Cyberpunk 2077: Best Starting Attributes and Perks

Those new to Cyberpunk 2077, might want to check out some of the best Attributes and Perks to invest in early, as earning both Attribute Points and Perk Points isn’t going to be the easiest thing in the world, and in Cyberpunk 2077, a challenge can lurk in every corner of Night City, so new players will want to head in with the greatest potential that they can.

There are many factors to consider when discussing the best Attributes and Perks for starting players, such as the build potential. For this guide, the main focus will be on a well-rounded starting character for combat, rather than a character focused on the more veteran aspects, like stealth and hacking.

Updated on December 12, 2024, by Jake Fillery: Starting out in Night City isn’t going to be easy, but if players want their V to become a Night City Legend, they are going to need to know the best-starting Attributes and the best-starting Perks to use in Cyberpunk 2077, especially since the game celebrates 4-years, and the 2.2 Update has just hit. With a fresh run in Cyberpunk 2077, these are the Perks and Attributes players will want to focus on, in order of importance.

Best Starting Body Perks

An Attribute Deck That Improves Physical Power & Fortitude

• +2 Max Health per Attribute Point
• Open doors by force
• Rip off turrets
• Intimidate/solo-trained dialogue choices

Improved proficiency with Shotguns, Light Machine Guns, and Blunt Weapons

Out of all the different Attributes, Body is perhaps one of the most important ones to level up. Many of the Perks found in the Body Attribute Tree involve improving health regeneration and fortitude, ensuring that players can soak up more damage as they face off against a plethora of enemies.

It’s also great for just brute strength in general, as players can run around without flinching to gunfire, blasting enemies with their shotguns and light machine guns. Plenty of dialogue options have a requirement for the Body Attribute, and many locked doors can be opened with force, so dumping a few points into Body is a good idea.

Below, are three important Body Perks to invest into early.

Painkiller

Unlocks Slow Health Regen in Combat

• Requires 4 Attribute Points in Body

The first Perk players can get for the Body Attribute is Painkiller, which will allow them to slowly heal during combat. Whilst the healing isn’t all that great, the addition of Health Regen can certainly help change the tide of war, especially in harder difficulties when health is low, healing items are out, and players are trapped, awaiting a fresh batch of health to carry them through the fight.

Die! Die! Die!

Increases Crit Chance as Stamina Decreases (Shotguns, LMGs, HMGs)

• Requires 9 Attribute Points in Body

Die! Die! Die! is a brutal Perk that only really works for those who want to seek the action of Shotguns, LMGs, and HMGs. With the first level of this perk, players can have an increase to the Crit Chance depending on their Stamina, allowing a maximum of +12.5%. At level 2, the perk is even better, as weapon handling is improved when Stamina is running low, allowing players to keep up the fight even when exhausted.

Adrenaline Rush

+25 Max Health

• Requires 15 Attribute Points in Body

Whilst the cost might seem a bit high, Adrenaline Rush is definitely worth it, as not only is an additional 35 points to Max Health a great advantage, but at level 2, players will have a +20$ Health Regen bonus, stacking with all Health Regen effects and sources, meaning even in combat, that health will stack up nicely.

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The third level is also great, as it unlocks Adrenaline Rush mode, providing players with Adrenaline equal to 30% Max Health, essentially boosting their health past the threshold, indicated by a yellow bar.

Best Starting Reflexes Perks

An Attribute Tree Dedicated To Maneuverability and Evasion

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• +0.5% Crit Chance per Attribute Point
• Improve proficiency with Assault Rifles, Submachine Guns, and Blades
• Unlocks advanced movements
• Allows quick, observant remarks in dialogue

Reflexes is another important Attribute that will see some action in dialogue trees. Whilst it’s not used as efficiently as forcing open doors, it’s still something to be aware of when talking to other characters in Night City. Yet, players shouldn’t focus it solely on dialogue, as Reflexes is great for some of the best weapons in the game, like assault rifles and submachine guns.

More importantly, Reflexes should be upgraded for the extra movement options available to players, as this Attribute Tree involves all terms of mobility and evasion, allowing players to dodge more attacks, and even speed up their adrenaline-fueled movements to further enhance the exciting gunplay and melee combat. The reason this is important early in the game is so players have a better feel for the combat whilst they progress through missions.

Below, are four important Reflexes Perks to invest into early.

