The new 2.0 update to Cyberpunk 2077 has breathed new life into what was an underwhelming melee combat system. However, one aspect of the game that remains the same is the Sandevistan, an operating system that makes fighting with blades and blunt weapons much easier.
The Sandevistan systems give players the ability to slow down time for a few seconds, and this can help them close distance in melee combat and line up shots at range. Equipping one means sacrificing quickhacks and all the utility they offer, but a player built around Strength and Reflexes won't lose much. Also, thanks to the new update, tracking down a good Sandevistan to equip is easier than ever (assuming players have reached the right level).
Sandevistan Models
In earlier versions of Cyberpunk 2077, cyberware had manufacturers, model names, and iteration numbers. 2.0 has gotten rid of most of that: instead, players start by finding tier-one models and can get access to better versions either by using upgrade parts on their existing cyberware or by reaching a high enough level that ripperdocs start selling the good stuff. No Sandevistan is available at level 1, but by level 40, every ripperdoc will have all five models at tier five available for purchase.
The following list uses tier three and tier five versions to compare how each model improves or appears over time.
Model | Cost (Approximate) | Cyberware Capacity | Effects |
|---|---|---|---|
Dynalar Sandevistan Tier 3 | 13,000 | 18 | Slows time by 50% for 8 seconds Cooldown 50 seconds Crit Chance +10% Crit Damage +5% |
Zetatech Sandevistan Tier 3 | 13,000 | 20 | On ground: Slows time by 30% for 7 seconds Cooldown 40 seconds Damage +6% In air: Slows time by 60% for 7 seconds Cooldown 40 seconds Damage +12% Headshot Damage +30% Fall Damage -30% |
Qiant "Warp Dancer" Sandevistan Tier 3 | 13,000 | 14 | Slows time by 20% for 9 seconds Cooldown 70 seconds Mitigation Chance +14% Mitigation Strength +7% Thermal/Chemical/Electrical Resistance +30% |
Dynalar Sandevistan Tier 5 | 51,000 | 18 | Slows time by 50% for 9 seconds Cooldown 40 seconds Crit Chance +15% Crit Damage +15% |
Zetatech Sandevistan Tier 5 | 51,000 | 20 | On ground: Slows time by 30% for 10 seconds Cooldown 30 seconds Damage +12% In air: Slows time by 60% for 10 seconds Cooldown 30 seconds Damage +24% Headshot/Weakspot Damage +40% Fall Damage -30% |
Qiant "Warp Dancer" Sandevistan Tier 5 | 51,000 | 14 | Slows time by 20% for 10 seconds Cooldown 60 seconds Mitigation Chance +24% Mitigation Strength +12% Thermal/Chemical/Electrical Resistance +50% |
Militech "Falcon" Sandevistan Tier 5 | 85,000 | 39 | Slows time by 70% for 9 seconds Cooldown 35 seconds Damage +10% Crit Chance +10% Crit Damage +5% Take down an enemy to get: +10% to the effect duration +5% Health |
Militech "Apogee" Sandevistan Tier 5 | 120,000 | 44 | Slows time by 85% for 8 seconds Cooldown 30 seconds Headshot/Weakspot Damage +10% Crit Chance +9% Crit Damage +13% Take down an enemy to get: +20% to the effect duration +22% Stamina |
One word of warning: don't equip a Sandevistan and other slowdown cyberware at the same time. These items will override the Sandevistan and either force it to end early or prevent it from activating. Fortunately, there are plenty of other cyberware implants that can improve a melee build by boosting Crit Chance, movement speed, and Stamina regeneration.
Sandevistan Build Tips
In Cyberpunk 2077 2.0, every piece of cyberware is attuned to a specific attribute, aside from cyberdecks. The Sandevistan is no exception, and all five models are attuned to Reflexes. Each point of the attribute adds 0.1 seconds to the Sandevistan effect's duration, for a total of 2 seconds at 20 Reflexes. This doesn't seem like much, but keep in mind that these are real-time seconds, not the experienced seconds of a character using a Sandevistan.
Because Reflexes are so important to the Sandevistan, players who rely on this implant are best off using bladed melee weapons, which are also based on Reflexes in the new perk trees. One perk that particularly meshes well with the Sandevistan is Bullet Time. With this perk, players who have slowed time through any means can deflect bullets without spending Stamina, and when they aim these bullets at enemies, they automatically deal critical damage.
One thing to watch out for is the big jump in Cyberware Capacity between the basic three models and the Militech Sandevistans. Players may need to swap out some other cyberware or invest in Technical Ability perks if they want to take advantage of the extreme levels of slowdown that Falcon and Apogee have to offer.
Cyberpunk 2077 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.