Best Gorilla Arms Build for Update 2.0

This is a guide to the Best Gorilla Arms Build for Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Update 2.0. Read our guide for details about the build, what attributes to level up, which perks to choose, and what weapons and cyberwares to use.

Gorilla Arms Build Rework for 2.0 In Progress

We are currently working on updating this build for Update 2.0! The update brought a lot of changes across the board, so the team is hard at work to update these pages. Please check back for changes and thank you for your patience!

2.0 Update Patch Notes

Gorilla Arms Build Overview

Build Basic Information

Strengths and Weaknesses

Gorilla Arms Best Attribute Build

Attribute Progression

The Gorilla Arms build lives and dies on the Body Attribute, and the Street Brawler perk tree, as well as the Cool Attribute and the Cold Blood Perk tree. Prioritize leveling up these attributes first, and unlock the necessary perks. Occasionally add points to Technical Ability once you want to start crafting items.

Gorilla Arms Build Best Perks

Street Brawler (Body)

Perk	Effect at Lv. 1
Guerrilla	Increases Crit Damage by 60% for 10 sec. after entering combat. +2% per Perk level.
Flurry	Increases damage from combo attacks with Blunt Weapons by 30%.
Crushing Blows	Increases damage from Strong Attacks with Blunt Weapons by 10%.
Juggernaut	Increases Armor by 15% while blocking with a Blunt Weapon.
Dazed	All attacks with Blunt Weapns have a 15% chance to apply Stun.
Rush	Successful attacks with Blunt Weapons regenerate 3% Health over 2 sec.
Efficient Blows	Reduces the Stamina cost of all attacks with Blunt Weapons by 25%.
Opportune Strike	Increases damage with Blunt Weapons against enemies affected by Stun by 50%.
Human Fortress	Reduces the Stamina cost of blocking attacks by 50% while using a Blunt Weapon.
Payback	Increases damage with Blunt Weapons by 1% for every 1% of missing Health.
Reinvigorate	Defeating an enemy by performing a Strong Attack with a Blunt Weapon restores 10% Stamina.
Breathing Space	Increases Stamina regen while blocking with Blunt Weapons by 50%.
Relentless	Successful attacks with Blunt Weapons against enemies affected by Stun restore 20% Stamina.
Thrash	Strong Attacks with Blunt Weapons reduce the target's Armor by 20% for 7 sec.
Frenzy	Defeating an enemy increases damage with Blunt Weapons by 30% for 5 sec.
Biding Time	Every 5 seconds, blocking attacks with a Blunt Weapon restores 5% Health.
Unshakable	Successful attacks with Blunt Weapons against enemies affected by Stun restore 5% Health and 5% Stamina.

The entire Street Brawler perk tree makes you powerful in hand-to-hand melee combat, as it makes your attacks stronger, and also stun enemies. Important perks to get first from this tree are Flurry, Payback, Human Fortress, and Efficient Blows.

Athletics (Body)

Perk	Effect at Lv. 1
Steel And Chrome	Increases melee damage by 10%.
Like A Butterfly	Dodging does not drain Stamina.
Tenacious V	Getting hit does not interrupt Health regeneration.

From the Body tree, you should prioritize getting Steel and Chrome, Like a Butterfly, and Tenacious V. Get other perks that will help you take more damage as well, if you don't want to prioritize Cold Blood as much as our build suggests.

Cold Blood (Cool)

Perk	Effect at Lv. 1
Cold Blood	After defeating an enemy, gain Cold Blood for 7 sec. and increase movement speed by 2%. Stacks up to 1 time. The duration of each additional stack is 1 sec. shorter.
Blood Brawl	While Cold Blood is active, increases damage with melee weapons by 5%.
Rapid Bloodflow	Increase Health regen inside and outside combat by 5% per stack of Cold Blood.
Coolagulant	Stacks of Cold Blood are removed one by one, not all at once.
Predator	Increases attack speed by 10% per stack of Cold Blood.
Pain Is An Illusion	While Cold Blood is active, reduces damage taken by 5%.
Critical Condition	Increases duration of Cold Blood by 25%
Coldest Blood	Increases max stack amount for Cold Blood by 1.
Immunity	Grants immunity to Bleeding, Poison, Burn, and Shock when at least 4 stack(s) of Cold Blood are active.
Bloodswell	Upon receiving lethal damage while Cold Blood is active, prevents death, consumes all stacks of Cold Blood, restoring 10% Health per stack and grants Damage Immunity for 5 sec. Player cannot gain Cold Blood while perk is active. Cooldown 15 sec.

Here, get Cold Blood, Blood Brawl, and other Cold Blood perks that increase the damage you deal to enemies, or lower the damage you'll take from enemies.

