Cyberpunk 2077 gives players plenty of ways to tear through enemies. You can slice opponents apart at close range with a katana or kill someone with a pistol. But when it comes to storming tight corridors and clearing cramped spaces, few weapons are as effective as a powerful shotgun with a wide spread.
That said, the game features a large selection of shotguns, which naturally leads to one big question: which ones stand above the rest? Since shotguns require you to fight much closer to enemies compared to many other weapon types, it is worth building your attributes and perks around that playstyle as you progress through your journey across Night City.
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Cyberpunk 2077 Best Shotguns
For the most part, shotguns in Cyberpunk 2077 have struggled to stand out. Melee weapons often outperform them in close combat, while their effectiveness at longer distances drops off significantly compared to shotguns found in many other first-person shooters.
While these criticisms apply to many standard shotguns, the experience changes completely once you get your hands on an iconic version.
Bloody Maria
This weapon is the iconic version of the M2038 Tactician. On its own, the Tactician is a power shotgun that fires slower than the Crusher and comes with a lower headshot damage multiplier, which generally makes it the weaker option by default. Bloody Maria, however, makes up for those shortcomings with a collection of bonuses that combine to create a weapon with stronger sustained damage output.
Much of this reliability comes from its increased bleeding effects alongside improved knockdown and dismemberment capabilities. Its biggest drawback is the reload process, as refilling the weapon requires loading all eight individual shells before reaching full capacity again.
Headsman
Another iconic variation of the M2038 Tactician, the Headsman dramatically changes how the shotgun performs. Instead of firing the usual six projectiles, this version adds ten more hits per shot, bringing the total up to sixteen. As a result, enemies will be flooded with damage numbers, and at close range, the sheer amount of hits can almost obscure your target completely.
One of its biggest strengths is reducing the ammo capacity from eight shells down to four, which significantly speeds up reload times. Combined with its increased damage output, those four shots can deal more total damage than all eight shells from the standard M2038 Tactician. Its main downside is the slower firing rhythm, as the delay between shots can sometimes leave weakened enemies enough time to strike back before you can finish them off.
Amstaff
BARGHEST weapons generally share similar traits, and the Amstaff follows that pattern by rewarding aggressive movement-based gameplay. It grants increased movement speed after kills and dismemberments while also boosting damage based on how fast you are moving. This makes it an excellent choice for players who prefer staying mobile and constantly repositioning during combat.
With solid projectile performance, fast reload speeds, and a respectable magazine size, the Amstaff offers a smooth and fast-paced playstyle for players looking to make combat feel more fluid. The catch, however, is that this weapon is only available to players who own Phantom Liberty.
Dezerter
The Dezerter is a shotgun that shines when paired with the right build, largely because of how heavily it revolves around being on fire. With the proper Mitigation perks, players can reduce incoming damage so effectively that fighting while burning becomes more of an advantage than a drawback.
Every kill made with this shotgun sets the user on fire, which in turn boosts movement speed and Mitigation Chance. This allows players to move rapidly through combat encounters while shrugging off enemy damage, turning self-inflicted flames into part of the weapon’s overall strategy.
Ba Xing Chong
You can hand back Skippy because this is the iconic weapon worth holding onto instead. This shotgun is the iconic version of the previously mentioned L-69 Zhuo and originally belonged to Adam Smasher. In nearly every way, it serves as a direct upgrade over the standard version. Each shot fires eight projectiles, all loaded with explosive payloads, making it easy to understand why the game describes it as “the perfect arsenal for a one-person army.”
Its biggest downside is accessibility. Players can only obtain this weapon after completing one of the game’s endings, meaning you will need to leave plenty of side content unfinished if you want to fully enjoy using it afterward.
Order
While some players might not want to charge shotguns, it means extra damage to perform what one would expect from a brutal railgun. Order benefits from its charged fire mode, as it will deal extended damage to those impacted by its blast for more damage in its double-barrel design.
Mox
The Mox occupies an unusual spot among Cyberpunk 2077’s weapons. Although it functions as a shotgun designed to scatter pellets across a wide area, its tighter spread makes it far more effective when aimed carefully at targets within close to medium range. Players who prefer traditional shotguns may find its emphasis on precision a bit unconventional.
Following the 2.0 update, the Mox became more consistent thanks to improvements to its projectile spread. It also gained a higher chance to inflict Shock and knock enemies off their feet.
Note: to obtain the weapon, you must romance Judy and complete the quest Pyramid Song. After a few in-game days, Judy will contact V and leave a personal message. During the conversation, she reveals that she has left the Mox at her apartment. She gives shotgun to V as a token of appreciation.
Pozhar x-MOD2
The Pozhar is a fast-firing shotgun introduced in Cyberpunk 2077, and in many situations it can outperform other options. While it lacks the heavy knockdown impact of the Crusher, it compensates with a higher rate of fire and a lower pellet count, which allows it to remain effective at longer ranges where the Crusher starts to lose efficiency.
The Pozhar X-MOD2 is an upgraded variant that improves on the base weapon with better handling and always comes with two open mod slots. For players who already enjoy the standard Pozhar, the X-MOD2 is essentially an enhanced version with no real downsides.
Obtaining the Pozhar X-MOD2 can be a bit tricky. You need to arrive at the party location (The apartment building under construction near Kress Street in Dogtown) in the early morning hours, shortly before 5 AM.
L-69 Zhuo
The L-69 Zhuo is another Smart shotgun in Cyberpunk 2077. Compared to other shotguns in its category, it has a lower overall damage output and slower DPS, but it compensates with strong survivability and utility.
Its standout feature is its unusually long effective range for a shotgun, combined with Smart weapon targeting, which allows its projectiles to automatically home in on marked enemies. This makes it ideal for a more cautious, hit-and-run playstyle.
The weapon works best when used from cover: you can briefly expose yourself, fire at enemies, and then retreat safely. While it struggles in close-quarters situations where enemies can rush or flank you, it performs well in controlled encounters and can efficiently clear groups when used carefully.
DB-4 Palica
This weapon is not just a variant of a previous model but a distinct shotgun in its own right, despite sharing several similarities. Like the DB-4 Igla, it is a double-barrel shotgun. However, unlike a traditional Power weapon, it belongs to the Smart category.
As a Smart weapon, its shots are guided by self-homing technology that automatically tracks enemies. However, the targeting is not instant. You may fire and see no immediate impact, only for the pellets to converge on the target a moment later.
This delayed effect can be useful for players who struggle with precise aiming, but it also introduces risk. Since enemies are not affected right away, you could potentially be eliminated before your shots land, which makes timing and positioning especially important.
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