2.1 Best David Martinez Build
This is a guide to the best 2.1 David Martinez Build for Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty. Read our guide for details about this build inspired by David Martinez from the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners anime, what attributes to level up, which perks to choose, and what weapons and cyberwares to use.
List of Contents
David Martinez Build Overview
Basic Information
| David Martinez Build | |
|---|---|
| Main Attributes | |
| Main Weapons / Arm Cyberware | ・M-10AF Lexington ・M-76E Omaha ・DB-2 Satara ・Gorilla Arms |
| Operating System | ・Militech "Apogee" Sandevistan |
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
Chrome up and burn the city with this David Martinez-inspired Sandevistan build!
Technical Ability perks and cyberware take the forefront of this build, giving you various effects and stat boosts that make you a deadly merc. You'll also be able to constantly slow down time with your Sandevistan thanks to its reduced cooldown from certain perks and cyberware, much like in Cyberpunk: Edgerunners!
A few perk points can also be switched around if you want to use Gorilla Arms, Projectile Launch System, or Mantis Blades, which David uses in the anime.
Weaknesses
Do note that this build is not as well-rounded as other builds, as it prioritizes improving your equipped cyberwares and getting more health and armor over improving your damage.
Weapons from this build also suffer from not being able to get all the useful perks to improve them, due to David's choice of weapons in the anime and how weapon perks are spread across several attributes in the game.
David Martinez Best Attribute Build
Attribute Progression
| Build Attributes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lv. | Body | Reflex | Tech | Int | Cool |
| 1 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| 10 | 6 | 4 | 15 | 3 | 3 |
| 50 | 20 | 13 | 20 | 3 | 15 |
| 60 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 3 | 18 |
The max level is only up until 50 in the base game. Purchase Phantom Liberty to reach level 60.
Like David, you'd want to chip in all the cyberware you can, which is why the Technical Ability tree is maxed out first so you can enjoy reduced cooldowns and better stat boosts from all cyberware you have equipped. This attribute also gives you access to tech weapon perks which you can get to power up David's tech weapons.
After maxing Tech, you can then allot points to Body to get improved health regen and shotgun perks for the DB-2 Satara, followed by points to Cool for your pistols, and the rest to Reflexes to get some mobility perks.
If you have Phantom Liberty, you can use the extra points from the raised level cap to max out Reflexes and gain access to air dashing. The rest can be allocated to melee perks under the Body tree to power up your Gorilla Arms, which is the main Arms cyberware for this build.
David Martinez Build Best Perks
This is the full list of 2.0 perks that you can get if you achieve the maximum level 60 with the Phantom Liberty DLC. Optional perks are also listed in their own section in case you have not purchased the DLC.
| Jump to Each Attribute for Their Perks! | |
|---|---|
 Technical Ability |
 Body |
 Reflexes |
 Cool |
| Optional Perks | |
Technical Ability Attribute
If you want to follow David's footsteps, you'd want to equip as much cyberwares as you can. The Technical Ability attribute has its own perk tree dedicated to David's love for chrome, and will be the main set of perks for this build. You'll be able to get various stat boosts and modifiers from All Things Cyber, License to Chrome, and Driver Update as well as improved cooldown and effects from Cyborg and Extended Warranty.
These will all cap off with the Edgerunner perk, which increases your cyberware capacity so you can add more cyberware at the cost of your health. This perk also has a chance to activate Fury, a status effect that lets you take a preview of what it may be like to have cyberpsychosis by increasing damage and raises your chance to deal critical damage.
You will also find tech weapon perks under this tree, which you should get to power up your DB-2 Satara and M-76E Omaha.
Perk List
| Main Perk | Secondary Perk(s) |
|---|---|
 Glutton for War
(1 pt) |
Main Perk Only |
 Health Freak
(2 pt) |
|
 All Things Cyber
(2 pt) |
|
 License to Chrome
(3 pt) |
|
 Bolt
(3 pt) |
Borrowed Time
Field Medic
Chrome Constitution
Renaissance Punk
Driver Update
Chipware Connoisseur
Extended Warranty
Ambidextrous
Built Different
Cyborg
Lightning Storm
Internal Clock
Shock ValueFinal Perks
| Final Perks | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Edgerunner
|
 Chain Lightning
|
||
Body Attribute
Perks under the Body attribute will give you additional health regen and extra health via Adrenaline Rush, which are useful to imitate David's durability during combat.
You can also get shotgun perks for your DB-2 Satara shotgun.
