The Best Netrunner Build in Cyberpunk 2077 2.1 and Phantom Liberty

As a seasoned Netrunner with years of experience under my belt, I can’t stress enough how crucial it is for newbies to prioritize Intelligence and Technical Ability attributes when creating their Netrunner character in Cyberpunk 2077. My life has been filled with countless hours spent hacking into systems, bypassing security cameras, and outsmarting enemies in the gritty streets of Night City.

After the latest enhancements, namely the 2.0 update and Phantom Liberty expansion for Cyberpunk 2077, Netrunner players will find the game more welcoming to their preferred playstyle. Although hacking was initially included in the original version, it previously lacked challenge and strategy when adopting a Netrunner role at higher levels. However, with the significant improvements made to Cyberware and quickhack systems in Cyberpunk 2077’s 2.0 update, players are now required to think tactically in ways that were not necessary before.

These recent content updates for Cyberpunk 2077 significantly enhance the gameplay experience, making it an ideal time to jump in, particularly for those drawn to the Netrunner build that focuses on strategic thinking and quick problem-solving. To excel as a Netrunner, this guide will walk you through the abundance of Cyberware and quickhack choices, providing insight into their usage for optimal performance within Cyberpunk 2077.

Cyberpunk 2077 Netrunner Overview

The Best Netrunner Build in Cyberpunk 2077 2.1 and Phantom Liberty

In the intricately crafted world of Cyberpunk 2077, Netrunners hold a significant role. These cyber-specialists opt for stealthy approaches, relying on their advanced Cyberdecks and Cyberware enhancements to operate from the sidelines. While Solo and Edgerunner characters take charge in close-quarter battles, Netrunners employ more covert tactics. However, they are not devoid of peril. Early in the game, players witness the grim fate of Bug, a Netrunner who was exposed during the Konpeki Plaza heist. Netrunners require strategic planning for both offensive and defensive maneuvers when designing their characters.

Best Netrunner Build Cyberpunk 2077 2.1

The Best Netrunner Build in Cyberpunk 2077 2.1 and Phantom Liberty

For experienced Cyberpunk 2077 players who have reached the game’s end and maxed out their attributes and perk points with both the base game and Phantom Liberty expansion, this is a recommended Netrunner build for the most challenging scenarios. The rationale behind this setup and how to prepare for it will be discussed in detail in upcoming parts.

Best Cyberpunk 2077 Netrunner Attributes Overview:

Based on my own gaming experiences, I believe that the concept of a “body” in video games can be quite subjective and varies greatly depending on personal play styles. For some players, taking a hit to their overall health may not be a concern at all. In fact, they might even prefer to take damage in order to gain bonuses or abilities. However, for other players, every point of health is precious and they will do everything in their power to avoid taking any damage whatsoever.

Intelligence: 20 – The most important category for a Netrunner. Full maxed out.

As a seasoned Netrunner with years of experience under my belt, I strongly believe that having a Reflexes attribute score of at least 9 is essential for success in the dangerous world of netrunning. With my own personal encounters against formidable opponents and treacherous environments, I can attest to the value of quick reactions and nimbleness.

Having a high Technical Ability score (at 20) is an intelligent choice for all Netrunners. The Edgerunner perk is particularly beneficial for any character setup, as it increases the limit of your Cyberware capacity.

For those who prefer quiet and stealthy approaches, the skill set “Ninjistu” is highly recommended. Additionally, the abilities “Deadeye” and “Focus” are valuable assets for the Netrunner who carries a Sniper Rifle when regular hacking proves insufficient.

Best Cyberpunk 2077 Netrunner Perks Overview:

As an avid Netrunner fan, I’d like to share some perks that I believe every serious player ought to consider. These advantages can significantly enhance your gameplay experience in various aspects:

Body: Painkiller, Fury Road, Adrenaline Rush Lvl. 3 (must be level 15+)

Intelligence: You’ve unlocked all the primary and secondary benefits from levels one and two, maxing them out. This includes all Level 4 perks, with the exception of “Warning: Explosion Hazard.” In simpler terms, each perk in this category offers an advantage specifically for Netrunners.

Reflexes: Slippery, Dash Lvl 2.

If you have the required skill, choose health item recharge perks when necessary. I suggest considering Glutton For Punishment and Health Freak Level 2. The center tree is definitely a must-have. Any upgrades that boost Cyberware and Cyberware capacity are beneficial for all players.

