Cyberpunk 2077 Guide | How To Become David Martinez

Unleash your inner Edgerunner and transform into David Martinez in Cyberpunk 2077.

Game Guide by Monarch on Mar 20, 2025

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners introduced a cast of unforgettable characters, each with their own Cyberware and combat styles. At the center of it all is David Martinez, a kid from Night City whose life is changed forever by a certain Sandevistan cyberdeck. With the show's massive success, many players have returned to Cyberpunk 2077 with one goal in mind—to become David Martinez.

This guide will show you five key steps to transform yourself into David, from choosing the right Cyberware and stats to dressing like him, fighting like him, and even behaving like him. If you want to see folks in Night City do a double take and mutter to themselves, "That's not some merc called V—that's David Martinez," here's your move.

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Baseline Stats

To precisely replicate David, choose the right stats and perks. Invest in most of your attributes in Body first, since David relies on raw physical power.

Reaching level 18 or 20 in Body will help you make the best use of your strength gains. For both Street Brawler and Athletics skills, take anything that enhances close range without spending perks on shots and machine guns. Speed Demon is a good perk because it increases speed and stamina to match David's high-speed fighting style.

Reflexes is the second most important stat. Maxing it out is essential to fully utilize the Sandevistan, David's signature Cyberware. Picking up a few handgun perks is useful since David occasionally uses pistols, and while blades aren't a huge part of his combat style, it doesn't hurt to add some perks to improve melee efficiency.

Cool is the third priority. David is a fearless, charismatic fighter, so investing in Cool fits his character. Ninjutsu perks that increase speed and damage work well with his fighting style, and Cold Blood is a must-have since it can slow down time, mimicking the effects of the Sandevistan.

Technical Ability isn't as crucial, but some armor and damage boosts can make gameplay smoother. David isn't known for crafting or engineering, so only add points here if you want some extra survivability.

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Cyberware

To be David Martinez in every respect, you'll want to have appropriate Cyberware. The most important thing you can have is the Sandevistan Cyberdeck, a combat-oriented implant that defines David's fighting style. Four epic versions exist, but you can acquire the best-rounded Qiant Sandevistan via Fingers. If you can't find Fingers, you can settle with a good stand-by with Dynalar Mk.4.

The right modifications will enhance Sandevistan's effectiveness. The Arasaka Software Fragment slows enemy detection by 70%, making it easier to take down foes before they react. The Heat Sink reduces the cooldown, allowing for rapid reactivations, and the Micro Amplifier clears all negative effects upon activation, which fits David's ability to push through extreme pain.

David's Gorilla Arms, inherited from Maine, are another key upgrade. The best version can be found at the Heywood Ripperdoc. To enhance them further, install Physical Damage Knuckles from the Arroyo Ripperdoc, the Black Market Battery from Dr. Chrome in Watson, and the Sensory Amplifier at the Heywood clinic to boost critical damage.

Synlungs must be implanted more precisely because they increase stamina and, recharge time and make appearances in David's training montage. The other cyberware that must be implanted is Kiroshi Optics in order to have improved eyesight, Nano Relays to lengthen Sandevistan's lifespan, and a BioMonitor to restore health in case of emergencies.

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Appearance & Clothes

Becoming David isn't just about Cyberware—you need to look the part. Visit a Ripperdoc to adjust your appearance. Choose a pale skin tone, short brown hair (style 15 for an anime-accurate look or 18 for a more realistic version), and small brown eyes. A sharp jawline, a small nose, and no facial hair complete the look.

If you want to match his later appearance, adding cyberware patterns to your face can help.

David's yellow jacket is the most important clothing item. You can acquire it during the Over the Edge mission, which confirms his existence in Night City. To complete the outfit, wear Johnny Silverhand's tank top, Den Yoku rocker pants, and Bermuda Triangle reinforced boots. Johnny's pants can be used as an alternative for extra armor.

Behavior

To play like David Martinez, you must play like he would play. Stealth is not your thing. Instead of sneaking around building corners, break in guns blazing and let Sandevistan do their thing. Slow-motion string kills will have you slicing through bad guys like you're using a knife through butter with chaos in your wake.

Whatever David does must be motivated by his agenda. His conflict is driven by doing justice to his mother, rescuing Lucy, and challenging himself to the breaking point. The more cyber psychosis he approaches, the more dangerous and extreme he will become in what he does. Keeping those things in mind while role-playing will make it more realistic and compelling.

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Weapons

David does not have much to do with guns, although he does have some required guns. Maine had equipped him with default gun Lexington Power gun and he used it as a default handgun. It is not good, but it is good with respect to his character.

The Satara Shotgun is also good to have, enabling you to move up close to enemies, blast them with some deadly bullets, and then switch to close-range combat. The HJKE-11 Smart Pistol, also a series favorite, is also a good option. If you have Skippy already, then it's a good alternative that does everything he does.

You can switch to other weapons but maintain David's fighting style if you do not like those. Experiment with other weapons, but remember that David's strength lies in using the Sandevistan and close combat.

In the End...

You have David's cyberware, attributes, clothing, and combat playstyle to play David Martinez in Cyberpunk 2077. Roleplay him through the main game or cause chaos in Night City; now you have everything you need to be the legendary Edgerunner David.

Also, check our Cyberpunk 2077 Review, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Review, and other guides below: