Highlights

• Ripperdocs in Cyberpunk 2077 offer superpower upgrades that enhance combat, traversal, and survivability in Night City.
• Certain cyberware upgrades like Axolotl, RAM Reallocator, and Mantis Blades are essential for different playstyles.
• Investing in cyberware upgrades like Camillo RAM Manager, Shock-N-Awe, and Smart Link can significantly boost player performance.

Ripperdocs are Cyberpunk 2077's version of a cosmetic surgeon, but instead of only amping up someone's physical appearance, they provide them literal superpowers. Ripperdocs are very helpful in Night City, especially those who engage in dangerous activities, which is rampant already to begin with.

Cyberpunk 2077, while mixed in terms of fan reception, does have a lot of cyberware upgrades provided by Ripperdocs that make the game more fun for its players. Some cyberware upgrades are better than others, of course, in terms of power, usefulness in combat and traversal, and increasing V's survivability. There are plenty of Ripperdocs all around and outside Night City and the following upgrades are some of the best that players can make use of in the game.

Updated on March 21, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the greatest action RPGs ever made — a statement that everyone would've laughed at back when the game launched. It shows just how important it is for developers to not give up on a game despite immense corporate meddling, with V's ascent to become a legend of Night City lending itself to some of the most impressive gaming moments in history. There are many ways that V can obliterate their foes in the game, and having a lot of cyberware to hit where it hurts certainly helps. There are loads of Ripperdoc upgrades in the game, so a couple more have been added to help fill out this list.

27 Axolotl

Rarity: Tier 4-5

• Axolotl Effect: After V takes out an enemy, cooldown is expedited by 5.0%-7.5% for all cyberware.
• Axolotl Price: 57,874 Eddies (Epic)
• Axolotl Attunement/Requirements: Technical

Players who love using cyberware abilities and powers in battle will love what the Axolotl brings to the picture. After using all of V's abilities, players can go on a massacre with this cyberware installed to make things easier for themselves.

This piece of cyberware reduces the cooldown on every one of V's powers, making it easier for players to spam their moves against a large group of foes. Axolotl's usefulness is totally dependent on the player's playstyle, rendering it useless for some and unmissable for others. If the player's V specializes in quick kills and a "guns blazing" playstyle, this upgrade will be a perfect addition to their build.

26 RAM Reallocator

Rarity: Tier 4-5

• RAM Reallocator Effect: Instantly recovers 20%-23% of max RAM when available RAM falls to 15%-20%.
• RAM Reallocator Price: 10,261 Eddies (Epic)
• RAM Reallocator Attunement/Requirements: Intelligence

The usefulness of quickhacks has been enhanced considerably with the addition of the RAM Reallocator, which is one of the best pieces of cyberware in the game. It allows players to restore a certain percentage of their max RAM if they've whipped out too many quickhacks in a short sequence.

It may seem like a minor change, but the way quickhacks become even more feasible with this cyberware equipped is pretty incredible. This cyberware is perfect for Netrunner builds, but other players who dabble in quickhacks can get some mileage out of this mod.

25 Mantis Blades

Rarity: Tier 2-5

• Mantis Blades Effect: Allows V to attack with melee weapons, leaping toward targets and dealing massive damage.
• Mantis Blades Price: 100,350 Eddies (Legendary)
• Mantis Blades Attunement/Requirements: Reflexes

The Mantis Blades are an Arms Cyberware that installs lethal blades on V's arm. They're designed with concealment in mind, making it useful for those who prefer a stealthy approach. It will also allow the players to unlock the ability to leap toward an enemy for massive damage.

The Mantis Blades Cyberware can be found at several locations and earned for free by completing certain missions. One is dropped at a footlocker during a Cyberpsycho Sighting mission called Phantom of Night City. Another can be found while undergoing an Assault in Progress located near Epistrophy: Wellsprings. It can also be picked up during an Assault in Progress at Heywood.

24 Camillo RAM Manager

Rarity: Tier 4-5

• Camillo RAM Manager Effect: Instantly restores 30% of RAM when it drops to 2 units (on a four-minute cooldown)
• Camillo RAM Manager Price: 11,200 (Legendary)
• Camillo RAM Manager Attunement/Requirements: Intelligence

The Camillo RAM Manager Ripperdoc upgrade is a Frontal Cortex Cyberware. The epic variation found in Cassius Ryder's shop on the Northside will instantly restore 20% of the player's RAM when it drops to two units.

The legendary variation will restore 30%, making it one of the best pieces of cyberware players can use. It's perfect for netrunning builds who don't want to run out of quickhacks in a tense situation.

23 Shock-N-Awe

Rarity: Tier 1-5

• Shock-N-Awe Effect: Getting hit has a 10% chance of dealing 20% max health damage to enemies around V
• Shock-N-Awe Price: 5600 Eddies (Legendary)
• Shock-N-Awe Attunement/Requirements: Cool

The Shock-N-Awe Ripperdoc upgrade is an Immune System Cyberware. Upon getting hit, this cyberware will provide a 10% chance of releasing an electroshock blast that deals damage to nearby enemies. The damage will be equal to 20% of an enemy's max health.

