Cyberpunk 2077: Samurai best build

One of the available play styles in Cyberpunk 2077 is using melee weapons. The samurai build - an agile character using a katana fits this play style perfectly. In the guide you will find a comprehensive description of this build - you will learn how to move on the battlefield, how to properly develop attributes and perks, as well as which cyberware works best with a katana.

• The most important assumptions of the samurai build
• Character creation
• Key attributes
• Key perks
• Main weapon
• Best cyberware
• How to play as a samurai? - general tips

The most important assumptions of the samurai build

In Cyberpunk 2077, you can use many types of weapons and even fight with your bare fists. However, this build is about fighting with a katana and being highly mobile. It also focuses on using cyberware slow down the time, which can reduce the risk of taking damage, and make your attacks more precise.

Playing as a samurai with a katana can prove problematic during some boss fights and force you to come up with a different tactic to win. In addition, you have to remember that the samurai build does not use hacks, so it is not an optimal choice if you want your V to have some hacking abilities.

Character creation

When creating a character in Cyberpunk 2077, you receive 7 points which you can distribute among the five attributes. It's important to note here that you can't assign them all to one attribute, because the limit of each attribute in the character creator has been set to 6. We suggest you spend the attribute points as follows:

1. Body - 6 points
2. Reflexes - 6 points
3. Technical Ability - 4 points

Key attributes

The key attributes for the samurai build are:

1. Reflexes: this attribute can increase the character's mobility and chances of critical hits (0.5% per level), it is also important to gain access to perks related to dash.
2. Body: in this case, additional health points (2 per level) and perks related to faster health restoration are crucial, as the samurai will lose hp more often because of fighting at close range.

Make sure to level up Body, Reflexes and Technical Ability to 20 points. Next, focus on developing Cool - you will be able to have a dozen points in it. Completely ignore Intelligence and leave it at the starting level of 3 points.

Key perks

On the Reflexes tree, start by acquiring the perks Dash and Air Dash. These are key to providing V with sufficiently high mobility. It can help both in dodging attacks and in reaching enemies more efficiently.

The Lead and Steel perk begins a branch of the tree related to blades, which also includes katanas. The key choice is the Finisher: Bladerunner. Purchase all 3 levels of this perk. It will allow you to execute an opponent who has little health left, recovering 25% of your health. There are also additional bonuses to reduce stamina consumption and improve the speed of attacks. Related smaller perks can, among other things, increase the range of the finisher by 100% or temporarily increase V's speed after performing it.

Also unlock the Slaughterhouse perk when you reach the attribute level 20. It provides a chance to apply the bleeding status effect and you may also recover stamina if you have dismembered the enemy.

On the Body tree, you should get the perks linked to the health bar.

Painkiller is the basis for providing passive health regeneration during battles. Adrenaline Rush provides a permanent health and its regeneration. When activating the mode you get adrenaline points that act as temporary health. Pain to Gain accelerates the regeneration of health resources when killing enemies - this can work perfectly with the aggressive katana play style.

On the Technical Ability tree, the most useful perk becomes available only after reaching 20 attribute points - it's the Ticking Time Bomb. It works great with the Sandevistan operating system, which you will be using in this build. It will allow you to send powerful EMP charges that can weaken and stun nearby enemies.

Other noteworthy perks are Glutton for War (faster regeneration of healing items and grenades by killing enemies) and Health Freak (faster regeneration of healing items and 1 extra healing charge).

Main weapon

The main weapon in the described build is, of course, a katana. Throughout the game you will come across plenty of "common" katanas, but you should focus on obtaining one of the unique iconic weapons.

Our recommended katana is the Byakko. This weapon cannot be found or purchased in a specific location. Instead, you must complete all the Gigs in the Westbrook district. V will then be contacted by Wakako Okada. The katana is waiting for you in a drop point in one of your apartments. This katana allows you to leap towards enemies and perform combinations of quick attacks. It also has very useful bonuses to armor penetration and the chance of causing bleeding.

It's also worth having some spare firearms at the ready, preferably also an iconic weapon. This can help especially during boss fights, but also in those situations where V can't quickly reach the enemy.

Best cyberware

The best operating system for the samurai build is Militech "Apogee" Sandevistan.

The Apogee variant is linked to the Reflex attribute and allows you to activate time slowdown, which is very helpful when wielding a katana. You will also get better critical damage chance and higher critical damage. Killing enemies while the time is slowed down can also prolong the effect of the cyberware and restore stamina faster.

As for the other categories, we recommend:

1. Kiroshi "The Oracle" Optics in the Face category - The implant can highlight enemies, cameras, turrets and traps when activating the scanner. You can also use optical zoom.
2. Ballistic Coprocessor in the Hands category - It is not useful for using the katana, but will offer valuable support for backup firearms (it has to be the Power type) and the ability to ricochet bullets.
3. Adrenaline Booster in the Circulatory System category - It is able to renew some of your stamina if you have killed an enemy with a katana (or other melee weapon).
4. Reinforced Tendons in the Legs category - You can perform a double jump, and you'll gain a lot by investing development points in perks from the Dash group.
5. Newton Module in the Frontal Cortex category - It can shorten the cooldown of all your cyberware after eliminating an enemy.
6. Mantis Blades in the Arms category - In certain situations they can replace a katana. In addition, you can gain a bonus to melee attacks.
7. Para Bellum in the Skeleton category - The implant can provide an additional bonus to armor.
8. Adrenaline Converter in the Nervous System category - It can increase your movement speed for a few seconds after starting a fight.
9. Subdermal Armor in the Integumentary System category - In addition to enhancing your armor, you can also gain a health bonus and reduce the enemies' field of vision.

How to play as a samurai? - general tips

1. Use dash and then follow it with quick katana attacks. After eliminating an enemy, you can quickly attack the next one, or use dash again to get away from danger. Also stay on the move at all times to make yourself a difficult target.
2. Keep an eye on your health and stamina bars. When your health is low, remember to use health items. You can also wait with attacks until your stamina is back.
3. Slow down the time with the Sandevistan cyberware. It's best to activate it when you are moving towards an enemy and turn it off before the finisher so you won't run out of it.
4. Have some kind of firearm when you feel that a katana won't be enough. You should also remember about grenades, especially since some of the perks can speed up their renewal.

Cyberpunk 2077

December 10, 2020

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