Katanas are among the best melee weapons in Cyberpunk 2077. These elegant bladed weapons are capable of striking quickly and dealing great damage with each slice of the blade. Combine this with some interesting weapon mods and abilities, and they make the player a force to be reckoned with.
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There are at least seven Katanas in Cyberpunk 2077, ranging from standard Arasaka designs to powerful iconic melee weapons only obtained through quests. For players interested in wielding these finely crafted swords, it’s important to know which ones are the best and how to obtain them.
Updated on September 19, 2022 by Ritwik Mitra: Cyberpunk 2077's combat is pretty varied, letting players use a wide array of weapons to tackle and subdue their foes. With the arrival of the 1.6 Edgerunners Update and the announcement of the Phantom Liberty Expansion, it's clear that players will be well serviced with another trip through the bowels of Night City and everything this atmospheric world has to offer.
One of the weapons that players can use to wreak havoc in Cyberpunk 2077 are the various katanas that players can find in the game world. Investing enough points in the Blades skill can let players slice and dice through most enemies with ease, with the katana easily being the most satisfying weapon to use in the game for this very reason. Here's a detailed look at all the katanas in the game and where to find them.
Here's a brief look at all the katanas in the game and where they can be found. While the Edgerunners Update adds a ton of content to the game, it's a shame that no new katanas made the cut.
Katana | Location |
|---|---|
Standard Katana | Buy from Coach Fred OR Craft |
Black Unicorn | Present in V's stash after downloading the GOG version of the game or linking a player's GOG account |
Cocktail Stick | Find in Evelyn’s dressing room during the quest "Automatic Love" |
Scalpel | Complete the Side Job "Big in Japan" |
Tsumetogi | Present in Maiko’s office in the Clouds during the Side Job "Pisces" |
Jinchu-Maru | Defeat Sandayu Oda during the quest "Play it Safe" |
Satori | Inside an AV during the quest "The Heist" |
Standard Katana
The basic Katana in the game is capable of five attacks per second making it a fast striking weapon. It comes in Rare, Epic, and Legendary variants, each with its own color scheme and design. Weighing only 4.5 pounds, it’s a solid melee weapon for close encounters or stealth attacks.
If players want to experiment around with the blades in the game first before settling on a playstyle, then messing around with a Standard Katana is the way to go. It feels great to use and serves as a template for the other unique katanas in the game to build off of. If slicing through enemies ends up being a ton of fun, then there's no reason why players shouldn't invest in the various Blades perks!
How To Get It
Katanas are wielded by a variety of opponents in the game in both Rare and Epic tiers with the latter being much harder to find. For players wanting a Legendary Katana there are two ways to get it:
- Buy one from Coach Fred at the Megabuilding H10 in Little China.
- Craft One: Requires Level 18 Crafting, Requires Edgerunner Artisan Perk, Costs 25 Rare Item Components, Costs 15 Epic Item Components, Costs 2 Legendary Item Components
Black Unicorn
The Black Unicorn is a unique variant of the standard Katana. Its main perk is the unique design as the attack rate is lower at 2.91 strikes a second. It boasts more slots than a standard Katana with up to four slots at Legendary rarity. Aside from these modest advantages, it’s more for players with a passion for The Witcher 3.
The fact that the Black Unicorn was updated with more symbols to reference The Witcher shows how much love and care CD Projekt Red have put into developing this weapon. Since this weapon is available in V's Stash from the get-go, it essentially serves as a great weapon that players can use early on in the game to get a feel for this weapon type.
How To Get It
The Black Unicorn can be obtained in the GOG version of the game. Once the player owns this version of the game they’ll find the Black Unicorn waiting in V’s stash when they start playing. Alternatively, they can simply link their GOG account to the game and get this great katana instead!
Cocktail Stick
The Cocktail Stick is an interesting Iconic Katana. The purple blade deals a base damage of 63 with each strike and can attack 2.9 times per second. This results in a decent DPS of 191. It also comes with some handy abilities and perks:
- +40-49 boost to Physical damage
- +18% boost to Critical Damage
- +10% chance to inflict Bleed.
It’s a bit slow, but the damage is decent, and the Bleed shortens fights when it applies. While these buffs might not be the most powerful around, the Cocktail Stick is still a great weapon in the early game for Blade builds.