It may be an affordable piece of tech, but it is one of the most useful cyberware upgrades in the game, considering how often V will get hit by incoming gunshots and melee attacks.

22 Militech ‘Falcon’ Sandevistan MK 4

Rarity: Tier 4-5

• ‘Falcon’ Sandevistan MK 4 Effect: Activate to enter Sandevistan mode for 18 seconds. Slows time by 30%, increases damage dealt by 15%, increases Crit Chance and Crit Damage by 20% (1-minute cooldown)
• ‘Falcon’ Sandevistan MK 4 Price: 35,000 Eddies (Legendary Iconic)
• ‘Falcon’ Sandevistan MK 4 Requirements: Reflexes

The Militech "Falcon" Sandevistan is an Operating System Cyberware. It is considered to be Militech's best and most advanced model. Militech elite soldiers exclusively used previous Sandevistan operating systems, but now they've been made available as cyberware to the average consumer.

This operating system will slow time by 30% for 18 seconds. On top of that, it will also increase any damage dealt by 15% and increase crit chance by 20%.

21 Biodyne Berserk MK 4

Rarity: Tier 2-5

• Biodyne Berserk MK 4 Effect: Hold to activate Berserk for 30 seconds, significantly boosting V's strength and resilience and reducing weapon recoil by 25%, and weapon sway by 25%; also increases melee damage by 5%, ranged attacks by 20%, and armor and resistances by 5% (1-minute cooldown). Defeating enemies restores 4% max health when Berserk is active
• Biodyne Berserk MK 4 Price: 28,000 Eddies (Legendary)
• Biodyne Berserk MK 4 Attunement/Requirements: Body

The Biodyne Berserk MK 4 Operating System cyberware is the brand's newest version of Berserk implants. These implants are notable for their improved ranged combat and defense algorithms, making them popular among soldiers and mercenaries alike. It reduces weapon recoil by 25%, increases melee damage by 5%, and armor and resistance by 5%.

20 Smart Link

Rarity: Tier 1-5

• Smart Link Effects: Enables the use of smart weapons, increases the chance for bullets to hit targets by 15%, increases crit damage by 25%
• Smart Link Price: 16,800 Eddies (Legendary)
• Smart Link Attunement/Requirements: None

It must be noted that players can't even use smart weapons without the Smart Link. Some weapons are actually magical, but smart weapons work just as well.

Even if players don't intend to use the Smart Link, the increased critical hit damage and bullet accuracy make this a core upgrade in any build.

19 Titanium Bones

Rarity: Tier 1-5

• Titanium Bones Effects: Increases carrying capacity by 60%
• Titanium Bones Price: 2,000 Eddies (Rare)
• Titanium Bones Attunement/Requirements: Body

There aren't enough eddies in all of Night City to buy everything. If players want to save up for a modded flying car, they'll need to carry the loot away from their instances and sell it. This weight limit is very low, so it's always great to give it a boost with Titanium Bones.

Getting over-encumbered is one of the most annoying things in any video game, and Cyberpunk 2077 is no exception here. This is why Titanium Bones is such a coveted piece of cyberware, letting players loot to their heart's content.

18 Heat Converter

Rarity: Tier 4

• Heat Converter Effects: When affected by Burn, instead of receiving damage from it, V deals 10% more damage
• Heat Converter Price: 16,000 Eddies (Epic)
• Heat Converter Attunement/Requirements: Cool

Immunity alone would be an extremely useful effect, but the Heat Converter goes one step further. It converts all that burn damage into regular damage. For a wacky and effective build, set V on fire before every fight and get a damage upgrade for the skirmish.

17 Optical Camo

Rarity: Tier 2-5

• Optical Camo Effects: Grants invisibility for 45 seconds (1-minute cooldown)
• Optical Camo Price: 28,000 Eddies (Legendary)
• Optical Camo Attunement/Requirements: None

As great as weapon mods can get, it's tough for any of them to top straight-up invisibility. The Optical Camo cyberware was in early versions of the game, seemed to disappear, and has now come back. Cloaking is as overpowered as it sounds and probably shouldn't be used by gamers who want a challenge.

16 Reflex Tuner

Rarity: Tier 1-5

• Reflex Tuner Effects: Slows time by 80% for 4 seconds when V's health drops to 25% (40-second cooldown)
• Reflex Tuner Price: 14,000 Eddies (Legendary)
• Reflex Tuner Attunement/Requirements: Reflexes

Anybody who needs something to do after getting bored with the game should try a build that slows time. This will happen automatically when V hits 25% health or less if they're equipped with the Reflex Tuner, allowing the player to eliminate any threats before time reverts back to its normal flow.

