Cyberpunk 2077: Firestarter - Siding with Songbird (Netrunner Guide) The "Firestarter" mission in Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty presents V with a monumental choice: aid Songbird in her desperate escape or remain loyal to Reed and the FIA.

The "Firestarter" mission in Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty presents V with a monumental choice: aid Songbird in her desperate escape or remain loyal to Reed and the FIA. This decision carries heavy narrative weight, shaping the rest of the DLC's storyline and V's relationships with key characters. Choosing to side with Songbird means betraying Reed, plunging V into a dimly lit world of uncertainty and high stakes as they navigate the hostile environment of the stadium, evading Kurt Hansen's forces, and grappling with the implications of their choice. This guide provides a detailed walkthrough for the "Firestarter" mission, specifically focusing on the scenario where you side with Songbird, betray Reed, optimized for a stealthy Netrunner build. Get ready to dive deep into the underbelly of Dogtown and make a decision that will forever alter V's destiny.

Netrunner Build Guide: Stealth and Quickhacks for Firestarter

For this walkthrough, we'll be focusing on a Netrunner build that excels in stealth, hacking, and manipulating enemies from the shadows. This is crucial for navigating the "Firestarter" mission, especially when siding with Songbird, as it allows you to avoid direct confrontations and control the battlefield with your quickhacks.

Attributes

• Intelligence (20): This is your bread and butter. Maxing out Intelligence unlocks powerful Netrunner perks and significantly boosts your RAM and quickhack effectiveness.
• Reflexes (16): Reflexes are essential for using weapons effectively and maintaining agility. Prioritize this to land accurate shots with your silenced pistol.
• Technical Ability (18): Allows you to craft better cyberware, open doors, and disable electronics. Upgrading cyberware is essential to staying ahead in combat.

Perks

• Overclock: Allows you to use quickhacks even when you don't have enough RAM, at the cost of health. Crucial for emergencies and sustained hacking.
• Bloodware: Increases damage to enemies affected by quickhacks. This perk amplifies your damage output significantly.
• Critical Error: Increases the chance of applying status effects to enemies with quickhacks. This combos exceptionally well with Overheat and Contagion.
• Memory Wipe: Reduces the RAM cost of quickhacks after neutralizing an enemy. This helps sustain your hacking spree.
• Queue Acceleration: Reduces the upload time for quickhacks. This allows you to chain quickhacks more quickly and control the battlefield more efficiently.
• Cripple Movement: Drastically reduces enemy movement speed with quickhacks like Cyberware Malfunction and Short Circuit. This provides significant tactical advantage.

Cyberware

• Tetratronic Rippler Mk.4: This Cyberdeck significantly improves your quickhack spread, and overall effectiveness. Location: Ripperdoc in Kabuki, Watson.
• Raven Microcyber Mk.3: Enhances your RAM recovery rate and quickhack damage. Location: Ripperdoc in Wellsprings, Heywood.
• Optical Camo: Essential for stealth. Allows you to turn invisible for a short duration. Location: Many Ripperdocs around Night City.
• Kerenzikov: Slows down time when dodging, providing a tactical advantage in close-quarters combat. Location: Ripperdoc in Japantown, Westbrook.
• Fortified Ankles: Allows for charged jumps, enabling access to advantageous positions and alternative routes. Location: Ripperdoc in City Center, Corpo Plaza.

Weapons

• Silenced Pistol (e.g., Nue): For silent takedowns from a distance. Accuracy and stealth are key.
• Monowire: For silent takedowns in close-quarters. The Monowire is extremely useful for dispatching enemies quickly and quietly. An alternative is the iconic "Mancinella" Monowire found during the "Run This Town" quest.

Firestarter: A Step-by-Step Guide (Siding with Songbird)

This section provides a comprehensive walkthrough for the "Firestarter" mission, focusing on the choices and strategies unique to siding with Songbird and betraying Reed.

Initial Breach

1. Stealth is Key: Start by using "Ping" to identify enemies and cameras in the area.
2. Camera Hacks: Prioritize disabling or using "Distract Enemies" on cameras to create openings.
3. Patrol Routes: Observe enemy patrol routes to identify opportunities for silent takedowns or bypasses.
4. Create Diversions: Use "Distract Enemies" on objects near enemies to lure them away from key areas.

Navigating the Stadium

Key Areas:

• Vent Systems: Utilize vent systems to bypass security checkpoints and move undetected.
• Server Rooms: Contain valuable intel and access points for hacking.
• Security Checkpoints: Avoid direct confrontation; use quickhacks to disable or bypass them.

Stealth Movement:

• Stick to shadows and use cover effectively.
• Monitor enemy patrol routes and wait for opportunities to move undetected.
• Use your Optical Camo to move past heavily guarded areas.

