Key Takeaways
Rosco is a Phantom Liberty-era Iconic Power revolver built around deliberate shot sequencing rather than sustained fire. Its value comes from pairing a leg shot with a follow-up headshot, making accurate target selection and timing central to its use.
Iconic Power revolver
Rosco belongs to the Power weapon family and is an Iconic revolver from the Phantom Liberty-era Dogtown content. Its tier-dependent combat values should be read from the weapon’s current tier and state rather than treated as universal.
Leg-shot setup, headshot payoff
Rosco’s defining modifier rewards shooting an enemy in the leg before following with a headshot. The sequence can knock the target down and makes the follow-up headshot substantially more threatening than an ordinary shot.
Tied to Dodger’s mission
Rosco is associated with the Phantom Liberty side job The Man Who Killed Jason Foreman and the encounter with Dodger. It is obtained through that mission’s combat or resolution path rather than as a routine weapon-vendor purchase.
Accuracy matters more than volume
The weapon is best suited to controlled revolver play: place the setup shot, then exploit the headshot condition. Missed leg shots or poor follow-up timing reduce the benefit of its Iconic effect.
Not a generic sidearm replacement
Rosco should be compared with other Iconic revolvers and Power handguns by their targeting conditions and special effects, not by an isolated damage value. Its sequence-based modifier distinguishes it from revolvers whose benefits apply without a setup shot.
Overview
Rosco is an Iconic Power revolver added in Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty. Its defining combat loop rewards controlled target selection: shoot an enemy in the leg, then follow with a headshot to trigger its special knockdown-and-critical-hit behaviour.
Rosco occupies a specialised place among Cyberpunk 2077’s revolvers. It is not simply an Iconic weapon with a stronger version of a standard revolver effect; its modifier encourages the player to set up each high-value shot by changing where they aim first. The weapon therefore suits deliberate, close-to-mid-range engagements more than indiscriminate fire.
The defining sequence is leg shot followed by headshot. Against a target affected by that setup, Rosco can force the weapon’s distinctive payoff: a knockdown paired with a guaranteed critical hit, with the effect making the follow-up substantially more decisive than an ordinary revolver exchange. This gives Rosco a recognisable rhythm without turning every shot into a special attack.
That behaviour separates Rosco from revolvers chosen primarily for straightforward headshot damage, rapid firing, or a passive bonus that is always active. It asks the player to manage target order and aim placement rather than relying only on raw weapon output. Builds that support precise handgun play can make better use of the mechanic, while players who prefer uninterrupted headshots may find its setup requirement less appealing.
Rosco is part of the Phantom Liberty-era weapon roster and belongs to the expansion’s Dogtown-focused progression context; it is not a base-game variant of an ordinary revolver. Its role is consequently that of a specialised Iconic sidearm for players exploring the expansion’s newer weapon options, with the exact tier and other displayed combat values depending on the weapon’s current progression state.
Statistics
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Class | Revolver |
| Subtype | Revolver |
| Technology | Power |
| 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 revolvers
| Attribute |  Rosco | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class | Revolver | Revolver | Revolver | Revolver | Revolver |
| Technology | Power | Power | Tech | Power | Power |
| Ammo | Handgun Ammo | Handgun Ammo | Handgun Ammo | Handgun Ammo | Handgun Ammo |
| Iconic | Yes | — | — | — | Yes |
How to Obtain
- Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty and access to Dogtown.
- Progress far enough in Phantom Liberty for Mr. Hands to offer the “Waiting for Dodger” gig.
- The lethal resolution of the Dodger encounter is required for Rosco’s drop; no New Game Plus mode is required.
- 01Enter Dogtown in the Phantom Liberty expansion and progress until Mr. Hands offers the gig “Waiting for Dodger.” Accept the gig and follow its objective to the meeting with Dodger; Rosco is tied to this mission rather than being a normal vendor weapon or a random open-world drop.
- 02During the final confrontation with Dodger, defeat him and loot his body before leaving the area. Rosco is a guaranteed drop from Dodger when he is killed. If you resolve the encounter without killing Dodger, the weapon is not obtained through that outcome, so check the body immediately after the fight rather than treating Rosco as a later reward. The gig’s combat resolution is the acquisition point, and the weapon should be treated as missable if it is not collected then.
Availability
Base game without Phantom Liberty
Rosco is not part of the base-game weapon pool.
- Requires
- Phantom Liberty is required.
Phantom Liberty — Dogtown
Rosco is a Phantom Liberty Iconic weapon. No separate difficulty, NG+, or attribute requirement is established here; its tier follows the current post-2.0 weapon progression when obtained.
- Requires
- Phantom Liberty ownership and access to Dogtown; availability is tied to the Dogtown gig Waiting for Dodger.
Mechanics and Handling
Rosco is a Power revolver, not a melee weapon. Its handling is therefore governed by firearm shot placement, handgun ammunition and reload timing rather than melee stamina, blocking or parrying. Each trigger pull produces a discrete shot, so the weapon rewards deliberate targeting more than continuous fire. Its most important distinction is the Iconic effect that links leg shots to a follow-up headshot.
