Key Takeaways
Seraph is a throwable melee weapon whose value comes from its interaction with burning targets rather than from raw damage alone. The practical choice is whether a build can reliably apply Burn and exploit the weapon’s follow-up effect.
A throwable knife built around Burn
Seraph belongs to Cyberpunk 2077’s throwable-weapon gameplay, so its use combines close-range melee handling with aimed throws. Its defining mechanic is tied to enemies affected by Burn, making status setup part of its intended use rather than an incidental bonus.
Its special effect rewards status sequencing
The weapon is most distinctive when the player applies Burn before using Seraph or follows a Seraph hit with other fire-based attacks. The exact order and trigger should be checked in the current weapon description and mechanics section rather than treated as a universal knife rule.
Phantom Liberty scope matters
Seraph is associated with the Phantom Liberty-era Dogtown weapon pool, so availability should be read with the expansion and current post-2.0 weapon system in mind. It should not be presented as a universally available base-game pickup without confirming the acquisition route.
Strongest for throwable and status-focused play
Seraph suits a build that invests in throwing weapons and can apply Burn consistently. That combination gives the weapon a clearer role than a general-purpose knife, especially when the player can keep enemies within effective throwing distance.
Its limitation is setup dependence
A player who does not use Burn effects, or who cannot safely create opportunities for aimed throws, will not consistently access Seraph’s main advantage. In that situation, a throwable weapon with a less conditional effect may be a more dependable comparison.
Compare it by effect, not by knife damage alone
The relevant alternatives are other throwable knives and axes with different recovery, status, or headshot behaviour. Seraph should be compared by its Burn interaction and build requirements, not ranked against unrelated melee weapons using raw damage alone.
Overview
Seraph is an Iconic Power pistol in Cyberpunk 2077, not a melee weapon. Its identity is built around fire-based effects and explosive follow-up damage, making it a sidearm for players who want incendiary pressure rather than close-range melee reach.
The supplied classification calls Seraph a melee weapon, but the weapon itself belongs to Cyberpunk 2077’s pistol roster. It is an Iconic Power weapon associated with the post-2.0 weapon system, so its technology type matters: Seraph is designed to behave as a conventional firearm with Power-weapon interactions, rather than as a blade, blunt weapon, or throwable melee weapon.
Seraph’s defining role is the way it connects firearm hits with burning targets and explosions. Its Iconic modifier rewards maintaining pressure on enemies affected by fire, giving the pistol an area-damage angle that ordinary Power pistols do not necessarily provide. The practical distinction is less about a single raw damage value and more about how Seraph can turn a focused target into a source of additional incendiary threat.
This makes Seraph a natural fit for a handgun-oriented character who wants elemental or explosive combat interactions without giving up the flexibility of a pistol. It is better understood as a status-focused sidearm than as a general replacement for every high-damage handgun: its value depends on whether the player can reliably create or exploit burning targets. The page should therefore treat its fire behaviour as the central mechanic, not apply melee concepts such as stamina-heavy attack strings or reach.
Seraph is a named Iconic weapon rather than a standard random firearm, and its availability is tied to Cyberpunk 2077’s authored weapon-acquisition structure rather than ordinary melee progression. Phantom Liberty does not turn it into a separate melee variant, and no alternate melee form should be inferred from the supplied classification. Tier, upgrade state, and the exact current modifier wording belong in the weapon’s later stat and mechanics sections; this overview deliberately avoids presenting tierless combat numbers as universal facts.
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 |  Seraph | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
- Progress far enough in the base-game campaign for Padre's Heywood gig chain to become available.
- Complete every gig assigned by Padre in Heywood; the weapon is a unique completion reward rather than a guaranteed drop from one named enemy.
- Seraph belongs to Cyberpunk 2077's post-2.0 weapon system. Phantom Liberty and New Game Plus are not required for the Padre-gig acquisition route.
- 01Complete all of Padre's fixer gigs in Heywood. After the final gig in his chain is completed, Padre makes Seraph available as the guaranteed completion reward; check the reward notification and your stash or inventory before leaving the area.
- 02The weapon is obtained through Padre's gig-completion reward rather than as an enemy drop, random world pickup, or ordinary vendor purchase. Completing the gigs does not require a particular combat approach, so no separate mission choice is needed to claim Seraph.
- 03Padre's gigs can generally be completed after they become available rather than during a single timed sequence. If Seraph does not appear immediately after the final gig, finish the associated reward notification or message and recheck the weapon inventory before assuming the reward was missed.
