance (max 30%) to apply Bleeding (can be very useful in the early stages of the game).
• Blessed Bladse – Increases Crit Chance with Blades (essential perk).
• Bloodlust – Recovers health after applying Bleeding or hitting an enemy affected by Bleeding (very useful).
• Judge, Jury And Executioner – The first attack (at max level) deals 2x damage to enemies with max health (important perk).
  
• Fiery Blast – You deal more damage as your opponent’s health decreases (essential against bosses and high threat enemies).
  
• Deathbolt – Basically works as a lifesteal perk. After defeating an enemy you recover health (you also gain movement speed).
• Flight Of The Sparrow – Don’t max this perk until the very end since Athletics branch can progress easier if you drain stamina with attacks.
• Slow And Steady, Unbroken Spirit, Offensive Defense, Float Like A Butterfly and Shifting Sands are defensive perks which you don’t really need until the very end. Also Stuck Pig and Crimson Tide are perks which makes Bleeding more effective but you don’t really need them early on.

Cool – Cold Blood

• Cold Blood – Gives movement speed (stacks up to 3 times at max level). Put a point here early on because it will keep leveling up the branch.
• Will To Survive – Gives resistance (important because there will be many scenarios where you will be outnumbered).
• Critical Condition – Increases the duration of Cold Blood (you can max this later).
• Defensive Clotting – Gives armor (important because there will be many scenarios where you will be exposed).
• Predator – Increases attack speed (generally good).
• Blood Brawl – Increases damage with melee weapons (generally good).
• Rapid Bloodflow – Gives you insane health regen inside and outside of combat (essential perk).
• Coolaguant – Stacks of Cold Blood removed one by one instead of all at once (useful in prolonged fights).
• Coldest Blood and Unbreakable both gives you an extra stack of Cold Blood.
• Bloodswell – Gives max stack of Cold Blood when health reaches 45%.
• Pain Is An Illusion – Reduces incoming damage.
• Cold And Calculating – Landing a Crit Hit has a chance of applying a stack of Cold Blood.
• Immunity – You are immune to all negative effects when Cold Blood is active.

Cool – Stealth

• Dagger Dealer – Allows you to throw knives (fancy perk).
• Assassin – Deal 15% more damage to human enemies (most of the enemies are human).
• Leg Up – Movement speed increase after takedowns (synergy with Annihilation branch).
• Cutthroat[/] – Thrown knives deal (at max level) 60% more damage (only if you unlocked Dagger Dealer).
  
• From The Shadows – Increases crit chance for 7 seconds upon entering combat.
• Cheat Death – When health drops below 50% reduce all incoming damage by 50% for 10 seconds (cannot occur more than once per minute).
• Hasty Retreat – Gives movement speed for 5 seconds after being detected (synergy with Annihilation branch).

Body – Athletics

• Regeneration – Health regen during combat (essential).
• Invincible – Increases max health by 30% (at max level) (very useful).
• True Grit – Increases stamina by 30% (at max level) (useful at the very end).
• Cardio Cure – Health regenerates faster when you move.
• Steel Shell – Increases armor by 10% (essential).
• Indestructible – Reduces incoming damage by 10% (essential).
• Dog Of War – Increases health regen in combat by 30% (at max level).
• Wolverine – Health regen activates 90% faster (at max level) during combat.

Body – Annihilation

• Manic – Increases movement speed upon entering combat (synergy with Leg Up perk).
• Speed Demon – You deal more damage the faster you move (synergy with Leg Up perk).
• Momentum Shift – Increases movement speed after defeating an enemy.

Basic katanas that can be purchased (Reddit)

There are three types of Blades in the game: knives, long blades and katanas. The main weapon is going to be a katana of any type. Since the Steam version of the game gives you a katana in the game early on (you can acquire it from the weapon stash in V’s apartment in Litte China (Watson)) you don’t have to look for one. There are many types of katanas in the game. Some of them are iconic and you have to find them during missions or side quests. Although these katanas have special attributes it’s not evident that these are the best you can get. The best damage you can get is around 2000 dps or maybe a bit higher. Best weapon mods for katana are Crunch, Penetrator and Pacifier. Let’s see the implants for this build.

Here are some Iconic katanas (Source[www.gamesatlas.com])

Cocktail Stick

Can be found in the mission “Automatic Love”.

Jinchu-Maru

Can be obtained after defeating Sandayu Oda in the mission “Play It Safe”.

Satori

Can be found in the mission “The Heist”.

Scalpel

Reward after completing the side quest “Big In Japan”.

