Key Takeaways
Fenrir is an Iconic Power SMG built around close-to-mid-range automatic fire and a burn-oriented weapon effect. Its value comes from combining sustained SMG pressure with status application rather than from a standalone damage figure.
Iconic Power SMG
Fenrir is an Iconic version of the M221 Saratoga family. Its Power technology makes it a conventional ballistic SMG rather than a Smart or Tech weapon, so its handling and build synergies differ from homing or charge-based alternatives.
Burn-focused weapon effect
Fenrir’s defining modifier gives its bullets a chance to apply Burn. The effect makes status-oriented handgun and SMG builds a natural fit, but Burn remains chance-based rather than a guaranteed result on every hit.
Obtained through Sacrum Profanum
Fenrir is acquired during the Watson side job Sacrum Profanum, in the area associated with the rescue objective. Check the mission area for the weapon before leaving instead of assuming it will be added automatically as a quest reward.
Strongest at sustained close-to-mid-range fire
As an automatic Power SMG, Fenrir suits aggressive engagements where repeated hits can build pressure and create opportunities for its Burn effect. Its role is less compelling when a build primarily needs long-range precision or Smart targeting.
Benefits from status and SMG synergies
Perks, cyberware and other effects that support SMG handling, automatic fire or damage against burning targets can reinforce Fenrir’s intended role. The page should treat these as supporting options, not as a mandatory single build.
Compared with non-Power SMGs
Fenrir’s main distinction from Smart and Tech SMGs is its Power-weapon behaviour: it does not replace ordinary gunplay with homing projectiles or charge-based penetration. The comparison therefore depends on whether the build values Burn and direct automatic fire over those technology-specific mechanics.
Overview
Fenrir is an Iconic Power submachine gun in . Its defining feature is a -focused effect that rewards sustained fire while improving the weapon’s handling when that effect activates.
Fenrir is a named Iconic variant of the M221 Saratoga, presented as a compact Power SMG for close- to mid-range combat. It belongs to the post-2.0 weapon system, so its role is defined less by a single fixed damage value and more by its technology type, tier-based progression, and unique modifier. The weapon is available in the base game and does not require Phantom Liberty.
Its distinctive behaviour is tied to Burn. Fenrir increases the chance of applying Burn, and applying that status improves the weapon’s attack speed while reducing recoil. That combination gives the gun a clear sustained-fire identity: its special effect is most relevant when the player keeps pressure on a target long enough to trigger and benefit from the status interaction, rather than treating it as an ordinary burst-damage sidegrade.
As a Power weapon, Fenrir occupies the conventional firearms branch of Cyberpunk 2077’s arsenal rather than relying on Smart targeting or Tech charging. Its practical niche is therefore different from Smart SMGs that depend on targeting support and from Tech weapons whose identity centres on charge-based shots and penetration. Fenrir instead combines familiar automatic-fire handling with an Iconic effect that can make continued fire progressively easier to control.
Fenrir is obtained through the side job , giving it a quest-linked place in progression rather than making it a routine vendor purchase. That context also helps distinguish it from the ordinary M221 Saratoga: the base weapon supplies the general SMG platform, while Fenrir is the named variant for players who want Burn application and a handling benefit tied to that status. Exact damage and handling values remain tier-dependent and should be read in the current game context rather than treated as universal figures.
Statistics
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Class | Submachine Gun |
| Subtype | Submachine Gun |
| Technology | Power |
| Ammo | Handgun Ammo |
| Stat Scaling | Tier-dependent |
| Iconic | Yes |
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Content Scope | Base game / free update |
Figures verified against Consolidated Game Weapons Database.
Compared to similar submachine guns
| Attribute |  Fenrir | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class | Submachine Gun | Submachine Gun | Submachine Gun | Submachine Gun | Submachine Gun |
| Technology | Power | Power | Smart | Smart | Power |
| Ammo | Handgun Ammo | Handgun Ammo | Handgun Ammo | Handgun Ammo | Handgun Ammo |
| Iconic | Yes | — | — | — | — |
How to Obtain
- Unlock and start the Watson side job “Sacrum Profanum.”
- Reach the Maelstrom warehouse in Northside and access the room containing the monk’s brother.
- No DLC, New Game Plus, vendor currency, or crafting component is required.
- 01Begin the side job “Sacrum Profanum” in Northside, Watson. The job sends V to a Maelstrom-controlled warehouse to rescue the monk’s brother; no vendor purchase, crafting specification, or boss drop is required for Fenrir.
- 02Enter the warehouse during “Sacrum Profanum” and reach the room where the monk’s brother is being held. Fenrir is a fixed pickup on a table in that area. Loot it before leaving the warehouse; it is a guaranteed mission-location pickup when collected.
- 03Fenrir is available in the base game and does not require Phantom Liberty, a specific character level, New Game Plus, or an online mode. Because the weapon is placed inside the mission area rather than granted automatically as a completion reward, treat it as missable if you finish or leave the job without collecting it.
Availability
Cyberpunk 2077 base game — post-2.0 Story mode
Fenrir is obtainable during the base-game Sacred side-job content. It is not a vendor-stock weapon, so no universal purchase price applies.
- Requires
- Access to the Sacred side job
Phantom Liberty
Fenrir is available without owning or entering the Phantom Liberty expansion.
Mechanics and Handling
Fenrir is a Power-type Iconic submachine gun whose defining feature is a firing pattern that rewards sustained bursts. Its special behaviour is tied to repeated shots rather than a separate alternate attack: keep firing and the weapon becomes more threatening through its interaction, but the same sustained fire makes its handling less forgiving. This makes Fenrir feel more like a pressure weapon than a precision SMG.
