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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsThere is no single best quickhack for every fight: the right pick depends on whether you want burst damage, crowd pressure, stealth, reconnaissance, or a way to disable an enemy. This ranked selection focuses on quickhacks supported by CD Projekt Red’s build guidance and a July 20, 2026 patch 2.3 guide; it is not an official universal tier list. It reflects the post-Update 2.0 netrunning system, where RAM costs, damage, upload times, and some effects changed.
How to read this ranking
The ranking favors versatility and well-supported combinations, not a claim that each hack is strongest in every build. CD Projekt Red’s Hack-&-Slash Netrunner build guide specifically recommends Cyberware Malfunction into Short Circuit for single-target damage, and Contagion with Overheat for explosive crowd pressure. The separate patch 2.3 ranking dated July 20, 2026 places Short Circuit, Overheat, and Contagion in its top group. That ranking is editorial opinion, not a developer-issued list.
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Update 2.0 substantially reworked netrunning, including RAM costs, damage, upload time, and some hack effects. It also introduced the ability to queue multiple quickhacks on one target and Overclock, which can let a netrunner upload hacks by spending Health when RAM is insufficient. See CD Projekt Red’s Update 2.0 notes. Exact costs and effects depend on the quickhack’s tier and the live game version, so this guide avoids presenting unverified numbers as current.
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For a damage-focused netrunner, start with Contagion, then queue Overheat where your build and available RAM allow. CD Projekt Red identifies the pair as an explosive crowd-control option. If you need information before committing, use Ping first to reveal nearby threats, then choose whether to engage with the damage combo or use utility to create an opening.
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Against a single durable target, the developer-supported sequence is Cyberware Malfunction followed by Short Circuit. The setup makes Short Circuit more effective in the official build example. Exact queue order and resource demands can vary with your build and the current hack tiers.
The 15 best quickhacks, ranked
1. Short Circuit — best for focused damage
Short Circuit takes the top spot for its clear role in a single-target damage rotation. CD Projekt Red’s build guide pairs it with Cyberware Malfunction, saying the setup greatly increases its damage. It is a more natural priority against a dangerous individual than when your main goal is to pressure a whole group.
2. Contagion — best for applying pressure to groups
Contagion is the strongest group-oriented pick in this selection because the official build guide pairs it with Overheat to make enemies explode. It is a useful opening when several opponents are in play, rather than a substitute for a focused answer to one priority target.
3. Overheat — best as a combo finisher
Overheat earns its place through its developer-supported pairing with Contagion. The guide presents the combination as a crowd-control option; it does not establish a universal damage value or guarantee the same result for every tier and build. Treat it as part of a sequence, not an isolated promise of a particular outcome.
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4. Cyberware Malfunction — best setup for Short Circuit
This is the setup hack for the ranking’s leading single-target combo. The official build guide says Cyberware Malfunction increases Short Circuit’s damage, making it useful when you want to commit resources to a tougher enemy. Its value is less obvious if you are not following up with damage.
5. Ping — best for reconnaissance
Ping helps you gather information before choosing a target or committing to a fight, and CD Projekt Red includes it among the utility options in its build guide. Slot it when awareness and planning matter more than maximizing direct damage in every quickhack slot.
6. Reboot Optics — best for utility
Reboot Optics is another utility pick named in the official build guide. It gives a netrunner an option beyond damage rotations, though the source does not provide a current tier-specific duration or effect breakdown. Check the live in-game description for the precise behavior at your installed version and hack tier.
7. Weapon Glitch — best for disrupting armed opponents
CD Projekt Red also recommends Weapon Glitch as a utility option. It can complement a loadout built around disruption rather than damage alone. The official guide establishes its place as utility, but this ranking does not assign it an unverified current effect or numerical value.
Rank #3
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8. System Collapse — best high-cost stealth candidate
The patch 2.3 secondary guide highlights System Collapse as a high-cost ultimate for silent, non-lethal neutralization. That makes it a consideration for a stealth-oriented build, but the available evidence does not establish its exact current behavior or cost. Verify the in-game description before relying on it for a specific encounter.
9. Sonic Shock — best stealth-oriented option to investigate
Sonic Shock is discussed as a stealth-oriented choice by the patch 2.3 guide. It may suit a covert loadout better than a slot reserved for straightforward damage, but the source material here does not establish a complete, current effect description. Confirm its live behavior and interaction with your build before making it a core pick.
10. Suicide — best as a situational ultimate
Suicide is named in CD Projekt Red’s guide as a late-game option. The patch 2.3 guide considers it more valuable in stealth than as part of a routine damage rotation. Its place is therefore situational: it is not the default answer for every fight, and the evidence here does not support a precise current cost or effect claim.
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11. Cyberpsychosis — best for a specialized late-game plan
Cyberpsychosis also appears among the late-game ultimates named by the official guide. The secondary ranking treats it as more situational than the leading damage options. Consider it for a build or encounter that specifically benefits from that role rather than assuming it beats direct damage in ordinary rotations.
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12. Reboot Optics — utility slot, not a separate hack
This list is limited to hacks substantiated by the cited guidance; the source framework does not identify a distinct additional quickhack with enough verified current detail to fill every numbered place. Reboot Optics is already listed at No. 6, so it cannot honestly be counted again as a separate entry. Rather than invent a name or duplicate a pick, treat this as a boundary of the evidence behind the proposed 15-item scope.
13. Encounter-specific control hack — choose by target
A control hack can be valuable when disabling an opponent matters more than damage, but the cited sources do not substantiate a particular additional current hack or exact effect for this slot. Choose from the live in-game descriptions based on the encounter rather than treating an unverified generic category as a specific ranked ability.
14. Covert hack — trade damage for stealth
A covert option can make sense when avoiding a direct fight is the goal. Sonic Shock and the stealth-oriented uses discussed for System Collapse and Suicide are the supported candidates above; the sources do not establish a further distinct current hack to name here. A stealth slot necessarily competes with space for direct-damage tools.
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Quickhack availability and behavior can depend on the installed game version and build, but the cited material does not verify another deck- or expansion-specific pick for this final place. Check the requirement and current in-game effect before treating any such option as part of a universal ranking.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to slot quickhacks around your build
- For single-target damage: prioritize Cyberware Malfunction and Short Circuit, the pairing demonstrated by CD Projekt Red.
- For group pressure: build around Contagion and Overheat, the developer-recommended combination.
- For reconnaissance and utility: consider Ping, Reboot Optics, and Weapon Glitch, all named in the official build guide.
- For stealth: evaluate Sonic Shock, System Collapse, or Suicide using their live in-game descriptions; the patch 2.3 guide treats these as situational stealth-oriented options, not universal damage upgrades.
- For resource planning: account for Update 2.0’s RAM and upload-time rebalancing. Queuing hacks can support a planned sequence, while Overclock can use Health when RAM runs short.
What this ranking can—and cannot—establish
The available source material supports a useful selection of named hacks and two concrete developer-backed combos, but it does not substantiate 15 distinct quickhacks with verified current effects. Reboot Optics appears twice in the suggested framework, and the remaining proposed slots are categories rather than verified hack names. A fully defensible list of 15 unique entries would require checking the live game or a complete current reference; this ranking does not fill those gaps with invented names or stale pre-2.0 mechanics.
For the strongest evidence-based shortlist, prioritize Short Circuit, Contagion, Overheat, Cyberware Malfunction, Ping, Reboot Optics, and Weapon Glitch according to your role. The July 20, 2026 patch 2.3 guide offers a useful secondary perspective on several ultimates and stealth options, but its ordering remains one guide’s judgment.
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