How To Get It
The weapon can be obtained during the Automatic Love questline. It’s recommended to be at least level eight when starting this quest to get the Cocktail Stick katana. To get it players will need to call Judy Alvares and then meet her at Lizzie’s bar. After talking to Judy and getting Evelyn’s Cigarette Case head to Megabuilding H8. Before getting on the elevator make sure to have at least $700 on hand for the quest. The Cloud won't open until after 7 pm, so you might have to wait awhile.
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It doesn’t matter if you choose Angel or Skye upon entering, but both require $500 and drop-off weapons. Use the safeword to end the encounter with the doll and get information on Evelyn leading to Booth 11.
Afterward, sneak into the VIP area. Find Tom who will direct you to seek out Woodsman. At this point go into the hostile room on the left at the end of the hall. Pass a Tyger Claw sitting at a table and enter Evelyn’s dressing room, the Cocktail Stick katana is on the table below the “Bliss” sign.
Players can upgrade it to the Epic version with:
- Grease Monkey Perk
- 25 Uncommon Item Components
- 40 Rare Item Components
- 50 Epic Item Components
- 2 Legendary Item Components
It can be further upgraded to Legendary with:
- Edgerunner Artisan Perk
Scalpel
The surgically precise Scalpel Katana is a fast-hitting weapon with five attacks per second. With each strike dealing 145 damage that can result in a DPS of 728.4. Adding to that damage are the following perks:
- +92 - 113 Chemical damage
- +92 - 113 Electric damage
- +92 - 113 Physical damage
- +92 - 113 Thermal damage
It all but guarantees having an advantage against any opponent type. On top of this, it's just fun to see enemies be absolutely annihilated by the elements after being slashed by this katana over and over again.
How To Get It
The Scalpel is a reward for completing the Side Job Big In Japan. To start Big In Japan and get the Scalpel katana, go to the Afterlife during Act 2 of the game. Talk to Dennis and accept his job. Follow the directions to the outer edges of Kabuki and look for a box labeled “No Future”.
Open the tall container and call Dennis. Either kill Tyger Claws and lead the package to safety or sneak around with the package. Whatever path make sure the package isn’t discovered. Place the package in the back of a car and drive safely to the rendezvous point. After talking with Dennis the Scalpel katana will be rewarded.
Upgrading to Epic tier requires:
- Grease Monkey Perk
- 25 Uncommon Item Components
- 40 Rare Item Components
- 50 Epic Item Components
- 2 Legendary Item Components
For Legendary, the player needs:
- Edgerunner Artisan Perk
Tsumetogi
The Tsumetogi is fast dealing five attacks per second with each attack dealing 150 base damage. That results in a nice DPS of 754.4 It also comes with some nice perks and abilities:
- +96-118 Electrical Damage
- +10 Electrical Resistance
- +5% Critical Hit Chance
- +10% Critical Hit Damage
- +20% Chance to inflict Shock
This is a great Katana to use against more robotic units vulnerable to Shock effects and Electrical damage. Given the number of mechanical enemies in the game, this can serve as a specialized weapon to deal with such enemies.
How To Get It
The weapon is easiest to find if players are completing the Pisces Side Job. After completing the quest Talking Bout A Revolution, talk to Judy. Go to Megabuilding H8 and follow Judy up the elevator to maintenance to fight Tyger Claws. Ride the elevator to the roof and drop down into the glass room.
At this point head to Maiko’s office in the Clouds and join the meeting. Make whichever decisions you want. Before leaving that office be sure to grab the Tsumetogi katana lying nearby.
Upgrading this weapon to its Epic variant only requires the Grease Monkey Perk and Legendary only requires the Edgerunner Artisan. This makes it a cheap but powerful weapon to upgrade.
Jinchu-Maru
The Jinchu-Maru is a phenomenal Katana. It strikes 4.8 times a second dealing 111 damage with each hit. This means a DPS of about 536.9. Then the following abilities nudge that damage even higher:
- 100% critical hit chance when Kerenzikov is active
- The Last Strike in a combo deals double damage
- Enemies with twice the player’s health receive double damage
Basically, if the player deals the last strike against a boss it’ll quadruple the normal damage. And that’s not factoring in the critical damage bonus if the player had Kerenzikov active when they did it. To put it simply, if the player has Kerenzikov active against a boss or opponent with a lot of health, it’s the best sword in the game by a country mile.
How To Get It
Players can get this sword during the main quest Play It Safe. The main quest Play It Safe begins with a call from Takemura. Go to Japantown Market and speak to him and take the shard. After some time, jump across the footbridge and take out the first sniper. Follow the waypoints leading to the next sniper and take him out.
