One of the first major choices you make in Cyberpunk 2077 is tied to the Lifepath in the character creation menu. Everyone gets three options to choose from, and each one drastically changes your starting location, so we’re here to help you pick the best Lifepath choice in Cyberpunk 2077.
The Best Lifepath to Choose in Cyberpunk 2077
The best Lifepath to choose is the Streetkid for its more immersive role-playing experience. However, the other two lifepaths still have a lot to offer. Nomad is the most thematically fulfilling lifepath, and Corpo is the most unique, with a stronger world-building viewpoint.
We’ve played the Streetkid lifepath twice and we think it fits the whole narrative far better than the other two. While Corpo also easily fits into the story of Cyberpunk 2077, do you really want to start as an agent for the Corpos? We didn’t, but that route does make for an interesting dynamic with Johnny, and fleshes out the Cyberpunk world in interesting ways.
At the end of the day, there is no true advantage to choosing any of the Lifepaths. They all change your starting location in drastic ways but they don’t necessarily change your build. Your total attributes remain the same and the perk tree overall will be identical. So if you’re looking for statistical gameplay differences, there are none.
The only “gameplay” difference is some altering dialogue choices. At individual points in the story, or even in side quests, you may see the option to use a Lifepath line. These are always labeled with your path, and they don’t have any effect on your choices. But they do allow you to roleplay a little more and flex your knowledge from that path.
Each Lifepath in Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 Listed:
- Streetkid – Knows the streets of Night City well and has a deep knowledge of the gangs.
- Corpo – This path starts as an agent of the mega-corporations that litter Night City.
- Nomad – These are the people and gangs outside of Night City that run the outskirts.
What it really comes down to is preference. We still highly recommend Streetkid, and we believe it’s the best Lifepath. However, that choice is yours. If you want to be an outsider from the Nomads, or a Corpo agent, then by all means, choose one of those.
The Streetkid Lifepath is the Most Immersive in Cyberpunk 2077
The Streetkid lifepath has you starting out in your favorite choomba’s bar, resetting your nose after a scuffle. It immediately places you in Night City, immersing you in an environment with the local ruffians and has V commenting on the city’s culture. From the very start, you’ll be submerged in the rich street-side culture of the common folk belonging to Night City, and dialogue options throughout the game will reflect this, giving you further background on the gangs and various regions that comprise the city.
This lifepath compliments Cyberpunk 2077’s narrative perfectly: you’re just an average punk trying to make their way in a hungry city when your life is irrevocably altered by one of the callous mega-corporations that lord over all. It’s cruel, it’s homely, and it’s immersive.
The Streetkid Lifepath’s Prologue
The opening introduction unique to this lifepath will see you trying to boost a car for a local loanshark hounding a buddy of yours. This job naturally goes awry with the arrival of Jackie attempting to do the same. You and Jackie will bond over failure and a close-call with the police, leading you into the beautiful friendship that kicks off the events of Cyberpunk’s full story.
The Streetkid Lifepath’s Unique Side Job
If chosen, the Streetkid lifepath will offer a unique side job called “Small Man, Big Mouth.” This side job will have the prologue’s loanshark, Kirk, reaching out to you to offer another job. Take him up on his offer, and you’ll be off to steal some high-grade implants from a van belonging to the Valentino gang.
The Nomad Lifepath is the Most Fulfilling in Cyberpunk 2077
The Nomad Lifepath has you starting in the desert Badlands around the outskirts of Night City, encountering the local bigoted sheriff while repairing your car. The Nomad Lifepath portrays you as an outcast among outcasts, living on the fringes and approaching Night City as an outsider. As such, you’ll offer a drifter’s perspective with a specific cultural background that has a love for freedom, family, and the open road.
This lifepath can be the most thematically fulfilling as it potentially comes full circle with the game’s nomad-centric ending: you leave your free lifestyle only to fall victim to a stifling city and its consuming mega-corporations which you seek to rid yourself of. It also nicely entangles itself with companion and potential romantic interest Panam’s storyline, where you can find yourself ingratiated with a new family.
The Nomad Lifepath’s Prologue
The opening introduction unique to this lifepath will see you leaving your Bakker clan to take on a smuggling job for NC-native Jackie. Things go sideways while attempting to cross the Night City border with contraband in possession. Once out of a dangerous pursuit, Jackie will offer a helping hand to get you started with a new life in the big city.
The Nomad Lifepath’s Unique Side Job
If chosen, the Nomad lifepath will offer a unique side job called “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’.” This side job will give you GPS coordinates to find your old car from the prologue. In doing so, you’ll butt heads with an NPC named Lana (a cameo from YouTuber and Sony games writer Alanah Pearce) who installed some new parts in your car.
Corpo Lifepath is the Most Unique in Cyberpunk 2077
The Corpo lifepath has you starting in the bowels of the Arasaka Corporation, entrenched in the cutthroat world of malicious, soulless executives and corrupt business dealings. Equipped with insider knowledge of the vast, all-consuming entities that govern the land, you’ll be provided with unique world-building information when presented with corporate interactions and perspective dialogue options.
This lifepath isn’t the most comforting, but it is the most unique, giving you information on how and why corporations operate the way they do, and sometimes even allowing you to flex authority from your prior life. You’ll learn a bit more about corpo wars and shady business dealings, and you might find yourself with opportunities to slime your way to better rewards and circumvent difficult missions.
The Corpo Lifepath’s Prologue
The opening introduction unique to this lifepath will see you start events off as a ruthless employee of the Arasaka Corporation. Your boss wants you to help him sabotage his fellow executive cohort, but of course, things don’t happen according to plan. Upon the executive’s discovery of your involvement, you’re stripped of your ranks and you lose everything. But luckily, Jackie, your go-to merc for hire, is there to help pick up the pieces and usher in a new life as a fellow Night City mercenary.
The Corpo Lifepath’s Unique Side Job
If chosen, the Corpo lifepath will offer a unique side job called “War Pigs.” This side job will have a prior Arasaka coworker, Frank, contact you to help him smear the executive that ruined your corporate life. Depending on the outcome of this mission, you can come out of it with a new iconic tech pistol.
So now that you have an idea of which Cyberpunk 2077 lifepath is best for you, learn how Stamina works in the latest Update 2.0 patch before diving into the full game.
