Beat on the Brat: Arroyo

Key takeaways

The mission is straightforward to start but has an important wager-related complication.

• Prepare for unarmed combat The match is fought with punches, and ordinary weapons cannot be used during the formal bout. A build that is strong at close range has a much easier time than a character invested only in guns or stealth.
• Watch Buck's spacing Buck's threat comes from staying in punching range and punishing reckless attacks. Block, dodge, or circle away from the ring edge instead of repeatedly attacking until stamina and positioning are lost.
• Read the wager carefully The money wager keeps the encounter focused on the boxing match. A special wager involving an iconic weapon can produce an additional hostile confrontation after V wins.
• The fight is not the end of every outcome If Buck and his companions become hostile, the mission effectively changes from a regulated bout into a conventional combat encounter. Be ready to leave the ring or defend yourself once the rules no longer apply.

Overview

Beat on the Brat: Arroyo is one of the underground boxing matches arranged through Coach Fred. V travels to Arroyo in Santo Domingo to face Buck, a former soldier who treats the fight as both a sporting contest and a personal wager.

The mission becomes available as part of the wider Beat on the Brat quest line. Its central activity is a regulated bare-knuckle fight, so V is expected to rely on punches rather than firearms, blades, quickhacks, or other ordinary combat tools. The match takes place in an industrial section of Arroyo, where Buck and his associates wait beside a makeshift ring.

Buck is not a conventional boss with a large arena or a long sequence of scripted phases. The difficulty comes from the boxing rules, his heavy close-range attacks, and the way the wager can change the encounter after the match. Players who approach the mission as a normal street fight can also miss the distinction between winning the bout and dealing with the people present afterward.

The safest approach is to prepare V for unarmed combat before accepting the challenge. Body-focused perks, cyberware that improves survivability, and healing items can make the bout more manageable, but the fight still rewards patience: stay close enough to answer Buck's attacks while avoiding exchanges that allow him to pin V against the edge of the ring. The mission's outcome depends primarily on the result of the fight and the wager V accepts.

Beat on the Brat: Arroyo is a self-contained stop in the larger boxing circuit rather than a major story revelation. Completing it advances V's progress through the boxing challenge and provides a monetary reward; choosing an unusual wager can also lead to a hostile confrontation with Buck and his companions after the formal match ends.

Where this sits

Requirements

Reach the Arroyo match through the Beat on the Brat quest line and be prepared for close-quarters combat.

• RequiredBeat on the Brat quest lineThe Arroyo match is encountered as part of Coach Fred's boxing challenge series.
• RequiredAccess to ArroyoTravel to the marked meeting point in Arroyo, in Santo Domingo, and speak with Buck to begin the encounter.
• RecommendedUnarmed-combat readinessThe formal bout uses punches rather than equipped weapons. Healing supplies and defensive options are recommended before entering the ring.
• RecommendedA suitable wagerReview the available wager before confirming it. A weapon-based wager can have consequences beyond the formal boxing match.

Objectives

1. Travel to Buck's meeting point in ArroyoFollow the mission marker to the industrial fight site and locate Buck near the improvised boxing ring.
2. Speak with Buck and accept the matchExhaust the relevant conversation and choose the wager before the fight begins.
3. Defeat Buck in an unarmed fightWin the formal boxing bout without relying on ordinary weapons or ranged combat.
4. Resolve the aftermathIf the wager causes Buck and his associates to turn hostile, survive or disengage from the resulting confrontation.

Walkthrough

1. 01

   Reach Buck's boxing site

   Go to Arroyo

   Travel to the mission marker in Arroyo, within Santo Domingo, and enter the industrial area where the match is being held. The ring is set up in an open worksite rather than inside a conventional boxing venue, so use the marked objective and look for Buck and the group gathered around the fighting space.

   Location: Arroyo, Santo Domingo

   TipArrive with healing items and your preferred unarmed-combat cyberware already equipped; the encounter begins shortly after the conversation.

2. 02

   Speak with Buck

   Talk to Buck

   Approach Buck and speak with him to start the challenge. The conversation establishes that he is a former soldier and that the fight is tied to a wager, so do not rush through the dialogue if you want to understand what is being placed on the line.

   Location: Industrial fight site in Arroyo

3. 03

   Accept a wager

   Choose the wager

   Review Buck's proposed terms before accepting the fight. The standard monetary option keeps the contest limited to the match, while selecting an iconic weapon for the wager can lead to a confrontation with Buck and his companions if V wins.

   Location: The ring in Arroyo

   Watch outThe weapon-based wager has consequences beyond the formal bout and can turn the surrounding group hostile.

4. 04

   Begin the boxing match

   Enter the ring

   Once the wager is accepted, move into the marked fighting area and wait for the bout to begin. V cannot solve this stage with a gun or blade, so make sure the correct unarmed control set is available before committing to the encounter.

   Location: Makeshift ring, Arroyo

   TipAvoid standing directly against the ring boundary. Open space gives V more room to circle around Buck's attacks.

5. 05

   Fight Buck

   Study Buck's attacks

   Buck is a heavy close-range opponent, so watch his movement instead of attacking continuously. Let him commit to a swing, then block, dodge, or move around him before answering with a short punch combination.

