The Best Starting Perks In Cyberpunk 2077

Did you know there are over 200 Perks available to customize your character in Cyberpunk 2077? This can be incredibly overwhelming at first for sure – I get it. On top of this, the total Perk points you can obtain in the game is limited, and resetting your Perks is extremely costly – so before you start your journey into Night City it definitely helps to have a plan! That’s what this starter guide can help with!

Now I do have another article that I posted last week about 7 Powerful Starting Build Ideas for Cyberpunk 2077. If you haven’t seen that yet, I recommend you check it out because it will give you a good frame of reference for the Attributes and Perks you’ll eventually want to focus on. But for now, I just want to give you my list of the absolute best starting Perks in Cyberpunk 2077.

My rules for this list are simple. First, we are looking for the best starting Perks which means Perks you can get at Attribute level 5 or below. Keep in mind that the minimum starting Attribute stats you can have in the game is 3 in a particular Attribute – so for example, 3 in Intelligence or 3 in Technical Ability, but with 7 points to spend right away in the game, just from the character creation screen, even a limit of level 5 gives us literally dozens of options right away from the start.

My second rule for this list is I didn’t want to focus too early on one specific combat style – for example Assault weapons or Blades, because I know that as soon as I get a better weapon in a different category, let’s say a shotgun or a Hammer – well, then I’d just end up using that weapon instead and my early Perks points would be wasted. So for this list we’re focused on more general Perks that can apply to all builds and playstyles and will be useful to you for the entire game.

#1 – Mechanic

Let’s start off first in our Technical Ability Skill Trees which including Crafting and Engineering.

Crafting can be done very early in the game and one great way to get started is going to be the Mechanic Perk, available at level 1. This lets you gain more components when disassembling armor and weapons for free. Those components can then be used to upgrade your items for greater damage and protection.

#2 – Mech Looter

In the Engineering Skill Tree we have Mech Looter which gives us a chance of looting extra weapon mods and weapon attachments, again for free because it is a passive Perk. Mech Looter is available at Level 1 as well.

#3 – Grenadier

One more option from the Engineering Skill Tree is Grenadier which shows you a visible explosion radius any time you chuck a grenade which will help with your overall accuracy when you decide to use one.

#4 – Blast Shielding

Blast Shielding is another great starting Perk from the Engineering Skill Tree that reduces any damage you take from explosions such as grenades and rockets by 10%. More free defense is a good thing.

#5 – Crouching Tiger

Moving Along to the Cool Stat and our Stealth Skill Tree we have Crouching Tiger which lets you move 20% faster while sneaking. This Perk is available at Level 1. Now I did say that I wouldn’t include specific playstyles in this list, but in my opinion, some stealth Perks are going to be useful for any build in the game. Stealth just saves you time when you’re in hurry and want to avoid a firefight and it’s pretty useful in harder difficulties modes early on in the game where if you try to go toe to toe with those more challenging enemies you’re gonna pretty quickly.

#6 – Cold Blood

In addition to Stealth, the Cool Stat also contributes to our Cold Blood Skill Tree which includes the appropriately named Cold Blood Perk. This Perk is the only way to level up the Skill Tree itself, and levels it up automatically every time you defeat an enemy. This will passively grant you several Perks and bonus stats over the lifetime of leveling up, even if you don’t use this skill tree for any other Perks!

#7 – Advanced Datamine

Moving onto the Intelligence Stat and the Breach Protocol Skill Tree which is our primary hacking skill line at least when it comes to hacking things like doors, computers, cameras and so on, we have Advanced Datamine, available at level 5. This Perk increases the amount of Eurodollars you obtain from Access Points by a whopping 50%.

Access are a bit like Cyberpunk 2077’s version of hidden treasure chests, allowing you to Jack In and unlock specific cash rewards.

Now as I said earlier, cash in Cyberpunk 2077 is at a high demand because there are many expensive things you’ll want to buy throughout the game including Weapons, Armor, Cyberware, and Vehicles, so getting 50% more every time you open an access point is smart investment for just a single Perk point that you’ll benefit from for the entire game.

#8 – Pack Mule

Moving along to our Body Attribute and the Athletics Skill Tree which covers most of the physical abilities our character can accomplish outside of combat, we have the Pack Mule Perk, also available at level 1. This perks adds a flat extra 60 capacity to your carrying weight at all times. Now while you won’t need this right away at level 1 because you just won’t have that much gear to carry, investing in this Perk soon is a great idea. Again, this is something that all builds can make use of and will benefit from for the entire game.

#9 – Regeneration

In addition to Pack Mule we have another Athletics Perk available at level 1 and this affects your Health recovery in combat – that’s the regeneration Perk which provides a flat 10% boost to your health recovery. This can be especially helpful during long engagements with enemies, and especially at harder difficulties and it can save you a few consumables as well.

#10 – Invincible

Also available in Athletics we have some solid stat-boosting Perks that will be great for all Builds and playstyles. First, Invicible increases your maximum Health by 10% which is great for surviving combat just a little bit longer.

#11 – True Grit

True Grit, also available in Athletics, increases your stamina by 10% which will be great for extra Sprinting and Vaulting.  True Grit becomes available with a Body Stat of 5 or greater which most builds will have at the start of the game anyway. As we can see, the Athletics Tree has a lot of great all around Perks that will useful for any build and playstyle.

#12 – Slow And Steady

Under the Reflexes Stat we have a surprise Perk that’s great for ALL builds tucked into the Blades Skill Tree. Slow And Steady increases your Armor by 15% while moving and can be increased further with further upgrades. This provides a LOT of extra protection for a relatively small investment of points.

Explore More Skills In Cyberpunk 2077

• Annihilation
• Athletics
• Assault
• Blades
• Breach Protocol
• Cold Blood
• Crafting
• Engineering
• Handguns
• Quickhacking
• Stealth
• Street Brawler

Check Out More Helpful Cyberpunk 2077 Guides Below!