Understanding Iconic Weapons in Cyberpunk 2077
Night City is packed with powerful guns, but the ones that truly stand out are the Iconic Weapons—unique, named tools of destruction that often come with a story and a serious edge in combat. In Cyberpunk 2077, these aren't just fancy-looking guns; they're a core part of your arsenal that can grow with you from the first streets of Watson to the endgame. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about how to find, upgrade, and even recover these legendary items.
Iconic weapons provide a significant advantage in Night City's dangerous combat encounters.
How to Spot an Iconic Weapon
First things first: you need to know what you're looking for. In your inventory, Iconic Weapons are immediately obvious. They have a distinct golden-yellow background behind their icon, setting them apart from standard gear. More importantly, the word 'Iconic' is displayed right next to their quality tier (like Rare or Legendary). This makes them impossible to miss once you know the telltale signs. Your first taste of this system is usually the side job The Gun, where Wilson, the friendly gun shop owner in the 2nd Amendment store outside V's Megabuilding H10 apartment in Watson, hands over the Dying Night pistol for free.
Keeping Your Iconics Powerful
Here's the best part about Iconic Weapons in Cyberpunk 2077: they never have to become obsolete. You can upgrade them alongside your level to keep their damage competitive. Head to the Crafting tab in your inventory, find your favorite Iconic, and you can spend Item Components to upgrade it from Tier 1 all the way to Tier 5++. The days of needing high Technical Ability to upgrade are gone—now you just need the components, which you get from dismantling unwanted gear or looting the world.
Dismantle every common weapon you pick up. It’s the fastest way to build a stockpile of Item Components for upgrading your Iconics without spending a single eddie.
Showcasing Your Arsenal and a Second Chance
Many Iconic Weapons can be put on display as trophies in V's apartment. Simply open your stash (found in your apartment, your vehicle, or major safehouses) and place the weapon inside. Specific Iconics will then appear mounted on the wall of your home—a great way to show off your collection.
And if you're kicking yourself for missing one? Don't panic. With the Phantom Liberty expansion, there's a safety net. In Dogtown, visit the EBM Petrochem Stadium. Here you'll find Herold, a heavily chromed Black Market Vendor who sells a selection of Iconic weapons you may have unlocked but failed to pick up during your playthrough. Be warned: his prices are steep, often exceeding 20,000 Eddies, but for completionists, it's a priceless service.
Now that you understand the system, you're ready to start the hunt. The streets of Night City are waiting.
How to Get the Dying Night in Cyberpunk 2077
Welcome to Night City, choom—and welcome to your first Iconic weapon. In Cyberpunk 2077, the Dying Night isn't just a powerful pistol; it's your introduction to the game's legendary gear system, and you can get it for free before you even finish the prologue. Trust me, you'll want this in your holster for the early game.
Exploration is key to finding the best gear in Cyberpunk 2077.
Your journey to the Dying Night starts right outside your front door in Watson. After leaving V's Megabuilding H10 apartment for the first time, you’ll get a call from Wilson, the friendly gun shop owner who runs 2nd Amendment in your building’s lobby. He’s got a new piece he wants you to test, kicking off the Side Job The Gun. Don’t ignore him—this is your ticket to a massive early-game power spike.
Head down to the 2nd Amendment shop in Little China. Inside, just speak with Wilson. He’ll offer you the Dying Night for 0 Eddie$—yes, it’s completely free. Simply press [F] to purchase it from his inventory, and it’s yours.
Equip the Dying Night immediately. It’s a Power Pistol with increased headshot damage and a faster reload speed, making it far superior to any common pistol you’ll find in Watson. It’s the perfect tool for the upcoming missions.
This isn’t just a one-time handout. Acquiring the Dying Night serves as the game’s tutorial for the entire Iconic weapon system. You’ll learn how to identify them in your inventory (look for the ‘Iconic’ label and golden-yellow background) and, as you progress, you can upgrade it from Tier 1 all the way to Tier 5++ using Item Components in your Crafting tab.
With the Dying Night in hand, you’re officially on the path to building a legendary arsenal. Now get out there and start making a name for yourself.
How to Find the Lizzie Tech Pistol in Watson
Ready for a weapon that feels like a cheat code in the early game? In Cyberpunk 2077, the Lizzie Tech Pistol is one of the most satisfying and powerful finds in Watson, and it’s yours for the taking right after a pivotal main job.
The gritty atmosphere of Watson.
Your window opens during the Main Job: Automatic Love. While your objective is to find Evelyn Parker at Clouds, the real prize is back in Kabuki. Head to Lizzie's Bar on Sutter St. in Watson—a location you’ve visited before. Trust me, you’ll want to swing by here either during or immediately after completing Automatic Love to ensure the weapon spawns.