   Location: Makeshift ring, Arroyo

6. 06

   Maintain a safe position

   Keep the fight centered

   Use the middle of the ring whenever possible and avoid being trapped against nearby obstacles. Buck's pressure is most difficult to manage when V has no room to retreat, and panic attacks can leave V exposed to the next heavy blow.

   Location: Makeshift ring, Arroyo

   TipShort attacks followed by repositioning are safer than spending every available opening on a long combo.

7. 07

   Win the bout

   Defeat Buck

   Continue interrupting Buck's rhythm with defensive movement and controlled punches until the bout is won. If V loses, the mission does not provide a combat shortcut; recover, improve the unarmed setup, and challenge the match again when ready.

   Location: Makeshift ring, Arroyo

   Watch outDo not switch to ordinary weapons during the formal match; the challenge is designed around unarmed combat.

8. 08

   Resolve the aftermath

   Handle the post-match reaction

   After the match, pay attention to how Buck and the nearby associates respond to the wager. With the ordinary monetary terms, the encounter proceeds as a completed boxing challenge; with the special weapon terms, Buck's group can become hostile and the situation becomes a normal fight.

   Location: Arroyo fight site

   Checkpoint
9. 09

   Complete Beat on the Brat: Arroyo

   Collect the result

   When the encounter is settled, claim the available payment and any rewards created by the chosen outcome. The mission then counts as completed within the Beat on the Brat circuit and can be followed by other challenges in the quest line.

   Location: Arroyo

Mission mechanics

The formal encounter is an unarmed boxing match. V's normal equipment is not the solution here, and the practical combat loop is built around closing distance, reading attack tells, defending against committed swings, and returning controlled punches. Defensive timing matters more than simply having a high-damage melee weapon because the mission restricts the tools available in the ring.

Buck's arena is comparatively open, but the surrounding industrial setting can make positioning awkward. Staying near the center gives V a retreat path and reduces the chance of being cornered. If Buck presses forward, circling around him is generally safer than backing straight into the edge of the fighting area.

The wager is the mission's main branching mechanic. A standard money wager makes the result a clean contest, while wagering an iconic weapon changes the post-match situation. That option is not just a cosmetic variation: winning can provoke Buck and his associates, allowing the player to continue into a conventional combat encounter and recover the weapon through the aftermath.

Build preparation is especially valuable for characters who do not normally use fists. Defensive cyberware, healing access, and perks that improve stamina or unarmed attacks can compensate for a character whose main investment is in another weapon category. Players should also avoid beginning the match while already damaged or carrying a setup intended solely for ranged combat.

What works and what does not

Choices and consequencesSpoilers

• Accept the standard monetary wager

  The match remains focused on defeating Buck in the ring, and completion provides the expected payment for the boxing challenge.

• Wager an iconic weapon

  If V wins, Buck and his companions can react violently, turning the post-match scene into a conventional combat encounter. Surviving that confrontation allows V to recover the weapon and obtain the additional outcome tied to the wager.

  Spoiler

Checklist

• Reach the marked fight site in ArroyoThe match takes place in an industrial area of Santo Domingo.
• Speak with Buck before entering the ringThe wager is established during this conversation.
• Review the wager before confirming itThe weapon option can change the aftermath.
• Restore V's health before the matchThe bout is close-range and leaves little time to recover safely.
• Equip or activate unarmed-combat bonusesPunches are the intended tools during the formal fight.Optional
• Keep space around V while fighting BuckThe ring edge limits escape routes.
• Win the formal boxing boutDefeat Buck without relying on ordinary weapons.
• Prepare for hostility after a special wagerBuck's group may attack once the match is over.Optional
• Collect the payment and any outcome-specific rewardRewards depend on how the wager and aftermath are resolved.

Failure conditions

• Lose the boxing matchV fails the encounter if Buck defeats them in the formal unarmed bout. Improve positioning or unarmed preparation before attempting the challenge again.
• Be overwhelmed after the weapon wagerIf the special wager triggers hostility, V can fail the resulting combat by losing the ensuing fight. The situation is no longer limited to the rules of the ring.
• Enter the match without preparationStarting while wounded or without healing and defensive options makes the close-range encounter substantially harder, especially for builds that do not normally use fists.

RewardsSpoilers

• Money
  Completing the boxing challenge provides the mission's monetary payment.
• Iconic weapon recovery
  If V uses the special weapon wager and the post-match confrontation occurs, the wagered iconic weapon can be recovered after the hostile encounter.
• Beat on the Brat progression
  Winning the match advances V through the optional boxing challenge series.

Characters in this mission

• VThe player character and challenger.

AftermathSpoilers

Trivia

• Buck's match is one of several regional challenges in the Beat on the Brat boxing circuit.
• The mission uses a boxing ring in an industrial part of Arroyo rather than a formal sports venue.
• The wager system lets the player turn an optional sporting challenge into a more dangerous recovery opportunity.
• The fight is a useful early test of an unarmed build because the mission prevents the usual solution of switching to a preferred firearm.

Relationships