Key Takeaways
Plan B is an Iconic Power pistol recovered from Dexter DeShawn’s body. Its appeal is tied to a distinctive firing-cost mechanic and bleeding pressure, not to a published universal damage advantage.
An Iconic Power pistol
Plan B is a Power pistol with Iconic status, so its identity comes from its unique weapon effect rather than from being a generic vendor sidearm. Its Power classification also matters when comparing it with Tech, Smart, or other Power pistols.
Bleeding is part of its identity
Its shots can inflict Bleeding, giving the weapon a damage-over-time angle alongside its normal pistol attacks. The page’s mechanics section should explain the trigger and any current conditions without treating the effect as a guaranteed proc.
Firing has an eddie cost
Plan B’s defining tradeoff is that using it can spend eddies as well as ammunition. That makes its economy relevant to weapon choice: it is more distinctive than a standard pistol, but less convenient as an unquestioned everyday sidearm.
It is recovered from Dexter’s landfill
The weapon is obtained by returning to the landfill associated with Dexter DeShawn after the relevant story sequence and looting his body. It is therefore tied to a specific story location rather than a normal weapon vendor rotation.
Its Iconic progression matters
Plan B should be evaluated through Cyberpunk 2077’s post-2.0 Iconic upgrade framework rather than as a disposable standard-tier pistol. Any displayed damage or tier information needs to identify the weapon’s current tier and upgrade state.
Its comparison is about role and upkeep
Compared with a conventional Power pistol, Plan B trades ordinary ammunition-and-damage expectations for bleeding potential and an eddie cost. The useful comparison is therefore sustained economy and special-effect pressure, not an unsupported claim that it is universally stronger.
Overview
Plan B is an Iconic Power pistol in Cyberpunk 2077, defined by an emergency-ammunition effect that lets its owner trade eddies for continued fire when conventional ammunition runs out.
Despite the name, Plan B is not a melee weapon: it is a unique, one-handed handgun built around the post-2.0 Power-weapon system. Its defining trait is economic as much as mechanical. The pistol can continue functioning after its normal ammunition is exhausted by consuming V’s eddies, making it a distinctive fallback weapon rather than a conventional sidearm with only a cosmetic Iconic label.
Plan B is associated with an early main-story character and becomes available through a spoiler-sensitive post-mission pickup. That places it among the game’s early , although its usefulness changes with the player’s ammunition supply, weapon tier, perks and available money. The weapon does not require Phantom Liberty to be relevant; it belongs to the base-game arsenal and remains subject to the current post-2.0 tier and Iconic rules.
Its appeal is strongest in situations where maintaining pressure matters more than conserving currency. A player who normally switches weapons when a magazine or ammunition reserve is empty can instead keep firing, accepting a direct financial cost. The trade-off makes Plan B different from ordinary Power pistols and from Iconic handguns whose special effects focus only on damage, precision or elemental status. Its identity comes from the tension between ammunition management and the in-game economy.
Plan B is therefore best understood as a situational sidearm with a memorable survival function, not as a universal replacement for a primary weapon. It suits players who value an emergency option, regularly carry enough eddies to absorb its cost, or want an Iconic handgun whose behaviour changes the consequences of running dry. Its comparison with other pistols should account for that resource loop rather than treating its firearm performance as the only relevant criterion.
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 |  Plan B | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
- Complete the main job “Playing for Time.”
- No Phantom Liberty, New Game+, or special vendor requirement applies to the original pickup.
- 01Complete the main job “Playing for Time.” After V wakes at the landfill where Dexter DeShawn left them, return to that same landfill in the Badlands and locate Dex’s body near the place where the job’s final scene occurred.
- 02Loot Plan B directly from Dexter DeShawn’s corpse. It is a fixed pickup rather than a random drop, vendor purchase, or quest-choice reward; no separate boss fight or currency payment is required. The corpse remains available after the mission, so the weapon is not normally missable once “Playing for Time” has been completed.
Availability
Story mode — base game, post-2.0 system
Plan B is not a vendor purchase and does not require Phantom Liberty. Its availability is not tied to a rotating stock or a separate difficulty setting.
- Requires
- Progress through the main story until the landfill aftermath of The Heist, associated with Playing for Time.
Mechanics and Handling
A Power pistol, not a melee weapon
Plan B is an Iconic Power pistol, so its handling is governed by firearm mechanics rather than a melee moveset. It has no light- or heavy-attack sequence, blocking animation, parry window, melee reach, or stamina-based swing commitment. Its practical rhythm is built around aimed pistol fire, target selection, and deciding when its special ammunition cost is worth paying.
Bleeding rewards sustained fire
Plan B’s defining effect gives its shots a chance to apply Bleeding. The chance improves when successive shots are directed at the same enemy, making controlled fire against one target more valuable than constantly switching between opponents. The effect supports focused damage against durable targets, but it does not turn every shot into a guaranteed status application; the weapon’s special effect remains chance-based.
Every shot has an eddie cost
Plan B consumes money as it is fired, rather than functioning like an ordinary pistol whose only recurring cost is conventional ammunition. This makes its resource behaviour part of its handling: firing at weak enemies, missing repeatedly, or using it for routine cleanup can drain eddies without producing much benefit. The weapon is more practical when shots are deliberate and aimed at targets that can survive long enough for its Bleeding effect to matter.
