Cyberpunk 2077: High Damage Gunslinger Build (Pistols and Revolvers)

Cyberpunk 2077: High Damage Gunslinger Build (Pistols and Revolvers)

As a seasoned Night City dweller and a Cyberpunk 2077 enthusiast, I can wholeheartedly vouch for the strategies outlined in this guide. The legendary variants of weapons, such as the Amnesty, Archangel, and Doom Doom DR-5 Nova, are indeed formidable choices, but don’t underestimate the power of Iconic guns like the Nue and Tamayura, especially when it comes to loud builds.


In the vibrant universe of Cyberpunk 2077, you’ll find an abundance of sleek, compact, stylish handguns that are as deadly as the other weapons available. These guns are user-friendly and can deliver a powerful punch, with their destructive force increasing significantly when paired with the right passive skills and equipment enhancements.

As a seasoned gamer with countless hours spent in the gritty and action-packed world of Cyberpunk 2077, I can confidently say that this gunslinger-style pistol build is a game-changer. With my years of experience under my belt, I’ve learned to appreciate builds that offer versatility and raw power, and this one delivers both in spades.

Cyberpunk 2077 Pistolero Skill Build

Cyberpunk 2077: High Damage Gunslinger Build (Pistols and Revolvers)

The important perks needed for this build to work have remained untouched by the 2.1 update.

In the Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 update, the overhaul of the skills and perks system significantly altered the way pistols are utilized in gameplay. Instead of focusing mainly on Reflexes by allocating most attribute points into this skill, players now find it beneficial to invest in Cool and Technical Ability (with a slight requirement for Reflexes as well).

As a gamer, I found out that to craft a powerful pistol build, I should aim to unlock every skill related to pistols within the Cool tree. The journey begins with honing my focus and ends with acquiring Nerves of Tungsten Steel, with most (if not all) of the associated sub-skills in between. Here’s what each of these major skills does:

  • Focus: Increases headshot and weakspot damage; no Stamina cost when shooting for a short duration after aiming down sights
  • Deadeye: Greatly increases headshot and weakspot damage when Stamina is above 85%
  • Nerves of Tungsten Steel: All headshot and weakspot hits are guaranteed to be critical when Deadeye is active; increases damage the farther away a target is

In this setup, ‘Run ‘N’ Gun’ is the sole major skill you can choose. Since there’s no stamina drain when hip-firing, Deadeye remains active at all times. However, by opting for ‘Run ‘N’ Gun’, players will forego the advantages that come with the ‘Focus’ skill and its related nodes.

Regarding the key sub-categories, it’s crucial to emphasize that Head to Head, Deep Breath, and Quickdraw are vital components in this construction due to their unique attributes.

  • Deep Breath makes hitting headshots easier by slowing down time without using cyberware
  • Head to Head extends the duration of Focus and its unlimited Stamina effect as long as players keep neutralizing targets
  • Quickdraw negates the need to reload since players can just switch to another gun
    • Players will never have to reload if they use the Shuffler mod, which reloads a percentage of a gun’s empty magazine after swapping to it

Considering these aspects, the fresh gunslinger gameplay primarily focuses on accumulating points by successively landing critical shots to enemy heads. Any modifications to your weapon (such as Zenith, Shuffler, or Pinpoint) that facilitate this process significantly can be very beneficial.

As for the other skill trees, take the following:

  • Reflexes
    • Slippery
    • Muscle Memory
    • Multitasker
    • Dash (2)
    • Steady Grip
    • Can’t Touch This
  • Technical Ability
    • All Things Cyber
    • Renaissance Punk
    • Driver Update
    • Chrome Constitution
    • License to Chrome (3)
    • Ambidextrous
    • Extended Warranty
    • Cyborg
    • Edgerunner

In a battle scenario, the Reflexes skills enhance your ability to move swiftly and nimbly, also empowering you to employ Kerenzikov during slides or dashes. On the other hand, the Technical Ability skill set is essential for every build, including this one, and it’s non-negotiable. Any leftover points can be invested in Reflexes, Cool, or Body skills based on your preference.

