The enemies in Cyberpunk 2077 are not one-trick ponies. Different enemy types attack differently. From the snipers on the rooftops and the drones in the air to the turrets on the wall and the netrunners in your face, you'll have your hands full. So what kind of weapons do you need to deal with these various threats?
You could bring a small army. Or you could bring an assault rifle. Some might say "jack of all trades and master of none," but if you've ever found a unique assault rifle, you know that they can truly be masters of all trades as well. The best of the best compete for the top spot on the battlefield and in V's inventory.
Updated May 16, 2023, by Sean Murray: Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Project Red has released quite a few patches for their sci-fi shooter over the years, and a few of them have tweaked Cyberpunk's iconic assault rifles, so we've tweaked this guide to reflect those changes. Plus, there's a photo mode now, and who doesn't like taking pretty pictures of guns?
4 Prejudice
|
Weapon Type |
Power |
|---|---|
|
Base Weapon |
HJSH-18 Masamune |
|
Iconic Effect |
Adds ten percent bleed, bullets pierce cover |
|
Location |
Behind the bar in the Afterlife, only obtainable during the quest "For Whom The Bell Tolls" |
Tragically, Prejudice is only usable during one of Cyberpunk 2077's final quests, depending on the choices you made earlier in the game. A shame too, as Prejudice provides reliable medium-range damage that can even bypass cover.
But even if Prejudice were to land in your inventory after beating the game, its three-round burst can't keep up with the raw damage other assault rifles are capable of on this list.
You're better off using something like an Achilles precision rifle if you're aiming to fire through cover, or one of this list's later members for raw DPS.
3 Divided We Stand
|
Weapon Type |
Smart |
|---|---|
|
Base Weapon |
D5 Sidewinder |
|
Iconic Effect |
Target five enemies at once, added chemical damage with high chance explode into toxic clouds and/or apply poison |
|
Location |
Obtained during "Stadium Love" quest in Santo Domingo |
Divided We Stand has a lot going for it as the lone smart weapon on this list. It can target five enemies at once and the rapid-fire makes the poison and shock effects more likely to proc on opponents. And as of update 1.6, Divided We Stand's seeking rounds also have a chance to explode into chemical clouds to take out entire squads at a time.
The real downfall is its low DPS. The base number is really low and having to split fire between five enemies usually means that none of them are actually dead by the time you reach the end of your clip. It's cool looking, but the price to pay for the sleek gold exterior is high.
2 Moron Labe
|
Weapon Type |
Power |
|---|---|
|
Base Weapon |
M251S Ajax |
|
Iconic Effect |
Increased rate of fire, chance to dismember targets |
|
Location |
Look spec from leader in Suspected Organized Crime activity in West Wind Estate, requires Edgerunner Artisan Perk |
Let's just get this out of the way. "Moron Labe" is a riff on the Spartan war cry of "Molon Labe," which loosely translates to "come get some." It's kinda dumb, but if you get over the bad pun, you'll actually have a very effective weapon on your hands.
The increased rate of fire and dismemberment chance stack really nicely with the bullet ricochet feature. It's not entirely uncommon to fire wildly into a room with this death dealer and hear nothing but crickets after a single clip. The maintenance staff won't be happy, but V is OK with that.
1 Psalm 11:6
|
Weapon Type |
Power |
|---|---|
|
Base Weapon |
D5 Copperhead |
|
Iconic Effect |
Additional thermal damage, high chance to cause burn |
|
Location |
Loot spec from leader of Suspected Organized Crime activity in Northside, requires Edgerunner Artistan Perk |
The closest thing you will find to a flamethrower in Cyberpunk 2077 is the Psalm 11:6. The gun deals thermal damage and each bullet has a chance to apply the burn effect. The iconic properties of the gun increase the thermal damage and the odds of the burn status being applied.
What makes Psalm 11:6 top the list is how its already excellent fire rate can pair the damage over time of the burn status effect. Stacking damage like this means even boss encounters can be shortened to just a single clip from Psalm 11:6. Just wait for the fire to do its thing.
If you've ever wanted to see if fire is still relevant in Night City, you'll be a believer after your first encounter with this gun.