In a game like Cyberpunk 2077, buildcrafting is everything. It will determine not only the powers V has but also the way they interact with the universe around them. However, with the initial release, the game was slightly flawed in the whole skills and perks system. It was overly confusing and left a lot of players giving up on the myriad of options available. Now, with the release of Cyberpunk 2077 2.0, the skill, attributes, and perks tree has been completely revamped.
Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 skills guide
The progression path in Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 is broken up into 5 different sections, or 6 if you have purchased the Phantom Liberty expansion. Once you level up or complete certain tasks, V is rewarded with both perk and attribute points to distribute around their skill tree. With the new, reworked system and all new skills, creating a killer build is so much easier. Here is my guide to each of the different attributes and a selection of what are the best skills to unlock within each of them.
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Body
The Body attribute is all about brute strength and raw muscular power. I always loved this one as it allowed me to rip turrets from their harness and carry them, smash my way through locked doors, and intimidate people with my sheer size in conversations. Basically, everything I am too puny to do in real life.
As well as being great for tanking your way through Cyberpunk 2077 2.0, it also helps you to specialize in blunt weapons, shotguns, LMGs, and HMGs. Furthermore, every attribute point you spend on Body provides an extra +2 health point.
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Top 3 Body Perks
Spontaneous Obliteration – This will cost you 15 Attribute points in the Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 Body attribute and a further 5 skill points to unlock. However, Spontaneous Obliteration, at its most upgraded, gives a chance to kill and dismember enemies at low health. This is one of the best skills due to its possibility to spread as you buy the various skills around it.
Quake – Again, this will need at least a level 15 Body attribute and will set you back 5 perk points. Quake is a must-have for anyone wanting to swing around big, blunt weapons. The Quake skill gives you the ability to slam into the ground, damaging everyone around you.
Painkiller – Although almost instantly available in the Body attribute tree, this is an essential skill for any player in Cyberpunk 2077 2.0. It grants the ability to slowly regain health in combat, giving you a subtle but essential buff.
Reflexes
Reflexes are for the player looking to make a fast and effective ninja build. The Reflex attribute improves things like SMG, Assault Rifle, and Blade skills. It also dictates how well you move around a map, allowing you such movements as the dash, slide, and double jump.
With the Reflexes Attribute tree, you become a fast-moving vehicle of death, equipped with fast-firing and swinging weapons.
Along with the bonuses to movement and weaponry, each attribute point spent in Reflexes opens up various speech checks and adds +0.5 crit hit chance.
Top 3 Reflexes perks
Lead and Steel – While using a blade, you now have the chance to deflect incoming projectiles. This does consume stamina, but there are plenty of ways to mitigate this. Later in this branch, deflected projectiles can be redirected at enemies. This skill can be picked up really early on in the Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 attribute tree with only 2 skill points.
Salt in The Wound – This is an amazing perk that rewards accuracy with the Assault Rifle. On every seventh consecutive hit, the sum total of the damage of the previous shots is delivered in a single bullet. With a fast-firing gun and a steady hand, this is devastating. However, it is right at the end of the Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 skill tree and will cost 6 skill points to get to.
Air Dash – Being able to move around in the air with a dash hardly needs selling. Airborn effectiveness basically makes you an Apache helicopter. A very mid-cost skill at only halfway up the attribute tree and 6 skill points.
Technical Ability
Health, technical know-how, and explosives are the focus of Technical Ability in Cyberpunk 2077 2.0. As you put attribute points into this section, you will improve your conversation options. Also, as it levels up, it will become possible to hack your way through locks and devices, similar to the brute force used by Body. For every point put into the Technical Ability attribute, V gains +2 armor.
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Top 3 Technical Ability skills
Borrowed Time – A minor addition to a very important tree, this skill 100% charges a health item after killing an enemy. Basically, it brings your showdowns to you or them. The whole left side of Technical Ability is essential to almost every build, so pay attention.
License to Chrome – Seemingly simple, yet very important to anyone packing some serious cyberware. At the base level, this adds a huge 10% increase to all cyberware stat modifiers, and when completely leveled up, adds a whole new cyberware slot for the skeleton in Cyberpunk 2077 2.0. It needs 15 ability points and 5 skill points to unlock.
Bolt – Although it is one of the first perks you can unlock for Tech weapons, it is still super important. It builds the foundation for some seriously overpowered builds and makes Tech weapons much more deadly.
Intelligence
Smart weapons and quickhacks are the core of the Intelligence attribute tree. Gaining points in the Intelligence attribute grants 1 RAM per 4 points spent.
Top 3 Intelligence skills
Hack Queue – Being able to stack quickhacks and then make your next move is a fantastic skill to have in your arsenal. It allows you to move around a room, causing devastation without ever being found out. You can play a game of chess, making moves far ahead of your opponent, and wipe a whole room before they know that you’re even there. It is relatively quick to acquire and only costs 3 skill points and 9 intelligence attribute points in Cyberpunk 2077 2.0.
Overclock – At level three, this skill allows you to use your quickhacks beyond the limits of your RAM. However, this is to the detriment of your health. As you progress up this tree, you will actually find hurting yourself to use quickhacks can cause even more damage with the Race Against Mind skill.
Recirculation – This skill may be overlooked, but for anyone climbing the Intelligence tree and using Smart weapons along with their Quickhacks, it creates an incredible backscratching effect that will leave you always in RAM. Every time you get a kill with a Smart weapon, you gain +2 RAM, and if they’re affected by a Quickhack, gain 50% of that quickhack back. It’ll cost you a solid 8 skill points and 9 attribute points though, but it is a great option for any intelligence build in Cyberpunk 2077 2.0.
Cool
The Cool attribute tree is less about wearing your cap on backward and nailing a sick kickflip and more about remaining stealthy and keeping a steady hand. Like most other attributes in Cyberpunk 2077 2.0, leveling it up will unlock new dialogue options. Additionally, it will add 1.25% critical damage.
I find the Cool attributes pair very nicely with Reflexes or Intelligence. Maxing out both can create a ninja assassin that strikes from the dark and is returned to the shadows before anyone knows what has happened.
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Top 3 Cool skills
Deadeye – This is one of my favorite skills is the Cool tree, and perhaps in the whole game. I often used Precision Rifles, Revolvers, and Pistols, and with level 3 Deadeye, my headshots and weak spot hits caused +25% damage, had -25% stamina cost, and no spread. When paired with Focus and its subsidiary, Deep Breath, time is also slowed, and rooms full of people become shooting ranges.
To get the whole set, you will need to spend 7 Skill points and 9 Attribute points. However, the cost is well worth it for your Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 build.
Ninjitsu – This skill is more of an essential than a fun extra. It unlocks the ability to sprint when crouching when fully upgraded, meaning you can move around silently at insane speeds but probably look really stupid while doing it. There is a reason there will never be a third-person mode in Cyberpunk 2077 2.0. 15 Attribute points and only 4 skill points are needed to unlock it.
Killer Instinct – This is an almost standalone skill in Cyberpunk 2077 2.0. However, it unlocks a great ability for anyone wanting to play a sneaky game. It allows you to judge the damage of a throwable attack before it is done outside of combat. Additionally, it adds +25% damage.
Relic
If you have gone out and paid for Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, you will have access to the Relic skill trees. There are some of the best skills available to V. The tree will improve and Cyberware you have equipped to your arms and improve either stealth or gunplay. Unlike the other skills, this attribute will not improve your speech checks or give any other bonuses. There aren’t a lot of options for the Relic skill trees. Each of them shines in its own way. How you want to play determines what you choose to spend points on.
