Gun modification basics in Cyberpunk 2077

You modify guns in Cyberpunk 2077 by visiting a ripperdoc or using a crafting bench. A ripperdoc is an NPC who specializes in modifying weapons and installing cyberware — you'll find them in most districts, and they charge money to attach mods you already own. A crafting bench is a workstation you can use for free in your apartment, at V's safehouse, or at other locations throughout Night City. The two methods do different things: ripperdocs attach mods to weapons you're carrying, while crafting benches let you disassemble weapons, craft new mods, or upgrade existing ones.

Mods themselves come from three sources: you loot them from defeated enemies, you buy them from weapon shops or ripperdocs, or you craft them at a crafting bench if you have the schematic and the materials. Each gun has specific mod slots — a scope slot, a muzzle slot, a magazine slot, and sometimes a special slot — and you can only attach mods that fit those slots.

Key Takeaways

  • Ripperdocs attach mods to your weapons for a fee, while crafting benches let you craft new mods and upgrade weapons for free.
  • Every gun has four mod slots: scope, muzzle, magazine, and sometimes a special slot, and each slot accepts only certain mod types.
  • You get mods by looting them from enemies, buying them from shops, or crafting them at a bench if you have the schematic and materials.
  • Upgrading a weapon at a crafting bench increases its damage and scales it to your current level, but costs materials and eddies.

Finding and visiting a ripperdoc

The easiest ripperdocs to reach early in the game are Viktor Vektor in Little China (south of the starting area) and Fingers in Westbrook. Viktor is the more straightforward option — he's a friendly fixer who runs a legitimate shop and doesn't charge extra. Fingers is cheaper but has a darker reputation and a smaller inventory. As you progress, you'll unlock ripperdocs in other districts like Kabuki, Heywood, and Santo Domingo.

When you visit a ripperdoc, open their shop menu and look for the "Weapon Mods" tab. You'll see two lists: mods you own (which you can attach to weapons) and mods they have for sale. Select a weapon from your inventory, choose an empty mod slot on that weapon, and then pick a mod that fits that slot. The ripperdoc will charge you eddies (the in-game currency) to attach it. The cost varies by ripperdoc and by mod rarity — legendary mods cost more than uncommon ones.

Using a crafting bench to upgrade and craft mods

Crafting benches are free to use and let you do three things: upgrade weapons to your current level, disassemble weapons into components, or craft new mods from schematics. To upgrade a weapon, place it in the upgrade slot, pay the material cost (usually components and eddies), and the weapon's damage will scale up to match your current character level. This is useful for keeping older weapons relevant as you level up.

To craft a mod, you need the schematic for that mod and the materials it requires. Schematics drop from enemies, appear in loot containers, or can be bought from weapon shops. Once you have a schematic, go to a crafting bench, select "Craft Mods," choose the mod you want to make, and confirm the material cost. The mod will appear in your inventory and you can then take it to a ripperdoc to attach it to a weapon.

Understanding mod slots and compatibility

Every weapon has up to four mod slots, and each slot type only accepts certain mods. The scope slot takes optics like thermal scopes or zoom sights. The muzzle slot takes suppressors, compensators, or flash hiders. The magazine slot takes extended magazines or specialized ammo types. The special slot (not all weapons have one) takes unique mods like ricochets or breach rounds.

Before you buy or craft a mod, check your weapon's available slots. Open your inventory, highlight the weapon, and look at the mod section — it will show you which slots are empty and which are filled. If a mod doesn't fit, the ripperdoc or crafting menu will gray it out and you won't be able to attach it. This prevents wasting eddies or materials on incompatible mods.

Where to find weapon mod schematics

Schematics are scattered throughout Night City in loot containers, on enemy corpses, and in shops. Early-game schematics are usually uncommon or rare rarity, while legendary schematics appear in endgame areas or from high-level enemies. You can also buy schematics directly from weapon shops — most ripperdocs and gun dealers stock a rotating inventory of schematics for sale.

The most reliable way to find schematics is to loot every container and enemy you encounter, especially in higher-level districts. Crafting benches also show you which schematics you own, so you can plan what to craft next. If you're looking for a specific mod type, check the weapon shops in different districts — each shop carries different inventory, so you may need to visit several to find what you want.

Comparing mods before you attach them

Not all mods are equally useful. A scope with a 4x zoom is better for long-range weapons, while a compensator that reduces recoil helps with automatic fire. Before you attach a mod, compare its stats to what you're currently using. Open your inventory, highlight the weapon, and look at the mod stats — you'll see damage bonuses, accuracy changes, handling changes, and special effects like increased crit chance or status effect process.

Legendary mods usually offer bigger bonuses than rare or uncommon ones, but they also cost more to attach. Early in the game, attaching any mod is usually better than using no mod, but as you level up and find better mods, you'll want to swap them out. There's no penalty for removing a mod and reattaching it elsewhere, so experiment to find what works for your playstyle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I remove a mod after I attach it?

Yes. Go back to the ripperdoc who attached it (or any ripperdoc) and select the weapon. You can remove any mod from any slot without losing it — the mod goes back into your inventory. You'll pay a small fee to remove it, but it's much cheaper than attaching a new one.

What's the difference between attaching a mod at a ripperdoc versus crafting one?

Ripperdocs attach mods you already own to weapons. Crafting benches let you make new mods from schematics and materials, or upgrade a weapon's damage to your current level. You need the schematic and materials to craft, but crafting is free — you only pay for the materials themselves.

Do I need high intelligence or technical ability to modify guns?

No. Any character can modify guns at any time. Your Intelligence and Technical Ability stats affect crafting speed and the quality of mods you can craft, but they don't lock you out of modifying weapons. You can attach any mod to any compatible weapon regardless of your stats.

Should I upgrade old weapons or just find new ones?

Upgrading keeps a weapon you like using relevant as you level up. If you've found a gun with mods you enjoy, upgrading it is cheaper than buying a new gun and re-modding it. But if you find a legendary weapon with better base stats, it's usually worth switching over and upgrading that instead.