Learn everything about the new Cyberpunk 2077 Perks, Attribute, and Skill Systems that the 2.0 Patch changes
With the new 2.0 Update, Cyberpunk 2077 has become a different game. Both the Cyberware and Perk/Attribute systems have seen a complete overhaul. If you’re returning to Night City either for the 2.0 update or the new Phantom Liberty expansion, we got you covered with everything you need to know about the changes to Perks and Attributes.
If you want to mess around with the Attributes and Perks of Cyberpunk 2077, check out the official build planner on their website.
Cyberpunk 2077 Attributes Explained
The last changes have been made to the way CP2077 handles Attributes. While they still affect certain dialog options, gameplay opportunities, and so on. They also now directly influence the way your equipment, Cyberware, and even Perks scale off them. It’s best to think of them as multipliers of sorts, which allows you to pick equipment that suits your playstyle.
A similar thing has happened to the Perks. Now the more advanced Perks are locked behind Attribute requirements. These are at 4, 9, 15, and 20 points in the respective tree. All the trees cover a multitude of gameplay styles which go as follows:
Body – Blunt Weapons, Shotguns, LMGs, Health and Stamina
Reflexes – Assault Rifles, SMGs, Mobility and Blades
Intelligence – RAM, Quickhacks, and Smart Weapons
Technical Ability – Granades, Cyberware and Techweapons
Cool – Pistols, Revolver, Sniper, Stealth, Mobility and Throwable Weapons
You get a total of 66 Attribute Points.
Cyberpunk 2077 Perks Explained
Perks have undergone the most significant changes in Cyberpunk 2077. Crafting has been completely outsourced into Skills and Perks have become more useful and interesting all around.
Instead of unlocking passive bonuses, most Perks offer either enhancements or new abilities for players to integrate into their gameplay. You can even refund and reshuffle Perks to fine-tune your characters. Sometimes it’s not worth going far into a Perk Tree but some key abilities might be just the one for you.
Perks can offer anything from more Granades and Health Boosters to abilities such as the airdash or finishers for melee weapons. It’s worth exploring your options before settling into one specific playstyle. Just keep in mind that the way you approach missions in Cyberpunk 2077 can sometimes affect later ones down the line.
If you complete all the Skills and hit the maximum Level, you’ll have a total of 80 Perks to distribute.
Cyberpunk 2077 Skills Explained
Skills are probably the best addition to Cyberpunk 2077. If you’re wondering where all the passive bonuses from the Perks have gone, they’re here. The way they level up is also completely separate from the regular level system and unlike the Attributes and Perks, you can max them all out to your heart’s content.
You can level them up by simply completing activities related to any of the name’s skills or finding Shards which can give you an experience boost.
The skills are divided into five categories each with 60 Ranks with different bonuses, including additional perk points or powerful enhancements to your abilities. You can check out the different bonuses by visiting the Skill Tab in the character menu.
But we’ll also leave you with a small rundown of how to level each of them:
Engineer – This Skill will level with any kind of high-tech gear. Making use of your Cyberware, in fact, anything related to the Technical Ability Perk tree will do the trick. There is also an easy way to level this Skill by dismantling and crafting gear.
Headhunter – This Skill seems to be tied to the Cool Perk tree and will go nicely with the use of Pistols, throwable weapons, and silenced takedowns. You’ll also gain a lot of EXP by landing headshots or attacking enemy weak points.
Netrunner – This one is tied to the Intelligence Perk tree and will largely level by the usage of Quickhacks and Smart Weapons. An easy way to level should be to use and abuse the Ping ability regularly and fry your enemies’ brains out.
Shinobi – The Shinobi skill is based on any and all abilities tied to the Reflexes Perk tree. The usage of swords, mobility abilities such as the dodge or the air dash as well as SMGs and Assault Rifles should do the trick here.
Solo – This last Skill is tied to your Body Attribute and Perk tree and levels off the usage of Blunt Weapons, Shotguns, and LMGs. This is the Skill for anyone who prefers a guns-blazing approach over any attempt of subtly.
For more on Cyberpunk 2077 and the Phantom Liberty Expansion, check out our Guides such as How to Enter the Expansion, How the new Cyberware System Works, A Recap of the Story so far, or How to Unlock the New Ending.