Let the street samurai and shotgun maniacs battle it out in the trenches. You’re above that. With the best sniper build in Cyberpunk 2077‘s 2.0 update, you can one-shot enemies before they know you exist. Even in the narrow confines of Night City’s apartment complexes and back alley clinics, this build packs a punch. There are Attribute Points, perks, weapons, and cyberware to consider, giving players all the flexibility they need to craft something great and survive this challenging game. Here’s everything you need to know about putting together the best sniper build in Cyberpunk 2077 2.0.
Cyberpunk 2077 Sniper Playstyle
Succeeding as a sniper in Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 requires a combination of mechanical skill and solid strategy. Due to your low rate of fire and need to line up headshots, getting surrounded by enemies in tight quarters is a recipe for disaster. When possible, plan your approach to your objective, taking advantage of your range and any available cover. You’ll often be stationary in fights, so armor must take precedence over dodging. The Cool Attribute tree will be your best friend, with perks that enhance not only your sniping but also some essential stealth skills to get you into position. During some missions, you’ll have little choice in where you fight, so adaptability to your circumstances is key. Take advantage of your weapon’s range and firepower, and your enemies will crumple.
Attributes
The most important Attribute for the best sniper build in Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 is Cool. Cool not only provides you with an array of important buffs to sniper rifles but also grants some useful stealth perks. Though stealth is technically optional with this build, it’s always advantageous, since it gives you as much time as necessary to line up shots and maximize your DPS. Maxing out your Cool grants a +25% bonus to Crit Damage, so you should devote as many points as you can to that Attribute early on. High Crit Damage, combined with a sniper rifle and specific Cool perks, will let you one-shot most enemies you encounter. This is the recommended prioritization for Attributes:
- Cool
- Body
- Technical Ability
- Intelligence
- Reflexes
Because this build opts for tanking over mobility, you can make Reflexes your dump stat. If you prefer something faster, simply swap Reflexes for Body in your priorities list and choose complimentary Reflexes perks. Even if you keep your distance, there will be situations where you can’t avoid getting hit, and Body provides some useful regeneration perks, hence its place in this build. Technical Ability is optional but useful due to the wide range of cyberware enhancements available. The responses to CDPR’s balance changes have been favorable, in part because builds like this are now so fun.
Perks
Perks do more to differentiate your playstyle and strengths than any other feature, so you’ll want to be picky about where you invest your points. For the best sniper build, devote yourself to Cool perks early on until you’ve unlocked some of the most important buffs. After that, feel free to pivot to Body perks, followed by Technical Ability. Alternatively, you can jump back and forth between all three of those perk trees, leveling them roughly equally. Your sniping will be weaker at first, but you’ll be more well-rounded. It doesn’t make a difference in the long-term, especially because you can respec at any time. The most important Cool perks to grab are the following:
- Focus
- Deadeye
- Nerves of Tungsten-Steel
- Long Shot
- Deep Breath
- No Sweat
- California Reaper
- High Noon
- Rinse and Reload
- Unexposed
Used together, these perks reduce Stamina consumption, increase reload speed, and significantly improve headshot and weakspot damage. Sniper weapons typically suffer from low reload speeds and ammo capacity, so you’ll want to do whatever you can to counteract that. Anything that lets you drop enemies using fewer rounds deserves serious consideration. An enemy with a strong melee weapon can do serious damage if you let them get close, so it’s always better to pick your shots and put enemies down before they can close the distance. Focus and Deadeye will be the cornerstones of your sniper abilities, so get them fast and build around them.
Best Sniper Build Cyberware
The best sniper build in Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 arguably depends less on cyberware than almost any other build. If you’re doing your job and staying at range, you can avoid most of the close-combat problems that cyberware typically solves. That said, there are a few pieces of cyberware specifically tailored to benefit snipers and similar builds. Whenever you get the chance to visit a new ripperdoc, do so. They just might have the crucial piece of cyberware you’ve been missing. Keep in mind that in the 2.0 update, V has limited room for cyberware installations. If you want to raise that limit, you’ll need to invest in Technical Ability. Do it early, because it hurts to play catch-up at the end of the game.
For this build, the best cyberware is Rangeguard. Tier 4 Rangeguard grants +75 Armor when there are no enemies within 6m of you. That’s a significant Armor buff, and because your strategy revolves around long-range confrontations, you’ll be able to benefit from it most of the time. In addition to that Armor buff, the Rangeguard offers the following benefits:
- +5.8 Bonus Stealth Damage
- +2.9% Explosion Damage
- +0.14 RAM Regen from neutralizing an enemy
- +0.2% headshot and weakspot damage per Attribute point
Even if you aren’t using explosives or quickhacks, the Rangeguard is well worth the investment.
Sniper Build Weapons
Combat in Cyberpunk 2077 is harder and more deadly after the 2.0 update, so it pays to know your gear. A number of weapons received significant balance adjustments, so take some time to familiarize yourself with your equipment if you haven’t played since the update or you’re new to the game. The Phantom Liberty DLC adds even more weapons and items, expanding your tactical options that much more. For the best sniper build, you have several good options, and the choice ultimately depends on your playstyle as much as the stats of each weapon.
The SPT32 GRAD is a fantastic option for new and experienced snipers alike. The major downfall of this weapon is its abysmal attack speed. Its advantages, however, are numerous. High Damage combined with an incredible Effective Range makes it one of the most lethal weapons in the game in a sniper’s hands. 300% Headshot Damage Multiplier and +50% Armor Penetration means the SPT32 GRAD can chew through even the toughest enemies in just a few shots if you don’t kill them instantly. Bring this hefty rifle to a fight, and you’ll be the most legendary sniper in Night City.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty will be available for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S on September 26.
