Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 Arms Cyberware Guide

This guide will tell you everything you need to know about how Arms cyberware works in Cyberpunk 2077 and what’s changed after Update 2.0, as well as showcase all of the Tier 5 arms cyberware.

How Cyberware Works in Update 2.0

Cyberware has gotten a hefty redesign. Both attribute requirements for specific cyberware and armor provided by clothing have been removed! Instead, relevant pieces of cyberware provide your armor (arms do not provide armor), and each piece of cyberware now has a cost associated with it that counts towards the safe limit.

You can’t exceed the limit unless you take the Edgerunner perk from the Technical Ability tree, and even then, the capacity increase only lets you add on a bit more than what’s safe.

Your maximum cyberware capacity increases by a small amount each time you level up, but you can also gain a few points of cyberware capacity from shards you find in the wild, just like you can with the skill progression level for each attribute.

In addition to purchasing cyberware, you can now also upgrade them with item components just like you can with iconic weapons. The upgrade system follows the same quality tier structure, but it’s cheaper to upgrade most cyberware than it is to craft or upgrade an iconic weapon.

With the exception of the one in Dogtown that has a few iconic implants (though none for arms), all Ripperdocs are now the same. Ripperdocs no longer have specialties, so you can buy any piece of cyberware you want from any of them, and there isn’t a huge reason to go to one over another.

It’s not 100% clear how it works yet, but it seems that you gain permanent access to buy the next tier of cyberware once you’ve upgraded enough of what you have to the next tier. However, the 2.0 patch notes suggest that it’s all level-based. Either way, you only have to upgrade some cyberware and can buy the rest.

Unique Aspects of the Arms Cyberware

Arms cyberware works differently than the rest because each of the 4 types is actually a weapon you can use in combat. The 4 types of arms cyberware are Gorilla Arms, Mantis Blades, Monowire, and the Projectile Launch System. You can only equip 1 of them.

With 2.0, each type of arms cyberware now synergizes with a specific attribute. In addition, they no longer have a set of mods associated with them. Instead, there are 4 variants of each type of arm cyberware that change the damage type of the implant.

The damage types include:

Base Version – Deals Physical damage and has a chance to apply Bleeding.
Toxic – Deals Chemical damage and has a chance to apply Poison.
Electrifying – Deals Electrical damage and has a chance to apply Shock.
Thermal – Deals Thermal damage and has a chance to apply Burn.

Each variant of a given type of arm is attuned to a specific attribute, giving you an incentive to use a specific type of arm depending on your build. The only pattern I see is that the attunement for each type of arm’s physical damage type matches its most synergistic attribute. In other words, you’re using the base version of the arm if you’re buffing it with perks.

It’s likely that the other arms rotate their attunements with each damage type such that it is possible to combine any attunement with any damage type, though you don’t get to care about the type of weapon those factors are attached to.

The attack speed and stamina cost for each variant of a given type of arm are the same, but the damage dealt per hit differs slightly by damage type. Since the difference is so small and there is no clear correlation between damage type and damage dealt per hit, I recommend prioritizing the best attunement and attribute or perk synergies (like Poison for Cool) and using this minor difference as a tie-breaker.

The mod that boosted the effectiveness of the arm is now increased through upgrading the tier. Most of the unique benefits provided by specific mods are now offered as skill progression rewards from the skill that’s associated with the attribute that synergizes the most with the given type of arm.

Sensory Amplifiers, the mod for the final slot with a variable generic effect, have either been done away with or integrated into some other part of the game.

List of All Legendary Arms Cyberware

This segment will show and explain each type of arms cyberware, how they differ from each other, and what makes each piece of chrome unique for a different purpose and build.

I’ll only be showcasing the gold tier 5 version of each because that gives you a clear idea of how the variants and arms stack up against each other when they have received all their buffs, so you’ll get a clear idea of where you’re headed.

As you upgrade your cyberware, the stats will get better, and you’ll even gain a couple of new effects, but as long as you’re comparing 2 items of the same tier, the conclusions should remain the same. For example, if you’d take a tier 5 (gold) Toxic Mantis Blades over a tier 5 (gold) Toxic Monowire, you’d also take a tier 2 (green) Toxic Manis Blades over a tier 2 (green) Toxic Monowire.

Disclaimers:

The images of in-game descriptions for each of the arms cyberware are affected by all the relevant perks in the Technical Ability tree, including offering a third modification and a combined 20% boost in their effectiveness. Without those perks, the modifications they offer are no different than any other piece of cyberware.
There are no attunements listed for Monowire. I think this is a bug that is likely caused by the Monowire’s unique capability to equip a Quickhack thanks to a Relic perk. In addition, all other arm cyberware provides an attunement, and the tooltip description seems to be missing other important information about the damage type.

Gorilla Arms

Gorilla Arms significantly upgrade your punches and are considered a blunt weapon for perks purposes. The Body attribute offers dedicated perks for the Gorilla arms. It’s good to get a pair of these for the Beat on the Brat fighting rings mission.

The Relic Skill tree enables you to build up charge with your punches that eventually lets you do a superpowered punch that sends out a shockwave.

We have featured the Gorilla Arms in our powerful Solo Berserk build where this weapon is the main source of carnage and destruction you will be causing.

Mantis Blades

The Mantis Blades offer a melee weapon with stats that are in between that of a knife and katana. They are considered blades for the purposes of perks and synergize best with the Reflexes attribute. You can buff it with the Relic skill tree to significantly increases its leap range and chance to dismember enemies.

Monowire

The Monowire is a whip-like weapon that deals less damage and has a slightly slower attack speed than the other melee weapons in exchange for additional range (though no gap closing). You can buff it with a few perks from the Intelligence attribute as well as the Relic skill tree.

The Intelligence perks give it a special finisher and some RAM recovery while the Relic skill tree lets you equip it with a Control Quickhack that then gets applied to each enemy it hits. In my opinion, the Cripple Movement Quickhack is the best one to equip by far.

The Nanowire is usually a great choice for a Netrunner build and in our case we have featured it there. It boosts your performance both actively and passively.

Projectile Launch System

The Projectile Launch system is the only ranged arm cyberware. It acts like a missile launcher and synergizes with the Technical Ability attribute. It has a dedicated perk and benefits from many of the buffs to explosives and recharging.

The base version that deals Physical damage offers an increased chance to dismember enemies instead of applying Bleeding.

Stay tuned for future coverage of Cyberpunk 2077, and consider checking out our spoiler-free review of Phantom Liberty and our guide on Phantom Liberty release times. If you want to know more about what else has changed with the most recent update, take a look at our Update 2.0 Breakdown.