Submachine guns can have questionable effectiveness in certain games, but Cyberpunk 2077 has some ways to make them shine. These simplistic weapons can unleash some heavy damage in the right hands, and their status as a lightweight mid-range firearm allows them to benefit from more perks than other methods of attack. Every Cyberpunk 2077 player should at least consider the benefits of making the best SMG build possible.
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Best Perks for an SMG Build in Cyberpunk 2077
The Reflexes tree contains SMG-related perks, with many of them also affecting assault rifles. The top of the tree has two separate perks for each weapon class, though, so be careful when selecting your choices. You can partner an SMG with an assault rifle for some fairly great effectiveness as a result of this mix. However, if you want to focus entirely on SMGs alone, you’ll have quite a few options anyway.
These are the best perks to get for an SMG build:
| Perk Type | Perks |
| Reflexes | Submachine Fun — Reloads your submachine gun and increases its fire rate when swapping to it. Gundancer — Removes movement penalties from aiming and allows you to aim while vaulting. Tailwind — Increases stamina when performing air dashes. You’ll need the Dash and Air Dash perks in the first place to get this one, allowing you to gain plenty of mobility during combat. Aerial Combat and Air Kerenzikov — The former perk improves mobility in the air while the latter allows the Kerenzikov Cyberware to be used in midair. Steady Grip — Allows you to shoot while dashing. Muscle Memory and Multitasker — Allows you to reload and shoot while sprinting, sliding, and vaulting. |
| Technical Ability | Extended Warranty and Cyborg — The former increases the duration of Cyberware while the latter reduces its cooldown. Ambidextrous — Unlocks a new Cyberware slot for your hands, granting access to weapon-specific bonuses such as recoil reduction. |
| Cool | Ninjutsu — Unlocks the ability to sprint while crouching. Small Target and Unexposed — Increases mitigation chance. The former activates when crouched and not moving while the latter activates when aiming from cover. |
Mobility is the name of the game when using SMGs, so practically all Reflexes perks related to those listed above will be helpful outside of Mad Dash. The Air Kerenzikov perk makes full use of a certain piece of Cyberware, so if you decide to get that, the perks from the Technical Ability tree will help you make full use of it. Finally, while the Cool tree is mostly focused around stealth-based gameplay, the related sprinting-while-crouching perks synergize exceptionally well with the aforementioned Reflexes choices.
In addition to these, getting a couple more basic perks can certainly help in the long run. Basic Body perks like Painkiller and Speed Junkie will increase your survivability while mobile. The Intelligence tree will also be vital if you happen to have a Smart SMG. You should consider putting at least 15 Attribute Points into that tree so you can at least get Target Lock Transfer, especially since one of the best SMGs out there happens to be a Smart weapon.
Related: Best Throwing Knife Build in Cyberpunk 2077 (2.0)
Best SMG to Get for a Build in Cyberpunk 2077
You can make great use out of equipping multiple SMGs at once. A great Tech option is the Senkoh LX, a weapon that can be found in the 6th Street Warehouse in Arroyo. Your best option for a Smart SMG — and arguably for SMGs in general — is the G-58 Dian, a powerful firearm that can be purchased from numerous weapon vendors. If you prefer a weapon without any crazy gimmicks, the Problem Solver can be found during Riders on the Storm, one of the game’s many Side Jobs.
Best Cyberware for SMGs
As mentioned previously, the best Cyberware you can have is the Kerenzikov, as its time-slowing abilities will let you be far more precise with an SMG. It can also compensate for players lacking the Multitasker perk, if you want to spend that point somewhere else. Of course, related Cyberware like the Defenzikov and Boost System will be especially helpful in providing some extra leeway to how many risks you can take while time is slowed.
You’ll also get a lot of use out of Cyberware that reduces recoil and bullet spread such as the Immovable Force, allowing you to retain that precision without sacrificing your mobility. On the subject of mobility, Jenkins’ Tendons will increase your speed to even greater heights, making it easy to simply rain bullets upon your foes. Make the most how fast you can move with SMGs and you’ll have very few issues with even the toughest encounters.
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