Slippery

Moving Fast Makes It Harder For Enemies To Shoot V

• Requires 4 Attribute Points in Reflexes

When it comes to fast-moving games like Cyberpunk 2077, it’s always best to have the edge over the competition with something like the Slippery perk. With this perk, players will become a harder target to shoot the more they move. This effect is increased for players in the middle of Dashing, dodging, sliding, sprinting, and vaulting.

Muscle Memory

Reload Weapons While Sprinting, Sliding, and Vaulting

• Requires 4 Attribute Points in Reflexes

Unlock even further mobility with Muscle Memory, a perk that can be grabbed straight after Slippery, requiring no extra Attribute Points, but allowing for maximum potential. With Muscle Memory, players will be able to reload their weapons in the middle of sprinting, sliding, and vaulting, actions that players will surely do in the midst of combat, so the fact that they do not have to cancel a reload just to avoid gunfire is going to help out a lot.

Dash

-20% Stamina Cost For Dodges and Dashes

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• Requires 9 Attribute Points in Reflexes

Not only will players be able to dodge and dash for 20% less Stamina than normal, but at Level 2, they will unlock the ability to Dash, used with Left Control/Circle/B. Dashing replaces dodging, and allows players to cover more ground, vaulting obstacles automatically, and moving out of the way of gunfire and deadly enemy attacks with intense speed and ease.

Air Dash

-20% Dash Stamina Cost

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• Requires 15 Attribute Points in Reflexes

Not only will level one of Air Dash see players receive a further -20% Stamina cost per dash, but level two will increase the Dash speed by a whopping +20%, allowing more fluid motion when moving around the battlefield. In case that wasn’t enough for high-octane action, players can access level 3, allowing them to Dash in midair, making their movements incredibly fast and fluid.

Best Starting Technical Ability Perks

An Attribute Dedicated To Technology, Explosives, and Cyberware

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• +2 Armor per Attribute Point
• Improve proficiency with Explosives and Tech Weapons
• Compatible with high-end cyberware
• bypass some locks
• Override devices
• Tech-savvy knowledge dialogue options

V, and players, are going to want to increase their cyberware as they progress through Cyberpunk 2077. The game has a variety of options, and the best ripperdocs in Night City will provide players with plenty of upgrade potential, provided that they bring the eddies. However, to make the best use of these cyberware upgrades, players will need enough points in the Technical Ability Attribute Tree, allowing V to become more compatible with certain cyberware modifications.

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Technical Ability also aids with using explosives and tech weapons, but one of the best uses also involves the environment, as the higher the Technical Ability, the more things V can interact with, like deactivating mines, or bypassing locked doors and devices. The dialogue options do not do much for Technical Ability, but the Attribute more than speaks for itself with the perks available.

Below, are three important Technical Ability Perks to invest into early.

Glutton For War

5% Instant Recharge Of Health Items and Grenades After Neutralizing An Enemy

• Requires 4 Attribute Points in Technical Ability

Early in the game, things can get a bit hectic. After all, Night City is a dangerous place, and V can’t just build their legendary status in a day. Starting off with Glutton For War, the first Technical Ability perk players can purchase, players will be able to earn a 5% instant recharge of Health items and grenades per kill. This easily makes Health and grenades accessible to players just through a short killing spree of enemies.

Transfusion

+30% Health From The Final Health Item Charge

• Requires 4 Attribute Points in Technical Ability

With combat assured for Cyberpunk 2077, players might want to look into grabbing Transfusion, a perk that will basically ensure that they can get a surge of health every time they use their last healing item. Since healing items are on a timer rather than collected consumables, players might want to make sure they are getting the most out of it before they have to wait for the countdown again.

All Things Cyber

Add Cyberware Stat Modifiers and Decrease Cyberware Capacity Cost

• Requires 9 Attribute Points in Technical Ability

All Things Cyber has two effective levels that are essential for players. Level 1 is great, allowing players to add a +10% to every cyberware stat modifier. Level 2 is even better, since it decreases the Cyberware Capacity cost in the Integumentary System and Skeleton by 20%, allowing even more cyberware to be added to V without going cyberpsycho or hitting the limit.

Best Starting Cool Perks

An Attribute Set Dedicated To Stealth, Throwables, Handguns, and Street-Smart Dialogue

• +1.25% Crit Damage per Attribute Point
• Improve proficiency with Precision Rifles, Sniper Rifles, Handguns, and Throwable Weapons
• Unlock advanced, stealthy Perk abilities
• Allows subtle or street-smart dialogue choices

Cool may not be for everyone, but it’s essential for those who want to build upon stealth as part of their V’s DNA. Cool is necessary for stealth perks and for cooler dialogue options that might just get them out of trouble with a few points of charisma that would have Johnny Silverhand jealous of a silver tongue.

