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If you’re looking to get the most out ofCyberpunk 2077: Phantom Libertyand its refreshed perk trees, starting a new playthrough is the best way to do it. The all-new perk tree now directs players toward their preferred playstyle far more organically than Cyberpunk 2077’s initial offering, letting players try a little bit of everything in the early game before rewarding specialization later on.
However, choosing the right perks early on can provide a solid foundation for your late-game build. Read on to discover the best perks to pick in the early stages of Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty.
The Best Early Body Perks
Body was previously known as the toughness perk tree when Cyberpunk was first released, but the 2.0 release has seen this tree evolve significantly. Still,some early perksare available after contributing just four attribute points to Body and areuseful for any build.
Painkiller
Most combat encounters in Cyberpunk 2077 fall into two categories: either you’ve picked a fight against some gonks you can easily handle,or you get in over your head. Painkiller is for those engagements that fall into the latter category.
It’s not much, buthaving your health regenerate during combat can mean the difference between life and death. There are also a number of ways to enhance your health regen, such as through cyberware or the Adrenaline perks, to make your regenerative capabilities more substantial.
Comeback Kid
Better healing the more hurt you get. This pairs well with Painkiller and can keep you in fighting shape even when the going gets rough.
The Best Early Intelligence Perks
Not everyone needs to be a highly skilled netrunner. Even the most muscle-bound and gun-happy merc can use theseearly-game perks to give themselves a leg uplater on.
Eye In The Sky
This perk provides the biggest benefit to newcomers to Cyberpunk, but even pros can miss an Access Point here and there. Having them highlighted alongside cameras can keep youswimming in eddies and out of the crosshairs of enemies.
You’ll get the most out of this perk if you invest more into Intelligence, but even a few perks can net yousignificant cash for the early game. Later when your Intelligence is too low to hack Access Points, you may re-assign this perk into a more useful category.
Foreckill Cypher
If you’re having trouble with the Access Point puzzles, or if you just want them to go a little faster, then this perk can help you make the most out of Eye In The Sky.
If you do plan on being a netrunner, definitely grab the Optimization and Encryption perks too. Otherwise, you can leave ‘em to the hackers. Car Hacker can also be really fun, but it’s not nearly useful enough until you get a higher-level cyberdeck.
The Best Early Reflexes Perks
Most Cyberpunk fights are fast, frenetic encounters that will see you relocate from cover frequently. Or you’ll run around with a katana chopping heads off like a homicidal roadrunner. Either way,you’ll probably want these perks.
Slippery
Whether you’re running away or towards a fight,Slippery can keep you from getting mowed down by enemy fire. If you get no other perks from the Reflexes tree, get this one.
Muscle Memory
Having to stop everything to run away is a real pain. With this perk, yourtactical retreats (or repositioning) can efficiently reload your weaponas well. Useful for anyone who plans to use guns while running, which should be most players.
Multitasker
Not having this perk feels weirdif you’ve played literally any other shooter within the past decade. Pairs well with Muscle Memory, and keeps you from significant frustration with Cyberpunk’s gunplay.
The Best Early Tech Perks
There aren’t too many Technical Ability perks available in Cyberpunk’s early game, but there is one that is definitely worth having for nearly every build.
Glutton for War
Tough fights often call for more healing (or more grenades) than you start with. Gettingfive percent of both your grenade and healing item back per killcan keep these necessary items coming during even the toughest firefight.
The Best Early Cool Perks
As much as we might wish it were otherwise,being sneaky is unfortunately a necessary part of Cyberpunk 2077and Phantom Liberty. Whether you decide to continue down this tree or not,these perks can really helpwhen you don’t want to be seen.
Feline Footwork
Since crouching is how you sneak, moving 15 percent faster while sneaking can help youmove from hiding spot to hiding spot without getting spotted. You also get a 15 percent higher mitigation chance while crouched, which can really help if you’re caught in the open.
Blind Spot
When combined with the increased mitigation chance you get from Feline Footwork, this skill candrastically increase the time it takes for enemies to spot you. This can turn a sneaking gig from a disastrous encounter to a perfect escape. Grab this perk.
Unexposed
You’re certainly going to wind up in a gunfight early on in Cyberpunk 2077. Most will have the natural instinct tomove into cover, and this perk will further improve your survivability by providing asignificantly improved mitigation chance.
Killer Instinct
A25-percent boost to sneak damageis massive and can mean the difference between a one-shot kill with a silenced pistol or an incredibly pissed-off gangoon. Even if your build plan is to focus on loud-firing machine guns and shotguns, the occasionalusefulness of a silenced pistol cannot be understated.
Gag Order
Mistakes happen. Sometimes you miss with that first shot, sometimes the shot doesn’t result in a kill. Whatever the case, Gag Order can provide youprecious seconds to come up with a plan Bbefore the alarm sounds.
If you plan on ignoring or outright failing every stealth-based missionin Cyberpunk, you can skip Killer Instinct and Gag Order. But you’re definitely going to make your fixers angry if you’re constantly gunning down everyone.
The Best Early Relic Perks
Even if you shoot through all of Cyberpunk’s early quests to get to the Phantom Liberty DLC, you’re not likely to get access to the Relic perks until some hours into your playthrough. That said, there are definitely someRelic perks worth unlocking before the others.
Vulnerability Analytics
Whether you’re slicing, smashing, or shooting, Vulnerability Analytics provides you with a means of dishing out more damage to enemies. Just aim for the little square and watch the damage numbers fly. Do enough damage, and you’ll even cause a massive EMP blast that can take out entire squads.Easily the best Relic perkand the one you should grab first.
Jailbreak
There are very few builds that don’t benefit from having one of thefour arm-based cyberneticenhancements, andJailbreak just makes each of them so much better. Projectile Launch gets more rockets, Monowire gets added hacking abilities, Mantis Blades turn you into a murderous grasshopper, and Gorilla Arms send enemies flying.
Regardless of which cybernetic arm you replace V’s with, Jailbreak will help. Butgrab this after Vulnerability Analytics.
Next:Cyberpunk 2077: Complete Guide And Walkthrough
