walkthrough

Best starter build for Cyberpunk 2.0+

The 2.0 overhaul rewrote builds. Here is the most forgiving build for a first run on the current patch.

Best starter build for Cyberpunk 2.0+

The 2.0 patch (and Phantom Liberty's content) reworked perks, attributes, and cyberware. If you're starting fresh in 2026, the old Reflexes/Body min-max is dead. Here's a build that scales for the whole game.

Attribute priority

  1. Reflexes 20 — pistols, rifles, blades, dodge, mantis blades. The carry stat.
  2. Body 20 — health, melee, shotguns, doors. Survival floor.
  3. Technical Ability 15 — better cyberware slots, more armor. Massive QoL.
  4. Intelligence 9-12 — for Quickhacks if you go netrunner-curious. Skip past 12 unless going full netrunner.
  5. Cool 9 — stealth + crit damage.

Perk priorities

  • Body → Adrenaline Rush (max-tier health regen)
  • Reflexes → Slippery + Multitasker (movement + dual-wield bonus)
  • Technical → Edgerunner (1 extra cyberware capacity)

Early-game weapon

  • Lexington pistol with Crunch mod carries you to level 15. Free during the heist tutorial.
  • Replace at level 15-20 with Iconic Pistol of choice (we have a guide for that).

If stuck: if you're dying constantly past Act 1, your Body is too low or your cyberware capacity is full. Visit a Ripperdoc and free up slots.