Cyberpunk 2077 Attributes, Perks and Skill Trees Explained

This beginner friendly guide will teach you everything you need to know about the Skill Trees and Attributes system in Cyberpunk 2077 and Phantom Liberty. Learn how, when and what to prioritize as you are working on building your character up to perfection.

This guide is up-to-date for Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.3

So you completed the first mission in Cyberpunk 2077 and you gained a level. You have gained attribute points and you get the possibility to open some perks.

The max level that you can reach in any skill is co-related to your current level for the attribute that skill is associated with.

If you want to have a certain level in a certain Perk Tree, you have to make sure that you have enough attribute points invested into the specific attribute it is associated with. And also keep in mind that all of the attributes have a maximum level of 20.

What are Attributes

This is an overview of the Attributes and what playstyle each one of them promotes. You can have up to 20 points invested in a single Attribute.

As you level up, you get Attribute Points. You level up by just playing the game. Whether it be Gigs, Side Jobs or the Main Storyline, you get Experience Points.

You can view your Level and your Experience Points at the upper segment of your character screen.

Body Attribute

This tree improves your physical power and fortitude. It contains perks that improve your performance with Shotguns, LMGs and blunt weapons. Investing it in will allow you to adopt a powerful melee or close-range combat style. You will also be able to force open doors and rip off turrets to use as hand-held guns.

Reflexes Attribute

This Attribute determines your ability to maneuver fast and be agile on the move to avoid incoming damage or surprise an enemy. The perks from this Attribute contribute to the usage of Assault Rifles, SMGs and blade weapons. You will also be able to choose unique dialogue options from time to time if you have enough points in the Attribute.

Technical Ability Attribute

This is the Attribute that determines your skills with tech. Tech weapons, explosives and high capacity and quality cyberware are all boosted by perks from this attribute. You will sometimes be able to use unique dialogue options related to tech stuff if you have invested enough points for a specific situation during a mission.

Learn more from our in-depth guide to the Technical Ability Attribute and Perk Trees. It dives deep into each perk and explains how it works and all possible benefits and synergies in great detail.

Intelligence Attribute

This is the attribute that fits best with a netrunner playstyle. Inside you will find also boosts to using Smart Weapons and RAM boosting perks. Some dialogue options will be only accessible if you have enough points in this attribute.

Check out our Intelligence Attribute and Perk Trees explained guide to learn what each perk does, how to combine them and what synergies you can create to take full advantage of the attribute and its perks.

Cool Attribute

This attribute brings out the stealth and assassin-like powers within you. Perks from this attribute boosts the gameplay with pistols and sniper rifles, while others provide boosts and new capabilities to throw weapons (knives usually). As with all other attributes before, this one also unlocks some unique dialogue lines during missions.

Our detailed guide to the Cool Attribute and its Perk Trees will give you all of the information you need to know before you start investing points into this Attribute.

Relic Attribute

The Relic Perk Tree is only accessible if you own the Phantom Liberty expansion. It boosts your melee weapons and generally focuses on the melee playstyles.

Our full guide to the Relic Perk Tree will show you how the perks work, where, how and when to use each one and in what builds they fit best.

What are Perks

Each Attribute contains several Perk Trees inside. The Perks are divided into branches depending on what playstyle they promote. They are also locked behind a vertical progression.

As you invest more Attribute Points into a specific Attribute, you will unlock higher tiers of Perks within that Attribute. The tiers are as follows: Rookie, Pro, Phenom and Legend.

Perk tree tiers and progression in Cyberpunk 2077 — Cool Perks Empty

The large icons are the main perks. You have to unlock and upgrade them before you can reach the next perk above it. The smaller icons are sub-perks. Investing at least one Perk point into a main perk, will allow you to activate the branching sub-perks. The smaller perks are usually supplemental to the main perk and provide additional bonuses to it.

In addition to earning Perk Points through leveling, there are a number of Perk Shards you can purchase or loot all around Night City and Dogtown.

What is Skill Progression

The Skill Progression is a passive system that provides additional boosts and bonuses to specific playstyles. Each of the Attributes is “kind of” attached to one of the five Skills you can improve as you play.

You can access the Skill Progression screen from a button at the bottom right in the CHaracter screen.

Depending on how you play the game and what methods you use to accomplish your goals and missions, you will passively level up different Skills. Each Skill provides a Perk Point at levels 15 and 35.

Headhunter Skill

This Skill Progression gives you bonuses to stealth and boosts damage from headshots and hitting vulnerabilities.

To improve this Skill, perform takedowns, silent kills, headshots and hit vulnerabilities of your targets. You can also use silenced weapons.

Headhunter Skill lvl 60 — Headhunter 60 Bonus

Netrunner Skill

This skill provides bonuses to RAM recovery, usage of Smart Weapons and quickhacks.

To level it up, play as a netrunner – use quickhacks and breach terminals. Using Monowire also gives you points to Netrunner Skill, same with Smart Weapons usage.

Netrunner Skill lvl 60 — Netrunner 60 Bonus

Shinobi Skill

The Shinobi skill provides boosts to movement speed and stamina recovery after using Dash. It also provides boosts to your damage dealt with weapons after a Dash or Air Dash.

You level this skill by adopting an agile fighting style where your blades and other melee weapons come in handy with excessive use of abilities like Dash and Slide.

Solo Skill

This Skill promotes fighting in the open, from close range. It provides boosts to your melee attacks and melee cyberware.

Being in the face of your enemies, taking opponents down with shotguns, out in open close-range combat, levels up your Solo Skill. Whatever you do, as long as it’s straight-up in your opponent’s face, will result on Solo Skill points.

Engineer Skill

This usually is the fastest leveling Skill for most playstyles. It provides bonuses to Tech weapons and increases your cyberware capacity.

To level this skill, use grenades to eliminate opponents or use a Tech weapon. Crafting and Dismantling items also gives you points to Engineer. Switching off cameras and other remote-controlled devices will also contribute to this skill.

In general, each playstyle promoted by each of the Attributes, will boost mainly one of the above-mentioned Skills. Most of the time you will earn points for multiple skills after a fight. If you use multiple methods to eliminate your opponents, depending on how much you use one over the other, the game will reward yu points for several Skills.

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