Best Shotgun Build (Update 2.1) - Cyberpunk 2077

Shotgun Build - Blast Demon

Cyberpunk 2077, makes Shotguns both powerful and ridiculously fun weapons to use. Most of them have the highest effectiveness at the low to medium range, while some boast higher accuracy and can even be effective at the full medium range. This encourages you to get close to the enemy and fast.

To improve upon this playstyle, we will heavily rely on Dash for maximum mobility. This will easily allow the build to reach enemies and release a blast of pellets to their faces. Of course, this will create many situations where you are in the open under heavy bullet fire, so we will try to mitigate this with Sandevistan, Cyberware, and Perks.

Regarding shotguns, there are many alternatives, especially with the Phantom Libery expansion release. It will make choosing a perfect shotgun easier. For example, you could go all in on power with extremely high recoil or an accurate weapon that rewards precise headshots. However, maybe you want just everyone to burn? Well, there is an option for that.

So if you are ready to jump into fast-paced shotgun combat, let's get into the nitty-gritty details.

Attributes

First, let's go through attributes, they will decide the direction of the build and give access to different tiers of perks. The higher tier gives better actions and passives to further support the build. Let's take a look at what we need for the Shotgun Build.

Starting Game

Here are what attributes to take when starting the game in the creation screen.

Attribute	Allocation	Description
Body	+3	Will give us bonus HP early in the game and is the main attribute of the build
Reflexes	+3	Gives a critical chance and will be used to obtain mobility perks.
Technical Ability	+1	Unlocks the first tier of perks.

End Game Attributes

Here is the goal of Shotgun Build that we should reach at level 50

Attribute	Total Allocation	Description
Reflexes	20	Maximum Reflexes will ensure a higher critical chance and good mobility perks.
Body	20	Will unlock shotgun-related perks, and survivability options and give a huge boost to HP.
Technical Ability	20	Will provide perks related to healing items and cyberware. Moreover, provides bonus armor for better protection against damage.
Cool	8	Gives a boost to critical damage, but overall we do not need it much.
Intelligence	3	We skip this attribute as we do not use anything related.

Leveling Progression

To improve the build understanding and give you some direction here is the recommended leveling progression. Use it more as a guideline to create your Shotgun build. Once you start "Feeling" your playstyle you can deviate and pick your perks to better suit your style!

Level	Attribute	Perk
1	+3 Body +3 Reflexes +1 Technical Ability	-
2	+1 Body 7	Painkiller
3	+1 Body 8	Slippery
4	+1 Body 9	Die! Die! Die!

Perks

Let's go through the perks of the Shotgun Build. We will go through about 60~ perk points for the build, and the game awards about 80. So you will have perk points left to adjust the build to your needs.

Body Perks

The main attribute of the Shotgun build. It unlocks weapon-related perks, health regeneration, and huge protection boosts against damage.

Level 4 Perks - HP regeneration

These perks will ensure that we have sufficient HP regeneration in various combat situations.

Perk	Description
Painkiller	A very valuable perk that is recommended for any build. We also need it for the progression
Dorph-head	Blood Pump will be one of the main Cyberware that we use to drastically boost HP restoration
Comeback Kid	Higher health regen, the closer to death you are? Count me in
Army of One	Shotgun wielders will often get close to the enemy both for precise shots and for quick melee attacks.
Speed Junkie	Another awesome perk is as you will be sprinting with a shotgun around, this will give just a little bit more boost to HP regeneration

Level 9 Perks - first shotgun perks

Perk	Description
Die! Die! Die!	An awesome perk, that overcomes huge debuffs when stamina is low.
Like a Feather	Makes it easier to wield some shotguns and move without any penalties
Don't Stop Me Now	Gives more survivability with low stamina, as you can mitigate some of the incoming damage.
Bullet Ballet	Makes it easier to land a precise shot with Shotguns while moving.

Level 15 Perks

The next set of Perks will give a huge survivability boost to the Shotgun build. Moreover, we get weapon perks, that will allow instantly finish the enemy off.

