Task Search
Checklists
How creative can you get with your first free checklist?
All Interactive Maps and Locations
Knockin' On Heaven's Door Walkthrough
This page is part of IGN's Cyberpunk 2077 Wiki guide and details everything you need to know about the Knockin' On Heaven's Door Main Job.
Whether it's saving Weyland, defeating the Arasaka soldiers, reaching the Atrium, equipping the Retrothrusters, or preparing for the raid on Arasaka Tower, we have you covered in our complete Knockin' On Heaven's Door walkthrough.
Knockin' On Heaven's Door
advertisement
Still recovering from the AV crash, regain your composure and stand up. It's time to find the commanding officer - but not before we save Weyland from the Arasaka forces.
While saving Weyland is completely optional, it's important to note that if you do opt to NOT save Weyland, he will no longer play a part in the story.
This consequence will have effect the outcome of the story, Weyland just simply will not appear during later cutscenes.
Follow Rogue
Having covered from the crash, begin crouching as you follow Rogue through the jungle to a nearby clearing that overlooks patrolling guards.
As you reach the opening, the guards can see you and will become suspicious, so it's important to make sure that you crouch behind the rock in order to remain hidden.
Note: Found leaning against the rock, you'll find a Legendary/Iconic melee weapon known as the Caretaker's Spade.
Now, you'll have two choices here. You can opt to simply bypass the guards altogether by walkthrough cautiously beneath the walkway or you can take them down with Rogue's help.
Take Down One of the Guards
Before we take out the guards, we highly recommend scanning the area and marking the two patrolling guards, as the area is quite dark which makes it quite difficult to see their whereabouts when patrolling.
advertisement
With the guards now marked, look for the hackable terminal along the far side of the walkway and use this terminal to distract the nearby guard. Once the other guard turns his back, quickly jump across the to the platform and take him out quietly. If all goes to plan, Rogue will eliminate the other enemy.
Using the terminal, turn off the alarm, along with the lighting system.
While completely optional, you can also play a classic Samurai song - as if Johnny's ego couldn't get any bigger - over the loud speakers by uploading music or simply opting for something a little more subtle, ambient sounds.
Follow Rogue
Once you're ready to continue, jump down below the platform and follow Rogue towards the waterfall area where Weyland crashed the AV.
It's important to proceed with caution though, as you'll want to stick close to rocks and foliage to avoid being spotted.
Take Down One Of The Guards
As you reach the AV crash site, you'll find three guards investigating the site - two are stationary, while one is patrolling the area.
advertisement
While you can go in guns blazing and take out the three guards quite easily, you can also opt to take out the patrolling guard in the area quietly - Rogue and Weyland will deal with the other two.
Talk to Rogue and Weyland
Having taken down the guards at the crash site, speak with Rogue and Weyland as they thank you for coming back to help.
Follow Rogue
With Weyland now safe, continue following Rogue through the dense foliage until you reach a ledge that overlooks the commanding officer.
Defeat the Commanding Officer and Search his Body
Now that the commanding officer is in sight, make your way to the nearby staircase and neutralize the soldier that's patrolling the lengthy walkway as he turns his back.
advertisement
This should leave you with just the commanding officer left. Without being seen continue towards him as you use the two crates as cover. As he turns his back, take him down silently and search his body for the Arasaka Tower Access Token.
Get in the Elevator
With the Access Token in hand, it's time to head towards the waypoint marker as you make your way to the nearby elevator.
Just before you reach the elevator, you'll come across several guards lined up along the edge of the path. To bypass these guards all together without being seen, simply drop down the left side of the walkway and follow the path that leads to a nearby set of stairs.
Climb the stairs and proceed to enter the elevator, where you'll want to head to the Atrium.
Follow Rogue
Once you reach the Atrium, leave the elevator and follow Rogue as she leads you through the empty hallways of Arasaka Tower.
advertisement
As you reach the large open room, you'll learn that the elevators are still jammed.
Thankfully, continue following Rogue as she has a plan. Once she has finally stopped, she'll suggest that we use our Retrothruster's to reach the ground floor.
Reach the Security Level
When prompted, climb over the edge marked by the waypoint and jump down to the floor below.
