Cyberpunk 2077 Best Builds 2026: 5 Builds Ranked for Update 2.5 (Including Dual-Wield)

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The best Cyberpunk 2077 builds in Update 2.5 are the Netrunner (Intelligence quickhacks) and the Sandevistan blade build (Reflexes and Technical Ability). Close behind is the new dual-wield gunslinger that 2.5 added to the Cool tree. Below are five builds ranked, with attribute splits for level 50 (base game) and level 60 (Phantom Liberty), the perks that make each one work, and the cyberware to look for.

CD Projekt Red released Update 2.5, the Edgerunners 2 update, on October 22, 2026. It's free for every owner of the base game. The official 2.5 notes add dual-wielding and two side quests but list no number changes to existing perks or cyberware. So the established builds still work, and dual-wielding is a new build rather than a rebalance.

Cyberpunk 2077 builds ranked (Update 2.5)

We ranked these on how fast each build clears a hard fight on Very Hard, how early it comes online, and how much it relies on specific gear. Netrunner and Sandevistan take the top spots because both can end a fight before enemies get to act. The dual-wield build is the most fun new way to play, but it caps out a little lower because it's limited to one weapon class.

How builds work in Cyberpunk 2077 (2.0 and later)

A build in Cyberpunk 2077 is an attribute split plus the perks it unlocks. There are five attributes (Body, Reflexes, Technical Ability, Intelligence and Cool), each capped at 20. Perk tiers open at 9, 15 and 20 points, so the numbers that matter are 9, 15 and 20, according to the Fextralife perk tree reference. The level cap is 50 in the base game and 60 with Phantom Liberty, which gives about 71 attribute points at 50 and 81 at 60.

Two rules shape every split below:

• Technical Ability at 15–20 is almost always worth it. It unlocks more cyberware capacity and the Edgerunner perk at 20, so most builds take it whatever their main weapon is.
• Plan around the perk thresholds. Every point adds a small passive bonus, but the perks open at 9, 15 and 20, so those are the numbers that change how a build plays.

Phantom Liberty also adds the Relic tree, which runs on Relic points from Militech data terminals in Dogtown rather than attribute points. Jailbreak, Emergency Cloaking and Vulnerability Analytics are the three perks most builds want first.

1. Netrunner build (best overall)

The Netrunner is the strongest build in Cyberpunk 2077 because quickhacks kill through walls, from cover, and before combat starts. Spread Contagion and Overheat through a room, then finish with Short Circuit or Cyberware Malfunction.

• Key perks: Overclock (spend health instead of RAM to keep hacking), Embedded Exploit, Finisher: Live Wire, plus License to Chrome in the Tech tree.
• Cyberdeck: Tetratronic Rippler MK.5 is the endgame target.
• Relic order: Jailbreak, then Data Tunneling, then Emergency Cloaking.

Attribute split and perk list follow Game8's Netrunner build. The tier is our call: nothing else in the game handles a full Very Hard room this safely.

2. Sandevistan blade build

The Sandevistan blade build slows time, closes the gap and cuts enemies down with a katana or Mantis Blades. It has the highest damage of any build in the right hands, and it's the build the Edgerunners anime made famous.

• Key perks: Finisher: Bladerunner, Air Dash, Deadeye, Edgerunner, Adrenaline Rush.
• Cyberware: Militech "Apogee" Sandevistan (the Militech "Falcon" is the alternative).
• Weapons: the Byakko katana, or Thermal Mantis Blades if you'd rather go with cyberware.

Split and gear follow Game8's Sandevistan build. 2.5 also added Glamdoc cosmetic skins for Mantis Blades, Gorilla Arms, the Monowire and the Projectile Launch System. They're cosmetic only and don't change stats.

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3. Dual-wield gunslinger build (new in Update 2.5)

Update 2.5 added dual-wielding through a new Cool-tree perk called Double Trouble. It works with Power pistols and revolvers only. Smart and Tech handguns can't be dual-wielded, and neither can melee weapons, per CD Projekt Red's 2.5 notes. Four supporting perks come with it.

