Let’s cut to the chase: The starting pistol you get when you first leap into the dirty, crime-infested world of Cyberpunk 2077 isn’t going to cut it for very long. Taking on random street things is all well and good but if you want to make a name for yourself, you need a weapon that really stands out. Something that’s iconic, if you will. While Night City is filled with run-of-the-mill firearms and melee weapons, the real prizes are the Iconic Weapons which are even more coveted than elusive Legendary Tier loot. Iconic Weapons come in all shapes and sizes and can be found in a variety of places you’d least expect but one aspect that can be confusing to new players is how to craft them. Cyberpunk 2077 has a robust crafting system, that allows protagonist V to create items from spare parts on the spot and while this applies to weapons, you’ll need to track down various plans if you want to make some of the game’s most powerful Iconic Weapons. That then spurs on the obvious question how does one find every iconic weapon blueprint in Cyberpunk 2077? The answer is both simple and a little complicated, so brace yourself for what could be a time-consuming endeavor.
Firstly, let’s clarify how blueprints work because it’s not all that clear when it comes to Iconic Weapons. While crafting specs can be found for other items via looting, in-game stores, and skill progression, that’s not the case for Iconic Weapons. To unlock a plan for any one of the Iconic Weapons, you’ll first need to find the actual Iconic Weapon, which will then add the plans to create it to your collection. “What’s the point of that?” you might be thinking. Well, since Iconic Weapons are unique in that there’s only one copy of them that exists within Night City, the crafting specs will dictate how you go about upgrading it to a higher rarity tier, boosting its stats in the process. Thus, if you stumble upon a “common” Iconic Weapon, the blueprint that you’ll collect will allow you to upgrade it rather than build a new one. It’s a bit confusing, I know.
The Different Types of Iconic Weapon Blueprints
Having said that, there are a few blueprints for Iconic Weapons that you can just find out in the open that don’t require you to first collect the item itself. Why the distinction exists is beyond me but if you’re wondering how to collect these plans, I’ve got you covered. Just know that this isn’t a complete list of every Iconic Weapon in Cyberpunk 2077 and Phantom Liberty, this is simply how to find the blueprints for those guns that can’t be found in the world. These are arguably easier to track down but given the strange differentiation between these and every other Iconic Weapon, I thought a quick guide on where to find them might be in order.
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Oh, it’s also worth mentioning that since the major 2.0 update, you no longer need to worry about dumping skill points into your Technical Ability. It used to be that V needed certain perks to upgrade weapons to increasingly more powerful tiers but since the launch of Phantom Liberty, you’ll start the game as a proverbial gunsmith who just needs the right parts. Just gather up enough item components and you’ll be set to start making (and upgrading) your snazzy new guns. So, let’s get ready to respond to a bunch of NCPD side hustles since all of the plans you’re after can be found by completing this kind of side activity.
Where to Find Iconic Weapon Blueprints in Cyberpunk 2077
- Sovereign: A double-barrel shotgun that’s seemingly a visually tweaked version of the Rostović DB-4 Igla, the blueprint for his power weapon can be found by looting Shinobu Imai’s corpse. You can find your target by completing Suspected Organized Crime Activity: Modern Labor Market which you’ll find in Japantown, Westbrook. If you’re a fan of getting up close and personal, this is an excellent choice of weapon given that it comes with a +85% Headshot Damage Multiplier and +75% Armor Penetration. Its effect also shoots both barrels at once with a reduced reload speed and spread, making it even better when you’re right up in a scav’s face
- Buzzsaw: An iconic Power Submachine Gun, the Buzzsaw’s blueprint can be found by killing Yelena Sidorova, the leader of the group you’ll battle if you pursue Suspected Organized Crime Activity: Vice Control in Northside, Watson. The Buzzsaw is a decent SMG that’s made even better by its unique mod that “allows you to fire high-penetration rounds” making it ideal for a warehouse raid or a high-speed pursuit.