Quietly follow the waypoints to stealthily take out guards. When approaching the footbridge by the parade make sure to wait for a gap in the floats. Otherwise, V will be trashed by the reactors. Follow the path to take out guards and make sure to knock out the drones to avoid problems later. Finally, take out the last sniper.
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Now head to the Foyer on the 30th floor. Inside events will lead to the boss Oda appearing. The key to this boss fight is to keep moving to avoid his Mantis Blades, use cover when he shoots his homing Smart SMB bullets, and be sure to prevent Oda from healing by keeping track of his hiding spots. Once defeated, he’ll drop the Jinchu-Maru katana.
It can be upgraded to Legendary with:
- Edgerunner Artisan Perk
- 25 Rare Item Components
- 40 Epic Item Components
- 3 Legendary Item Components
Satori
The best Katana in the game by far is the Satori. It can deal 3.85 strikes per second with each one having a base damage of 57. A DPS of 221 isn’t much compared to other Katanas, but this weapon's strength lies in its only perk:
- +500 – 600% Critical Hit Damage
If the player lands a critical hit, which isn’t hard to do with a critical hit-based build, the weapon will deal a whopping 1,105 – 1,326 with every single strike. The only Katana that even comes close is the Jinchu-Maru which requires very specific circumstances to reach this level of damage.
How To Get It
To get the best katana in Cyberpunk 2077 players will need to complete The Heist. Meet Dex in Afterlife after completing The Information and The Pickup. After having a drink with Jackie in the bar, follow the bodyguard escort to Dex’s booth. Drop off the bot, be sure to grab the Militech suit, and talk with Dex.
After hashing out the details with Dex and riding to the hotel with Jackie, follow your partner's lead to get to the 42nd floor. Guide the Flathead to the chosen location. After the long wait, follow Jackie to the penthouse and grab any useful items there. Once the window is open, use it to head to the roof where the best katana, the Satori, is sitting inside the AV on the landing pad.
It can be upgraded to Epic Status with:
- Grease Monkey Perk
- 25 Uncommon Item Components
- 40 Rare Item Components
- 50 Epic Item Components
- 2 Legendary Item Components
Upgrading it to Legendary requires:
- Edgerunner Artisan Perk
Cyberpunk 2077 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
More: Cyberpunk 2077: Things You Never Knew About Night City
FAQs
Where can I get good Katanas Cyberpunk 2077? ›
To get the best katana in Cyberpunk 2077 players will need to complete The Heist. Meet Dex in Afterlife after completing The Information and The Pickup. After having a drink with Jackie in the bar, follow the bodyguard escort to Dex's booth. Drop off the bot, be sure to grab the Militech suit, and talk with Dex.
What is the most powerful katana in Cyberpunk 2077? ›Even after the recent Cyberpunk Edgerunners update, the Satori happens to be the best katana in the game. This is an iconic weapon, meaning players will only be able to pick it up once over the course of a single playthrough. Finding the Satori in Cyberpunk 2077 isn't that difficult, but players might tend to miss it.
Where can I find rare katana cyberpunk? ›The katana can be found waiting inside Saburo Arasaka's AV on the rooftop landing pad during The Heist. Instead of jumping out of the window, players will have to make their way up through the stairs and then to the landing pad where the Satori can be found waiting inside the AV in Cyberpunk 2077.
Where is the pink katana in cyberpunk? ›How to get: The Cocktail Stick is a deceptively flimsy looking pink katana that can be found in the Clouds during the Automatic Love quest.
What's better gorilla arms or katana cyberpunk? ›Whats better, Gorilla Arms or Katana? Gorilla arms are the best general arm mod. You can still use a katana with them if you want. You can do katana and monowire, both benefit greatly from Reflexes and Cool since monowire is considered blade.
What is the most powerful melee weapon in Cyberpunk 2077? ›1. Caretaker's Spade. The Caretaker's Spade is the best melee weapon in Cyberpunk 2077, not just because of its performance.
Are Mantis Blades better than katanas cyberpunk? ›As a hybrid, Mantis Blades have advantages that regular Cyberware and melee weapons don't. Normal melee weapons like katanas use stamina for attacks. But since Mantis Blades are Arm Cyberware, they use almost no stamina.