Perk	Description
Adrenaline Rush	Awesome perk, that gives a second layer of HP when using healing items. This will give so-needed survivability if you plan on using Edgerunner and also play on Very Hard
Calm Mind	Delay before Adrenaline starts decaying, prolonging the second layer of HP.
Juggernaut	Encourages you to have Adrenaline activated most of the time, to get these sweet combat bonuses.
Unstoppable Force	Makes you immune to some knockout effects.
Spontaneous Obliteration	Unlocks a finisher that, gives some additional buffs with the set of next perks.
Skullcracker	Get a huge quick melee attack damage boost, based on missing stamina. This can be used as a quick finisher not to waste ammo or skip waiting for reload.
Close-quarters Carnage	Encourages you to be close to enemies to activate Obliteration.
Dread	Encourages to use of Shotguns for a decrease in target armor.
Rush of Blood	Faster reload speed once you Obliterate an enemy.
Bloodlust	Now you can fuel Adrenaline with shotgun kills for even more survivability.

Level 20 Perks

Perk	Description
Pain to Gain	Together with Glutton for War and Health Freak these perks will make it easy to have health restoration on hand.
Rip and Tear	With the perk, you can deal huge damage by switching shots with quick melee. The melee attack is a good finisher when enemies are low on HP and can be used instead of waiting for a reload.

Reflexes Perks

These perks will give a huge edge to Shotgun Build in combat. From attribute level 9 onward, you can instantly reach any target and release a slug to the head, ending its short life.

Level 4 Perks

Perk	Description
Slippery	Base perk, that we will need to progress to other levels
Parkour!	Because we are melee focused build vaulting faster through obstacles can result in the enemy dead a second earlier. Moreover, it will be a lifesaver when you are running with low health.
Muscle Memory	Allows to reload doing almost any action. This gives higher survivability and better mobility while in combat.
Multitasker	Shooting has never been easier. Together with Kerenzikov, it will allow for some crazy combos.

Level 9 Perks

Finally, we will be able to get the first mobility perk. It is useful both for exploration and combat

Perk	Description
Dash	Another new perk that gives a short dash to avoid or get close to the enemies.
Mad Dash	Doubles the distance if dashing directly to an enemy
Can't Touch This	A 100% mitigation chance while dodging is very valuable. This will give you a higher chance of survival under heavy fire.
Steady Grip	Shooting while dashing for awesome kills.
Mean Streak	If you manage to neutralize the enemy while dashing it will restore stamina.

Level 15 Perks

Further improvements to Dashing

Perk	Description
Air Dash	Extremely cool and effective move that allows dashing in air.
Aerodynamic	Gives bonus mitigation strength when jumping. I think it is useful in encounters where you are moving a lot, as then you will use Air Dash.
Aerial Acrobat	Gives more control and precision while Air Dashing, making it easier to land a shot with a shotgun.

Level 20 Perks

And finally Legend tier perks

Perk	Description
Tailwind	Stamina restoration while Air Dashing.

Technical Ability Perks

The perks in this tree play an important role in general survivability, item usage, and cyberware. Overall, you will want to heavily invest in this tree throughout the mid and late game.

Level 4 Perks

Perk	Description
Glutton for War	You will be taking out a lot of enemies, so why not faster healing item recharge?
First Aid	Faster healing item recharge speed.
Transfusion	If you use the last charge, you are close to being overwhelmed or dead. So a 30% boost is awesome.

Level 9 Perks

Perk	Description
Health Freak	You now have 3 health recharge items, making combat a bit easier.
Borrowed Time	Gives instant health item recharge when taking out an enemy when being close to death.
All Things Cyber	Mandatory perk as we will need as much Cyberware as we can. Reduces its costs
Renaissance Punk	Gives some additional cyberware capacity. Feel free to switch it to Driver Update or Chrome Constitution once you have enough cyberware.

Level 15 Perks

Perk	Description
License to Chrome	Improves Skeleton cyberware and unlocks a new slot for even more chrome
Extended Warranty	The increased duration is useful for Sandevistan, Kerenzikov, and other cyberware.
Ambidextrous	Gives an additional slot for hands cyberware, that you can use to increase accuracy or get unique effects.
Pyromania	We mainly take this for progression, but it will be also useful for health item recharging and improvements to grenades. Moreover, it works with Ba Xing Chong and its explosive pellets

Level 20 Perks

Perk	Description
Edgerunner	I think this perk could be optional. It is amazing as it gives 50 Cyberware capacity allowing to put in at least one iconic cyberware. Moreover, you have a chance to enter Fury State for a huge damage boost. However, this reduces your health, increasing your chances of dying.
Ticking Time Bomb	Aamzin perk, that not only releases EMP but also gives a brief period of damage reduction.