Power-weapon behaviour and positioning
As a Power weapon, Plan B’s rounds can ricochet from suitable surfaces. Ricochets are situational rather than a replacement for direct aim: the angle, nearby geometry, and target position determine whether a redirected round is useful. Open sightlines and clear shots remain the more reliable way to use the pistol, while hard cover and angled surfaces can create opportunities when a direct line of fire is unavailable.
Practical firing pattern
Plan B is best handled as a focused, semi-automatic pistol rather than a weapon to spray continuously. Keep the reticle on one enemy when applying pressure, use direct shots when accuracy matters, and avoid spending money on low-value targets. Its escalating Bleeding chance gives sustained fire a mechanical reason, but the eddie cost gives that sustained fire a limit; switching weapons for disposable enemies or conserving shots during exploration can preserve resources for tougher encounters.
Upgrades and Variants
Strengths, Weaknesses and Best Uses
Strengths
- As an Iconic Power pistol, Plan B can use the Power-weapon ricochet behavior, giving aimed shots potential follow-up hits when the firing angle and surface allow it.
- Its unique effect supports sustained pistol fire by giving shots a chance to inflict Bleeding; repeated fire improves the chance of triggering that effect.
- It remains useful as a readily available backup weapon because its defining effect does not require a specialized Smart-targeting system or Tech charge mechanic.
Weaknesses
- Plan B's signature effect consumes eddies when it triggers, creating an ongoing economy tradeoff that other pistols do not impose. Its value therefore depends partly on the player's available cash.
- Bleeding is chance-based rather than guaranteed, so Plan B cannot be treated as a reliable status-application tool against every target.
- Its ricochet potential is situational: open arenas, poor firing angles, or targets without useful cover reduce the practical benefit compared with a pistol whose advantage is direct precision or a guaranteed special effect.
- Plan B is a firearm, specifically an Iconic Power pistol, not a melee weapon; melee-focused builds do not gain its main benefits without investing in a firearm-oriented playstyle.
Best uses
- Sustained pistol combat for players who can afford the eddy cost and want a chance-based Bleeding effect layered onto repeated shots.
- Engagements involving hard cover or tight spaces where Power-weapon ricochets can create additional firing angles.
- A backup weapon for general combat when the player wants an Iconic pistol with a distinctive economy-based mechanic rather than Smart targeting or charged Tech shots.
Compared With Similar Weapons
| Attribute | Plan B |  Dying Night |  Kongou |  Lizzie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class and technology | An Iconic Power pistol whose weapon-specific modifier defines its role; compare it at the same Tier and upgrade state rather than by an unqualified base-damage figure. | A Power pistol oriented toward accurate headshots and weak-spot-focused shooting. | A Power pistol associated with ricochet-based shooting and angled attacks. | A Tech pistol built around charged fire and burst-like projectile output rather than ordinary Power-weapon behavior. |
| Distinctive comparison point | Players who want Plan B’s particular Iconic effect and a Power-pistol platform. | Precision pistol builds that consistently aim for headshots. | Players using ricochet mechanics or fighting from cover and unusual firing angles. | Tech-weapon builds that can exploit charging and penetration mechanics. |
| Best fit | Its advantages are narrower than a general-purpose pistol’s if its Iconic effect does not support the intended build. | Less appealing if the build does not make regular use of precision hits. | Its distinctive behavior is more dependent on positioning and supporting cyberware than Plan B’s straightforward pistol role. | It requires Tech-weapon handling and charge timing, so it is not a direct substitute for Plan B’s Power-pistol operation. |
| Trade-off versus Plan B | — | — | — | — |
Used In
- Dexter DeShawnPlan B is Dexter DeShawn's personal iconic handgun and can be recovered from his body after the events involving him.
- The HeistThe weapon is associated with Dexter DeShawn during this mission, before it becomes obtainable later.
- Playing for TimeAfter the mission's opening sequence, V can return to Dexter DeShawn's body and collect Plan B.
Lore and Design
Dexter DeShawn’s iconic weapon
Plan B is presented in Cyberpunk 2077 as the personal iconic handgun of fixer Dexter DeShawn. Its main narrative significance comes from that direct association rather than from a separately documented origin story or a stated real-world design reference. The weapon is recoverable after Dexter’s death, allowing it to remain as a tangible reminder of a character whose role in V’s early story ends abruptly.
The name and unique gameplay effect give Plan B a distinct identity, but the game does not establish additional canon about its manufacture, designer, or broader cultural inspiration in material that can be safely summarised here. Interpretations connecting the name to Dexter’s plans or describing the weapon as based on a specific real firearm should therefore be treated as fan interpretation unless supported by an official source.
Trivia
- Plan B is closely associated with fixer Dexter DeShawn. Its name reflects the character’s recurring emphasis on having a fallback plan, giving the weapon a character-specific identity beyond its role as an Iconic pistol.
- Plan B is unusual because its signature firing behavior can consume eddies as well as ammunition. That makes it a rare example of a weapon effect changing the player’s resource economy, rather than only modifying damage or applying a status effect.