Reflex Tuner is a great piece of cyberware to use, but players should ideally not reach such a low level of health, to begin with. Thankfully, this upgrade gives players some time to get their bearings together and sneak a heal in when things look dire.

15 Synaptic Accelerator

Rarity: Tier 2-5

• Synaptic Accelerator Effects: Slows time by 50% for 4 seconds when V is detected
• Synaptic Accelerator Price: 28,000 Eddies (Legendary)
• Synaptic Accelerator Attunement/Requirements: Reflexes

While the community is aiming to make the whole game more like Deus Ex, perhaps the easiest way to get the slo-mo effect is to purchase the Synaptic Accelerator. When V gets detected, time slows down, usually giving the player the first shot in any given combat situation.

14 Pain Editor

Rarity: Tier 4-5

• Pain Editor Effects: Reduces all incoming damage by 10%
• Pain Editor Price: 22,400 Eddies (Legendary)
• Pain Editor Attunement/Requirements: Cool

Not every build can afford to stack armor and damage reduction, but the Pain Editor fits right into most builds by taking a clean 10% cut of the damage and just getting rid of it. Unless fans are trying to make the game harder on themselves, installing this is a smart move.

13 Cataresist

Rarity: Tier 1-5

• Cataresist Effects: Increases all resistances by 35%
• Cataresist Price: 11,200 Eddies (Legendary)
• Cataresist Attunement/Requirements: Cool

The fixers in the game have terrifying lives that have often left them scarred, both literally and figuratively. V doesn't need to have their terrible lives. They can avoid taking damage from extra sources by reducing element damage with the Cataresist.

A 35% increase across multiple resistances at the highest tier is not something to scoff at. Most people would argue that Cataresist is so overpowered that most players will breeze through the game with this cyberware.

12 Blood Pump

Rarity: Tier 2-5

• Blood Pump Effects: Activate to restore 90% of max health (3-minute cooldown)
• Blood Pump Price: 28,000 Eddies (Legendary)
• Blood Pump Attunement/Requirements: Body

Several entries on this list will prevent death passively. For various reasons, this can be inconvenient; maybe it's a cooldown players want to save or an effect that occurs at an inopportune moment.

Hop on a motorcycle, the only vehicle worth using, and head toward the desert to buy Blood Pump from the Ripperdoc there. This player-controlled death prevention is the solution to these problems.

11 Limbic System Enhancement

Rarity: Tier 1-5

• Limbic System Enhancement Effects: Increases crit chance by 25%
• Limbic System Enhancement Price: 16,800 Eddies (Legendary)
• Limbic System Enhancement Attunement/Requirements: Intelligence

While the game has many redeeming qualities, very few experiences within it are as satisfying as witnessing a massive critical hit pop up onscreen. Amplify the number of times this effect occurs with the Limbic Enhancement System.

10 Kiroshi "The Oracle" Optics

Rarity: Tier 4-5

• The Oracle Effects: Highlights enemies behind cover within 22% of V's field of vision, up to 47 meters away
• The Oracle Price: 9,447 Eddies (Legendary)
• The Oracle Attunement/Requirements: None

Kiroshi Optics is the first piece of cyberware that V gets installed at the beginning of the game. Still, not many players are aware that better options become available as the game goes on. After a while, players unlock a suite of Kiroshi upgrades, including the Oracle Optics.

These optics let V zoom up to 10x while scanning and also combine the effects of other Optics, albeit at lowered effectiveness. The Oracle lets players see cameras, turrets, traps, and enemies in their immediate vicinity, even behind cover. Other Optics let players do these things individually, and more effectively, but being able to see everything behind walls is great for just about any build – and especially stealthy Netrunners.

9 Subdermal Armor

Rarity: Tier 1-5

• Subdermal Armor Effect: Increases armor by 300
• Subdermal Armor Price: 11.200 Eddies (Legendary)
• Subdermal Armor Attunement/Requirements: None

One of the biggest gripes people have about Cyberpunk 2077 is the fact that V needs to sometimes wear silly clothing options simply due to its powerful armor rating. In the end, the game becomes a choice between looking good, or looking bad but actually surviving in combat.

Luckily, there's a solution to this. The Subdermal Armor cyberware is ideal for bumping up V's armor significantly, without having to look like a clown on the streets of Night City. Its Legendary version gives the wearer a whopping 300 armor points.

8 Visual Cortex Support

Rarity: Tier 1-5

• Visual Cortex Support Effects: Increases crit damage by 30%
• Visual Cortex Support Price: 16,800 Eddies (Legendary)
• Visual Cortex Support Attunement/Requirements: Intelligence

If V's build relies on Crit Damage, it's best to invest in powerful cyberware that further enhances that aspect. A great option is the Visual Cortex Support, which comes in four different types and is a generally pretty common cyberware to find. However, its Legendary version is what players should really go for.

The Legendary version ups V's Crit Damage by 45%, nearly doubling it. Pair this with a stealth build relying on stealth Crit Damage and V becomes unstoppable.