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Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.0 rebuilt the perk trees, but its system is easier to understand when you separate four things: attributes determine access to perk-tree choices; perks are abilities you buy with perk points; five skills advance on their own track; and the Relic tree belongs to Phantom Liberty. The 2.0 overhaul launched on September 21, 2023, as a free base-game update for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. The expansion is not needed for the base-game changes, though it adds an exclusive Relic tree. This guide explains the 2.0 system and flags later changes so historical 2.0 details are not mistaken for the complete current selection.
What changed in Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.0?
Update 2.0 made perks fewer and more consequential, reorganized the skill system, and changed how character builds interact with cyberware. It was a free base-game overhaul, not a feature that required buying Phantom Liberty. CD PROJEKT RED announced the changes in its September 21, 2023 Update 2.0 notes.
The main source of confusion is that “attribute,” “perk,” “skill,” and “Relic” refer to different progression systems. They can all affect a build, but they do not use the same points or unlock rules.
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- Perks are selectable abilities in those trees. You spend perk points on them.
- Skills are Headhunter, Netrunner, Shinobi, Solo, and Engineer. They progress separately and do not require corresponding attribute levels.
- Relic is a distinct skill tree included with Phantom Liberty, not another base-game attribute tree.
That distinction matters when planning a character: an attribute can unlock perk options, a perk can change what your character can do, and a skill can grant passive rewards as it advances. Treating all four systems as one set of “skill points” leads to mistaken expectations about what a level-up will unlock.
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How do attributes and perks work together?
The five attributes are the framework for the base-game perk trees. Investing in an attribute opens more choices in its associated tree; perk points then buy the abilities you want from those choices. The redesign’s aim was to make the perks players select more consequential, rather than to make every character follow one prescribed class.
CD PROJEKT RED highlighted three examples of the new style: Overclock for netrunning, Bolt shots for Tech weapons, and Adrenaline Rush for Body-focused play. Overclock can spend Health when RAM is insufficient. These examples show how a perk can express a playstyle or change how an approach works; they are examples, not a complete list of perks.
A useful planning question is not simply “Which attribute is strongest?” It is “Which attribute opens the abilities I want to use?” If a particular tree contains a key ability for your approach, that attribute is the access gate to consider. Perk points are then the separate currency for choosing abilities within the tree. The evidence available here does not establish a complete current list of perk-node names or exact attribute thresholds, so it is safer to check the installed game’s tree than rely on an old list of level requirements.
What does this mean for mixed builds?
The system supports thinking in terms of combinations rather than forcing a single label onto a character. A player might weigh weapon use, netrunning, stealth, or a mix, then decide which tree’s available perks best support that approach. The important trade-off is access: putting attribute points in one direction opens more choices there, while a different direction opens a different set of choices. This is a planning framework, not a ranking of “best” builds.
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What are the five skills, and how do they progress?
The five skills are Headhunter, Netrunner, Shinobi, Solo, and Engineer. They form a progression track separate from attributes and perks: they are not capped by the level of a corresponding attribute, and you do not spend perk points on their bars.
CD PROJEKT RED says each skill grants passive buffs every five skill levels and has a cap of 60. That is the cap for a skill track, not a statement about the base-game character-level cap. The publisher’s Update 2.0 notes describe the five skills and their independence from attribute level.
Do not assume the skill names are a second set of attribute trees. The names identify these separate progression tracks, while the five attributes still organize the selectable perk trees. The distinction lets a player earn skill progression without having to raise a matching attribute first.
A precise action-by-action guide to earning experience for each skill is not established here. In particular, it would be misleading to publish a definitive table assigning every in-game action to a skill bar without a verified mapping. The reliable guidance is the progression structure: skills advance independently of their corresponding attribute, provide passive rewards at five-level intervals, and cap at skill level 60.
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What does Phantom Liberty add to the perk system?
Phantom Liberty adds the separate Relic skill tree; it does not gate the base-game 2.0 perk overhaul. CD PROJEKT RED’s game information page identifies the Relic tree as expansion content. A documented post-2.0 playthrough describes finding terminals in Dogtown to obtain Relic points.
Keep Relic points distinct from ordinary perk or attribute points. The Relic tree is an additional progression system for expansion owners, not a sixth base attribute or a replacement for one of the five standard perk trees. A base-game player can use the redesigned attributes, perks, and skills without having the expansion’s Relic options.