It’s advisable to postpone enhancing your Technical Ability skills until you’ve accumulated sufficient resources to fully upgrade your cyberware. There’s no pressure to hurry, so feel free to allocate your points elsewhere unless you have a specific cyberware item that you can’t wait to incorporate.

Recommended Weapons

Cyberpunk 2077: High Damage Gunslinger Build (Pistols and Revolvers)

In the latest 2.1 update, crafted weapons now have two modifiable slots rather than just one. But keep in mind that any weapons crafted prior to this update remain unaffected, meaning if you want to utilize the new feature, you’ll need to create a freshly crafted weapon instead.

Due to version 2.0 largely eliminating popular weapon modification options that bolstered the power of the old pistol build, players must adapt using the available resources. Fortunately, the enhanced Critical Hit Damage and guaranteed 100% Critical Hit Chance for headshots in the listed pistol skills continue to support the core aspects of the original playstyle.

In this build, the Overture revolver stands out as the all-around best choice due to its strong damage output and user-friendly handling compared to other available revolvers. However, if players are up for the challenge of managing its robust recoil, the RT-46 Burya can also be a powerful pick.

Known variations are suggested due to their modding potential. Notably, several iconic firearms in Cyberpunk 2077 such as Amnesty, Archangel, and the DR-5 Nova’s Doom Doom variant also make excellent substitutes.

In this scenario, standard pistols adhere to the same regulations as revolvers, but they excel more in covert operations because silencers are no longer compatible with revolvers. However, powerful handguns such as Nue and Tamayura can still be utilized effectively in a noisy setup like the one presented here.

Since pistol abilities are primarily about maintaining killstreaks, it could be advantageous to carry two or even three revolvers simultaneously. Avoid wasting time reloading; instead, switch to a different gun when one runs out of bullets. Maintain your streak and enjoy the perks that come with this weapon setup.

Recommended Weapon Mods

  • Zenith: Increases crit chance and weapon swap speed. Reduces bullet spread.
  • Shuffler: Drawing your weapon automatically reloads a percentage of its magazine. Increases weapon swap speed and improves reload time.
  • Better Half: Increases crit chance when on the bottom half of your magazine.

Cyberware

Cyberpunk 2077: High Damage Gunslinger Build (Pistols and Revolvers)

In the 2.1 update, the Militech Apogee Sandevistan underwent a modification. The maximum duration and the bonus for extending its time have been decreased, however, the probability of critical hits and the damage caused by critical hits while it’s active have been boosted to balance things out.

In Cyberpunk 2077, the role of cyberware has grown substantially within this build compared to earlier versions. The basic stat-enhancing implants have been phased out, and players must enhance their character’s cyberware capacity to use more advanced ones for optimal performance. Essential cyberware upgrades include:

  • Militech “Apogee” Sandevistan (OS): Slows down time and greatly increases damage output
    • May not be available until Level 40+; use Zetatech or Dynalar Sandevistans until then
  • Tyrosine Injector (Nervous): Increases movement speed and headshot damage after a takedown
  • Newton Module (Frontal Cortex): Reduces cyberware cooldowns after a takedown
  • Kerenzikov: Slows down time when aiming after a dash, dodge, or slide
  • Clutch Padding (Circulatory): Reduces Stamina cost for shooting
  • Kiroshi “Clairvoyant” Optics (Eyes): Cool-attuned; highlights enemies when scanning
  • Shock Absorber (Hands): Reduces recoil

As a cyborg gamer, I recommend filling up all my empty cyberware slots with my favorite implants to unlock the Cyborg skill. This skill reduces the cooldowns of all my cyberware by 15% when all slots are filled. When possible, I also use Sandevistan for faster kills and easier aiming.

If you’re aiming for a higher probability of critical hits, or if you want to free up slots for other damage-related bonuses, consider swapping out the Kiroshi Clairvoyant Optics for the Kiroshi Cockatrice instead. Please note that this exchange can only be made in Dogtown.

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2024-08-07 21:24