Your Cyberpunk 2077 Gorilla Arms are powerful cybernetic mitts you can weld onto your body that let you smack enemies around, and with the Phantom Liberty expansion, let you unleash a super punch that blows everything away. With the 2.0 update, Gorilla Arms have gone from feeling a little underwhelming to one of the most powerful weapons in the game, benefitting as they do from the Body, Reflexes, and Technical Ability skill trees.
Phantom Liberty's new Jailbreak super-powered punch can one-shot most enemies, and blow away any others who are unlucky enough to be idling nearby. So, if cracking heads and punching bits off people sounds like a good time, here's how to get Gorilla Arms in Cyberpunk 2077, plus the skills and Cyberware that'll benefit you the most in sorting a build.
How do Gorilla Arms work?
Gorilla Arms replace your regular unarmed melee ability with two robotic paws. There are two primary attacks; a fast jab and a heavy, charged attack. Generally, it's a good idea to mix these up. The charged attack often knocks enemies to the ground, so you can quickly finish them off with a jab, or if you have Savage Sling, pick them up and hurl them at their friends. It's also worth noting you can uppercut if you're crouching or in a slide, and can block attacks the same way you would with your fists usually.
If you have Phantom Liberty, the new Jailbreak skill adds extra functionality. As you attack, your arms charge up, and when you next use a charged attack, they'll unleash a mega punch. This will kill most enemies but also deals damage in a cone in front of you, so you can effectively punch an entire group of enemies in one blow.
How to get Legendary Gorilla Arms
Since you can upgrade your Cyberware now that the 2.0 update is out, one way to get Legendary Gorilla Arms is to simply upgrade yours into tier 5 using components. When you do, you'll be given a choice of three different types with a series of random buffs. Previously, you only used to be able to buy Legendary Gorilla Arms from a couple of specific places, but since 2.0 is out, you can buy Gorilla Arms at most Ripperdocs now.
The key difference is that the tier of Gorilla Arms and other Cyberware you can buy is based on your level. For example, my level 10 character can only purchase tier 2 Gorilla Arms, while my level 50 character can buy the legendary versions right off the bat.
Cyberpunk 2077 Gorilla Arms: Best skills to use
If you want to make a full-on Gorilla Arms build, you'll want to spec heavily into Body first, specifically, the right-hand column skills for Blunt Weapons. Though it's a little unclear, Gorilla Arms count as Blunt Weapons, so you can use the Wrecking Ball, Quake, and Savage Sling skills while they're equipped.
I'd also recommend investing heavily in the middle column to increase your survivability—after all, you are going to be running at people firing guns while trying to punch them. In terms of other priorities, here's what I recommend:
- Reflexes: Specifically the middle column that gives the ability to dash and mid-air dodge. This will help you close the distance with enemies fast so you can punch them, and provide damage mitigation while you're doing it.
- Technical Ability: This is more late-game, but the middle column effectively buffs all your Cyberware, granting damage reduction and reduced cooldowns. You'll likely be using a Berserk Operating System to buff your survivability or damage with Gorilla Arms, so getting a reduced cooldown on this is very good. Also, the top-level Edgerunner skill adds a further berserk state called Fury, where you deal massively increased damage.
The real secondary advantage of the Edgerunner skill is that it also lets you overload your Cyberware capacity in exchange for reduced max health. This might sound bad, but when you have a Blood Pump for instant healing and a Second Heart that revives you when you go down, having a little less health doesn't feel like it matters all too much.
Cyberpunk 2077 Gorilla Arms: Best Cyberware to use
Of course, the most important piece of Cyberware in a Gorilla Arms build is your Gorilla Arms themselves. There are four variants you can use; Physical, Toxic, Thermal, or Electrifying, each of which apply that specific damage type. This choice is ultimately up to you, but in terms of complimentary Cyberware, here's what I suggest:
- Berserk: There are different versions of this Operating System, but it basically lets you activate a buffed state where you deal extra damage, attack faster, or get damage reduction. I personally use the Militech Berserk, because it literally makes me invulnerable to damage, which is very useful when everyone has guns and you're just punching.
- Blood Pump and Second Heart: Having a Blood Pump in your Circulatory System is just great for free healing on a cooldown, while a Second Heart brings you back to life if they do manage to take you down.
- Fortified Ankles: This Leg Cyberware is invaluable when you're not using a gun since often there will be enemies on higher platforms shooting down on you. With these, you can jump right up to the platform and give them a nice little surprise.
- Adrenaline Converter and Synaptic Accelerator: These two Nervous System mods slow time when enemies detect you and give you 30% increased movement speed when you enter combat. This makes for a pretty lethal combo, as you speed around the room in slo-mo, punching as many people as you can before they realise what's happening.
On top of these, I definitely suggest slotting Cyberware into your Skeleton and Integumentary System in order to buff your armour. One key difference in 2.0, is that armour doesn't come from your clothes, but from Cyberware, so your best bet for staying alive is getting yourself some chrome. I personally use Titanium Bones, Dense Marrow, and Epimorphic Skeleton to buff armour, carry capacity, health, and melee damage.