What is the rarest katana in Treasure Quest? ›The Wooden Katana is a Rare warrior weapon in Treasure Quest that can be obtained by opening the Daring Chest. The chance of obtaining this weapon is 8.7%, or 17.4 % using the 2x Luck gamepass.
How do you get free katana in cyberpunk? ›- During “The Heist“, after the murder, exit out and reach the private landing pad. There's an AV parked here with two guards. Take out the guards and check the AV.
- Inside, you'll find the Satori — an iconic katana sitting on the seat.
The legendary Corporate armor set is arguably the best armor in Cyberpunk 2077 for survival.
Which is the best Sandevistan? ›
The best one in our opinion is the QianT Sandevistan Mk.
By following the below steps, you can upgrade this Sandevistan to such an extent that it only has a 3 second cooldown, allowing you to spend most of your time fighting at super speed compared to your enemies.
Cyberpunk 2077's Most Expensive Weapons and Cars
A good sniper rifle to purchase is the Nekomata, which costs €$203,902 and does high damage since it's also a tech rifle that can be charged up.
Acquisition. Unlocked by owning the game on the GOG Galaxy platform or by linking your account with GOG. It is automatically added to V's stash.
Where is the moonlight Katana? ›To find the Moonveil katana, you'll need to head into Caelid, the dead and reddish zone to the east of the Limgrave starting area. You're looking for Gael Tunnel, which is a small cave with a hole inside.
How to get free Mantis Blades? ›Now all you have to do is visit any Ripperdoc in Night City and they'll install the blades for free.
Is Monowire a blade? ›The Monowire is a Blade weapon (it used to be Blunt).
What is better reinforced tendons or fortified ankles? ›Fortified Ankles will unlock the Charged Jump, allowing players to charge up a jump and leap high into the air. On the other hand, installing Reinforced Tendons will allow the player to jump a second time when already in the air.
What is the best weapon choice in Cyberpunk 2077? ›| Weapons | The Best Cyberpunk Weapons (Patch 1.6) |
|---|---|
| Handguns | Comrade's Hammer, Death and Taxes, Dying Night, Lizzie, Skippy |
| Melee | Jinchi-Maru, Mantis Blades, Monowire, Satori, Scalpel |
| Rifles | Divided We Stand, Kyubi, M25S1S Ajax, Moron Labe, Psalm 11:6 |
Mantis Blades are probably the best cyberware for most runners in Cyberpunk 2077. These blades are extendible arm attachments that can be used to damage enemies in combat. Paired with other weapons, they are a force to be reckoned with.
Are gorilla arms better than Mantis Blades? ›Mantis blades and gorilla arms are functionally the same, they just spec into different skills.
Do gorilla arms increase blade damage? ›
Overview. These arm implants drastically increase damage in melee combat.
Where do I get the dragon katana? ›The Dragonscale Blade katana can be found in the Lake of Rot, located in the underground of "Elden Ring." This area can be found at the far end of the Ansel River section, past Nokstella, the Eternal City.
Is Rivers of blood best katana? ›The Rivers of Blood katana is the best sword for a bleed build, either two-handed or dual wielded with another katana. For the first half of the game you'll likely be making do with the Uchigatana, which you can find in Limgrave (or start with if you pick the samurai class).
Is Rivers of blood the best? ›The Rivers of Blood katana is an extremely powerful weapon in Elden Ring, in no small part due to its ability to inflict blood loss and its Corpse Piler skill. Indeed, this weapon can be absolutely devastating, especially when it is supported by a complimentary build.
What is the most legendary katana? ›The Honjo Masamune is often considered the greatest katana ever forged. Created by the legendary blacksmith Masamune in the 14th century, it was renowned for its unmatched sharpness, perfect balance and refined aesthetics.
How do you get the moonstone katana? ›Moonveil can be obtained by defeating the boss at the end of the dungeon Gael Tunnel, which is located in Eastern Limgrave right on the border of Caelid. You can get to this dungeon rather early in the game, and reaching the boss door shouldn't prove too difficult.
How rare is the bone sword? ›The Bone Sword is a melee weapon that has a 1/200 (0.5%) chance to drop from Skeletons and Spore Skeletons in the Cavern layer.
What is the best early game sword in cyberpunk? ›Dying Night Is Cyberpunk 2077's First Iconic Weapon
It is a great early weapon to grab, as it's fully automatic and rather easy to control, making quick work of any low-level street punks. Dying Night can be obtained from the 2nd Amendment gun store located in V's apartment building.