Ninjutsu (Cool)

Perk	Effect at Lv. 1
Assassin	Deal 15% more damage to human enemies.
From The Shadows	Upon entering combat, Crit Chance increases by 10% for 7 sec.
Hasty Retreat	Temporarily boosts movement speed by 50% for 5 sec. when detected by an enemy.
Cheat Death	When your Health drops below 50%, reduce all incoming damage by 50% for 10 sec. Cannot occur more than once per minute.

You'll hardly be able to stay stealthy with the Gorilla Arms build, but still, get your hands on the Ninjutsu perks that can increase your damage and help you stay alive like Assassin and Cheat Death.

Gorilla Arms Build Best Weapons

Cottonmouth

Weapon
Cottonmouth
Effect	Electrically charged and tipped with venom, it deals Electrical and Chemical damage. Small chance to apply Poison and/or Shock.

A good melee weapon that can inflict a variety of status ailments on your enemies. Useful to have when you think you need to trade in your Gorilla Arms for a model of a much higher rarity, but don't have the money for it yet.

How to Get the Cottonmouth

Gorilla Arms Build Best Cyberwares

Operating System

Militech Falcon Sandevistan MK.5

Cyberware	Effect (Legendary/Iconic)
Militech "Falcon" Sandevistan MK.5	Slows time by 30% for 18 sec. Cooldown 60 sec. ・Increases any damage dealt by 15% when Sandevistan is active. ・Increases Crit Chance by 20% and Crit Damage by 20% when Sandevistan is active.

This cyberware will allow you to deal more damage and a higher chance of Critical hits landing. It even boosts your Critical damage.

QianT Warp Dancer Sandevistan MK.5

Cyberware	Effect (Legendary)
QianT Sandevistan MK.4	Slows time to 25% for 12 sec. Cooldown 15 sec. ・Increases any damage dealt by 15% when Sandevistan is active. ・Increases Crit Chance by 15% when Sandevistan is active.

A good alternative to the Falcon, as it has the bonus of increasing your Crit Chance and can combo up with the Cold Blood perk.

Arms Cyberware

Gorilla Arms

Cyberware	Effect (Legendary)
Gorilla Arms	Gorilla Arms charge with each attack. When you perform a Strong Attack, they deal bonus damage based on the charge level. Gorilla Arms also allow you to force open locked doors and rip turrets from their bosses. Three mod slot available (kunckles, battery, universe).

Of course, to effectively use this build, you will need Gorilla Arms. It is an upgrade to your regular fists and can be changed to have added effects on them.

The Gorilla Arms have three applicable mods: the type of damage it does, added special effects, and how much extra energy you can charge your Gorilla Arms up with. Here are the best confirmed ones so far.

Other Cyberwares

Kerenzikov

Cyberware	Effect (Legendary)
Kerenzikov	Allows you to aim and shoot while dodging. Slows time by 90% for 3.5 sec. when blocking, aiming, or attacking during a slide or dodge. Cooldown 5 sec.

Aside from the Sandevistan, the Kerenzikov will slow down time for you whenever you slide or dodge, making it useful in surviving close-quarters fights.

Heal-On-Kill

Cyberware	Effect (Legendary)
Heal-on-Kill	Instantly restores 10% Health after defeating an enemy.

In close-quarters combat, you might not have enough time to take a MaxDoc to heal yourself. That's why the Heal-on-Kill cyberware will do the healing for you. The more enemies you kill, the more your health gets restored.

Pain Editor

Cyberware	Effect (Legendary)
Pain Editor	Reduces all incoming damage by 10%.

This cyberware reduces the damage you receive in combat.

Microrotors

Cyberware	Effect (Legendary)
Microrotors	Increases attack speed by 25%.

This cyberware is excellent in making your attacks faster, making your Gorilla Arms attacks even deadlier.

Lynx Paws

Cyberware	Effect (Epic)
Lynx Paws	Allows you to move and run more quietly. The sound of your footsteps will not carry as far.

This cyberware ensures that your enemies won't know of your presence until you strike them.

How to Play the Gorilla Arms Build

Get in Close and Personal

Since the Gorilla Arms build is for melee fighters, you have no choice but to go close and personal to your enemies. This may leave you at a disadvantage against netrunners and snipers, so make sure to run for them first once you figure out where they are hiding.

Slow Down Time in Close-Quarters

Your Sandevistan and Kerenzikov cyberware can spell the difference between dying in a hail of bullets or winning the fight. However, time their use correctly so you won't end up having to wait for the Sandevistan to cool down when you most need it.

Gorilla Arms Alternative Builds

High Damage Build

This build focuses on Gorilla Arms and making sure you can use them effectively. While Gorilla Arms on its own is good, having additional Burn/Shock/Poison/Bleed damage will be extremely useful in certain situations.

Optional Perks

Depending on the damage type modifier you use, you may add the following perks:

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Related Guides

Best Character Builds

All Build Guides

All Cyberpunk 2077 Guides