The weapon has no known charge shot, alternate firing mode, melee action, or special reload sequence that needs to be managed separately from its normal submachine-gun operation. Its practical handling question is when to commit to a burst, when to release the trigger, and whether the target is close enough for the weapon's escalating status pressure to outweigh the loss of precision.
Sustained fire and Burn buildup
Fenrir's Iconic effect gives its bullets a chance to apply the Burn status effect. That chance improves as consecutive shots continue, so the weapon benefits from keeping a target under uninterrupted fire. The effect is not a guaranteed status application on every bullet, and stopping the stream removes the main reason to keep extending the burst; short, controlled bursts therefore trade away some status pressure for better control.
This behaviour is strongest against targets that can remain exposed for several shots. It is less reliable as an opening tool when an enemy is already moving behind cover, when the player must change targets frequently, or when the encounter rewards immediate precision damage rather than a developing status effect. Fenrir's distinctive output comes from combining automatic fire with the possibility of Burn, not from a separately activated skill.
Recoil, spread, and hip-fire handling
Fenrir's sustained-fire advantage is balanced by less stable handling while the trigger is held. Recoil and spread become increasingly relevant during a long burst, so aiming continuously at the centre of mass is more dependable than treating the weapon as a precision rifle. Shorter bursts preserve accuracy, while longer bursts are appropriate when the target is close enough that the expanding spread does not prevent most shots from connecting.
Firing from the hip is an important part of Fenrir's identity. Its Iconic behaviour improves hip-fire handling and increases the likelihood of applying Burn in that firing stance, making close-range hip-fire a deliberate option rather than merely an emergency substitute for aiming. The trade-off is reduced control over shot placement at longer distances, where aiming and burst discipline remain preferable.
Range role and ammunition behaviour
As a Power SMG, Fenrir is most naturally used at close to medium range. Its automatic fire can maintain pressure while the Burn chance develops, but the weapon should not be treated as a universal answer for distant targets or situations that demand exact single-shot placement. Moving closer, using cover between bursts, and switching targets only after a status attempt has had time to matter all support its intended handling profile.
Fenrir uses conventional firearm ammunition through its normal SMG magazine and reload cycle; there is no weapon-specific resource loop or returning projectile to manage. Reload timing is therefore a positional concern rather than a special mechanic: begin a reload behind cover or after breaking contact, rather than allowing a long sustained burst to leave the weapon empty in the open. The weapon's main decision is controlling fire duration, not conserving a unique ammunition type.
Upgrades and Variants
Strengths, Weaknesses and Best Uses
Strengths
- Fenrir is a Power SMG built for sustained automatic fire, so it can keep pressure on targets while its magazine lasts rather than relying on a single precise shot.
- Its Iconic effect rewards consecutive hits by increasing the chance of applying Burn. Continuous tracking therefore gives Fenrir more offensive value than short, interrupted bursts.
- As a Power weapon, its bullets can ricochet when the required conditions are met, giving it situational utility against enemies using cover or when a direct line of fire is awkward.
- The Burn-focused effect adds damage-over-time pressure without requiring the weapon to be rebuilt around a separate elemental weapon.
Weaknesses
- The consecutive-hit condition makes the Iconic effect less dependable when targets frequently break line of sight, move unpredictably, or die before the effect has time to build.
- Automatic SMG fire is less efficient for deliberate long-range engagements than a rifle or precision weapon; distance makes sustained tracking and Power-weapon ricochet opportunities harder to exploit.
- Fenrir's strengths depend on maintaining fire, which increases ammunition consumption and makes missed shots more costly than they are with a slower-firing weapon.
- A Burn-oriented effect is less decisive when an encounter is resolved quickly or when the target's defenses reduce the practical value of damage-over-time pressure.
Best uses
- Use Fenrir in close- to medium-range fights where targets remain exposed long enough for consecutive hits to raise its Burn application chance.
- It suits aggressive run-and-gun loadouts that can keep enemies under automatic fire while moving between cover, rather than stealth or single-shot precision play.
- It is a practical choice for clearing groups of ordinary enemies: sustained fire can establish pressure on one target while ricochet behaviour may create additional opportunities around cover.
- Choose another weapon for long sightlines, ammunition-conserving play, or encounters where maintaining uninterrupted hits is unrealistic.
Compared With Similar Weapons
| Attribute | Fenrir | M221 Saratoga |  Buzzsaw |  Yinglong |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technology | Power | Power | Power | Smart |
| Class and role | Iconic SMG for close-to-mid-range sustained fire | Standard SMG baseline for comparison | Iconic SMG for aggressive Power-weapon use | Iconic SMG for guided fire and cyberware-oriented disruption |
| Distinctive behavior | An Iconic M221 Saratoga variant whose weapon-specific effect favors burn application and more manageable recoil; verify the current in-game tooltip for exact wording. | The non-Iconic family reference: a straightforward Power SMG without Fenrir's unique modifier. | A Power-SMG alternative focused on charged, armor-piercing fire rather than Fenrir's burn-oriented behavior. | Its Smart targeting and EMP-focused effect make it a better fit for players who value guided shots and electronic disruption over Fenrir's conventional Power-weapon handling. |
Used In
- Sacrum ProfanumFenrir can be obtained during this Watson side job, in the warehouse where the monk is being held.
- NorthsideThe warehouse containing Fenrir is located in Northside, Watson.