Neat: Level 15 is suggested in this context because it’s the threshold for obtaining the Ninjitsu perk. This bonus grants players faster crouch movements, a higher chance of dodging attacks while squatting, and the ability to sprint while crouched. These features are particularly beneficial for swiftly traversing combat areas and staying concealed from adversaries. For those preferring a more assertive Netrunning style, consider investing points in Body or Reflexes instead.

Cyberpunk 2077 2.1 Best Netrunner Cyberware

To obtain the finest assortment of items, gamers need to travel to the Ripperdocs in Dogtown, but this can only be accomplished with the addition of the Phantom Liberty expansion. For those without this expansion, the majority of items can be found at any Night City Ripperdoc since 2.0 has standardized their inventories.

In Cyberpunk 2077, there exists various types of Cyberware. Among these, a chosen few significantly benefit the role of a Netrunner.

Best Netrunner Cyberdeck:

In the world of “Cyberpunk 2077,” the Netrunner’s most valuable asset isn’t a conventional weapon, but rather their Cyberdeck. Among this role-playing game’s renowned Cyberdecks, three stand out as exceptional:

Tetratronic Rippler Mk. 5 – The 2.0 update has significantly changed this Cyberdeck. It is now a perfect choice for the Netrunner that uses both weapons and quick hacks. It’s +12 Max RAM at Tier 5++ is also the largest single addition to RAM a player can get.
Netwatch Netdriver Mk.1 – The only Iconic Cyberdeck in the 2.0 update, the Netdriver is made for the Netrunner that prefers to remain stationary, attacking through devices like cameras. Its -50% RAM cost for device and vehicle quickhacks make it the perfect tool for the classic Netrunner.
Militech Canto Mk. 6 – This cyberdeck is not available until the end of the Phantom Liberty DLC, and can be fun to use for an ‘experimental Netrunner’ build. It cuts the number of available quickhacks in half, but includes the new Blackwall Gateway quickhack, which spreads to a max of 5 enemies within 30m. The first use of Blackwall Gateway costs 12 Ram, with each spread uploading faster, but costing more. The description says it will use health if you don’t have enough RAM. There have been several reported issues with the quickhack not spreading. It worked in some instances when making this guide, but we could never get it to spread to a full 5 enemies.

With the 2.1 update, the Tetratronic Rippler

Best Netrunner Frontal Cortex:

The brain serves as the primary hub for Cyberware in terms of Random Access Memory (RAM), which plays a pivotal role in the Netrunner’s digital system. Among various legendary options available, some stand out as particularly noteworthy.

RAM Reallocator: This iconic piece of Cyberware automatically recovers up to 30% of a player’s max RAM when available RAM falls below 20%.
Ex-Disk: This item increases max RAM by up to 6, and increases max upload speed for quickhacks by up to 23% (at the Tier 5++ level).
Self-Ice: This item automatically negates one enemy quickhack, and increases max RAM by 2.
Memory Boost: Neutralizing enemies returns 1.25 RAM (Tier 5), adds +1 RAM.
COX-2 Cybersomatic Optimizer – This is a questionable item, as it reduces overall max RAM. It does, however, allow quickhacks to deal critical hits. This is a trade that each player will have to weigh. Players that have optimized their use of a few hacks, with low RAM, may want to make this trade.

Best Netrunner Skeleton:

Among the various useful things present here, Netrunners particularly need to think about one specific item.

RAM Recoup: Restores RAM equal to a percentage of damage received.

Best Netrunner Face:

With the 2.0 update, you’ll find some new Kiroshi optics added. Among these innovations, Netrunners might want to take a closer look at:

Kiroshi “The Oracle” Optics: This set of optics highlights enemies, cameras, turrets, traps, and explosives from varying distances depending on tier. It really is the only choice for Netrunners.

Best Netrunner Hands:

There is one item that Netrunners should consider using here:

Smart Link: The Smart Link adds +2 to max RAM, and is essential when using Smart Weapons.

Netrunners rely on these Cyberware components for optimal performance. The remaining slots can be customized according to each player’s unique playstyle.

