Cyberpunk 2077 classes: All 3 Lifepaths explained
Which Lifepath should you choose in Cyberpunk 2077?
What character classes can you play as in Cyberpunk 2077? Cyberpunk 2077 places a great deal of weight on the opportunity to play out V's story however the player wants. The first major choice you have to make when deciding on the direction of your story is which class, or Lifepath, you should choose: Corpo, Nomad, or Street Kid.
This guide will walk you through each Lifepath, and what changes in your game experience based on this choice.
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Cyberpunk 2077 classes: Lifepaths explained
In Cyberpunk 2077 you must make a number of choices throughout character creation, and one of the most important is your choice of class, or Lifepath. There are three classes available in Cyberpunk 2077: Nomad, Street Kid, and Corpo.
The Lifepath you choose will determine your character's starting point within the Night City map, and the first chapter of the game. Each of the three Lifepaths give V a distinct backstory, the effects of which are felt throughout the game in minor ways. It doesn't lock you into any particular playstyle of Cyberpunk 2077 build, so don't feel constrained by the choice you settle on.
Here's what your choice of Lifepath changes in your Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay:
- V's starting outfit.
- Starting location and details of the prologue mission.
- Access to one exclusive Side Job for each Lifepath later in the game (War Pigs for Corpos, Small Man, Big Mouth for Street Kids, These Boots Are Made For Walkin' for Nomads).
- Corpos will be able to demonstrate insider knowledge of Night City's megacorporations.
- Street Kids will have prior acquaintance with fixers and mercs around Night City's underbelly.
- Nomads will have a conspicuous lack of knowledge about Night City, but make up for it with their familiarity with the Badlands outside the city's limits.
For more information on the other choices you make when creating your own unique V, check out our Cyberpunk 2077 character creation guide.
Nomad Lifepath
The polar opposite of Corpo, the Nomad Lifepath places V in the Badlands outside of Night City, in the perfect position to learn more about the clans that roam the far reaches of the Cyberpunk 2077 map. You'll begin your journey with a major life decision: to ditch the clan you've been roaming with and drive into Night City. On the way, your car breaks down and you'll need to enlist the aid of a familiar face to help repair it.
Nomads are fairly straight arrows, and as a former Nomad V will arrive in Night City as a relative newcomer compared with the other two Lifepaths, which may suit players who are visiting Night City for the first time themselves. The emphasis here is less on manipulation and more on survival.
Street Kid Lifepath
The Street Kid Lifepath again places you in Night City from the start, but this time you're on the ground rather than inside one of its many corpo-controlled skyscrapers. Down on the ground, everyone knows everyone and work comes in the form of trading favours and solving problems for one another. Your first quest in this storyline involves helping a bartender settle his debt with a local Fixer. But in order to appease the Fixer, V must steal a car from an Arasaka corpo.
Knowledge of Night City's streets is the greatest asset of the Street Kid Lifepath. While a Corpo only ever trusts and looks after themselves, as a Street Kid you are part of a network of likeminded (but still dangerous) individuals who can conceivably help one another out when needed. If this appeals to you, Street Kid might be your best bet.
Corpo Lifepath
The Corpo Lifepath places you in the highest echelons of Night City from minute one. Working for the Arasaka Corporation under a man named Arthur Jenkins, your first quest involves helping Jenkins take down a rival within the corporation. Things... don't go quite as planned.
As a Corpo, you'll be well-versed in doublespeak and manipulation, as well as dealing in information and blackmail. As the game itself describes, "you've bent the rules, exploited secrets, and weaponized information." This Lifepath is sure to give you an edge when it comes to getting what you want from people without necessarily resorting to violence.
That just about wraps up our Cyberpunk 2077 classes guide, so hopefully you've gained a better idea of which Lifepath is best suited to you. This is just one of the major choices you must make throughout a playthrough, so to prepare for the rest, why not take a look at our guides on the different Cyberpunk 2077 romance options, and the best Cyberpunk 2077 builds? You can also check out our primer on where to find the legendary Mantis Blades and Gorilla Arms. And for everything else Night City, check out our Cyberpunk 2077 walkthrough hub.