The introduction of the Phantom Liberty expansion completely changed how players upgrade V during their adventures across Night City. By introducing a brand-new perk system tied to military technology, developers gave combat-focused players creative ways to enhance their cyberware abilities. Learning how to access these powerful combat upgrades helps players build stronger characters early in their expansion playthrough.
Meeting Songbird and Entering Dogtown
Unlocking the Relic skill tree requires starting the story content included in the Phantom Liberty expansion. Shortly after beginning the expansion's initial quest titled Dog Eat Dog, a netrunner named Songbird contacts V to establish a deal. During this initial encounter outside the district gates, Songbird hacks into the device in V's head and unlocks its hidden operational capabilities.
This narrative event grants instant access to the brand-new skill tree directly inside the character character menu. Songbird also generously gifts players three initial points to immediately spend on primary attributes. Players looking for complete game strategies can read our guide on How To Unlock The Relic Skill Tree In Cyberpunk 2077 to optimize their builds early.
Finding Militech Data Terminals in Dogtown
Unlike standard perk trees that rely on typical leveling, earning additional Relic points requires exploring the walled district of Dogtown. Scattered throughout the hazardous combat zone are yellow junction boxes known as Militech Data Terminals. Players can locate these terminals by listening for a distinct high-pitched beep when navigating near hidden alleys.
Hacking into one of these terminals downloads ancient military data and grants one additional point. There are nine total terminals hidden around Dogtown's dangerous strongholds and abandoned building complexes. Clearing out areas marked as Increased Criminal Activity usually reveals a terminal hidden inside the enemy command room.
Earning Main Quest Rewards
Aside from exploration, key moments in the main storyline reward players with extra skill points naturally. Progressing deep into the central narrative allows Songbird to upgrade the system a second time. Specifically, completing the major quest titled Birds With Broken Wings grants three additional perk points at once.
Combining story milestones with environmental discovery allows players to collect all fifteen points required to fully max out the tree. Investing these points fully unlocks the Relic Ruler achievement on modern platforms. Players can then freely experiment with different playstyles without worrying about running out of attribute points.
Best Abilities to Invest In First
The Relic skill tree introduces powerful passive abilities that dramatically augment arm cyberware like Mantis Blades and Gorilla Arms. Selecting the Jailbreak node immediately grants primary combat upgrades for every type of equipped arm system. Players using stealth approaches will benefit greatly from Emergency Cloaking, which causes enemies to lose track during chaotic combat.
Another excellent early choice is Vulnerability Analytics, which highlights physical weaknesses in enemy armor in real time. Striking these highlighted target areas guarantees massive critical hits and creates EMP explosions that stun nearby foes. Choosing the right path early on allows players to breeze through challenging encounters throughout Night City.