Tsemutogi

Can be obtained by killing the Tyger Claws boss in the side quest “Pisces”.

• The Operating System will be a sandevistan in this build. The best you can get is the Militech “Falcon” Sandevistan Mk.5. All you have to know about sandevistans that they generally slow down time for a period of time while they increase damage and Crit chance but you lose your ability to hack. The Militech “Falcon” Sandevistan Mk.5 also increases Crit damage. You can get the Militech “Falcon” Sandevistan Mk.5 from the ripperdoc at Pumping Station (Wellsprings) for 43,750 eurodollars (requires 20 Reflexes).
• In the Frontal Cortex area you can only get a Heal-On-Kill (speaks for itself). The legendary version restores 10% of your health after defeating an enemy. You can buy the legendary version from Cassius at Northside (Watson) for 35,000 eurodollars (requires 18 Reflexes).
• Ocular System will be the Kiroshi Optics Mk.3. You can get this from Viktor at Little China for 5,000 eurodollars (requires to complete the side quest “Paid In Full”).
• For Circulatory System modifications I first chose a legendary Biomonitor which restores your entire healthbar if your health reaches 15%. You can get it from the rippedoc at the Aldelcados camp (The Badlands) (requires 18 Body). I chose a legendary Adrenaline Booster for the second slot. It restores 50% stamina after defeating an enemy. You can get this from Buck’s Clinic at Kabuki for 28,000 eurodollars (requires 18 Body). For the third slot I chose the legendary Syn-Lungs which increases stamina regen by 25%. Available for 7,000 eurodollars from the ripperdoc at Heywood (Wellsprings) (here you can also get the legendary Second Heart for 42,000 but since you already have a Biomonitor it would be a waste of eddies).
• Immune System will be essential in this build. The legendary Cataresist and Pain Editor are both must have modifications. Cataresist increases all Resistances by 35% for 14,000 eurodollars. Pain Editor reduces all incoming damage by 10% for 28,000 eurodollars. Both cyberware can be purchased at Finger’s M.D at Japantown, Westbrook (both requires 16 Cool).
• In the Nervous System section you can give some boost for the Operating System with the epic Nanorelays which increases the duration of the sandevistan’s active. For the second slot I chose the legendary Neofibers for +15% evasion. Nanorelays can be purchased for 20,000 while Neofibers comes with a price of 7,000 eurodollars. Both modifications can be found at Ocatvio’s Clinic at Arroyo (Santo Domingo) (both requires 18 Reflexes).
• Integumentary System offers many different options. The one thing you should definitely have is the legendary Subdermal Armor which gives 200 armor. Goes for 14,000 eurodollars and can be attained from Dr.Chrome at Kabuki Market (Watson).
• For Skeleton the best options are the legendary Synaptic Signal Optimizer which grants +60% max health (requires 20 Body) and the legendary Microrotors giving you +25% attack speed (requires 18 Reflexes). The legendary version of the Synaptic Signal Optimizer costs 28,000 eurodollars at Kraviz’s Clinic at Charter Hills (Westbrook). The legendary version of Microrotors available for 14,000 eurodollars at the ripperdoc at Kabuki (Watson).
• Since you are not going to use any sort of guns (this excludes snipers that might come in handy) in this build Hands modification can be anything. I personally recommend a Smart Link modification but the rarity doesn’t matter here.
• On the other hand (haha) the legendary Mantis Blade will be the Arms modification. you can get this for completely free after completing the side quest “Cyberpsycho Sighting: Phantom of Night City”.
• I chose Reinforced Tendons for Legs modifications. Can be purchased from every ripperdoc in Night City for 45,000 eurodollars.

Every build in Cyberpunk 2077 requires a different approach. (You can skip this part if you play on normal difficulty or below) The Bladerunner build is a bit of a struggle in the early stages of the game (just like most builds). The strongest reason is that you have to approach your enemies face to face to acquire experience in the skill tree. But in most cases getting close can be very hard since the vast majority of the enemies are armed with guns. The early stages of the game requires patience and clear thinking. That’s why I reckon playing side missions, to get ahead of the challenges you will be facing as you progress. The first major power spike comes when you get any kind of sandevistan and a better katana. From that moment you will have much easier time. Personally I did every single side quest before heading onto the main storyline. By the time I was around level 45 and had a bunch of “toys” to help me out in combat. It was ridiculous because all I had to do is activate my sandevistan and everyone was dead before the slow ended (I think my strongest crit was around 90,000). In my opinion this is one of the strongest builds you can have in the game. If you like carnage and heads rolling non-stop then you will definitely have a good time with this build.