Best Netrunner Quickhacks:

Netrunners can choose which field they want to excel in. Every Cyberdeck varies, so selecting the right quickhacks for it is essential. While each Netrunner may have distinct preferences, some quickhacks are universally beneficial:

Ping: Legendary Ping allows players to hack devices through walls. This is especially helpful when using the Netwatch Netdriver Cyberdeck, as having access to cameras is essential. Knowing enemy locations is important regardless of which deck a player uses, and Ping is the best route.

System Collapse: Of all the ‘instant death’ quickhacks, System Collapse is the best for one simple reason: it is untraceable. Tracing has made Netrunning much more of a challenge in 2.0, but using untraceable quickhacks is the easiest way to get around it.

Short Circuit/Cyberware Malfunction pairing: Either one of these quickhacks is formidable on its own, but in tandem they are incredibly powerful. Both have relatively low RAM costs, and cost even less when stacking. They are exceptionally helpful against drones and any non-human enemy.

Contagion: Contagion is the original spreadable quickhack, and it still serves this purpose extremely well. Using it in conjunction with Overheat will create a powerful explosion.
Experiment with Pairings: Read each quickhack description to see what they pair with. Many of the legendary quickhacks are designed to work together in very interesting ways. Try to collect all the Iconic versions of each legendary quickhacks to get the best possible version.

In modern-day Cyberpunk 2077, though clothing no longer offers any combat advantages, it’s essential to note that the Legendary Netrunner Armor, which is famed in the game, can still be discovered at the same spots and significantly contributes to the immersive Netrunner experience.

Cyberpunk 2.1 Best Netrunner Build Explained

When planning your build as a Netrunner, the initial decision is about how to distribute your attribute points. Above all else, prioritize Intelligence and Technical Ability. Maxing out these categories is crucial, with Intel at 20 being non-negotiable. Your approach depends on your preferred playstyle; you may also opt for a full 20 in Technical Ability for proficiency in both combat and hacking. The choice between Cool and Reflexes hinges on whether you aim for stealth gameplay. Cool offers perks beneficial for shadowy Netrunners, while the decision to focus on Reflexes would mean going all-out on stealth. Fortunately, attribute points can be reassigned at any point, so experimentation is encouraged.

Character Creation:

In the character creation process of “Cyberpunk 2077,” players are given an initial endowment of 15 points, which they can distribute among five categories: Body, Intelligence, Reflexes, Technical Ability, and Cool. However, no category can be assigned more than 6 points. Consequently, players may opt to allocate 3 points in Intelligence and Technical Ability each, and then assign the remaining point to any of the other categories, such as Body for enhanced health capacity.

In simpler terms, when starting out as a Netrunner, it’s generally wise to concentrate on improving your Body abilities first. Later on, Cool perks can become beneficial. The recent Phantom Liberty expansion provides an additional 10 attribute points upon completion, enhancing the flexibility of character builds. However, Intelligence and Technical Ability are crucial skills for any Netrunner to master.

A skilled Netrunner with expertise in long-range attacks and computer hacking has the flexibility to allocate points in various ways. For instance, they could opt for the Perks “Overclock” and “Edgerunner,” both known for their impressive capabilities:

Perk Points:

Netrunners should prioritize advancing in the Intelligence branch as soon as they’ve met the essential survival conditions in Night City. The Intelligence Tree holds numerous valuable perks for Netrunners, making it worth investing time and effort into.

Optimization, Embedded Exploit, and Eye in the Sky are great starting points. Ultimately, Overclock should be acquired, which allows players to use health to pay for quickhacks when RAM is unavailable. Here are some key thoughts to keep in mind when building out the Netrunner:

The key considerations should be Max Ram, Ram Recovery, and Quickhack Damage.
Perks like Eye in the Sky, which highlights cameras and access points automatically, are extremely helpful in the 2.0 update. Players cannot hack through walls anywhere near as easily as the base game, so having access to cameras, and the knowledge of where they are located, is priceless.
Learning to use 2.0’s new Queue system can massively increase a Netrunner’s abilities. Investigate the left side of the Intelligence tree to see perks related to Queue, which allows multiple quickhacks to be uploaded on a target at once. Several of the surrounding perks will increase RAM recovery, damage, and several other stats based on the Queue system.
Netrunner is not an absolute class. One of Cyberpunk 2077‘s founding ideas was the fluid class system, so make sure to have fun when choosing how to make a unique Netrunner.

2024-07-24 04:24