- Breakthrough: A devasting Tech Sniper Rifle, the Breakthrough plans are looted from the corpse of Olga Elisabeth Longmead during Suspected Organized Crime Activity: New Boss, New Rules, which you can find in Santo Domingo, Rancho Coronado. Now, I could give you all the minute details about why this weapon is so strong but the only thing you really need to know is that it can shoot through damn near any obstacle in Cyberpunk 2077. Mark your targets and stand on the other side of a wall to pick off your enemies without needing to worry about cover. Oh, and the +300% Headshot Damage Multiplier is a nice touch. If anything, it makes the game a little too easy…
- Comrade’s Hammer: This revolver can be found on the body of Darius Miles, the main target of the side activity Suspected Organized Crime in Arroyo, Santo Domingo. A Tech gun, the Comrade’s Hammer has been modified to hold a single explosive shot that deals a massive amount of damage if you hit your target. It also automatically reloads when V performs a melee attack, which is a nice addition considering that having to empty the chamber after every shot may be tedious. Might as well get in there and string together some punches to cut down on your reload time and get back to blasting!
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- Psalm 11:6: A variant on the Nokota D5 Copperhead, this biblical assault rifle can be found by killing Tom Ayer, the leader of the gang responsible for Suspected Organized Crime Activity: Just Say No in Northside, Watson. It’s flashy with all its fiery decals, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not exactly the most interesting Iconic weapon either. Its unique mod simply adds additional thermal damage to your shots, making it much easier to set your enemies on fire. Fun, but not really revolutionary.
- Moron Labe: An oddly named Power Assault Rifle, the Moron Labe’s schematics are obtained by looting the body of Anton Kolev, who you’ll find running the show at Suspected Organized Crime Activity (West Wind Estate) in, where else, West Wind Estate, Pacifica. A personal favorite of mine, the Moron Labe’s iconic modifier increases its rate of higher and boosts your chance to dismember enemies which also nets you a neat little crit bonus. Nice!
- Yinglong: Head on over to Suspected Organized Crime Activity: Living the Big Life in Wellsprings, Heywood, and track down the leaders of the operation, Denzel Cryer and Jesse Sabara. While you may have two main targets in this operation, Denzel is the body you’ll need to loot if you want the schematic for this Power Submachine Gun. The Yinglong comes equipped with a unique mod that adds extra Electrical damage to each of your shots as well as a small chance to apply an EMP blast. Not all that interesting but given how effective Electrical damage is in Cyberpunk 2077, it can be incredibly useful.
- The Headsman: This slick Power Shotgun can be found upon eliminating everyone involved in the Suspected Organized Crime Activity: Privacy Policy Violation in North Oak, Westbrook. It’ll be a little more challenging to acquire than the other blueprints given that you’ll need to destroy a Militech mech to loot your prize. While it may require some more elbow grease, the rewards a justified when you find out that The Headsman’s unique mod doubles the projectiles it fires per shot, increasing the chances of dismembering or inflicting Bleed on an enemy. The trade-off is that it has a reduced rate of fire, increased reload time, and a smaller clip capacity than the base model of the gun, the Constitutional Arms M2038 Tactician.
Once you’ve collected the above Iconic Weapon blueprints, you’ll have gathered them all and your gun shelf at home should be looking more packed than ever. There a obviously plenty of other Iconic Weapons in Cyberpunk 2077, but you’ll need to track all of them down by completing main missions, killing bosses, and finishing up gigs and side quests. They are some of the best weapons in the entire game and since you can track some of these blueprints down relatively early in a playthrough, I strongly recommend doing so. Even if the few you do obtain don’t necessarily fit your build, they will give you an edge in some of the game’s tough combat sequences. Besides, you can just upgrade them alongside V’s level, meaning they should never be too far behind in terms of general power. Happy crafting!
If you’re looking for more on the game, check out how to use the Chimera core you may have gotten in Cyberpunk 2077.