Hacking Challenges

Expect to encounter security measures during the mission. Use your Netrunner skills to bypass them. Here's a common example:

• Bypassing Security Measures: Often involves a series of commands to execute. For example: "net.interface/security.bypass" followed by "firewall.disable/port.open" and finally, "access.granted/system.override". These vary but rely on understanding the prompt log and working towards overriding the automated security. This may require performing Breach Protocol to weaken their initial defenses.

Dealing with Kurt Hansen's Forces

Kurt Hansen's security forces are heavily armed and armored. Here's how to deal with them:

• Environment Manipulation: Exploit environmental hazards like fuse boxes, gas leaks, and explosive containers.
• Quickhacks: Use quickhacks to turn enemies against each other. "Cyberware Malfunction" and "System Reset" are extremely effective. System Reset is especially effective against robotic enemies and mechs.
• Stealth Takedowns: Use your silenced pistol and monowire for silent takedowns when possible.

Securing the Vehicle/Escape

You need to secure a vehicle for Songbird's escape. The vehicle is a Rayfield Caliburn.

1. Locate the Vehicle: Follow the mission marker to the vehicle's location.
2. Clear the Area: Dispatch any nearby enemies using stealth or quickhacks.
3. Secure the Vehicle: Enter the vehicle and prepare for the escape.
4. Escape Route: Follow the designated escape route, avoiding heavily patrolled areas.
5. Potential Encounters: Be prepared for enemy ambushes. Use your quickhacks and weapons to defend yourself and Songbird.

Tips and Tricks for Firestarter

Quickhack Combos

• Contagion + Overheat: Spread Contagion to a group of enemies, then use Overheat to deal massive damage. This is effective for crowd control.
• Memory Wipe + Reboot Optics: If you're detected, use Memory Wipe to reset enemy awareness, then follow up with Reboot Optics to blind them and escape.

Exploiting Enemy Weaknesses

• Cyberware Vulnerabilities: Target enemy cyberware vulnerabilities with specific quickhacks. Short-circuiting cybernetic implants can induce malfunctions and incapacitate enemies.
• Robotic Enemies: Use "System Reset" to immediately disable mechs and robotic enemies.

Environmental Awareness

• Fuse Boxes: Overload fuse boxes to create distractions or electrify puddles of water.
• Gas Leaks: Ignite gas leaks to create explosions that damage or kill enemies.
• Explosive Containers: Shoot explosive containers to create explosions that clear out groups of enemies.

Saving RAM

• Prioritize Quickhacks: Choose quickhacks that are most effective for the situation and avoid spamming weaker quickhacks.
• RAM Reduction Perks: Invest in perks that reduce the RAM cost of quickhacks.
• Cyberware: Utilize cyberware that enhances RAM recovery rate.

PC-Specific Notes (Ray Tracing Optimization)

If you're playing on PC, optimizing your ray tracing settings can significantly enhance the visual fidelity of the game. However, it can also impact performance. Here are some recommendations:

Ray Tracing Settings

• Ray Traced Lighting: Medium - Provides a good balance between visual quality and performance.
• Ray Traced Reflections: Medium - Adds realistic reflections to surfaces, enhancing the immersion.
• Ray Traced Shadows: Off - This setting can have a significant impact on performance, so it's best to turn it off if you're struggling to maintain a stable frame rate.

DLSS/Frame Generation

• Enable DLSS: DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) uses AI to upscale the game's resolution, improving performance without sacrificing visual quality.
• DLSS Quality Mode: This mode provides the best balance between image quality and performance.
• Enable Reflex Low Latency: Reduces input lag, improving responsiveness.

Config File Tweaks

You can further optimize ray tracing performance by tweaking the game's config files. Here's an example:

1. Locate the config file: Navigate to the Cyberpunk 2077 installation directory, then go to engine\config\platform\pc.
2. Edit the rendering.ini file: Open the file in a text editor.
3. Disable specific ray tracing effects: Add the following lines to disable specific ray tracing effects that have a high-performance cost:

[RayTracing]
EnableRaytracedReflections = false
EnableRaytracedAmbientOcclusion = false

Recommended Hardware

• CPU: Intel Core i7-12700K or AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 or AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT (for 1440p)
• RAM: 16GB DDR4

Conclusion: The Road Ahead with Songbird

Siding with Songbird in "Firestarter" sets you on a dramatically different path than remaining loyal to Reed. The immediate consequences include betraying Reed's trust, potentially putting yourself at odds with the FIA, and solidifying your alliance with Songbird. You may receive new cyberware, weapons, or eddies as a result of your decision depending on choices made in the quest.

The long-term narrative impact is significant. Your relationship with Songbird deepens as you become her protector, and your relationship with Reed and Myers is irrevocably damaged. This choice shapes V's psyche, forcing them to confront the moral ambiguity of their actions.

The moral choice is not easy, but siding with Songbird ultimately means prioritizing her survival and searching for a solution together, no matter the cost. The events of Firestarter change the course of the game, and are just the beginning of a very volatile series of events.

This guide was last updated on October 25, 2025.

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