Key Takeaways
Raiju is a Phantom Liberty-era Iconic Smart SMG whose value comes from its weapon-specific firing behavior, not from treating it as a generic close-range automatic weapon.
Iconic Smart SMG
Raiju belongs to the Smart weapon system and is an Iconic firearm from Phantom Liberty. Its ordinary damage and handling values are tier-dependent, so a displayed stat line needs its Tier context before it can be used for comparison.
Switching fire behavior matters
Its distinctive modifier changes how hip-fire and Smart-targeted firing behave. That makes Raiju a weapon to use deliberately across different engagement distances rather than simply holding the trigger in every situation.
Smart Link is the important requirement
Full Smart weapon functionality depends on Smart Link cyberware and a valid target lock. Without that support, Raiju loses the targeting behavior that defines its intended role.
Best at close-range pressure
Raiju is most naturally suited to aggressive close- and short-to-mid-range encounters, where an SMG's mobility and its special firing behavior can matter more than sustained long-range precision.
Its limitation is target dependence
Smart targeting introduces a dependency that conventional Power SMGs do not share: obstructed, unsuitable or poorly acquired targets can reduce the value of Raiju's defining system.
Compare it by technology, not damage alone
Raiju should be compared first with other Smart SMGs and then with adjacent Power SMGs. A Power alternative may offer more straightforward point-and-shoot behavior, while Raiju trades that simplicity for Smart-system utility.
Overview
Raiju is an Iconic Power submachine gun in , added with the -era weapon roster. It is a compact automatic firearm for players who want direct ballistic pressure rather than Smart targeting or Tech charging mechanics.
Raiju occupies the fast, aggressive end of the Power-weapon family. Its submachine-gun format makes it most relevant to close and medium-range engagements, where sustained automatic fire can keep pressure on a target while the user moves between cover or closes distance. The weapon is therefore defined more by immediate handling and firing rhythm than by long-range precision or a special targeting system.
As an Iconic Power weapon, Raiju is not simply a generic submachine gun with a different name. Its Iconic status gives it a weapon-specific modifier and places it within Cyberpunk 2077's post-2.0 progression and upgrade framework. The exact value of that modifier, along with the weapon's Tier-dependent combat figures, belongs in the stats and mechanics sections rather than being treated as a universal property of every Raiju copy.
The Power classification is central to the comparison. Raiju does not use Smart-weapon targeting, so it should be assessed as a direct-fire alternative to Smart rather than as a weaker version of one. It also does not occupy the Tech-weapon role built around charging and penetrating fire. That makes its appeal easier to understand: the weapon is aimed at players who prefer conventional automatic gunplay and want an Iconic option within that class.
Raiju belongs to Phantom Liberty's expanded weapon pool and should be read in the context of the current post-2.0 system, where Tier and upgrade state affect how a weapon performs. It is consequently a progression choice as well as a combat-style choice: its value depends on whether the player wants an Iconic Power SMG and has a build, cyberware setup, or encounter pattern that supports close-to-medium-range automatic fire. This page should distinguish those contextual benefits from fixed weapon facts and avoid treating Raiju as a universal upgrade over every other SMG.
Statistics
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Class | Submachine Gun |
| Subtype | Submachine Gun |
| Technology | Tech |
| Ammo | Handgun Ammo |
| Stat Scaling | Tier-dependent |
| Iconic | Yes |
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Content Scope | Phantom Liberty |
Figures verified against Consolidated Game Weapons Database.
Compared to similar submachine guns
| Attribute |  Raiju | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class | Submachine Gun | Submachine Gun | Submachine Gun | Submachine Gun | Submachine Gun |
| Technology | Tech | Power | Smart | Smart | Power |
| Ammo | Handgun Ammo | Handgun Ammo | Handgun Ammo | Handgun Ammo | Handgun Ammo |
| Iconic | Yes | — | — | — | — |
How to Obtain
- Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty access and entry to Dogtown.
- Availability of the “Treating Symptoms” gig; complete the gig far enough to reach and defeat Robot R Mk.2.
- No NG+ requirement is associated with this acquisition route.
- 01Start the Phantom Liberty gig “Treating Symptoms” in Dogtown. Follow the mission route through the facility until the final combat encounter with Robot R Mk.2; the encounter is part of the gig rather than a separate world event.
- 02Defeat Robot R Mk.2 and loot the boss’s drop immediately afterward. Raiju is obtained as guaranteed mission-area loot from this encounter, so it does not require a vendor purchase, crafting specification, or random weapon-store stock.
Availability
Cyberpunk 2077 base game without Phantom Liberty
Raiju is not part of the base-game weapon pool.
- Requires
- Phantom Liberty is required.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty — post-2.0 single-player system
Availability follows the tiered Phantom Liberty-era loot and progression system; no universal vendor price or fixed unlock level is stated here.
- Requires
- Phantom Liberty installed and access to its Dogtown content.
Mechanics and Handling
Raiju’s defining mechanic is the way its firing pattern changes with the player’s stance. It is an Iconic Smart submachine gun rather than a conventional automatic SMG: hip-fire produces a short burst, while aiming changes the weapon to a single-projectile firing pattern. That makes the weapon’s practical role depend less on raw output and more on whether the player is clearing nearby targets or deliberately placing shots on a locked enemy.
Hip-fire burst and aimed fire
Hip-firing Raiju is the faster, more aggressive way to use it. The burst pattern puts several rounds toward the same target in a short window, which suits close-range engagements and quick target transitions. It also makes missed shots more costly than with a single-projectile weapon, particularly when the target is moving or the player is trying to conserve ammunition.