If you have Phantom Liberty, you can use the extra perk points from the raised level cap to get melee weapon perks for your Gorilla Arms, and gain access to new moves like Wrecking Ball's charge or Quake's area-of-effect smash.
Perk List
| Main Perk | Secondary Perk(s) |
|---|---|
 Painkiller
(1 pt) |
|
 Die! Die! Die!
(2 pt) |
|
 Wrecking Ball
(2 pt) |
|
 Adrenaline Rush
(3 pt) |
|
 Spontaneous Obliteration
(3 pt) |
|
 Quake
(3 pt) |
Dorph-Head
Comeback Kid
Speed Junkie
Army of One
Bullet Ballet
Don't Stop Me Now
Like a Feather
Fly Swatter
Juggernaut
Unstoppable Force
Calm Mind
Close-Quarters Carnage
Rush of Blood
EpicenterFinal Perks
| Final Perks | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Pain to Gain
|
|||
Cross-Branch Perk
| Perk | Requirement |
|---|---|
 Bloodlust
|
Get this perk when you have specific secondary perks unlocked.
Reflexes Attribute
Some perks under the Reflexes tree grant you mobility like Dash, which you can get to copy David's nimbleness when he was using his cyberskeleton and its thrusters.
Perk List
| Main Perk | Secondary Perk(s) |
|---|---|
 Slippery
(1 pt) |
|
 Dash
(2 pt) |
|
 Air Dash
(3 pt) |
Muscle Memory
Multitasker
Steady Grip
Can't Touch This
Mad Dash
AerodynamicCool Attribute
The Cool tree holds all pistol perks, which is obtained to improve your pistols' usage. Every point in Cool also raises crit damage.
The vehicle perk Road Warrior allows you to use your Sandevistan while driving, almost like how David did when he was being chased by Tyger Claw goons.
Perk List
| Main Perk | Secondary Perk(s) |
|---|---|
 Focus
(2 pt) |
|
 Deadeye
(3 pt) |
No Sweat
Rinse and Reload
Head to Head
Deep Breath
High Noon
Long ShotVehicle Perk
| Vehicle Perk | ||
|---|---|---|
 Road Warrior
|
||
Optional Perks
If you still have not purchased the Phantom Liberty DLC and have no access to the 10 additional perk points that came with it, these perks are optional and can be removed.
| Removable Perks (10 pts) | |
|---|---|
| (2 pts) | |
David Martinez Build Relic Skill Priority
Take Vulnerability Analytics and Machine Learning First
| Priority | Main Skill | → | Branch Skill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st |
 Vulnerability Analytics
|
→ |
 Machine Learning
|
| 2nd |
 Jailbreak
|
→ |
 Limiter Removal
|
Vulnerability Analytics and Machine Learning are the useful Relic skills for this build as you will be using guns. These skills will highlight enemy weakspots that you can shoot to deal bonus damage.
Once you get these, you can next obtain Jailbreak for your arms cyberware, then Limiter Removal to power up your Gorilla Arms.
Relic Skills are Optional
If you want to be as close to the anime as possible, you can refrain from getting any Relic skills as David did not have the Relic in the show.
Relic Skill Tree Available in the DLC
Please take note that the Phantom Liberty expansion is needed to access the Relic Skill Tree.
Relic Skill Tree Guide and List
David Martinez Build Recommended Weapons
Canon Weapons
| David's Canon Weapons | ||
|---|---|---|
| M-10AF Lexington | M-76E Omaha | DB-2 Satara |
- M-10AF Lexington is one of the first weapons David used in the anime. This can be powered up by pistol perks under the Cool tree.
- M-76E Omaha is another pistol that David used in the show. As it is a tech pistol, pistol perks under Cool and tech weapon perks under the Tech tree can power it up.
- DB-2 Satara is a tech shotgun once wielded by David. Gets powered up by heavy and tech weapon perks.
Alternative Iconic Weapons
| Alternative Iconic Weapons | ||
|---|---|---|
| Lexington X-MOD2 | Lizzie | Order |
If you want to use Iconic variants of David's weapons instead of regular ones, you can equip the weapons listed above instead.