Shacknews' breakdown puts Double Trouble at Cool 9 and lists the supporting perks as Two Right Hands, Triple Tequila, Keep 'Em Comin' and Splash of Love. The second rank of Double Trouble adds Heywood Hurricane, a short burst where both guns fire automatically. CDPR's own notes don't give the numbers yet, so check the in-game tooltip before you plan around them.

• Why Cool 20: Double Trouble and its four supporting perks live in Cool, along with Deadeye and Run 'N' Gun, which keep your guns accurate while you're moving.
• Why Reflexes and Tech: Air Dash keeps you mobile between targets, and Tech 20 gets you Edgerunner and the cyberware capacity for a Sandevistan.
• Guns: any two Power pistols or revolvers. Check the weapon type on the tooltip before you commit an iconic. Some revolvers are Tech weapons and won't qualify.

This is our own split, built from the official perk placement. None of the major build sites had published a 2.5 dual-wield build when we wrote this, and we'll update this section once the numbers settle.

4. Shotgun tank build

The shotgun tank stacks Body to soak damage and kills anything inside shotgun range. It's the easiest build on this list for new players, because a mistake costs health instead of a reload.

• Key perks: Rip and Tear (a top-tier Body perk), Juggernaut and Adrenaline Rush.
• Cyberware: a Berserk operating system instead of a Sandevistan, plus as much armour cyberware as you can fit.

The level-50 split matches Game8's tank and melee builds. At 60 we put the extra 10 points into Cool for Deadeye and better crits.

5. Stealth assassin build

The stealth assassin uses silenced weapons, thrown knives and optical camo to clear areas without triggering combat. It's the most satisfying build for a story-first run, and the Phantom Liberty spy missions are built for it. It ranks last because a mistake on Very Hard forces you into a fair fight it isn't built for.

• Key perks: Deadeye, Ninjutsu, Creeping Death, Vanishing Act and Finisher: Act of Mercy.
• Relic: Emergency Cloaking is an escape button when stealth breaks.

The level-50 split follows Game8's assassin build.

What else changed in Update 2.5?

Besides dual-wielding, 2.5 adds two side quests, a five-piece outfit set based on King from Edgerunners 2, cosmetic Glamdoc skins and console mod support. Clampdown unlocks after The Heist and two gigs for Wakako. Welcome to Paradise, a tour narrated by Richard Night, unlocks after The Heist once you reach Street Cred 15. CD Projekt Red didn't list a set bonus for King's outfit, so treat it as cosmetic unless the tooltip says otherwise. Hotfix 2.500.200 followed on October 27, 2026 and fixed save loading, with no balance changes (MP1st).

The last update that touched builds was Update 2.3 in July 2025, which made the Engineer level-60 perk's EMP trigger only in combat and fixed automatic weapons that were firing slower than intended.

Cyberpunk 2077 builds FAQ

What is the best build in Cyberpunk 2077 right now?

The Netrunner. Quickhacks clear most fights before they start, and the Phantom Liberty Relic tree makes it even stronger. If you'd rather play up close, the Sandevistan blade build is a close second.

Can you dual-wield in Cyberpunk 2077?

Yes, since Update 2.5 (October 22, 2026), through the Double Trouble perk in the Cool tree. It works with Power pistols and revolvers only.

Do I need Phantom Liberty for these builds?

No. Every build here works at level 50 in the base game. Phantom Liberty raises the cap to 60 and adds the Relic tree, which helps the Netrunner most.

Can I respec in Cyberpunk 2077?

Yes. Perks can be reset freely, and you get one attribute reset per playthrough. Try the dual-wield build on an existing save before starting over.

The bottom line

For a first run, go Netrunner or Sandevistan blade. For a second, try the new dual-wield gunslinger: it's the most fun Cyberpunk 2077 has felt in a while, and Update 2.5 made it possible. Watch this page, because we'll update the dual-wield numbers once CD Projekt Red publishes them.

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Images: official Cyberpunk 2077 screenshots from CD Projekt Red (Steam store page).