Key Takeaways
Kongou is an Iconic Power pistol, not a melee weapon. Its identity comes from a ricochet-focused modifier and a missable early-game pickup, while its exact displayed damage depends on the weapon’s tier and upgrade state.
Correct classification
Kongou belongs to the Power-pistol category. It uses firearm mechanics, ammunition and pistol handling; it should not be evaluated through melee reach, stamina or blade/blunt classifications.
Ricochet without the usual cyberware gate
Its defining Iconic effect centers on ricochet behavior and allows Kongou to use ricochets without requiring the usual Ballistic Coprocessor prerequisite. This gives it a distinct interaction with suitable surfaces and cover.
Acquired during The Heist
Kongou is found in Yorinobu Arasaka’s penthouse during The Heist. The pickup is easy to leave behind, so acquiring it requires searching the penthouse before progressing beyond that sequence.
A flexible Power-pistol option
Ricochet utility gives Kongou a way to pressure targets from unconventional angles while retaining the straightforward projectile behavior of a Power weapon. Its value is therefore tied to positioning and available surfaces, not only to its displayed damage.
Not a universal replacement for other Iconic pistols
Kongou’s advantage is its ricochet access rather than a claim of superior damage in every situation. Other Iconic pistols may better suit players prioritizing different firing behaviors, perk interactions or weapon roles.
Tier and upgrade state matter
Kongou’s displayed combat values are progression-sensitive in the post-2.0 system. Its tier and upgrade state must be identified before comparing damage or other numeric performance with another pistol.
Overview
Kongou is an Iconic Power pistol in Cyberpunk 2077, distinguished by faster handling and built-in ricochet capability that does not require a Ballistic Coprocessor. It is an early-game weapon with a narrow acquisition window.
Kongou occupies the sidearm role for players who want a Power weapon that rewards aggressive, close-to-mid-range gunplay. Its defining identity is not a special ammunition type or a passive status effect, but the combination of quicker firing behaviour, reduced recoil, and a weapon-specific ricochet function. Those traits make it more distinctive than a conventional Power pistol of the same progression period.
Unlike ordinary Power weapons, Kongou can ricochet bullets without requiring the Ballistic Coprocessor cyberware normally associated with that behaviour. Ricochets still depend on suitable surfaces and positioning, so the weapon does not turn every encounter into an automatic wall-bounce setup. Its practical value is greatest when the player can use cover, hard surfaces, and short sightlines to create additional angles of attack.
Kongou is obtained during the early main-story sequence The Heist, making it an important opportunity weapon rather than a routine vendor sidearm. The relevant encounter is spoiler-light when described only as an item found during that mission, but the acquisition window is easy to miss because it is tied to the mission environment. It belongs to the base-game weapon roster and is not a Phantom Liberty-exclusive variant.
The weapon suits a handgun-focused character who values responsiveness and occasional ricochet utility over the more predictable behaviour of a standard Power pistol. Its lower-damage trade-off means it should be assessed as a handling-and-mechanics sidegrade, not assumed to be a universal upgrade. Players comparing it with other Iconic handguns should consider whether their build benefits more from rapid direct fire, headshot bonuses, stealth effects, or a different unique modifier.
Statistics
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Class | Pistol |
| Subtype | Pistol |
| 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 pistols
| Attribute |  Kongou | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class | Pistol | Pistol | Pistol | Pistol | Pistol |
| Technology | Power | Smart | Power | Power | Power |
| Ammo | Handgun Ammo | Handgun Ammo | Handgun Ammo | Handgun Ammo | Handgun Ammo |
| Iconic | Yes | Yes | — | — | — |
How to Obtain
- Reach the main job The Heist and enter Konpeki Plaza; the weapon becomes accessible only during the penthouse section of that mission.
- 01During the main job The Heist, enter Konpeki Plaza and reach Yorinobu Arasaka's penthouse suite. Before leaving the suite as the mission progresses, search the bedroom area: Kongou is a guaranteed world pickup resting on the bedside table near Yorinobu's bed. It is not purchased from a vendor, awarded for a dialogue choice, or obtained as an enemy drop.
- 02Take Kongou before the penthouse sequence moves on and before you leave the mission area. The pickup is tied to this visit to Yorinobu's penthouse, so treat it as a one-per-playthrough opportunity in the normal campaign: if you pass the item and complete the sequence, the original location is no longer available for collection. No Phantom Liberty or New Game Plus access is required for this route.
Availability
Base game — main story
Kongou has no separate level, attribute, proficiency, or currency requirement. Its original story availability is limited to the relevant mission sequence; it is not a normal permanent vendor-stock item.
- Requires
- Reach the Arasaka penthouse sequence in The Heist
Phantom Liberty installed — missed base-game Iconic recovery
Herold can provide recovery opportunities for some missed base-game Iconics, but stock is not universal or permanent. Confirm Kongou's listing in the current inventory rather than assuming every missed Iconic is recoverable.
- Requires
- Access Phantom Liberty's Dogtown content and the Black Market vendor
Mechanics and Handling
Kongou is not a melee weapon in Cyberpunk 2077. It is an Iconic Power pistol, so it has no melee attack chain, reach, stamina commitment, blocking, parrying, or melee durability behaviour to document. Treating it as a blade, blunt weapon, or throwable would mix weapon subtypes and produce misleading handling advice. This section should therefore be routed through the firearm rules rather than the melee override.
