You can earn the Must Be Rats achievement in Cyberpunk 2077 by using the Distract Enemies quickhack 30 times without drawing attention to yourself.
The fastest path is to repeat easy stealth-friendly interactions instead of waiting for natural story progression.
According to TrueAchievements, you can make strong early progress during the hacking tutorial.
This is helpful if you want to unlock it within the first hour.
What Unlocks Progress
The achievement tracks your successful uses of the Distract Enemies quickhack.
You need to trigger the hack and keep the interaction clean.
A single enemy, camera, or device can often be used more than once if the game registers each distraction separately.
Achievement Requirement Explained
You must perform Distract Enemies 30 times without alerting nearby foes.
XboxAchievements and PlayStationTrophies both confirm this requirement.
Progress is tied to the quickhack action itself, not to combat takedowns, stealth kills, or general hacking XP.
You want repeated, valid distractions, not just any use of Cyberdeck abilities.
What Counts As Distracting Enemies
A valid attempt means a device or enemy gets pulled away from its normal behavior, such as turning their head, moving toward a noise, or reacting to a hacked object.
Radios, vending machines, and other interactive objects are common targets because they are easy to spot and simple to reuse.
A repeat use on the same enemy or device can still count if the game registers it properly.
Many players farm the same small encounter for this reason.
Guides from Chapter Cheats point to low-level targets as the most efficient route.
How To Stay Undetected During Attempts
Stay out of direct sight lines, crouch when possible, and avoid moving into open areas after each hack.
If an enemy becomes suspicious enough to search for you, that attempt may not count toward clean progress.
Use quickhacks from cover and limit your movement.
Wait for enemy alert states to settle before repeating the action.
If the area turns yellow or red with suspicion, reposition before continuing.
Fastest Ways To Earn It Early
You can speed this achievement up long before you have a powerful build.
The easiest methods focus on early tutorial access, low-risk NCPD fights, and common hackable objects that let you chain progress quickly.
Repeating The Hacking Tutorial
If you want the quickest early-game route, replaying the hacking tutorial is a strong option.
One player report on TrueAchievements notes that repeated runs of the tutorial can push the tracker in small, reliable increments.
If you have not finished the tutorial, consider squeezing out as much progress as possible before moving on.
Using Low-Level Distract Quickhacks In NCPD Encounters
NCPD hustles are ideal because they place you near a small number of enemies with simple patrol routes.
You can crouch in cover, distract the same target, and reset the interaction when the patrol moves back into place.
A low-level Distract Enemies quickhack is often best because it finishes fast and keeps the loop short.
Community guidance, including a note from Chapter Cheats, points to this kind of repeatable setup as one of the easiest farms.
Best Objects To Hack Like Radios And Vending Machines
Look for devices that sit near enemies but do not force you into a risky position.
Radios, vending machines, and nearby electronics give you clean lines of sight and quick reset opportunities.
These objects are easy to target, easy to find, and often placed in spots where guards linger.
If a device is near a wall, doorway, or alley corner, it can become part of a very fast rhythm for the must be rats achievement cyberpunk grind.
Reliable Farming Locations
Some areas are better for this achievement because they offer compact enemy groups and easy stealth angles.
You want places where you can break line of sight fast, reset patrols, and repeat the quickhack with minimal travel.
Pershing St In Watson Northside
Pershing St in Watson, Northside is a popular early farming spot because the neighborhood gives you dense activity without demanding a late-game build.
The area’s tighter streets make it easier to hide, line up distractions, and retreat behind cover after each attempt.
Look for small enemy clusters, parked vehicles, and hackable objects near walkways.
That layout helps you keep each attempt fast and low risk.
Stealth-Friendly Enemy Groups
The best groups are enemies who stand still, patrol in a loop, or watch a nearby device.
You want opponents who are close enough to trigger the distraction, yet far enough away that they do not instantly spot you.
Gang encounters, isolated guards, and small NCPD sites usually work better than crowded firefights.
If a group keeps shifting into open space, move on and find a calmer setup.
How To Reset Encounters Efficiently
After a few attempts, move far enough away for the area to unload or for enemies to return to default behavior.
Fast travel, a short jog around the block, or leaving the immediate combat space can help reset things.
If the same enemy remains hostile or the hack prompt disappears, give the area time to settle before trying again.
Common Mistakes And Fixes
Most problems come from detection, unclear tracking, or trying to force progress in the wrong place.
If the counter feels stuck, the issue is usually with how the attempt was performed, not with the achievement itself.
Why Attempts May Not Register
If you rushed through the tutorial or left before finishing the hacking segment, you may have missed some clean counts.
A report from TrueAchievements mentions that tutorial progress can be easy to lose if you exit too early.
Also check whether you are using the correct quickhack.
Only Distract Enemies counts, so other hacks like ping, reboot optics, or combat hacks will not help.
When Detection Cancels Clean Progress
If enemies turn to face you, start searching, or enter combat, that attempt may fail to count.
Treat any visible alert state as a sign to stop and reposition before trying again.
Short, hidden attempts are much safer than rushed ones.
A clean hack from cover is worth more than several shaky tries from an exposed angle.
What To Do If Tracking Seems Slow
If progress feels sluggish, switch to a smaller, more controlled loop.
Use the same enemy, the same device, or the same early encounter until the rhythm feels consistent.
You can also gain some extra stealth skill XP along the way.
If the bar still moves slowly, stay patient and keep your attempts clean.
