Though Cyberpunk 2077 has many weapons to choose from, few are as unique and iconic as the Mantis Blades. These special melee weapons allow players to twist the meaning of “unarmed” in more ways than one. Anyone spending the money to get a pair of Mantis Blades will likely want to know the best build for them in Cyberpunk 2077.
Best Perks for a Mantis Blades Build in Cyberpunk 2077
The two best perk trees to focus on for Mantis Blades are Reflexes and Technical Ability. The former will grant buffs to bladed weapons while the latter will increase the potency of Cyberware. You might also want to put a few points into Body for the extra health perks, as these melee-focused weapons will put you at point-blank range for any foe with a gun.
These are the primary perks you should get your hands on for Mantis Blades:
Best Reflexes Perks
- Lead and Steel — Allows you to block projectiles with all blades, including Mantis Blades.
- Finisher: Bladerunner — Unlocks a finisher for blades.
- Slaughterhouse — Ensures all attacks apply bleeding, ensuring little-to-no downside when using elemental Mantis Blades.
- Dash — Increases mobility, allowing you to close the gap between foes more quickly.
- Mad Dash — Allows you to quickly rush at a nearby enemy.
All related blade-only perks should also be considered, from Bullet Deflect to Going the Distance. The only one that might not be as necessary is Flash and Thunderclap, since Mantis Blades have the innate ability to leap at opponents. Other Dash-related perks like Air Dash and Tailwind can be a great boon as well, since the extra stamina they provide will let you attack more often.
Best Technical Ability Perks
- Driver Update and Chipware Connoisseur — Improves the stat modifiers found on Cyberware.
- Edgerunner — Allows you to exceed your Cyberware capacity, reducing max health in exchange for a chance at triggering the Fury buff.
The perks offered by Technical Ability are mostly relevant due to the Mantis Blades being Cyberware, as well. Few of these perks will directly influence the blades outside of providing more slots, which will allow you to gain more armor and extra stats out of whatever else you might get from a Ripperdoc.
The contradictive nature of the Mantis Blades lets players use them with greater range than most melee weapons. Health-based perks in the Body tree, such as Adrenaline Rush, can be helpful for those not caring about distance. Alternatively, the Cool tree’s stealth-based perks such as Ninjutsu can provide some extra bonuses for players wishing to be a bit sneakier. The aforementioned Reflexes perks are essential for a Mantis Blades build, but any perks beyond those are up to you.
Related: Best Shotgun Build in Cyberpunk 2077 (2.0)
Best Mantis Blades to Get in Cyberpunk
There’s a very small selection of Mantis Blades in Cyberpunk 2077. The elemental blades are all fine choices to pick, as the base blades only offer a bonus of bleeding. This bonus can be obtained by the Slaughterhouse perk, so you might as well get the extra statuses together in one package.
Best Cyberware for Mantis Blades
Similarly to blunt weapons, Mantis Blades benefit greatly from Berserk Operating Systems. These will force you to utilize the blades while granting you temporary invincibility and intense power. Other than that, any Cyberware that primarily increases armor or health will be vital, and the Stabber will provide a great boost to crit chance. Also consider some Cyberware that slows time, as that will help you make use of the Bullet Time Reflexes perk, improving the blades’ ability to deflect bullets.