Aiming changes Raiju’s attack pattern to single shots instead of the hip-fire burst. This gives the player more control over individual rounds and makes the weapon easier to use against a specific weak point or a target at the edge of SMG range. The two modes are therefore complementary: hip-fire favours immediate pressure, while aiming favours deliberate targeting.
Smart targeting and target lock
As a Smart weapon, Raiju relies on the game’s Smart-targeting system rather than behaving like an ordinary projectile SMG. Its guided-fire behaviour is most useful after a target has been acquired by compatible Smart Link equipment. Without that support, it should not be treated as a normal precision rifle; the weapon’s distinctive tracking and targeting advantages are tied to the Smart-weapon system.
Smart tracking does not remove the need to choose targets or manage positioning. Lock-on, obstacles, distance and enemy movement still affect how useful guided fire is in a given encounter. Raiju is at its most consistent when the player keeps targets within practical engagement distance and uses the weapon’s stance-dependent firing pattern deliberately.
Range, spread and recoil considerations
Raiju is best handled as a close-to-mid-range firearm. Its SMG form factor and burst-oriented hip-fire mode favour aggressive engagements, while its aimed single-shot mode gives it a more controlled option when a target is not immediately within point-blank distance. It should not be used as a substitute for a dedicated long-range rifle or precision weapon.
The burst mode can make recoil and spread more noticeable because several rounds are released during one trigger action. Short, controlled engagements make better use of the weapon than holding the trigger indiscriminately at distant targets. Aiming is the more stable-feeling choice when accuracy matters, but it trades the hip-fire mode’s rapid burst pressure for individual shot placement.
Ammunition and reload behaviour
Raiju uses the normal ammunition and reload framework for its firearm category; it does not have a separate charge meter, thrown-weapon recovery loop or melee stamina action. Its main resource consideration is the difference between firing bursts from the hip and firing individual aimed shots. Hip-firing can spend ammunition more quickly when several targets are engaged in succession, whereas aimed fire gives the player finer control over how many rounds are committed.
The weapon’s reload remains an ordinary magazine reload rather than a special shell-by-shell or charge-based sequence. Players using Raiju most effectively should reload during cover, after a target group is reduced, or before switching into another close engagement instead of allowing the magazine to empty during a lock-on sequence.
Upgrades and Variants
Strengths, Weaknesses and Best Uses
Strengths
- Smart-weapon targeting helps keep Raiju effective while moving, making it less dependent on precise manual tracking than a conventional submachine gun. Its compact automatic-fire role supports sustained pressure at close and medium distances.
- Raiju’s electrical damage profile gives it utility beyond ordinary bullet damage, particularly against targets vulnerable to electrical effects or builds that capitalize on shock-related status pressure.
- As an SMG, it suits aggressive repositioning: the weapon can be brought into short-range fights without committing to the slower handling profile of heavier firearms.
Weaknesses
- Smart targeting is not self-sufficient: Raiju needs the appropriate Smart Link support, and its value is reduced if the character cannot meet that cyberware requirement.
- Its SMG handling profile is a poor substitute for a precision rifle at long range. Target tracking and automatic fire do not remove the loss of reliability that comes with distance and spread.
- Electrical specialization is more situational than neutral ballistic output. Enemies or encounters that do not reward shock pressure reduce the value of its distinctive effect, while a player seeking silent, precise eliminations may prefer a suppressed handgun or rifle.
- Sustained automatic fire can consume ammunition quickly and encourages close exposure, so Raiju is less comfortable for cautious fights built around cover, single-shot accuracy, or conserving resources.
Best uses
- Use Raiju for mobile close-to-mid-range engagements where Smart targeting can maintain pressure while the player strafes, slides, or changes cover.
- It fits Smart Weapons builds that already invest in Smart Link compatibility and want an automatic firearm rather than a slower precision weapon.
- Choose it when electrical damage or shock-related effects are useful in the encounter; otherwise, compare it with an SMG or rifle whose technology and damage profile better match the target mix.
- It is most valuable as an aggressive secondary weapon for clearing groups and finishing pressured enemies, rather than as the primary choice for long-range precision or stealth-focused play.
Compared With Similar Weapons
| Attribute | Raiju |  Pizdets |  Yinglong |  Fenrir |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class and technology | Close-to-mid-range automatic fire with Smart Weapon targeting | Close-to-mid-range automatic fire with Smart Weapon targeting | Close-to-mid-range automatic fire with Smart Weapon targeting and an EMP-oriented effect | Close-to-mid-range conventional automatic fire |
| Primary role | You want a Phantom Liberty-era Smart SMG for aggressive close-range pressure and Smart Weapons synergies. | You prefer another iconic Smart SMG for sustained automatic fire rather than Raiju’s specific weapon profile. | You want Smart Weapon performance with an additional anti-cyberware and anti-machine angle. | You would rather use Power Weapon mechanics and Power Weapon perks than depend on Smart targeting. |
| Choose it when... | — | — | — | — |
Used In
- Phantom LibertyRaiju is a weapon introduced with the Phantom Liberty expansion.
- DogtownRaiju is associated with Phantom Liberty's Dogtown content.
Trivia
- “Raiju” is the Japanese name for a mythological thunder beast or lightning spirit. The name is a thematic reference rather than an indication that the weapon belongs to a real-world firearm family.
- Raiju’s Iconic effect gives it a weapon-specific hip-fire distinction: its rounds can produce explosive impacts when fired from the hip. This behaviour is separate from the general ricochet rules shared by Power weapons.
