Think of Cyberpunk 2077's world of Night City like a boxing match. V will have plenty of opportunities to dish out punishment with an array of assault rifles, grenades, sniper rifles, and daemon hacks. The next question then becomes, "Sure, but can you take a hit?" Because the city hits everyone who lives there and it's more than just a little love tap.
Even on the most difficult settings, by the end of the game, you'll have found more than one weapon that kills enemies with a single headshot. The offense will come. However, without the right equipment, you'll find that you've also become a one-hit frag yourself. So let's make sure that V is geared for survival with some core pieces that will hold up under any circumstance the city can throw at you.
A Brief Explanation Of How Clothing Works
Clothing is your armor in the game and there are a few guidelines that will help you understand how it functions. You might find that an item not listed here is working well for some reason or an item that is listed here isn't as awesome as it's been hyped up to be. These are a few things to keep in mind to help you get a grasp on the whole system so you understand it better.
- About 40 armor reduces bullet damage by 1.
- Armor does not reduce status effect damage.
- Armor does not reduce melee damage.
- The rarity of an item changes how many mods it allows.
- The level of an item changes how much armor it has.
The game itself does not tell you this, so the community has endured a great deal of trial and error to come to these conclusions.
Each item has a hidden level between 30 and 500 and that can be upgraded via crafting. It's very possible to find a common level 500 item and a legendary level 30 item, but it's worth it to upgrade the legendary item in the long run.
Please note that the special gear slot is used for cosmetic and quest purposes, so it has been excluded from the "must-have" list. Also, keep in mind that all level legendary gear can be made equal with upgrades and mods, but the ones on this list are great places to start.
Head Gear
- Cushioned Techie Baseball Cap
This baseball cap is free if you're not opposed to looting an abandoned trailer park. You can find it in an underground bunker underneath a trailer in the Ghost Town just outside of Night City. You'll have to go past a bunch of solar panels blocking the way, but the hassle is more than justified. Feel free to replace the mods with whatever you want, this hat is as good for protection as any helmet in the game.
Face Gear
- Holo-Tinted Badge Goggles
This is also free, but you'll have to "rescue" it off of a body. It's in the dead center of the Watson District and surrounded by gangsters, but it'll be worth your trouble. The body is holding a bright orange duffle bag. The mods are geared towards offense, but since it has the maximum slots, you can easily mod this up to be the best face gear defensively, if you wish.
Outer Torso Gear
- Heavy-Duty Aramid-Reinforced Badge Coat
In the seedy area of Santo Domingo, on this street, you'll come across the aftermath of a brutal standoff with casualties on all sides. A police SUV is on fire and the bodies of a ragtag military lie all around. There are multiple legendary items to be found here, but the one you're really after is on the body of a knife-wielding gentleman. There is a mod already on it that reduces status effect damage, which is nice since no amount of armor can substitute for that.
Inner Torso Gear
- Ultrathin Composite-Print Solo Shirt
You'll be out in the middle of the desert when you come across a particularly gruesome scene. Two well-dressed men appear to have finished a duel and both of them have simultaneously won... and also lost. They each had valuable loot in their luggage, which we can only assume was the cause of the scuffle. In one of the baggage cases, you'll find this shirt.
Unlike most of the others, this shirt is already designed for defense with mods that reduce damage taken from explosives. But, as always, your mods may differ and you'll be able to change them to fit your preference if grenades aren't the worst part of your life.
Leg Gear
- Reinforced Synleather Solo Racers
It's hard to believe that a body under the broken bridge in Heywood wearing nothing but some hot pink Daisy Duke shorts is holding onto the best defensive pants in the game, but here we are. The poor guy probably should have been wearing them when he took a tumble and fell on top of the illegal dumping site, then he might still be alive. Regardless, V gets to be the beneficiary of his misfortune. Two of the mods are already installed with armor boosts, so it's already well on its way to giving you that extra protection that you need.
Foot Gear
- Durable Bioleather Nomad Western Boots
Back to the desert and in another fallout shelter, you'll find a nomad who got a little less lucky than the others. It's hard to tell exactly what happened short of a forensic investigation, but whatever it was must have been terrible because his boots probably should have saved him. They come with some increased crit chance and increased movement speed, but if you want another layer of defense on you, obviously feel free to mod them as you please.