Cyberpunk 2077: The 8 Best Quickhacks to Dominate Night City

In the world of Cyberpunk 2077, Quickhacks are indispensable tools for any Netrunner aiming to establish a reputation in Night City. These powerful hacks, available on the market, can even bring down entire empires when used correctly within the right Cyberdeck. The influence of these Quickhacks in Cyberpunk 2077 should not be understated; more often than not, the hack proves mightier than a bullet.

Many adversaries may prefer allying with Sandevistans and strong firepower, but what about the character who has delved into Intelligence and amassed an army of Quickhacks? That’s a character who will set Night City ablaze, wielding powers that only a seasoned Netrunner can command.

8. Memory Wipe

Keep Stealth Going by Preventing Enemies From Noticing V

Effects: Untraceable. Prevents the target enemy from noticing you for a short time. -35% trace progress when uploading outside of combat. Quickhacks queued after Memory Wipe are not traceable. Forces all enemies to exit combat state.
Iconic Variant: Purchased from Sammy Taylor at the EBM Petrochem Stadium, Dogtown (Phantom Liberty)

The Memory Wipe feature grants players an opportunity for undetected gameplay when playing stealthily, as it ensures they become invisible to adversaries, provided it’s utilized away from combat. This implies that enemies focused on the player will be oblivious to their presence, allowing them to approach closely enough to execute a fatal attack.

Memory Wipe isn’t top-notch as a Quickhack, but it’s not the least effective either. Upgraded versions like Tier 5 and Iconic will significantly decrease upload time and allow players to incapacitate enemies before they even notice them, making it ideal for stealth enthusiasts. However, it caters more to those who prioritize a stealthy approach in gameplay.

7. Cripple Movement

Disable Enemy Movement and Cyberware

Effects: Disables enemy movement and cyberware that supports movement and dodging. +15% melee damage against affected enemies. Affected enemies are more susceptible to melee Finishers. +5% Health and +2 RAM after performing Finishers on affected enemies.
Iconic Variant: Purchased from Sammy Taylor at the EBM Petrochem Stadium, Dogtown (Phantom Liberty)

In Night City, numerous gangs rely heavily on cyberware for mobility. The Cripple Movement Quickhack, therefore, impairs their ability to move, making them stationary and exposed targets for attack. Additionally, enhanced versions of this hack boost the effectiveness of melee attacks against them, while also increasing your health and RAM when you deliver a Finisher.

It’s clear that when players have an effortless method to essentially immobilize opponents, allowing them to merely observe as V unleashes a prolonged cyberpsychotic episode for more than thirteen seconds, it underscores the immense power that a Netrunner can wield in skillful hands.

6. Cyberware Malfunction

Disable Enemy Cyberware and Increase Their Vulnerability

Effects: Stacks up to 8 times. Disables enemy cyberware for 10 seconds and increases all damage against the affected enemy by 5%. At 2 stacks, permanently disables enemy cyberware. At 3 stacks, deals Electrical damage over time. Each application refreshes the effect’s duration or reapplies the effect. At maximum stacks, enemy cyberware overloads, dealing massive damage. Cyberware Malfunction cannot be used on the same enemy again.
Iconic Variant: Purchased from Sammy Taylor at the EBM Petrochem Stadium, Dogtown (Phantom Liberty)

In Night City, using the Cyberware Malfunction Quickhack might not entirely incapacitate regular enemies as the Cripple Movement Quickhack does, but it has a more significant role against cyberpsychos and criminal elements with excessive cybernetic enhancements. By triggering Cyberware Malfunction, you can render an enemy’s cybernetic equipment inoperable, making Mantis Blade wielders or Sandevistan users powerless against the character using this Quickhack.

For the next ten seconds, targets affected by Quickhack will experience a 5% heightened susceptibility to harm from all directions. This makes for an excellent opportunity for players to inflict maximum damage on them. Piling up Quickhacks only amplifies this vulnerability, potentially disabling the enemy’s cybernetic enhancements and escalating the damage inflicted upon them.

5. Sonic Shock

Cloak Enemies From Others to Single Them Out for a Stealth Kill

Effects: Untraceable. Quickhacks against the affected enemy still initiate trace progress but do not increase it. Deafens the enemy, reducing their ability to detect you. Scrambles comms, preventing the affected enemy from communicating with their allies. Cloaks the enemy from their allies’ sensory systems, causing them to be ignored. Uploading Sonic Shock to an enemy already affected by Memory Wipe and reboot Optics will cause them to lose consciousness.
Iconic Variant: Purchased from Sammy Taylor at the EBM Petrochem Stadium, Dogtown (Phantom Liberty)

With the proper combination with other Quickhacks, Sonic Shock can transform into a formidable force on the battlefield, as V tracks down opponents like phantoms. More potent versions of Sonic Shock will enable players to conceal their targets from teammates, making them an easy target that other enemies overlook once Sonic Shock is activated, causing them to be vulnerable and exposed for attack.