It's important that you remain crouched and behind cover throughout this section, as patrolling soldiers and drones will be able to spot your location.Hiding behind the railing, down the drone with a quickhack, while also distracting the two guards.
Slipping past the drone, take out the two guards without being seen. With the guards dealt with, jump over the marked ledge to reach the floor below.
You'll want to repeat this process as you continue working your way down to the second floor. As long as you remain in cover, you should have no issues with making jumping down to the floors below.
advertisement
Following the waypoint marker, make your way towards the security room door - you'll want to distract the final guard patrolling the area, along with the security camera above the security room door in order to slip past without being seen.
Once you're safely inside the room, watch and wait as the guard inside the security room moves to a nearby desk - this will allow you plenty of time to sneak in and eliminate them without being seen.
Open the Sever Room Doors
With the guard eliminated, interact with the computer he was analyzing and navigate to the Local Network tab and turn on the sever room authorization.
Connect Alt to the System
Now that the sever room door is open, make your way inside and connect Alt to the system.
advertisement
Get to the Elevator
Gaining complete control to the system, Alt manages to create a clear a path straight to the elevator - simply follow Rogue and Weyland, as they'll lead the way.
It's worth noting that you won't need to hide from any forces you may encounter along the way, as Rogue will take care of them for you.
Once you reach the elevator, use the control panel to reach the Netrunner's Nest.
Get to Mikoshi
Much like before, follow Rogue as you navigate the halls of Arasaka Tower.
Any security forces that you encounter will be stopped by Alt, who is seemingly taking full advantage of her power, before they can even deal any damage.
As you reach the large metal door, open it with the help of Rogue. As you're lifting the heavy door, your relic will begin malfunctioning and just as you're about to climb under, you'll be tossed forward by one of Arasaka's most elite soldiers - Adam Smasher. That's right, none other than the Johnny Silverhand killer himself.
Despite V's attempts to get up, Smasher focuses on Rogue, seeming to remember her from the past.
advertisement
Still stunned from the event that just unfolded, Rogue attempts to fire her weapon at Smasher but fails to have any effect. Climbing on top of her, Smasher dives his hand through Rogue's chest. In one final attack, Rogue pulls out a grenade, shoving it to his chest. Unfortunately, the grenade does little to stop Smasher, who has now set his focus on V.
How to Defeat Adam Smasher
It's important to mention that this is the final boss battle that you will encounter in Cyberpunk 2077's main storyline, so as you can imagine it's not going to be a super easy fight!
Thankfully, we have you covered in our complete breakdown on Adam Smasher's three phase battle below.
Looking for something specific? Jump to...
Adam Smasher's Weaknesses
To no surprise, Adam Smasher features a number of weaknesses that can change the way that the battle plays out, as these weaknesses can significantly altar your damage output.
Before the battle begins, we highly recommend that you change up your loadout to include the likes of Frag Grenades, Tech Weapons, and even chemical based weapons as they'll give you with a huge advantage during the battle.
Cyber Heart
- That's right, even Adam Smasher has a heart - a cyber heart at that. Found on the right side of his chest, Smasher's cybernetic heart is arguably his weakest spot and managing to successfully inflict damage onto this spot will result in significant damage being dealt. Unfortunately, you will need to destroy his front plate in order to get a good view of it - a great way to do this is a Tech weapon!
advertisement
Chemical Damage
- Before entering the battle, it is worth double checking your weapons, as Adam Smasher is weak chemical damage, however resistance to electrical damage. If you're out of luck and don't happen to have any weapons that deal chemical damage, definitely consider switching to a Tech based weapon.
Tech Weapons
- Look no further than Tech based weapons when it comes to defeating Adam Smasher, as they have the advantage of being able to pierce through his front armor plate that is other relatively difficult to destroy. Another added advantage of Tech weapons is the fact that they have the ability to strike targets through walls or other positions of cover, making them ideal for defeating any incoming reinforcements that may make their way to the battlefield.
Frag Grenades
- Got some spare Frag Grenades? Consider equipping them, as they are perfect for dealing large amounts of damage, while also damaging his cyberwear.