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Cool is to be prioritized for those who want further stealth abilities, or just want to effectively use throwing knives for their great potential in a sneaky battle. Cool is also the way that players can see further mastery of Handguns, Precision Rifles, and Sniper Rifles, so anyone who wants to use the best handguns in Cyberpunk 2077 will want to invest heavily into Cool.

Below, are three important Cool Perks to invest in early.

Killer Instinct

+25% Damage with Knives, Axes, Silenced Guns Outside of Combat

• Requires 4 Attribute Points in Cool

Providing assassin abilities for a true merc, Killer Instinct will provide an instant +25% damage bonus when using knives, axes, and silenced guns but only if players are outside of active combat. This means players must still be in stealth and be undetected to see the bonus. To ensure a clean kill, players will also see a preview of the estimated damage upon each shot inflicted, allowing them to see if it’s enough to take their target out or to see if a second shot is required.

Increase Movement Speed and Mitigation Chance When Crouched

• Requires 4 Attribute Points in Cool

Feline Footwork is nearly essential to those who are going to be spending a lot of time in stealth, as it will increase the movement speed when crouched by 15%. This speed will allow them to better navigate stealthy areas and avoid detection, and it’s further enhanced by the +15% Mitigation chance, meaning they have a decent chance at reducing incoming damage, even if they are caught. Whilst not the best Cool perk in Cyberpunk 2077, it is the gateway to further unlocks down the road at higher Attribute Point investments for Cool.

Focus

More Headshot Damage and Slow Time While Aiming

• Requires 9 Attribute Points in Cool

One of the first entry perks players should grab in the Cool Attribute is Focus, which requires 2 Perk Points to be ultra-effective. Focus works on Pistols, Revolvers, Precision Rifles, and Sniper Rifles, and at its first level, players have a +10% headshot and weakspot damage bonus, which really adds up, especially in stealth. At Level 2, players can access Focus mode, which means that when they are at full stamina and they aim, they will slow time for 2.5 seconds, allowing precise shots that can take out a group of enemies in a flash without a Sandveistan.

Best Starting Intelligence Perks

An Attribute List For Netrunners and Smart Weapons

• +1 Max RAM per 4 Attribute Points
• Improve proficiency with Smart Weapons
• Unlock Netrunner abilities
• Provides knowledgeable dialogue for the Net

Intelligence definitely isn’t essential to every V out there, and some might choose to skip it all together and keep it at the bare minimum of 3. Intelligence is used for Netrunners and Netrunners only, so if players are not interested in being the ultimate hacker and making the criminals of Night City overload, then they should look to invest elsewhere.

For the players who are interested in Netrunners, there is quite a set of investments that need to be made before players will see themselves become completely overpowered, as Smart Weapons are not the best, and Netrunner abilities can be expensive and complex.

Below, are three important Intelligence Perks to purchase.

Eye in the Sky

Highlights Nearby Access Points and Cameras With Cheaper Quickhacks

• Requires 4 Attribute Points in Intelligence

To avoid being caught by cameras, Eye in the Sky will automatically highlight them, as well as access points. Players can then hack into these cameras and use quickhacks on enemies that will cost 1 less RAM and have an extended +50% duration. Whilst it’s not the best Intelligence perk, it’s essential if players want to invest further into the tree.

Optimization

+35% RAM Recovery Rate

• Requires 4 Attribute Points in Intelligence

Intelligence is mainly restricted to those who want to become the best Netrunners, and Optimization is the foundation that players need to build upon. With Optimization, players will have a +35% RAM recovery rate, allowing them to use more extensive and powerful quickhacks without having to wait so long for the cooldown to refresh. With Optimization ready to go, players can invest in further Intelligence skills along the line for quickhacks.

Hack Queue

More RAM and Unlocks Quickhack Queues

• Requires 9 Attribute Points in Intelligence

Requiring 2 Perk Points to fully invest into, Hack Queue is going to be necessary if Netrunners want to provide single enemies with a queue of quickhacks, allowing them to automatically upload quickhacks that can devastate single opponents. This is great for those who have invested in a cyberdeck, especially since the second quickhack has a +30% upload speed. Level 1 of this perk is also good as it provides an additional point in RAM.

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Released

December 10, 2020

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