The pistol itself is tucked away in the bar's basement. From the main entrance, head downstairs into the neon-drenched backrooms. Look for the dressing room area that serves as Judy Alvarez’s den; you’ll find the Lizzie sitting out in the open on a table. It’s not in a locked container or behind a skill check—just grab it.
While you can enter Lizzie's Bar earlier, the weapon is guaranteed to be on that table once you’ve progressed to the Main Job: The Space in Between. If you check and it’s not there, just advance the story a little further and return.
So, why is this gun so good? The Lizzie is a Tech Pistol with a brutally effective special property: it fires an extra round per shot. Even better, when you hold down the trigger to charge a Tech shot, it fires more rounds when fully charged. This turns it into a rapid-fire shredder that can melt through early-game enemies and cyberpsychos with shocking speed.
With the Lizzie in your inventory, you have a cornerstone weapon for any Tech-focused build that will carry you through the next act of your Cyberpunk 2077 adventure. Let’s go.
How to Obtain the Widow Maker during Ghost Town
This is where the Badlands get truly mean. In Cyberpunk 2077, the Ghost Town main job sends you into a sun-baked warzone with Panam Palmer, and your reward for surviving the chaos is one of the most satisfying early-game rifles you can find.
Your goal is to help Panam retrieve her stolen Thorton Colby from the Raffen Shiv. The mission will lead you to their fortified hideout at Rocky Ridge, a dusty canyon filled with snipers, turrets, and ambushes. After navigating the external defenses and a tense tunnel sequence, you’ll face the gang’s leader in a final, explosive shootout.
The Rocky Ridge Showdown
The climax of Ghost Town happens inside the Raffen Shiv Hideout at Rocky Ridge. You’ll fight through waves of enemies before confronting Nash, the boss of the operation. This isn’t a drawn-out duel—it’s a chaotic firefight in a cramped space. Use cover aggressively and focus fire on Nash to end the battle quickly. Once the shooting stops, walk over to his body.
This is the moment. Press [F] to loot Nash's body, and the Widow Maker will be added to your inventory. Don’t rush out of the area—double-check that you’ve grabbed it, as this is your only chance to loot it directly.
If you’re speccing into Tech weapons, the Widow Maker is a fantastic primary weapon right away. Its ability to fire through cover pairs perfectly with the charged shots you’ll be using.
What Makes the Widow Maker Special
The Widow Maker is a Tech Precision Rifle that stands out for its brutal efficiency. Its iconic perk causes it to fire two projectiles per shot, effectively doubling its damage potential with every trigger pull. Furthermore, it deals chemical damage with an increased chance to apply poison, making it excellent for whittling down tough enemies and cyberpsychos from behind safety.
⚠️ Watch out: Remember the rules for Tech weapons. You need to hold the trigger to charge your shots for maximum damage and to penetrate walls and cover. Against Nash’s crew, using this to shoot enemies through the tunnel walls or shipping containers can give you a huge advantage.
With the Widow Maker in your hands, you’ve just secured a powerhouse weapon that can carry you through the mid-game. It’s a perfect trophy from a defining Badlands adventure.
Missable Act 1 Iconic Weapons: Chaos and Kongou
Act 1 in Cyberpunk 2077 is a whirlwind of introductions and high-stakes choices, but two of its most powerful weapons are hiding in plain sight—and if you blink, you’ll miss them forever. The missions The Pickup and The Heist are your only chances to grab the Chaos and Kongou, two iconic pistols with unique perks that can define your early game build.
Act 1 missions like The Heist contain several missable iconic items.
How to Get Chaos in The Pickup
Your path to Chaos begins at the All Foods Plant in Watson during the main job The Pickup. This mission throws you into a tense negotiation with the Maelstrom gang, led by Royce. To secure this weapon, you must choose violence. When Royce confronts you about the Militech chip, you need to select the "Draw Weapon" dialogue option and defeat him in the ensuing fight. Once he’s down, press [F] to loot his body to claim Chaos.
This Tech Pistol is a wildcard. Its special property randomizes your critical chance, damage type, and status effect every time you reload, making every firefight unpredictable and often devastating.
⚠️ Critical Choice: Killing Royce here has a major consequence. It locks you out of obtaining another iconic pistol, Doom Doom, later in the game. Choose your target based on which weapon better fits your planned build.
How to Get Kongou in The Heist
The opulence of Konpeki Plaza is distracting, but stay focused. During the main job The Heist—the final mission of Act 1—you’ll break into Yorinobu Arasaka’s penthouse. Before you get distracted by the relic in the safe, turn your attention to the bedroom.
