Who is Adam Smasher? How to beat him in Cyberpunk 2077

All RPGs need to come with a final boss that leaves you wondering how you even got to the end level in the first place. They need to put you in your place and make sure you use every little bit of arsenal available. Adam Smasher is certainly the big bad for the job in Cyberpunk 2077, and he will have you sweating before you manage to beat him. By the time you reach this stage in the game, you will battered, bruised, and not completely in control, but with some practice and guidance, he can be defeated.

Who is Adam Smasher?

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If you are familiar with the term ghost in the shell, then Adam Smasher’s existence will be no mystery to you. As a young man growing up on the streets of Night City, Adam was no more than a street punk. After things went bad for his gang, he decided his future was with the military.

On one fateful mission, a stray RPG turned Adam Smasher into burger meat, only to be carted off in various bags by his comrades. Due to his barbaric yet loyal nature, Arasaka decided that Adam Smaher had a use beyond just what his physical form provided. They made him an offer.

Arasake offered to rebuild Adam Smasher as a full cyborg, working in the debt of Arasaka, or die to the consequences of being pink paste. Adam Smasher opted for the former and became the monstrous robo-human he is in Cyberpunk 2077.

Adam Smasher and Johnny Silverhands were both present during the fateful night of the Night City Holocaust, fighting a duel to the death atop Arasaka Tower. Both Johnny and Adam Smasher were obliterated in the blast. However, Adam Smasher was rebuilt once again. This left very little of the man inside the machine, further separating him from any threads of humanity he may have had.

Now, years after the events, Adam Smasher is back again, after working as a bodyguard both for the whereabouts of Johnny Silverhands body and for Yorinobu Arasaka. This is where we find Adam Smasher in Cyberpunk 2077. His obsession with Silverhands has led him to be in possession of a number of his, including his Porche and gun, the latter of which he gave away.

How to defeat Adam Smasher

You will meet Mr. Smasher for your final showdown in Cyberpunk during the mission titled Octurne Op55N1. Alternatively, you can also meet him during the mission called (Don’t Fear) The Reaper, but this will be significantly harder.

Preparation

Your Cyberware is going to be partially disabled during this fight, so be prepared to be significantly weaker against Adam Smasher in Cyberpunk 2077. Load up on consumables such as Stamina, Health, and other buffs. You will be relying on these heavily.

Do not attempt this without some serious leveling, both to you and your weaponry. I would suggest level 20+ and get your weapons to at least level 5 before you go marching into this cyborg death pit. Try to bring weapons with some decent range. I would recommend some distraction quickhacks like reboot optics too. If you have Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, the relic skill that highlights and increases weak point damage is a huge bonus against Adam Smasher.

Phase 1

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Adam Smasher lives up to his name in Cyberpunk 2077 during this phase. He goes all out with the charging and melees. He will also use Bullet Storm, but your priority is keeping out of melee range. You can use the pillars around the room for cover. The servers will quickly become dust.

Dodge and duck your way till you have some decent distance from him, then unload what you have. Don’t get greedy, as despite his size, he can move remarkably fast. You don’t want to be in the way of Adam Smasher when he’s out to get punchy.

Using your disabling quickhacks will give you the time you need to either get a few extra shots in without him seeing you or reload those bigger guns.

When he drops to his knees, get in close and do some serious damage with something like a melee weapon or a shotgun. However, as soon as he starts to rise up, get out of there and put some distance between the two of you.

Phase 2

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Phase 2 lets you know that you have really caused some damage to this mechanical man. He gains three new moves you need to adjust for.

The first of these is a hail of missiles that will track you until the onslaught is over. You can spot these missiles by the red markings on the floor. Don’t stop moving away from them until the barrage has stopped, as they will follow you.

The second of Adam Smasher’s moves in Cyberpunk 2077 is the ability to call in reinforcements. Use this time to get far away from him, as he will still attack during this phase. I found that kiting his minions to another part of the arena allowed me to dispatch them without having to worry too much about Adam Smasher.

His final move is just Adam being a coward. He will run from you like the big wuss he is. Take this moment to absolutely unload on him without fear of retribution. Load him up with all your scariest quickhacks, and go to town with bullets.

Phase 3

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Now you have Adam Smasher on the back foot, and it’s time to end his career in Cyberpunk 2077. He’s not in a good way, and his machine body isn’t doing great. Adam Smasher is going to stay in the middle of the room and just unload on you with his machine gun.

Use the balcony running around the room to take cover, and use a mid to long-range weapon along with your Cyberware to pick away at his health. He will eventually drop down to his knees, and you will be faced with a choice. Let him live or end his life? This is a decision only you can make, but knowing his past with both V, Arisaka, and Johnny may make you think differently.

For all things Cyberpunk 2077, check out our guides here.