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Most guns in Night City rely on the user’s accuracy to land shots. In the heat of battle, surrounded by every enemy CD Projekt Red can throw at you, it can be hard to keep your enemies in the crosshairs. Thankfully, Cyberpunk has a solution. Smart Weapons interact with V’s cybernetics to automatically target your enemies for you. That means no more missing shots just because you got a little distracted or were busy planning three steps ahead. Like every other weapon in Cyberpunk 2077, Smart Guns have their pros and cons, and it may not be immediately obvious how to use them properly. Here’s what you need to know to operate the cleverest part of your arsenal.
Install Smart Link To Use Smart Weapons
Although anyone can pick up and use Smart Weapons, you must have specific cyberware installed in order to unlock their auto-lock feature. Auto-lock is the ability that allows your Smart Weapon to automatically target enemies, so Smart Weapons aren’t very smart without it. If you don’t already have a Smart Link installed, you can visit one of Night City’s many ripperdocs to purchase one and have it implanted. Ripperdoc clinics can be easily located using your map.
Like other cyberware, the Smart Link comes in multiple tiers, with higher-tier models offering better performance. It’s wise to install the best model you can. That said, they can get expensive. If you’re short on funds, a lower-tier model will still allow you to use Smart Weapons. The Smart Link is installed in the Hand Slot. If you already have hand cyberware, you’ll need to replace it. Alternatively, you can invest in the Ambidextrous Perk to open up an additional Hand Slot. That will allow you to use Smart Weapons as well as your favorite hand cyberware.
Target Your Enemies
Once you have a Smart Link installed, all you need is a Smart Weapon. You can find Smart Pistols, Rifles, SMGs, and even Shotguns, so if you don’t already have one, drop by one of Night City’s many gunshops and grab one. With your Smart Link installed and Smart Weapon in hand, it’s time to try out your new gear. Cyberpunk makes it easy to use a Smart Weapon, and that’s kind of the point. Aim in the direction of your target, and your weapon will automatically lock onto them. When you pull the trigger, your shots will home in and land on target.
To use a Smart Weapon well, there are a couple of things you need to understand. Every Smart Weapon has a target-lock time that determines how long it takes for your Smart Link to lock onto the enemy. If you fire before you’ve achieved target-lock, your shots will scatter wildly and likely miss the enemy completely. Thankfully, target-lock times are small, basically just a second or two. Simply keep the target in your sights until target-lock is complete before you fire. Doing so will ensure that your Smart Weapon does its job and directs each shot appropriately.
Use Smart Weapon Perks
Though anyone with a Smart Link can use Smart Weapons, not everyone can use them well. To squeeze the most value out of these unique guns, you’ll need to pair them with the right Perks. Thankfully, Cyberpunk‘s recent 2.0 update overhauled the Perk trees. That gave Smart Weapon fans a number of excellent choices for their builds. The most important Perk tree is Intelligence, which offers Perks that specifically buff these weapons. Technical Ability is also important, not only for Ambidextrous but also for other cyberware buffs that synergize well with these weapons.
If you want to use Smart Weapons the right way in Cyberpunk, there’s no better Perk than Smart Synergy. This Intelligence Perk grants you instant target lock whenever Overclock mode is active. Eliminating lock times increases your DPS, and anything that lets V kill faster is a positive. Other Perks you should keep an eye on include Target Lock Transfer and Acquisition Specialist. Switching from aiming to hip-fire normally cancels target lock on headshots and weakspots, as does reloading or switching, but with these Perks that’s a thing of the past.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is available now for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