Perks - Relic

With the introduction of Phantom Liberty, you will be able to obtain new perks that give unique capabilities. Here is what I recommend for the Shotgun build:

Priority	Perk	Description
1	Vulnerability Analytics	Shows enemy weak spots, which when hit, create an electricity explosion. It is especially useful against robots and stronger enemies.
2	Machine Learning	Improves Vulnerability Analytics by making them appear faster and giving a higher critical damage boost

For more perks, you would need to use additional Arms cyberware. My recommendation would be the Projectile Launch system. If you will use it, be sure to pick Jailbreak, Launch Capacity Override and Doomlauncher perks

Combat and Tips

Here I would like to share some suggestions on how to utilize the Shotgun build to the maximum.

Using quick melee with a Shotgun

Once you add perks Skullcracker, and Rip and Tear using a melee hit after a shotgun shots is a good strategy. When fighting normal enemies the first shot will either totally delete the foe or leave them with a few HP. Using a quick melee will finish them off.

Now with Rip and Tear, you boost your next shot with 100% and can kill most of the elites with a single precise headshot. Of course, evaluate if it is faster to pull the trigger again or hit with a melee attack, as animation can take a while while the next shot can be instant.

Staying mobile

Being constantly on the move ensures that you avoid enemy bullets once you get the Slippery perk. This is encouraged because shotguns have the maximum effectiveness when in close range as most of the pellets can hit. Of course, there are options like Headsman, that are also effective and medium to long range, particularly if you can land a headshot.

Equipment

This section will cover what gear I recommend using with the Shotgun build. Always try to obtain the highest tier equipment as it provides the best stats and most modification slots.

Shotguns

There are plenty of weapon options to choose from. I would like to list a few of my favorites. I prefer strong shotguns that can take out a foe with one shot. They are usually slow, and you do not want to miss a shot with them.

Moreover, all of them are amazing weapons, and I do not have a specific priority recommendation. Just try them out and decide what fits your playstyle. For me, it was Guts followed by Sovereign.

Item	Description
Guts	The iconic weapon from Edgerunners anime is used by Rebecca. It has crazy recoil but deals tons of damage, and has a decent clip size.
Dezerter	Even more powerful than Guts, but reloads every shot. Moreover, will activate Pyromania with each shot.
The Headsman	The most precise shotgun? Has a 200% headshot multiplier, is very accurate, and has low recoil. Perfect for sniping those mid-range targets.
Redbone	Perfect shotgun to go all in with the "Speed Demon" theme. Utilize sprinting, and dashing for bonus damage.
Sovereign	Extremely fun shotgun to use that deals the most damage at very close range. Torso shots will also increase reload and movement speed. Synergizes well with Microgenerator due to constant reloading.
Order	The only Tech Shotgun on the list. I found tech weapons do not synergize well with Sandevistan. but overall, deadly weapon that removes anything in its path when fully charged
Ba Xing Chong	Iconic Smart Shotgun, that releases small rockets. Obliterates almost all enemies with a single shot. However, obtained fairly late in the game.

Cyberware

Cyberware is a unique mechanic that allows us to fill the build with implants. Our main goal is first to get offensive ones. Early games can be quite difficult as you will have limited capacity. However, as you progress and drop more Capacity Shards, you will be able to equip even multiple iconic ones.

Cyberware - Frontal Cortex

Slot	Item	Description
1	Axolotl	This is crazy powerful cyberware for Sandevistan. Each kill reduces cooldown by at least 10%. However, it takes a lot of cyberware capacity, so you can switch it with Newton Module as a cheaper alternative.
1	Newton Module	Gives a cyberware cooldown reduction after taking out an enemy. It is not much, however, with multiple kills, the effect adds up.
2	Mechatronic Core	Increases damage against drones, mechs, and robots. Optional cyberware
3	Kerenzikov Boost System	As the build utilizes Kerenzikov the bonus time slow and no stamina cost is a good boost. However, I would first prioritize getting Axolotl

Arms

Slot	Item	Description
1	Projectile Launch Thermal System	If you plan on getting any Arms cyberware, I recommend this one. It replaces grenades but allows for more precise explosions.

