Going high noon in the streets of Night City might sound like a rocker-boy thing to do but we all know that it’s thehackers and computer whizzesbehind the scene that actually get the job done. As it is, being a hacker inCyberpunk 2077might be a bit fiddly at first though, but it’s not all rainbows and butterflies, especially at the beginning.
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If done right though, a decent hacker inCyberpunk 2077can commit a massacre with but a mere look. Not many games let players be that kind of person, which is essentially a walking case ofFinal Destination. If that’s what players want then look no further than this guide as it explains how to eliminate enemies in droves while V strutsaround Night Citywith a sparkly clean suit.
Updated July 02, 2025 by Sid Natividad:A lot has changed in Cyberpunk 2077 ever since update 1.5. ACyberpunk 2077 hacker buildis now more viable than ever despite some re-balancing. Hence, hackers get more options compared to the previous versions of the game.
Players will then be pleased to know that there’s more wisdom to be gained in constructing their Cyberpunk hacker build. These additional tips will make the endeavor more appealing since hacking in Cyberpunk 2077 is still not as friendly as the usual guns-blazing playstyle.
15In the Hacking Minigame, You Can Put Junk Combinations In The Queue
Breaching, or the standard netrunning procedure inCyberpunk 2077,can get nerve-wracking at times, especially if there are multiple rewards. If players want to obtain all the rewards without locking themselves out of the small ones, then they can input some keys that don’t unlock the reward.
What this does is put them closer to the right sequence of keys necessary if they want to obtain all the rewards. Players can rest assured that inputting trash or unnecessary keys (that are not part of any sequence) won’t lock them out of any reward sequence. This is rather important for aCyberpunk 2077hacker build since there are some useful daemons and crafting materials in breaching.
14Don’t Sleep On Short Circuit
Contagion and Mass Suicide might look more angsty and effective as Quickhacks, but Short Circuit is often considered one of the most damaging combos in the game. Because the legendary version of Short Circuit will quickly ramp up its damage as long as players keep hitting enemies with critical damage.
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Guns are effective here if players want to keep triggering Short Circuit’s subsequent damage effects. In fact, in some scenarios, the Smart Weapon and Legendary Short Circuit combo can be more powerful than Contagion. On the plus side, players can use Short Circuit as a non-lethal option.
13Don’t Ignore The Cool Tree (Cold Blood)
It’s easy to forego the rest of the skill tree and just focus on Intelligence (Quickhacks) when going hacker inCyberpunk 2077. However, players will want to grab some relevant Cool Tree Perks. Cold Blood is the sub-tree section here as it has some perks related to Quickhacks. Make sure to grab those.
Moreover, Cold Blood itself pairs well with both Short Circuit and Contagion, as it will quickly ramp up damage if one enemy dies quicker than others. It also just so happens that there are tons of Critical damage-focused perks in the Cool perk tree and in the Cold Blood section. Those are very useful for Quickhacks with lots of damage pings.
12Take Advantage Of Security Cameras
For apureCyberpunkhacker build that forgot to put points in Body and doesn’t have much regard for personal safety, then security cameras are the answer. Because there are times when hackers can get cornered by a surprise enemy or a fast and resilient one. In scenarios like these, players will want to keep themselves hidden.
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They’ll still be able to strike in the shadows by leveraging security cameras. Players can even spread chaos without seeing the enemies directly with their eyes, as long as security cameras offer a good line of sight. But with Quickhacks like Contagion, hidden enemies aren’t even an issue anymore.
11Prioritize RAM
RAM is practically mana inCyberpunk 2077and hackers are the wizard class. Without RAM, players might as well be sitting ducks. There is a chance that certain hacks can fail or fizzle out against tougher opponents. That’s why having the capability to cast these Quickhacks over and over again is always a good backup.
Thankfully, upgrading RAM capacity is almost a given in aCyberpunk 2077hacker build. Players will find tons of RAM upgrades along the way while they enhance their Quickhacks in the Quickhack tree. Early in their build, players might want to prioritize having as much RAM as possible so they can enjoy their hacker gameplay better.
10Tough It Up In The Early Game
The thing about being a hacker inCyberpunk 2077is that it requires patience at the start. The trend here is the opposite of gunplay; whereas that one offers instant gratification at the very beginning, hacking’s rewards don’t come up until later on.
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That’s because a certain component is required for a hacker to truly shine and without that, they’re mostly just going to be revealing enemy positions, blinding them, or disabling cameras. So don’t throw away those guns or knives yet, they’re mostly needed as backups.
9Put All Points In Intelligence
This is also one of the reasons why being a hacker sets players off to a difficult start. All points must absolutely go to Intelligence. Even if it looks like allocating a point of two in Reflexes can help since there’s no gear to let you take advantage of high intelligence yet, it’s crucial to have some discipline.
That also means catering to a certain pacifistic or stealthy playstyle. Avoiding unnecessary trouble or encounters is vital because players don’t have much health or direct fighting skills. Again, the payoff is worth it so just be smart with your interactions.
8Get A Legendary Hacking Rig
Now comes the fun part, acquiring a Legendary Hacking Rig or Cyberdeck. This is where all the points you put in Intelligence pay off. Do note that equipping a Legendary Cyberdeck also requires a Street Cred of 14 but that shouldn’t be much of a problem.
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As for which Legendary Cyberdeck to get? Two options stand out, the Netwatch Netdriver and the Tetratronic Rippler. Both allow for Quickhack mods to be quicker and the first one is better for making Quickhack effects spread like wildfire to enemies. The Tetratronic Rippler is good as a cheaper option and is easier to acquire. Just keep going back to Ripperdocs until one of them has one.
7Make A Habit Of Jacking Into Access Points
For the actual hacking training, no other activity serves as a better practice than desecrating Access Points. They’re all spreadthroughout Night Cityand players shouldn’t pass up an opportunity to tamper with any they see out in the open.
These are goldmines looking to get cracked as some Access Points not only contain money butalso mods. If they’re lucky, players might even land themselves some Legendary mods or components to craft one. If anything, they also serve to familiarize the players with hacking.
6Grab The Right Breach Protocol Perks
Breach Protocol in the perks tab might sound secondary to the more impactful Quickhacks but they’re useful enough for when players find themselves blocked by a stubborn door. Mass Vulnerability is a good one.
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Another would be Datamine or Headstart. In general, players don’t really need most of the other options in Breach Protocols as the aspect that puts the “over” in overpowered hacker lies in the Quickhacks section so be conservative with your points when dabbling with Breach Protocol.