Quickhacks
- Throughout the battle, you'll have the opportunity to launch several quickhacks upon Adam Smasher. Here are the best quickhacks to use:
- Weapon Malfunction
- Arguably one of the most helpful quickhacks available, the Weapon Malfuction quickhack allows you to reduce the efficiency of Adam Smasher's bullet storm attack during the first phase, which many will consider one of the more challenging aspects of his attack.
- Cyberware Malfunction
- Perfect those looking to take on the stealth path, the Cyberware Malfunction quickhack will cause Adam Smasher to take huge amounts of damage, so much so that it will often take you to a brand new phase. Now, it is important to note that this method does take quite of bit of time for the hack to eventually upload and activate. So, it may not be suitable for everyone!
- Weapon Malfunction
Tips and Tricks for Defeating Adam Smasher's Three Phases
Whether you're looking to tips on how to avoid his bullet storm attack, melee combos, or even his missile rain, we have you covered in our complete Adam Smasher guide below.
Phase 1:
To start off the battle, Adam Smasher's first phase is very focused on performing melee combos, jump attacks, and a projectile attack that's know as the Bullet Storm.
advertisement
As you'd expect, Adam Smasher is at his strongest during this phase, so it's important keep your distance as letting him get his hands on you will result in you taking quite a bit of damage.
With a heavy focus on melee combos, Smasher will likely be all up in your face during the majority of the first phase, however, you may be surprised at just how easy it can be to dodge his incoming attacks.
To avoid taking melee damage, it's important that you begin backing up as soon as you see him charging in your direction. As he begins to swing his arms, evade the melee combo by spamming the dodge button as you continue to back up - this is the same technique that used to defeat Oda during Act 2, Gimme Danger.
Dodging Smasher's jump attack is pretty straightforward, simply sprint away from your current location when you notice him jumping in the air - getting hit will knock you down.
Don't run too far though, as you'll want to take advantage of his kneeling composure once he lands, as he'll be rendered in a state where he can not attack for several seconds. As he begins to regain functions, you'll want to book it straight out of his melee range to avoid getting hit.
Lastly, we have Smasher's bullet storm attack, which is arguably one of his more annoying as it's rather challenging to dodge at times. In order to combat this attack, we found two very viable methods to be quite effective, as we found that using the dodge method mentioned earlier during his melee combo was a decent option should you lack the ability to get behind cover in time.
Alternatively, if you're quick and able to dodge Smasher's attacks fairly easily, we highly recommend using the area around the center of the room to your advantage. While you'll often be face-to-face with Smasher, you'll have the opportunity to use the pillars as cover.
As he launches his bullet storm attack, simply duck behind the cover of the pillar! Just be warned though, these pillars can take damage and you'll likely need to use a new pillar for each bullet storm attack that he launches.
advertisement
Phase 2:
Phase 2 of Smasher's encounter is all about long-range! Having received significant damage to the right side of his body during phase 1, he will change up his tactics to account for his damaged body.
Similar to phase 1, Smasher will have three brand new attacks that include calls for Reinforcements, Missile Rain, and Fleeing Tactics.
When facing Smasher during phase 2, he'll frequently call for reinforcements that range from soldiers, heavy soldiers, and even mechs!
It is highly recommended that during this phase that you focus most of your attention on taking out any reinforcements that can be found in the area. Taking out these forces as quickly as possible will be your best bet, but don't take your eyes off Smasher for too long, as his long-range attacks can still pack a real punch when caught off guard.
Next up, we have Smasher's missile rain attack, which can be launched at anytime throughout the phase. The biggest tell-tale sign to this attack is the large circular red dots that will appear!
Once you see these red dots on the floor, you will want to begin sprinting away from your current location! Don't be fooled though, this attack will follow you, so avoid stopping until you hear that the explosives have stopped. If you're caught by this particular attack, it could very well be game over as the explosions cause some hefty damage.
Last but not least, the finally attack that Smasher can perform during this phase is as flee! That's right, after taking a certain amount of damage, Smasher will begin to run away. During this 'attack', you'll have the perfect opportunity to unload your bullets onto him.
advertisement
Phase 3:
Having caused Smasher significant damage throughout phase 1 and phase 2, you'll learn that's he's really rough shape and will spend the majority of his time in the center of the room, firing off shots with his machine gun.