David Martinez Build Best Cyberwares
| Jump to a Cyberware section! | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Face | Hands | Circulatory System | ||||
| Legs | Frontal Cortex | Arms | Skeleton | ||||
| Nervous System | Integumentary System | ||||||
Operating System
| Cyberware | Effect (Tier 5) |
|---|---|
 Militech "Apogee" Sandevistan
|
Press L1 and R1 to activate and deactivate. It can be activated at any charged level. When active: Slows time by 85% (you are not slowed) +10% headshot damage +9% Crit Chance +13% Crit Damage Neutralizing an enemy when active gives: +20% extended duration +22% Stamina Max Duration: 8 sec. Cooldown: 30 sec. |
The Apogee Sandevistan is the same type of Sandevistan that David used in Cyberpunk: Edgerunner that allowed him to eliminate enemies quickly by slowing down time.
Apart from the time slow and stat boosts you can get when equipping it, the Apogee also has a low cooldown which can be sped up even more by some perks and cyberware.
Alternative: Zetatech Sandevistan
| Cyberware | Effect (Tier 5) |
|---|---|
 Zetatech Sandevistan
|
When active on the ground: Slows time by 30%(You are not slowed), +12% damage. When active midair: Slows time by 60% +24% damage +40% headshot and weakspot damage -30% fall damage. |
If you don't have the Apogee and don't mind straying off from the anime, you can temporarily equip the Zetatech Sandevistan.
This Sandevistan may not as be as great as the Apogee, but it has a low cooldown which you can rely on.
Face
| Cyberware | Effect (Tier 5) |
|---|---|
 Kiroshi "Stalker" Optics
|
When aiming: Highlights enemies behind cover for 22% of your field of vision and up to 47 m. deep. |
The Stalker variant of Kiroshi optics lets you track enemies, which is useful to know which enemy to kill next.
This cyberware has lower capacity, which should give you some space to slot in more cyberware especially if your capacity is low.
Hands
| Cyberware | Effect (Tier 5) |
|---|---|
 Ballistic Coprocessor
|
Increased ricochet chance with Power weapons. +30% ricochet damage. |
 Shock Absorber
|
-20% Recoil |
With the Ambidextrous perk, you'll be able to equip two cyberwares for the hands slot.
Ballistic Coprocessor is useful for your power pistol, while Shock Absorber's recoil reduction is useful for all of your weapons.
Circulatory System
| Cyberware | Effect (Tier 5) |
|---|---|
 Blood Pump
|
Activate to instantly restore 90% of max Health. Cooldown 30 sec. |
 Clutch Padding
|
-18% Stamina cost for shooting. |
 Microrotors
|
Increase melee attack speed by 23%. (Melee attack speed cannot exceed 2 attacks per second.) |
Blood Pump is a key cyberware for this build, as this will activate Adrenaline Rush and all of its effects, apart from it being your main healing item.
Microrotors will increase Gorilla Arms' attack speed, while Clutch Padding will reduce weapon recoil.
Legs
| Cyberware | Effect (Tier 5) |
|---|---|
 Fortified Ankles
|
Allows you to charge jumps for greater distance. Hold the jump button and release for a charged jump. |
David used Fortified Ankles in the anime, so this is chosen to copy his choice in the series.
You can charge your jump while running around in combat to hold it, then release the button to spring into the air.
Frontal Cortex
| Cyberware | Effect (Tier 5) |
|---|---|
 Kerenzikov Boost System
|
When Kerenzikov is active: -100% stamina cost for shooting. Slows time by 15% relative to your enemies. |
 Mechatronic Core
|
+35% damage against drones, robots, mechs and turrets. +2 Max RAM. |
 Newton Module
|
-1.25% Cooldown instantly for all cyberware after neutralizing an enemy. |
Newton Module is important for this build, as it lets you have faster Sandevistan cooldowns by simply just killing targets.
Equipping a Kerenzikov Boost System will give you more stat boosts when you use Kerenzikov.
Mechatronic Core will let you deal more damage against robots, which you will encounter as you progress through the game.
Phantom Liberty Alternative: Axolotl
| Cyberware | Effect (Tier 5) |
|---|---|
 Axolotl
|
-10.5% Cooldown instantly for all cyberware after neutralizing an enemy. |
If you have Phantom Liberty, you'll have access to several Iconic cyberware sold in Dogtown.
The Axolotl is one of these special cyberware, which you can equip instead of a Newton Module. With Axolotl, you'll have faster Sandevistan cooldowns by killing fewer targets.
Arms
| Cyberware | Effect (Tier 5) |
|---|---|
 Gorilla Arms
|
+6 to Body Attribute checks. Deal Physical damage. 20% Bleeding chance |
Gorilla Arms is one of the Arms cyberware David used in the show, inspired by Maine.
You Can Also Use Other Arms Cyberware
In the anime, David was also seen to have wielded Mantis Blades and a Projectile Launch System. You can also equip these and move some perks to make alternate builds for these cyberware.