Availability
Phantom Liberty — Dogtown
Seraph is tied to the expansion’s Dogtown vendor ecosystem rather than the base-game weapon pool. The exact price and any additional vendor-progression condition are omitted because they are not reliably established here.
- Requires
- Phantom Liberty access and entry to Dogtown
Cyberpunk 2077 base game without Phantom Liberty
No base-game acquisition context applies to Seraph.
- Requires
- Phantom Liberty required
Mechanics and Handling
Seraph is not a melee weapon in Cyberpunk 2077. It is an Iconic Power Pistol, so melee-specific handling such as light and heavy attack chains, blocking, parrying, stamina commitment, and reach does not apply. Its distinctive behaviour comes from firearm headshots, burn application, and the Power-weapon ricochet system.
Burn and headshot interaction
Seraph can set enemies on fire with its weapon-specific effect. Burning is not merely cosmetic: the weapon's special behaviour is intended to reward follow-up headshots against an enemy already affected by burn. Treat the burn trigger and its headshot interaction as conditional effects rather than permanent bonuses; they do not describe every shot or every target.
Power-weapon handling
As a Power weapon, Seraph's rounds can ricochet from suitable surfaces rather than following only a straight impact path. The ricochet behaviour is most useful when direct sight lines are poor or when firing around cover, but it does not turn the pistol into a substitute for Smart targeting or Tech weapon charging. Its practical handling therefore depends on ordinary pistol aim, headshot placement, and choosing angles that give a ricochet a viable path.
What the weapon does not do
Seraph does not use a melee moveset, blocking or parrying window, melee stamina sequence, or durability mechanic. It also should not be described with melee reach, charged heavy attacks, or blade/blunt classifications. Any page section presenting those properties would be mixing Seraph with a different weapon or variant.
Upgrades and Variants
Strengths, Weaknesses and Best Uses
Strengths
- Seraph rewards deliberate headshots and weak-spot hits with a chance to apply Burn, giving precision-focused users an additional source of pressure beyond the shot itself.
- As a Power weapon, it can benefit from the Power-weapon ricochet behaviour when the angle and environment allow it, giving it utility against partially protected targets.
- Its burn interaction fits handgun builds that already invest in fire, explosions, or status-effect perks rather than requiring a separate damage archetype.
Weaknesses
- The weapon's distinctive effect is conditional: inaccurate body shots do not reliably activate the headshot and weak-spot trigger, so it is less forgiving than a weapon built around unrestricted area damage.
- Burn is a status-effect setup rather than an immediate answer to every target. Enemies that resist, quickly evade, or provide poor weak-spot access reduce the value of Seraph's special effect.
- Ricochet utility depends on suitable surfaces and positioning; it should not be treated as a replacement for direct accuracy or reliable target access.
- Seraph competes for the handgun slot with Iconic pistols that offer stronger stealth, Smart-targeting, or direct critical-hit specialisation, so its value depends on whether the build uses Burn and precision shooting.
Best uses
- Precision handgun builds that consistently target heads or weak spots and want Burn as a secondary combat effect.
- Pyromania- or fire-oriented setups where Seraph's status application can contribute to the build's existing explosion and Burn synergies.
- Urban fights with hard cover and suitable ricochet surfaces, provided the user can maintain accurate target selection rather than relying on blind bounce shots.
- Players who want an Iconic Power pistol with a status-effect identity, but do not need the dedicated stealth or Smart-weapon behaviour offered by other handgun options.
Compared With Similar Weapons
| Attribute | Seraph |  Headhunter |  Blue Fang |  Stinger |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class / role | Built around its unique status-effect and thrown-weapon behaviour; verify the active effect in the current item tooltip | Rewards accurate throws and close-range knife play | Emphasises a different status and control profile from standard knives | Combines thrown-weapon use with its own conditional effect |
| Distinctive mechanic | Throwing weapons; knife-focused builds | Throwing weapons; precision-focused builds | Throwing weapons; status-oriented builds | Throwing weapons; mobility and throwable-focused builds |
| Build fit | Reference point: choose it when its special effect supports your preferred throw-and-recover rhythm | A comparable choice for players who prioritise precision and direct knife damage over Seraph's special-effect identity | Prefer it when its control effect is more useful than Seraph's effect in the encounter | A practical alternative when its conditional behaviour better matches an aggressive throwing-weapon loadout |
| Why choose it over Seraph | — | — | — | — |
Used In
- Sebastian “Padre” IbarraSeraph is awarded for completing Padre’s gig series in Night City. The weapon is tied to his fixer content rather than a vendor purchase or ordinary world drop.
- HeywoodPadre’s gigs take place primarily in Heywood, making the district the main location associated with Seraph’s acquisition route.
