Cyberware in Cyberpunk 2077 provides both active and passive enhancements to V’s physical capabilities and combat tactics, with each implant offering specific stat bonuses, capacity costs, and tier-based improvements. These technological upgrades are permanently installed into V’s body by Ripperdocs, contributing to a Cyberware Capacity limit that dictates how many modifications can be equipped.
Cyberware Overview and Core Mechanics
Cyberware is technology integrated directly into the human body, often interfacing with the nervous system, designed to enhance physical performance and provide various improvements. These implants are a fundamental part of the world of 2077, allowing V to gain both active abilities and passive buffs. To manage cyberware, players access it through their inventory, though actual augmentation and replacement can only be performed by Ripperdocs, specialized NPCs and merchants found throughout Night City. Cyberware cannot be changed on the fly by the player.
A significant change from Patch 2.0 onwards is that armor is primarily derived from specific cyberware, such as Integumentary System upgrades or Legs modifications. Every cyberware upgrade V installs contributes to a Cyberware Capacity limit. Reaching this limit prevents further modifications until capacity is freed up or increased. The “Edgerunner” perk allows players to exceed this limit, transforming V into a more advanced cyborg at the expense of reduced health. Some implants are “Iconic” cyberware, which are unique pieces obtained from specific quests or vendors, including Airdrops in Dogtown.
Cyberware Slots and Capacity
V’s body has various slots where cyberware can be installed, each representing a different body part. Each implant has a specific Cyberware Capacity cost, which is deducted from V’s total capacity. The total capacity increases as V levels up, and the “Renaissance Punk” perk in the Technical Ability attribute can add more capacity. Exceeding the capacity limit is possible with the “Edgerunner” perk, but this comes with a health reduction penalty. Installing at least one cyberware in each of the 10 core slot types awards the “Full Body Conversion” achievement.
The available cyberware slots are:
| Slot Type | Base Slots | Unlock Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Frontal Cortex | 3 | - |
| Operating System | 1 | - |
| Arms Cyberware | 1 | - |
| Face Armor | 1 | 2nd slot during “Birds with Broken Wings” quest |
| Skeleton Cyberware | 2 | 3rd slot with “License to Chrome” perk |
| Hands Cyberware | 1 | 2nd slot with “Ambidextrous” perk |
| Nervous System | 3 | - |
| Circulatory System | 3 | - |
| Integumentary System | 3 | - |
| Legs Cyberware | 1 | - |
Some implants are “attuned” to a specific attribute (Body, Reflexes, Technical Ability, Intelligence, or Cool). This attunement means the strength of the cyberware’s effect scales with the corresponding attribute, leading to different outcomes based on V’s build.
Cyberware Tiers, Stat Bonuses, and Upgrades
Cyberware is categorized into different quality levels, or Tiers, which become available as V gains character levels. Higher tiers generally offer improved performance and additional bonuses.
| Tier | Character Level Requirement |
|---|---|
| 1 | Level 1 |
| 2 | Level 10 |
| 3 | Level 20 |
| 4 | Level 30 |
| 5 | Level 40 |
Players can enhance the quality of their existing cyberware at Ripperdocs by using appropriate Item Components. This process upgrades the cyberware to a higher tier.
Cyberware provides specific stat bonuses that evolve with its tier. At Tier 1, an implant offers a base stat bonus. At Tier 2, an additional bonus is added. A third bonus can be unlocked by acquiring the “Driver Update” perk within the Technical Ability Attribute tree. When browsing a Ripperdoc’s inventory, these bonuses are randomly selected and remain fixed until the shop’s inventory resets.
The “Chipware Connoisseur” perk provides more control over these bonuses. With this perk, players can choose to retain the current bonuses on a piece of cyberware or select from a new set. At Tier 3 and above, two new sets of bonuses become available alongside the option to keep the existing ones. Changing the bonuses on a piece of cyberware can also be achieved by upgrading a different piece of cyberware. While upgrading within the same tier offers the same sets of bonuses, upgrading to a different tier provides distinct bonus options.
Operating System Cyberware Examples
The Operating System slot is crucial as it largely defines a build’s playstyle. Only one Operating System can be installed at a time, and the choice between Cyberdecks, Sandevistans, or Berserk systems determines whether V operates as a netrunner, a speed-focused combatant, or a direct brawler. Cyberdecks are essential for quickhacks, establishing the RAM pool and quickhack queue size.
Here are examples of Operating System cyberware, showcasing their effects and capacity costs (stats are for specific tiers and may vary):
| Operating System | Type | Cyberware Capacity | Key Effects |
|---|