Instead of Sonic Shock being the best option for maximum damage to eliminate enemies, its stealth abilities that allow for precise targeting of an adversary and silent takedowns using a suppressed weapon or another Quickhack, make it an ideal choice for V who prefers to operate covertly in every combat scenario.

4. Contagion

Poison Enemies That Can Spread to Others

Effects: Infects the enemy with a virus that causes toxic cyberware substances to leak. This deals poison damage over time and can spread to 4 enemy(-ies) within 8m. Effective against closely grouped enemies. Ineffective against mechs, robots, drones, and turrets. Stacks 2 times. Applying a Burn or Overheat effect against an affected enemy will cause the leaked toxic substance to detonate. The explosion removes Contagion’s effect. +15% damage with this quickhack against each subsequent enemy it spreads to.
Iconic Variant: Purchased from Sammy Taylor at the EBM Petrochem Stadium, Dogtown (Phantom Liberty)

The deadly virus known as Contagion allows players to poison their opponents with harmful cyberware. This toxicity gradually harms the enemies for a duration of 6 to 8 seconds. During this time, enemies won’t be able to pinpoint the source of the damage. Moreover, the effect can accumulate among multiple enemies, causing entire enemy empires to crumble mysteriously before they even realize what’s happening to them.

With the addition of the Overheat Quickhack, variants at Tier 4 and higher will merge a toxic effect with a burning one to detonate foes, disseminating lethal viruses among enemies simultaneously. This also increases the duration and intensity of its harmful impact, causing them to collapse like a line of dominos.

3. Synapse Burnout

Deals Immense Physical Damage

Effects: Deals heavy damage. Damage increases by 10% for each RAM unit currently spent (max. +300%). =2 RAM cost for 15 seconds after neutralizing an enemy with this quickhack. Stacks 3 times. When Overclock is active, the damage bonus for Synapse Burnout (based on spent RAM) increases by 100%. Neutralizing an enemy with this quickhack extends Overclock’s duration by 3 seconds.
Iconic Variant: Purchased from Sammy Taylor at the EBM Petrochem Stadium, Dogtown (Phantom Liberty)

For those tough Netrunners among you, Synapse Burnout serves as an ideal Quickhack. It complements the Overclock perk from the Intelligence Attribute exceptionally well, amplifying the maximum damage bonus to a staggering 500% and prolonging the effect on enemies. In essence, this Quickhack is dangerously effective, causing rapid death due to symptoms similar to a stroke.

For hardcore Netrunners, Synapse Burnout works as their go-to Quickhack. It boosts the Overclock perk from Intelligence Attribute, increasing damage up to 500% and prolonging its effect on enemies. In other words, it’s a deadly Quickhack that brings swift death due to stroke-like symptoms.)

Dropping this Quickhack onto an adversary could set you back a bit, but the significant boost in damage ensures they won’t rise again, and should they do so, their remaining time is likely to be very brief, either with another Quickhack or a well-placed bullet to the head.

2. Suicide

Force Enemies to Take Their Own Lives

Effects: Forces the enemy to put a gun to their head and pull the trigger, neutralizing them.
Iconic Variant: Purchased from Sammy Taylor at the EBM Petrochem Stadium, Dogtown (Phantom Liberty)

One entertaining yet grim option among the Quickhacks is the Suicide Quickhack, which compels enemies to take their own lives. Witnessing the chaos as an enemy you’ve hacked suddenly turns their weapon on themselves can be quite amusing. In the thick of combat, this quickhack proves useful since the Iconic and Tier 5 versions grant a 10% or 20% health boost to any foe eliminated by this Quickhack.

Watching adversaries in Cyberpunk 2077 bite down on metal triggers and fire, not only brings enjoyment, but it’s also a dual experience – both satisfying and tragic. The reason lies in the fact that players can regain their health by compelling these enemies to eliminate themselves from combat.

1. Reboot Optics

Reset the Optics of an Enemy to Make Them Temporarily Blind

Effects: Blinds the enemy for the duration of the quickhack. In combat, it greatly reduces enemy accuracy.
Iconic Variant: Purchased from Sammy Taylor at the EBM Petrochem Stadium, Dogtown (Phantom Liberty)

For novice Netrunners, Reboot Optics is almost indispensable. For covert players, there’s no superior Quickhack. Although this isn’t a Quickhack to cause enemies pain beyond the Blackwall, it’s still an early and fondly remembered Quickhack that’s simple to acquire, and even simpler to employ. All it does is upload a brief hack to momentarily blind adversaries for approximately 8 seconds, extending up to 15 seconds.

For new Netrunners, Reboot Optics is nearly essential. For stealthy players, there’s no better Quickhack. While it doesn’t harm enemies beyond the Blackwall, it’s a nostalgic and easily accessible Quickhack that temporarily blinds enemies for about 8 seconds, extendable to 15 seconds.

This item is most effective when used outside of battle, allowing players to sneak up on unaware enemies and eliminate them quietly. However, it can still be quite useful during combat, particularly because landing a headshot on an already affected enemy will pass the hack to the nearest one, and also boosts damage by 30% with the Iconic variant.

2025-01-29 00:55