Leg shots set up the Iconic effect
Rosco’s signature sequence is to shoot an enemy in the leg and then follow with a headshot. Completing that sequence triggers the weapon’s special effect, causing an explosive result around the target. The effect makes target order and shot placement part of Rosco’s handling: the opening leg shot is not merely a low-value attack, but the setup for the stronger headshot payoff. Missing the follow-up or changing targets can leave the sequence unfinished.
Deliberate revolver handling
Rosco is best handled as a precision sidearm. Its shot-by-shot operation leaves room to correct aim between attacks, but it also makes missed shots more costly than they are with a rapidly firing handgun. The practical rhythm is to acquire a target, place the leg shot, confirm the target remains exposed, and then take the headshot before switching attention elsewhere. Enemies that move unpredictably, take cover immediately or are surrounded by stronger threats can make the setup harder to complete safely.
The leg-to-head sequence also means that raw body-shot use does not represent the weapon’s full mechanical identity. Against a target that cannot be reliably exposed for both hits, Rosco functions as a conventional Power revolver, while against an isolated or briefly exposed target its special sequence is easier to exploit. The weapon does not turn the player’s ordinary melee attacks into part of the effect, and melee-specific blocking or parrying does not apply to it.
Power-weapon behaviour
As a Power weapon, Rosco belongs to the firearm family whose bullets can interact with the game’s Power-weapon ricochet systems when the required cyberware or related support is equipped. That interaction is separate from Rosco’s Iconic leg-to-head effect: ricochet is a Power-weapon handling option, while the explosion is the weapon-specific sequence. Players should not treat either interaction as a passive melee status effect or as a replacement for the intended shot order.
Rosco’s strongest handling loop is consequently short and purposeful: use the first shot to establish the condition, use the follow-up headshot to cash it in, and use cover or target selection to create the time required for both attacks. It is less naturally suited to indiscriminate crowd fire than to controlled engagements where the player can preserve aim and choose when to commit to the sequence.
Upgrades and Variants
Strengths, Weaknesses and Best Uses
Strengths
- Rosco’s signature leg-to-head interaction rewards a deliberate setup: a leg shot prepares a subsequent headshot for a guaranteed critical hit, giving accurate players a reliable burst pattern rather than relying entirely on random critical hits.
- As a Power revolver, Rosco can use the Power-weapon ricochet behaviour when the firing angle and surface allow it. That gives it an option against enemies partially protected by cover, although the shot still requires careful positioning.
- Its headshot-focused effect fits handgun and revolver-oriented perks, making it a natural choice for a precision build that already invests in headshot damage and pistol handling.
- The weapon’s special sequence creates a useful way to soften a dangerous target and then finish it with a controlled precision shot, instead of spending every round attempting immediate headshots.
Weaknesses
- Rosco’s strongest payoff requires two distinct attacks and accurate target placement. Shooting the leg does not provide the same immediate result as opening with a successful headshot, so the setup is less attractive when an enemy must be eliminated instantly.
- The critical-hit sequence is much less useful against targets whose legs are difficult to hit, targets that move unpredictably, or enemies already close to death after the setup shot.
- A revolver’s deliberate firing rhythm makes missed shots and poor timing more costly than with a faster-firing handgun. Rosco therefore gives up some forgiveness in exchange for precision-focused burst potential.
- As a Power weapon, Rosco does not provide Smart weapon targeting or Tech weapon charge-and-penetration behaviour. Builds that depend on those systems will gain less from its signature effect.
Best uses
- Precision handgun builds that can consistently place a leg shot followed by a headshot.
- Elite-target encounters where a controlled setup-and-finish sequence is practical and the target survives long enough for Rosco’s conditional effect to matter.
- Fights with usable sightlines and nearby surfaces, where the Power weapon’s ricochet behaviour can supplement direct shots.
- Players who prefer deliberate revolver handling and critical headshot payoff over automatic fire, Smart targeting, or Tech weapon charging.
Compared With Similar Weapons
| Attribute | Rosco |  Amnesty |  Archangel |  Crash |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class and technology | Specialized close-to-mid-range revolver built around its unique shot sequence | Alternative precision-revolver option with a different Iconic modifier | Alternative revolver for players who prefer its electrical and recoil-related weapon behavior | More flexible firing option because its Iconic behavior supports an alternate automatic-fire mode |
| Role distinction | Choose Rosco when its weapon-specific effect is more valuable than a general-purpose revolver profile | Compare handling and damage behavior at the same Tier rather than treating either weapon as universally stronger | A closer substitute for a general combat revolver if Rosco’s conditional effect is difficult to trigger | Prefer Crash when sustained fire flexibility matters more than Rosco’s specialized revolver mechanic |
| Best comparison point | — | — | — | — |
Used In
- The Man Who Killed Jason ForemanRosco is obtained during this Phantom Liberty gig in Dogtown.
- Leon RinderLeon Rinder carries Rosco; the revolver can be obtained from him during The Man Who Killed Jason Foreman.
Trivia
- Rosco’s signature interaction rewards a deliberate two-step sequence: shoot an enemy in the leg, then follow up with a headshot. The leg shot sets up the weapon’s special headshot effect rather than serving only as a normal damage attack.
- Rosco is a Phantom Liberty-era Iconic revolver associated with Dogtown’s weapon pool, distinguishing it from the standard revolver roster and from Iconics introduced in the base game.