Cyberware - Skeleton

Slot	Item	Description
1	Epimorphic Skeleton	This cyberware greatly boosts overall health. This will be very useful to provide some bonus survivability.
2	Bionic Joints	Gives bonus armor and scales with Technical Ability
2	Spring Joints	Increases Migitagion Strength. We have many sources to activate mitigation like Kerenzikov or Pyromania
3	Rara Avis	Gives a huge boost to armor, but comes with a steep cyberware capacity cost.
3	Para Bellum	Gives 12% armor for better protection.

Cyberware - Nervous System

Slot	Item	Description
1	Kerenzikov	Together with some other cyberware like Defenzikov and Kerenzikov Boost System, you can constantly slow time, get huge bonuses, and take total control of the battlefield.
2	Neofiber	Gives higher mitigation chance and strength and scales with Reflexes for bonus critical chance.
3	Revulsor	Iconic version of Reflex Tuner. Movement speed for you is not slowed which makes it very powerful, for this type of build, scales with Cool.
3	Adrenaline Converter	Gives a decent movement speed increase when entering combat. Moreover, has low cyberware costs, before you can afford the above one.

Cyberware - Integumentary System

Slot	Item	Description
1	Pain Editor	As the build will rely on close combat, having higher damage reduction is good.
1	Subdermal Armor	Provides flat armor increase. Has a low cyberware capacity cost.
2	Chitin	Has a high cyberware capacity cost, but provides a high armor bonus and health regeneration.
2	Nano-Plating	A lower cyberware capacity cyberware that negates projectile damage after using Dash.
3	Defenzikov	Gives a huge boost to Mitigation chance after activating Kerenzikov.

Cyberware - Operating System

For the endgame, my recommendations would be these two operating systems. Unfortunately, other ones fall off in comparison

Item	Description
Militech "Apogee" Sandevistan	The most powerful Sandevistan. Each kill increases the duration by 20% and Stamina. Moreover, it gives a decent boost to critical chance and damage.
Militech "Falcon" Sandevistan	A junior version of Apogee. Has a smaller Cyberware capacity, but, the bonuses are smaller also.
Dynalar Sandevistan	The cheapest option. Generally, it has lower cyberware capacity and gives good critical damage and chance bonuses. If you pair it with Axolotl, this can be a solution for limited capacity until you can increase it

Cyberware - Ocular System

Slot	Item	Description
1	Kiroshi "Cockatrice" Optics	The recommended option, however, has a very high cyberware cost. Boosts critical hit chance considerably.
1	Kiroshi "Doomsayer" Optics	We are mainly interested in critical chance boost based on the Reflexes attributes

Cyberware - Hands

The second slot is accessible once you obtain the Ambidextrous perk.

Slot	Item	Description
1	Microgenerator	Amazing cyberware that gives additional electric damage. I recommend using this cyberware with shotguns that reload a full clip - The Headsman, Redbone, Dezerter, etc. It will not work with something like Mox or Guts.
1	Shock Absorber	Reduces recoil by 20%. With some testing, it's hard to say whether the effect is impactful.
2	Smart Link	Equip this one if you plan on using Smart Weapons like DB-4 Palica, L-69 Zhuo, or Ba Xing Chong
2	Immovable Force	Greatly reduces recoil and bullet spread. Is quite costly in terms of Cyberawre Capacity.

Cyberware - Circulatory System

Slot	Item	Description
1	Biomonitor	Automatically restores health by using healing items. I started loving this one, as you do not need to waste time and concentrate just on the combat.
2	Blood Pump	The best health regeneration item and cyberware. It will also activate Adrenaline Rush for us.
3	Second Heart	Provides instant resurrection if you die. However, has a long cooldown.
3	Heal-On-Kill	Costs 10 Cyberware Capacity and restores health on each kill.

Cyberware - Legs

Slot	Item	Description
1	Reinforced Tendons	My personal favorite makes traversing much easier.
1	Leeroy Ligament System	Iconic leg cyberware, providing faster movement speed, however, does not give any jumping benefits
1	Fortified Ankles	Gives the highest jumps and high boost to armor compared to cyberware capacity cost.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading this post on the best Shotgun build in Cyberpunk 2077. This is an awesome close-range combat build that relies on being in the enemy's face for maximum damage and instant obliteration. The build should be easy to pull off with perk and attribute recommendations.

Feel free to leave a comment below!