Skeleton
| Cyberware | Effect (Tier 5) |
|---|---|
 Bionic Joints
|
Armor - Simple but effective. |
 Epimorphic Skeleton
|
+13% Max Health |
 Scar Coalescer
|
+22% Armor when below 50% Health. |
Arasaka's cyberskeleton is not in the game, but you can imitate its durability by slotting in skeletal cyberware that raise your armor.
Nervous System
| Cyberware | Effect (Tier 5) |
|---|---|
 Adrenaline Converter
|
+40% movement speed for 7 sec. when entering combat. |
 Kerenzikov
|
Allows you to aim and perform ranged attacks while sliding, dodging or Dashing. Slows time by 60% for 3.5 sec. when you aim a ranged attack during a slide, dodge or Dash. Cooldown 6.5 sec. |
 Neofiber
|
+10% Mitigation Chance, +9% Mitigation Strength Mitigation grants a chance to reduce incoming damage by current Mitigation Strength (default: 50%). |
Kerenzikov acts as a minor Sandevistan of sorts, which you can activate when dashing on the ground.
Adrenaline Converter grants you extra movement at the start of combat, allowing you to quickly reach enemies after activating your Sandevistan.
Neofiber grants you more mitigation stats and is slotted in for defensive purposes.
Integumentary System
| Cyberware | Effect (Tier 5) |
|---|---|
 Cellular Adapter
|
+1% explosion resistance '+0.5% Tech weapon damage +0.5% Health item recharge speed +0.5% grenade recharge speed +13 Carrying Capacity +2.6 Health |
 Painducer
|
Converts 30% of damage taken into damage-over-time. +0.5% damage-over-time resistance per Attribute Point. +1.3% Health Item Effect +2.5% Reduced damage from Poisoned enemies |
 Subdermal Armor
|
+0.5 Armor per Attribute Point. +1.3% Decreased enemy vision +2.6 Health |
These cyberware will make you more tanky by giving you additional armor and defense boosts.
How to Use David Martinez Build
Activate Sandevistan Before Every Fight
You won't go full David unless you abuse your Sandevistan during combat. Activate it and kill as many enemies as you can to take advantage of cyberware cooldown reductions from perks and cyberwares, so you'll have your Sandevistan ready immediately after using it.
Play Aggressively
To get the full extent of this build, you need to keep on shooting and killing, especially if you get Fury from the Edgerunner perk.
As you'll be diving right into enemy frontlines, don't forget to use your Blood Pump to activate Adrenaline Rush and get extra health before barging in.
Use Your Arms Cyberware
If you get to overwhelmed, use your equipped Arms cyberware to clear the crowd, either during Sandevistan or even when its not active. You'll be able to eliminate a few enemies which not only gives you some space but also lowers your Sandevistan's cooldown.
This applies to Gorilla Arms, Mantis Blades, and even the Projectile Launch System.
Alternative Builds
If you want to equip Mantis Blades or a Projectile Launch System instead of Gorilla Arms, you can follow one of the builds below. Do note that these builds use the extra perk points from Phantom Liberty's raised level cap.
Mantis Blades Build
| Recommended Build | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arms Cyberware | Mantis Blades | |||
| Perks to Remove | Attribute:
and melee weapon perks |
|||
| Perks to Add | Attribute:
|
|||
Finisher: Bladerunner
Lead and Steel
Flash of Steel
Going the DistanceThis setup allows you to wield Mantis Blades by simply moving all melee weapon perks under the Body attribute to blades-related perks under Reflexes.
With these perks, you'll be able to hack-and-slash your way through fights and also get access to the Bladerunner finisher.
If you're using Relic skills, make sure to switch your connected Jailbreak skill to Spatial Mapping.
Projectile Launch System Build
| Recommended Build | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arms Cyberware | Projectile Launch System | |||
| Perks to Remove | Attribute:
and melee weapon perks |
|||
| Perks to Add | Attribute:
|
|||
Pyromania
Burn This City
Heat Shield
Friendlier Fire
DoomlauncherIf you want to be a bit more explosive, equip a Projectile Launch System and move all melee weapon perks under body to Pyromania's tree under Technical Ability.
To take full advantage of these perks, try to position yourself near your explosions as you'll get stat boosts. You'll receive less damage from your own attacks with the Friendlier Fire perk.
If you're using Relic skills, make sure to switch your connected Jailbreak skill to Launch Capacity Override.
