When upgrading your cyberware in Cyberpunk 2077, one of the key decisions you’ll need to make is whether to install gorilla arms or mantis blades. Both of these powerful cybernetic implants can be extremely useful in combat, but they serve different purposes. Here’s a breakdown of their key differences to help you decide which is the right choice for your playstyle and build:

Overview of Gorilla Arms

• Melee-focused cyberware that boosts punching power
• Installs heavy pneumatic-driven pistons into your arms to deliver devastating punches
• Scales with your Strength attribute – the higher your Strength, the more damage gorilla arms do
• Allows you to punch through walls and knock enemies back with powerful blows
• Useful against melee enemies and in close quarters
• Makes short work of doors, crates, and other obstacles
• Necessary to complete the Beat on the Brat side jobs where you fist fight enemies

Gorilla Arms Pros:

• Massive damage potential when stacked with Strength perks – can one-shot many enemies
• Stuns enemies by knocking them down or back
• Useful crowd control thanks to AOE knockback on punches
• Allows access to Beat on the Brat questline
• Opens up new environmental interaction options like smashing walls

Gorilla Arms Cons:

• Useless at range
• Slow attack speed compared to blades
• Lack utility of other cyberware options
• Less stylish than blades – just simple punching

Overview of Mantis Blades

• Retractable blades that pop out from your forearms
• Allows for rapid melee attacks and combos
• Scales with your Reflexes attribute – the higher your Reflexes, the more DPS
• Slices through enemies at close range for high damage
• Useful for stealth takedowns and fast attacks
• Has multiple attack types like Stab, Swipe, and Whirlwind
• High utility from various perks that boost effects

Mantis Blades Pros:

• Extremely fast attack speed for DPS
• Variety of slash, stab, and AOE attacks
• Useful ranged attack with projectile spike discharge
• Amazing utility from perks like Venomous Spikes and Whirlwind Concentration
• Better scaling thanks to Reflexes being easier to stack than Strength
• Stylish and sleek cyberpunk look

Mantis Blades Cons:

• Less raw damage than gorilla arms
• Not as effective vs armored enemies or in CQC
• No environmental destruction abilities
• Lack the knockback/crowd control of gorilla arms

Gorilla Arms vs Mantis Blades: Key Differences

So in summary, gorilla arms are ideal for high Strength builds that want to focus on close-quarters bludgeoning damage and crowd control. Mantis blades are better for high Reflex cyberninjas that prefer rapid slashes and ability utility.

Making the Choice

When deciding between installing gorilla arms or mantis blades, consider the following:

• What attributes are you focusing on for your character build? Gorilla arms require high Strength while mantis blades need high Reflexes. Build to your strengths.
• What playstyle do you prefer? Slow, heavy CQC hits or rapid, agile slashes? This can help determine which cyberware matches your preferences.
• Do you want to complete the Beat on the Brat quests? If so, gorilla arms are mandatory. Mantis blades won’t cut it in the boxing ring.
• Look at the available perks – do you want arm rocket boosters and seismic blows (gorilla) or venomous spikes and arterial spray (mantis)? The perks can shift the value.
• Consider your other cyberware and weapons. For example, combining mantis blades with sandevistan or kereznikov enhances your slashing speed even more.
• Try equipping both for a while when you acquire them to get a feel for each. You can always switch back and forth after installing both.

At the end of the day, it comes down to your preferred combat style. Gorilla arms excel at delivering devastating bursts of damage in close range melee while mantis blades allow you to elegantly dance through enemies with deadly slashes. Either cyberware is a powerful asset – choose what matches your cyberpunk fantasy!

Gorilla Arms – When to Choose Them

If you want to play Cyberpunk 2077 as a brawling tank that knocks enemies around with brutal punches, gorilla arms are the perfect cyberware choice. Here’s a closer look at when gorilla arms make sense over mantis blades:

You Have a High Strength Build

Gorilla arms scale exceptionally well with high Strength. Focusing on Strength perks like Steel and Chrome, Knuckle Dragger, and Human Shield will allow your equipped gorilla arms to dish out massive damage with each punch. Every point invested into Strength also boosts your health and carrying capacity too, which improves survivability.

You Prefer Close Quarters Combat

Nothing beats wading into a group of enemies and smashing them with enhanced pneumatic pistons. The raw close-range damage of gorilla arms combined with their knockback effect make them ideal for CQC builds. You’ll stagger enemies with each punch while shrugging off their gunfire thanks to your high health and armor.

You Want Crowd Control Capabilities

Beyond just damage, gorilla arms give you excellent crowd control options in melee. The AOE knockback on your heavy punches allows you to smack enemies away in an arc around you. This lets you isolate dangerous targets or get breathing room when surrounded. It’s a great option for controlling the flow of combat.

You Need to Smash Through Obstacles

With their tremendous striking force, gorilla arms allow you to smash through weak walls, doors, crates, and other obstacles with a simple punch. This gives you alternate routes and hidden access points during missions. It also lets you quickly destroy and loot containers found in the environment.

You Plan to Take on Beat on the Brat

The Beat on the Brat underground fighting questline can only be completed if you have gorilla arms equipped. Your fists are the only allowed weapons in these cybercage matches, so mantis blades won’t cut it. If you want to be crowned as Night City’s champion boxer, gorilla arms are a must.

Mantis Blades – When to Choose Them

For those who prefer an elegant but lethal playstyle emphasized by rapid slashes, parries, and take downs, mantis blades are likely the better cyberware choice over gorilla arms:

You Have a High Reflexes Build

Since they scale exceptionally well with Reflexes, mantis blades work best if you also invest perks into Reflex boosting abilities like Steady Hand, Rapid Reflexes, and Bloodswell. The higher your Reflexes, the more deadly your mantis blade combos become.

You Want Blazing Fast Attack Speed

Few weapons can match the raw attack speed of mantis blades – they allow a flurry of consecutive hits and combos that can shred enemies in seconds. Especially when boosted further by abilities like Sandevistan, mantis blades are blazingly fast.

You Prefer Elegant, Skilled Fighting

While gorilla arms are brute force, mantis blades require finesse and skill to utilize properly. They have a higher skill ceiling requiring good timing, combos, and aim on the Blade Dodge ability. If you fancy yourself a highly-trained cyberninja, mantis blades are perfect.

You Like Varied Attacks and Combos

With multiple attack forms like Stab, Swipe, Whirlwind, and Finisher attacks, mantis blades allow for varied combos. Mixing up light and heavy slashes, takedowns, and spikes gives you options to keep your offense unpredictable.

You Want Some Ranged Capability

While mostly melee-focused, mantis blades give you some useful ranged attack options as well. The Venomous Spikes ability launches a penetrating poison blade that can hit targets at a distance. And Blade Dodge deflects bullets back at enemies.

So in conclusion, if you resonate with a skilled, lightning-fast melee style and have invested in Reflexes, mantis blades will enable you to become a cybernetic shredder leaving a wake of dismembered enemies behind you. They offer a lethal dose of style mixed with substance. Either way, both gorilla arms and mantis blades are extremely powerful – choose what suits you best and start unleashing mayhem!