On Yorinobu's nightstand, right next to the bed, you’ll find the Kongou. Grab it before you open the safe, as the mission becomes a chaotic escape immediately after.
This Power Pistol is a fantastic early-game tool. Its unique perk allows your bullets to ricochet off surfaces without needing the required cyberware, it has reduced recoil, and an increased rate of fire (balanced by a smaller magazine). It’s perfect for clearing corners and handling groups in tight spaces.
Don’t rush through the penthouse. The pressure is high, but take a breath and sweep the room. Along with Kongou, this mission hides two other iconic weapons (covered in the next section). Missing them is the real crime.
With Chaos or Kongou (or both) in your inventory, you’re leaving Act 1 with serious firepower. Just remember: in Cyberpunk 2077, the best loot often requires you to slow down and look around when everyone else is telling you to run.
The Secret Satori Katana and Nehan Knife in Konpeki Plaza
This is it—the final, frantic moments of The Heist in Cyberpunk 2077. The penthouse is on lockdown, alarms are blaring, and you have one shot at grabbing two of the game's most powerful and secretive melee weapons. If you leave Konpeki Plaza without them, they're gone for good.
Combat skills are essential when retrieving the Satori katana.
Your first target is the Nehan, a lethal throwing knife. After the explosive cutscene in the penthouse where Saburo Arasaka is killed, you’ll regain control of V. Before you rush to the Relic, make sure to loot Saburo Arasaka's body on the floor. The Nehan is on his person. This isn't just any knife—its thrown hits always apply the Bleeding status effect.
Now, here’s the trick most guides miss. Your quest marker will point you to the balcony door that T-Bug opens. Ignore it. Instead, head up the stairs in the penthouse to the roof. This adds an optional objective: “Get to the AV landing pad.” Deal with the two guards up there (your newly acquired Kongou pistol from the nightstand helps), then approach the AV that crashed earlier. Press [F] to open the door and claim the Satori katana inside.
The Satori has a secret synergy with the Nehan. If you throw the Nehan to apply Bleeding and then attack that same enemy with the Satori, you’ll trigger a powerful hemorrhage effect that heals V. It’s a devastating one-two punch for melee builds.
This is your only chance. Once you grab the Relic and escape the building via the balcony, Konpeki Plaza becomes permanently inaccessible. These iconic weapons are completely missable. Don't let the chaos of the escape make you forget to check those two critical spots: the body on the floor and the wreck on the roof.
With the Satori and Nehan in your inventory, you’ve secured a legendary combo that can carry you through the entire game. Now, it's time to get the hell out of there.
Cyberpunk 2077 Early Game Iconic Weapon Rewards
You’ve done the hard part—tracking down these unique weapons early in your Cyberpunk 2077 playthrough. Now, let’s make sure they stay by your side, growing stronger as you do. These Iconic rewards aren't just trophies; with the right care, they can be the cornerstone of your build for the entire game.
The key to keeping them viable is the crafting system. Whenever you clear an area, take a moment to dismantle Tier 1 weapons you pick up. This is your most reliable source of Item Components in the early game, and you'll need a steady supply to upgrade your favorite Iconics from Tier 1 all the way to Tier 5++ in your inventory's Crafting tab. It’s a simple habit that pays off massively.
Don’t sell every common weapon you find. Dismantling a few after each fight builds a component stockpile that lets you upgrade your Iconics the moment you level up, keeping your damage output ahead of the curve.
Your early choices also unlock some of the game's most memorable gear. If you sided with Meredith Stout during The Pickup and followed her instructions, you’ll get a call later inviting you to the No-Tell Motel. Trust me, it’s worth the detour—this rendezvous unlocks the Venus in Furs side job and rewards you with the gloriously absurd Sir John Phallustiff.
For a more emotional payoff, remember the choice you made for Jackie. If you selected “Take him home, to his family” during The Heist, you’ll unlock the Heroes side job. When it pops up, head to El Coyote Cojo in Heywood. On the bar’s offering table, you’ll find La Chingona Dorada, a powerful pistol that serves as a perfect tribute to your fallen friend.
Finally, don’t overlook the value of your Body Attribute. If you’ve built a bruiser character, seek out the Beat on the Brat questline in Arroyo. The final brawl against Buck requires 5 Body just to place the bet, but the gamble is worth it—victory earns you the explosive O'Five sniper rifle.
With these weapons in your arsenal and a steady supply of components, you’re not just equipped for the early hours of Night City—you’re set up for dominance. Keep upgrading, keep exploring, and let your iconic collection define your legend.