Despite these shots becoming notably slower, we still found that it was best to stick to the second floor, as pillars and railings provided to great cover that allowed you to mainly remain damaged should you get your timing right between his shots. With the right weapon choice, it shouldn't take too many shoots to finish him off for good.
Once you have defeated Smasher, you'll find him on his knees and will have the option to let him live or to take his life. This particular choice will have no effect on the story and is a choice that is left entirely up to you to decide.
How to Defeat Adam Smasher With Stealth
That's right, you'll be surprised to learn that Adam Smasher can actually be defeated purely by stealth!
As you'll be well aware, you are automatically thrown into combat with Adam Smasher at the beginning of the battle. But, this is where things can get a little tricky when trying to use the stealth method, as you'll need to spend quite a bit of time setting up the process that is needed to successfully kill Adam Smasher through stealth alone.
To get started, your main focus when starting out will be to escape his attention, which can be done by using the countless barriers and cover options all throughout the area.
Simply hiding won't be enough to draw his attention away though, as you'll also want to be using the likes of your quickhack options such as Reboot Optics and Distraction. These two quickhacks alone will significantly help aid you in drawing his attention away.
With Adam Smasher's attention finally drawn away, use your quickhacking abilities to distract him. Once distracted, sneak up behind him and perform a stealth takedown attack. After each attack, you will need to hide and drawn his attention away.
You will need to repeat this step on three separate occasions - once for each of his three phases - in order to successfully take him down using only stealth.
advertisement
Get to the Mikoshi Access Point
Having defeated Smasher, it's time to make your way to the Mikoshi Access Point, which can be found behind the set of doors marked by the waypoint.
As you continue towards the set of doors, you'll start to suffer yet another Relic malfunction, as it's clear that V's situation is only getting worse.
Before you enter the door, you'll have the option to speak with Weyland. The conversation is only short and does not have any effect on the outcome of the door.
Talk to Alt
Struggling to cope with the worsening malfunction, head towards the large data system in the center of the room and Jack In to the Mikoshi Access Point.
Go to the Roof
Having awoken in a dream state, open the elevator door and follow the path to the roof - the same roof in which you made your decision at earlier in the day.
advertisement
Once you reach the roof, you'll find V's necklace sitting along the ledge - pick it up and watch as the game fades to black.
Waking to Alt voice, Johnny will find himself in cyberspace. Following the path to bright yellow beam, continue to the top of the staircase and speak with V, who can be found in the distance. Even in cyberspace, Johnny's ego is still unbearable.
Having faded away, follow V to the nearby diner setting and fill her in on the details of the mission. V will inform Johnny on the effect that the Soulkiller is having on them and how the phantom pains aren't actually pains at all, but instead just some digital simulacrum and will begin doubting the whole situation.
During their conversation, Alt will interrupt and will inform V that she has indeed made a mistake. Having excluded the body as a factor, as DNA reconfiguration has progressed too far - making it impossible for Alt to save to V, no matter what choice is made.
Alt will then inform Johnny that his situation is actually different, as he technically now owns V's body. Obviously unhappy about the situation, V will storm off - follow them.
With everything to gain, Johnny is now left with a major decision; either return to V's body and gain full control in the real world or enter cyberspace with Alt, leaving V only a matter of months to live in the real world.
advertisement
Before it comes to making the final decision, Johnny will have the chance to hash things out with V and talk the decision through. As you can imagine, this conversation isn't easy but will eventually end with V agreeing to stick to their plan - they leave, and Johnny stays.
Having ended your conversation with V, Johnny will now have to decide his fate, as the choices that you do make will have a major consequence on how the Epilogue plays out.
Should Johnny decide to walk along the bridge and enter cyberspace forever, V will return to her body and will only have a mere few months left to live.
Should Johnny enter the well, V will enter cyberspace with Alt and will be gone forever, leaving Johnny the opportunity to take full control of V's body in the real world.
Once you have decided your path, click or tap the following links to continue to the final mission.
- Cross the bridge and enter Cyberspace forever: Path of Glory
- Enter the well to return to V's Body: New Dawn Fades