How did 2.0 change cyberware and build planning?
Cyberware became a more central part of build decisions. In the 2.0 system, cyberware provides most armor, implants are limited by Cyberware Capacity, and some perks unlock cyberware slots. That means a perk choice can matter not only for its direct ability but also for how it supports an implant setup.
This is also why older advice about armor should be treated carefully. Update 2.0 changed the role of clothing in the armor system; it is not accurate to plan around the former assumption that clothing supplies the old armor setup. When weighing a build, consider its perk-tree access together with cyberware capacity and slot synergies, rather than assessing perks in isolation.
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Can you keep an old save, and what can you respec?
CD PROJEKT RED says existing saves can continue after the overhaul. For those saves, previously spent perk points were refunded and progress from the old skills was transferred into their new counterparts. The publisher recommended starting a new playthrough for the best experience of the extensive changes, but continuing an existing save is supported.
Perk refunds and attribute resets are different. Under the 2.0 rules, you can refund individual perks for free, but the former reset-all-perks option was removed. You can reset attributes once. That makes it possible to revise perk selections freely while still requiring more care with attribute allocation.
If you are continuing an established character, first inspect the refunded perk points and the reorganized trees, then choose perks that fit the way you want to play. Treat the one-time attribute reset as a limited opportunity to change the underlying access choices, not as a routine way to experiment with every build direction. The free perk refunds give you more flexibility for changing selected abilities without consuming that reset.
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Update 2.0 introduced the overhaul, but its original selection should not be presented as the entire current system. In October 2026, CD PROJEKT RED’s Update 2.5 documentation added the Double Trouble perk and four auxiliary perks to Cool. Those additions belong to Update 2.5, not the 2023 launch of 2.0; see the publisher’s Update 2.5 patch notes.
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That distinction is useful when reading guides, build discussions, or screenshots. A resource describing what 2.0 introduced can accurately explain the redesign while still not covering later additions. Likewise, without a verified full current node list and thresholds, an old perk list should not be treated as a guaranteed description of every node in a later installed update.
How should you choose a build direction?
Use the systems in order: decide which abilities or playstyle you want, identify which attribute tree opens those perks, and then consider how the skill progression and cyberware setup complement that direction. If you own Phantom Liberty, account for the additional Relic tree as a separate expansion option.
- Choose an approach. Decide whether you want to emphasize weapons, netrunning, stealth, or a mix. Use the game’s available perks to guide the choice rather than assuming an archetype guarantees particular abilities.
- Check the attribute gate. Look at the relevant tree and identify the attribute investment needed to access the choices you care about. Do not confuse that access requirement with skill progression.
- Spend perk points on abilities. Select perks that support the approach. The 2.0 examples—Overclock, Bolt shots, and Adrenaline Rush—illustrate different kinds of build expression, not an exhaustive or ranked recommendation.
- Account for cyberware. Consider Cyberware Capacity and any perk-related slot unlocks alongside the fact that cyberware provides most armor under the 2.0 overhaul.
- Separate expansion options. If you have Phantom Liberty, treat Relic choices and Relic points as a distinct layer. Do not count them as ordinary perk or attribute investments.
- Check your update version. Distinguish perks present in 2.0 from later additions such as Update 2.5’s Cool content before following a dated build guide.
This approach avoids the most common planning mistakes: spending attribute points expecting them to be perk points, expecting an attribute to control the related skill bar, overlooking cyberware constraints, or assuming a 2.0 guide lists every later perk. It also leaves room to revise individual perks as your preferences change, while respecting the much more limited attribute reset.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does the 60 skill-level cap mean V’s character level is also capped at 60?
No. The documented figure applies to each of the five skill tracks, not the base-game character-level cap. The 2.0 notes establish the skill cap but do not establish a character-level cap.
Will a 2.0-era perk guide show every Cool perk in the game now?
Not necessarily. CD PROJEKT RED’s October 2026 Update 2.5 notes add Double Trouble and four auxiliary perks to Cool, so a guide limited to what 2.0 introduced can omit later additions.
Does the Relic tree use the same points as the base perk trees?
No. Relic points are distinct from ordinary perk and attribute points, and the Relic tree is expansion content. A post-2.0 playthrough documents finding terminals in Dogtown to obtain Relic points.
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