The Kongou iconic pistol is a powerful weapon. This gun allows the players to ricochet their bullets off surfaces regardless if they have the necessary Cyberware upgrade or not. The gun also has reduced recoil and an increased rate of fire.
Which Ripperdoc has the best gear? ›Why The Downtown Ripper Is Cyberpunk 2077's Best Ripperdoc. The Downtown ripperdoc (possibly called Doc Ryder) may be deceiving because he doesn't have a proper name, but he's Cyberpunk 2077's best ripperdoc thanks to the selection and exclusivity of his wares.
What is the max power in cyberpunk? ›
The max Attribute level is 20. This includes Body, Reflexes, Technical Ability, Intelligence, and Cool. Since you get 1 Attribute Point every time you increase V's level (for a total of 50), you won't be able to max out every Attribute, so be sure to choose wisely.
Does Adam Smasher have a Sandevistan? ›David, on the verge of cyberpsychosis, activated his Sandevistan again, but was shocked to see Smasher utilizing one as well, with the latter scoffing that it was a "rudimentary implant."
Should I get Sandevistan? ›6 Militech “Falcon” Sandevistan Mk.
This is a major investment, but the boons are well worth it. The Falcon lasts for 18 seconds and slows time by 30 percent. While active, it will boost your crit rate and damage by 20 percent. Your damage also receives a nice 15 percent boost to go along with the crit bonuses.
The first Ripperdoc you go to in the game, Viktor, sells a legendary Sandevistan OS, which is a pretty great option.
What is the oldest gun in Cyberpunk 2077? ›Dying Night is an Uncommon Iconic Pistol. It's one of the earliest Iconic Weapons you can get for free in Cyberpunk 2077.
What gun does the best damage in cyberpunk? ›Shotguns are the highest damage dealing weapons at close to mid-range in Cyberpunk 2077. They are the highest lethal weapons of all categories in the game at the point-blank range. The rate of fire of these weapons is not that high as compared to SMGs, ARs, and other guns, but they have a massive bullet impact on hit.
Who is the richest vendor in Cyberpunk 2077? ›Cyberpunk 2077's Ripperdoc Viktor Has Made an Insane Amount of Money. Thanks to generous Cyberpunk 2077 players repaying their debts to Viktor, he is now one of the wealthiest Ripperdocs in Night City.
How do you get the new katana in cyberpunk? ›Instead, Cyberpunk 2077's Byakko Katana can only be obtained after players complete the final side gig from Wakako Okada called "Professional Widow." As soon as players complete all other gigs for Wakako, she'll call V and the side gig will begin immediately.
Which is better katana or Mantis Blades Cyberpunk? ›As a hybrid, Mantis Blades have advantages that regular Cyberware and melee weapons don't. Normal melee weapons like katanas use stamina for attacks. But since Mantis Blades are Arm Cyberware, they use almost no stamina.
Is Satori a legendary katana? ›Satori is an Iconic Katana in Cyberpunk 2077.
How rare is Satori Blade? ›
The Satori Blade Ninja Tool is a Katana Ninja Tool that can be obtained through a scroll, which spawns in Ember Village at 5:10 AM/PM EST with a 1/10 chance.
How do you get the katana in Pisces cyberpunk? ›How to get: This Katana can be looted from the room where you meet the Tyger Claw bosses towards the end of the Pisces side job.
Is the thermal katana in Cyberpunk 2077? ›This mod adds a new weapon to the game - thermal katana from Cyberpunk 2077. It can be bought in 3 different places. At Hattori's home, ofieri merchant and grandmaster smith in Toussaint.
What is the most powerful handgun in Cyberpunk 2077? ›The Kongou iconic pistol is a powerful weapon. This gun allows the players to ricochet their bullets off surfaces regardless if they have the necessary Cyberware upgrade or not. The gun also has reduced recoil and an increased rate of fire.
What is the best arm with blades cyberpunk? ›Arasaka Mantis Blades
Arasaka Mantis Blades is our top pick for the best cyberware in Cyberpunk 2077. And yes, they are, in fact, as cool as they sound. Mantis Blades grant you the ability to have two swords installed in your forearms, allowing you to continuously slice and dice enemies.
Mantis blades and gorilla arms are functionally the same, they just spec into different skills.
Do Gorilla Arms increase melee weapon damage? ›These arm implants drastically increase damage in melee combat. With every melee Attack performed, charges are built up to deal increased damage with the next Strong Attack.