🔫 Best Iconic Weapons & Where to Find Them
Iconic weapons are unique, legendary weapons in Cyberpunk 2077. Each has special mods and effects that make them stand out. This guide covers the best Iconic weapons, where to find them, and which builds benefit most from each.
📊 Iconic Weapons Overview
Iconic weapons are tiered from Tier 1+ to Tier 5++. Higher tiers have better stats and more mod slots. You can upgrade Iconic weapons at a workbench using crafting components.
🏆 Top 10 Iconic Weapons
1. Nue (Smart Pistol)
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Smart Pistol (auto-targeting) |
| Damage | 250-350 (varies by tier) |
| Special Effect | Bullets track enemies, +20% smart weapon damage |
| Best For | Netrunner builds, hybrid builds |
| Location | Quest reward from "The Heist" mission |
Why It's Great: Smart weapons are essential for Netrunner builds. You can focus on hacking while the gun handles aiming. Nue is one of the first Iconic weapons you get and remains viable throughout the game.
2. Tactician (Tech Shotgun)
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Tech Shotgun (charges through walls) |
| Damage | 800-1200 per shot (charged) |
| Special Effect | Charges shoot through walls, +40% tech weapon damage |
| Best For | Tech builds, burst damage |
| Location | Found in a locked safe during "The Heist" mission |
Why It's Great: The Tactician can one-shot most enemies when fully charged. It shoots through walls, so you don't have to expose yourself. Essential for tech builds.
3. Ashura (Assault Rifle)
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Assault Rifle |
| Damage | 180-250 per bullet |
| Special Effect | High fire rate, +25% headshot damage |
| Best For | Reflexes builds, sustained damage |
| Location | Dropped by Royce during "The Pickup" mission |
Why It's Great: Ashura has an incredibly high fire rate and excellent accuracy. It's perfect for mid-range combat and works well with Reflexes builds that focus on headshots.
4. Guts (Power Shotgun)
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Power Shotgun |
| Damage | 1500-2000 per shot |
| Special Effect | High damage at close range, +30% close-range damage |
| Best For | Body builds, close-quarters combat |
| Location | Found in a chest during "The Pickup" mission |
Why It's Great: Guts deals massive damage at close range. It's perfect for rushing enemies and clearing rooms quickly. Works best with Body builds that can tank hits.
5. Yukimura (Smart SMG)
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Smart SMG |
| Damage | 120-180 per bullet |
| Special Effect | Very high fire rate, +15% smart weapon damage |
| Best For | Netrunner builds, close-range combat |
| Location | Dropped by a Maelstrom boss during "The Pickup" mission |
Why It's Great: Yukimura has an insane fire rate and smart targeting. It melts enemies at close range and works well with Netrunner builds that need a reliable sidearm.
6. Ba Xing Chong (Power SMG)
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Power SMG |
| Damage | 150-220 per bullet |
| Special Effect | High damage per bullet, +20% crit chance |
| Best For | Cool builds, crit-focused builds |
| Location | Found in a hidden room during "The Ripperdoc" mission |
Why It's Great: Ba Xing Chong has high damage per bullet and excellent crit chance. It's perfect for Cool builds that focus on crit damage and stealth.
7. Shigure (Tech Sniper Rifle)
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Tech Sniper Rifle |
| Damage | 2000-3000 per shot (charged) |
| Special Effect | Charges shoot through walls, +50% headshot damage |
| Best For | Stealth builds, long-range combat |
| Location | Dropped by Sasquatch during "The Beast in Me" quest |
Why It's Great: Shigure can one-shot most enemies with a charged headshot. It shoots through walls, making it perfect for stealth builds. Essential for sniping builds.
8. Satori (Katana)
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Katana |
| Damage | 400-600 per slash |
| Special Effect | +50% crit damage, +30% attack speed |
| Best For | Melee builds, Reflexes builds |
| Location | Found in a chest on the rooftop during "The Heist" mission |
Why It's Great: Satori is the best melee weapon in the game. It has incredible crit damage and fast attack speed. Perfect for melee-focused builds.
9. Jyoken (Tech Sword)
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Tech Sword |
| Damage | 350-500 per slash |
| Special Effect | Charged attacks deal AoE damage, +25% tech weapon damage |
| Best For | Tech melee builds, crowd control |
| Location | Dropped by a Maelstrom boss during "The Pickup" mission |
Why It's Great: Jyoken's charged attacks deal AoE damage, making it excellent for crowd control. It works well with tech melee builds that want to clear groups of enemies.
10. Cradle (Power LMG)
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Power LMG |
| Damage | 200-280 per bullet |
| Special Effect | High magazine capacity, +20% sustained damage |
| Best For | Body builds, sustained damage |
| Location | Found in a locked safe during "The Heist" mission |
Why It's Great: Cradle has a massive magazine and deals consistent damage over time. It's perfect for Body builds that want to lay down suppressing fire and sustain damage in long fights.
🎯 Best Iconic Weapons by Build
| Build | Best Iconic Weapons | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Netrunner | Nue, Yukimura | Smart weapons let you focus on hacking |
| Tech | Tactician, Shigure, Jyoken | Tech weapons charge through walls |
| Reflexes | Ashura, Satori | Fast attacks, headshot bonuses |
| Body | Guts, Cradle | High damage, sustained fire |
| Cool | Ba Xing Chong, Satori | Crit bonuses, stealth damage |
💡 Iconic Weapon Tips
- Don't sell Iconic weapons. They're unique and can't be found again if you sell them. Keep them in your stash if you're not using them.
- Upgrade them early. Iconic weapons scale with your level, so upgrade them as soon as you have the materials.
- Mod them properly. Iconic weapons have extra mod slots. Use them to maximize their potential.
- Check for hidden Iconic weapons. Some Iconic weapons are in hidden locations or dropped by specific enemies. Explore thoroughly.
- Some are quest rewards. Certain Iconic weapons are only available as quest rewards. Don't miss these quests.
🏆 Final Thoughts
Iconic weapons are what make Cyberpunk 2077's combat so satisfying. Each one has its own personality and playstyle. Find the ones that match your build and upgrade them to maximize your effectiveness.
Next step: Check out our Cyber Psycho Build Guide to see how to use Iconic weapons effectively in a complete build.