Its handling is defined by firearm behaviour: aiming, firing, recoil control, ammunition use, reload timing, and Power-weapon projectile interactions. Kongou’s distinctive Iconic behaviour is its ricochet capability, which allows ricochet-oriented shooting without relying on the Ballistic Coprocessor requirement normally associated with that behaviour. The practical result is that angled shots and nearby surfaces can matter when positioning, although the weapon remains a conventional pistol rather than a melee-range tool. Exact current fire-rate, damage, recoil, magazine, and reload values should be displayed only with their post-2.0 tier context.
Power-pistol handling
Kongou should be handled as a sidearm that rewards deliberate positioning around its Power-weapon projectile behaviour. Its ricochet feature is the meaningful mechanical distinction for this section; it does not create a melee-style close-range attack, and it should not be described through light attacks, heavy attacks, charged swings, or stagger chains. Use ordinary pistol aiming and firing while considering whether nearby surfaces provide useful ricochet angles.
Classification correction
Because Kongou is a firearm, melee-specific fields such as attack sequence, blade or blunt classification, melee reach, stamina cost, parry timing, and melee status application are not applicable. The page’s mechanics section should instead cover its Iconic ricochet interaction and any current tier-dependent firearm statistics, with the relevant post-2.0 version and tier attached to every sensitive numeric value.
Upgrades and Variants
Strengths, Weaknesses and Best Uses
Strengths
- Kongou is a Power pistol with a built-in ricochet-oriented effect, allowing it to exploit hard surfaces without requiring the usual Ballistic Coprocessor cyberware dependency. This gives it a useful angle-based attack option while preserving a normal direct-fire option.
- Ricochet shots can pressure enemies positioned behind partial cover or around corners when the environment provides a suitable surface. The weapon therefore rewards deliberate positioning rather than requiring every target to be exposed in a straight line.
- Its iconic effect gives a pistol-focused loadout a distinct combat function without requiring the player to build entirely around Smart targeting or Tech charging mechanics.
Weaknesses
- The ricochet benefit is conditional: it depends on available surfaces and workable angles, so it contributes less in open arenas or against enemies who cannot be approached from a useful bounce angle.
- Kongou remains a pistol rather than a substitute for a precision rifle or long-range weapon. Players who need reliable damage across open sightlines must keep another weapon available.
- Its special behavior is tied to one Iconic weapon slot and does not make every shot a ricochet. Direct engagement remains important, so choosing Kongou specifically for bouncing rounds does not remove the need for ordinary pistol handling and target exposure.
Best uses
- Use Kongou in indoor fights, corridors, and dense urban spaces where walls and other hard surfaces create practical ricochet routes.
- Pair it with a pistol-oriented build that values Power-weapon behavior and wants ricochet access without reserving cyberware capacity for the Ballistic Coprocessor.
- Keep Kongou as a situational sidearm for enemies using partial cover, while carrying a weapon better suited to open terrain or sustained long-range engagements.
Compared With Similar Weapons
| Attribute | Kongou |  Dying Night |  La Chingona Dorada |  Lizzie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class and technology | Ricochet-focused behavior with a distinctive handling profile; its appeal is tied to Power-weapon shooting rather than melee attacks | Headshot-focused behavior and a straightforward Power-pistol role | Status-effect and survivability-oriented effects distinguish it from Kongou's ricochet focus | Charged and burst-fire behavior makes it a Tech-pistol alternative rather than a direct Power-pistol equivalent |
| Distinguishing mechanic | For players wanting an Iconic Power pistol with a ricochet-oriented identity | A simpler Power-pistol alternative for headshot-oriented handgun builds | A Power-pistol alternative when its special effects are more useful than ricochet behavior | For players who prefer charge mechanics and wall-penetrating Tech-weapon behavior |
| Best comparison use | — | — | — | — |
Used In
- The HeistKongou is an optional pickup found during this main mission in Yorinobu Arasaka’s penthouse.
- Yorinobu ArasakaKongou is associated with Yorinobu as his personal iconic handgun.
- Yorinobu’s PenthouseThe penthouse is the mission location where Kongou can be collected.
Lore and Design
Kongou is closely associated with Yorinobu Arasaka. During The Heist, V can find the pistol in Yorinobu’s penthouse at Konpeki Plaza, establishing it as his personal weapon rather than an ordinary piece of Arasaka equipment. Its presence links the item to Yorinobu’s position within the Arasaka family and to the mission’s high-security corporate setting.
The weapon’s placement gives it story significance even though Cyberpunk 2077 does not provide an extended history for it. Kongou functions as a material detail of Yorinobu’s character: a powerful, distinctive sidearm kept in his private quarters. That context is more firmly supported by the game’s presentation and location than by any separate explanation of its manufacture, inspiration, or intended symbolism.
Trivia
- Kongou is associated with the Arasaka family’s penthouse during The Heist, making it one of the notable Iconic weapons tied directly to Cyberpunk 2077’s opening act.
- Its signature ricochet behavior is unusual among pistols: Kongou can use ricochet-style shots without requiring the Ballistic Coprocessor cyberware. This interaction is part of the weapon’s Iconic identity rather than a separate attachment or temporary upgrade.
