You’re wandering around the Coastview district in Pacifica, probably just trying to find a decent ripperdoc or avoid a Voodoo Boys drive-by, when Regina Jones pings your holocom. She's got another one. This time, it’s a pier. It’s a long, wooden stretch of death extending out into the polluted waters of the Pacific. Most players know it as the Cyberpsycho Sighting: Smoke on the Water, and honestly, if you aren't prepared for a long-range shootout or a very fast sprint, you’re going to die before you even see the boss.
It's a weird mission.
It feels different from the cramped alleyway fights or the enclosed garage brawls you find in other parts of Night City. Here, the environment is your biggest enemy. You have zero cover. You have a target who hates you. You have a dead van full of bodies that tells a story of a deal gone horribly, horribly wrong.
The Setup: What Actually Happened on that Pier?
When you arrive at the marker in Pacifica, the first thing you’ll notice isn’t the psycho. It’s the van. Specifically, a van parked right at the entrance of the pier. If you’re the type of player who actually reads the shards—and you should be, because that’s where the world-building lives—you’ll find out this wasn't just a random act of violence.
The "cyberpsycho" here is Diego Ramirez.
Diego wasn't some chromed-out freak looking for a fight. He was a guy trying to do right by his family, specifically his daughter. He got caught up in a bad deal involving the Voodoo Boys and some stolen tech. The shards "Contract Between Yuri and Ken" and "The Goodbye" paint a pretty grim picture. It was a setup. Ramirez was pushed to the edge by the very people he thought would help him provide for his kid. By the time you show up, the transition to full-blown cyberpsychosis is complete, and he’s turned that pier into a kill zone.
Finding Diego
He’s way out at the end. You can see him from a distance if you have a decent optic mod. He’s usually paced out near the very tip of the dock, standing by a pile of crates and more bodies.
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The approach is the hardest part.
Most people just run down the middle of the pier. That's a mistake. Diego is armed with a powerful shotgun—usually a Satara or a similar tech-based heavy hitter—and he has no problem picking you off while you're out in the open.
How to Take Down Diego Ramirez Without Dying
You have options. You could go in guns blazing, but if you’re playing on Very Hard or using a glass cannon build, Diego will one-tap you before you get within twenty feet.
The Sniper Approach
Honestly? This is the easiest way. If you have an Overwatch sniper rifle or even a basic Grad, you can sit back near the van and take potshots. The game’s AI sometimes struggles with this distance. Diego will move around, try to find cover behind the thin wooden railings, and eventually, you'll whittle him down.
The Netrunner Method
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If your Intelligence stat is high enough, you don't even need to step onto the wood. Use your scanner to ping the nearby electrical boxes or the van itself to get a line of sight on him. Once you've tagged him, hit him with Short Circuit or Synapse Burnout. If you want to keep Regina happy and get the "non-lethal" bonus, System Collapse is the gold standard, though it’s memory-intensive.
The Brawler’s Nightmare
Going melee here is a flex. It’s also dangerous. If you use a Sandevistan, you can close the gap in seconds. Pop the Sandy, weave between the crates, and get in his face with some Gorilla Arms or a Katana (switched to non-lethal if you're a pacifist). Be careful, though. Diego hits like a truck, and his shotgun has significant knockback. If he blasts you off the pier and into the water, the mission doesn't "fail," but your dignity definitely takes a hit.
Why Everyone Misses the Shards
Regina doesn't just want the body; she wants the info. After you knock Diego out (or kill him, though Regina will scold you like a disappointed mother), you have to search the area.
- Check the body of the thug near the van.
- Check Diego’s body.
- Check the crate at the very end of the pier.
The most important piece of evidence is the shard "The Goodbye." It’s a message to his daughter. It’s gut-wrenching. It changes the mission from a "go here and kill a guy" quest into a tragic look at how poverty and corporate neglect drive people to the brink in Night City.
Common Bugs and Frustrations
Cyberpunk 2077 has come a long way since the 2020 launch, but Smoke on the Water can still be buggy. Sometimes Diego spawns under the pier. Sometimes the "Search the area" objective won't trigger even after you've read every shard in a three-block radius.
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If this happens, the old "Save and Reload" trick is your best friend.
Also, keep an eye on the water. If Diego falls in during the fight, he might die instantly, which counts as a lethal takedown. If you're going for the achievement where you keep all cyberpsychos alive, this will ruin your run. Always try to pull him toward the center of the pier away from the edges.
The Gear You Get
Is the loot worth it? Sorta. You’ll usually find some decent Tier 4 or Tier 5 crafting components on him, and his shotgun is often a high-rarity drop. But the real reward is the Eurodollars from Regina and the massive chunk of Street Cred. In the early game, this is one of the best ways to level up quickly if you can handle the difficulty spike of the Pacifica region.
Moving Forward: Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough
To handle this mission effectively, you need a plan that doesn't involve running headfirst into a shotgun.
- Scan from the Shore: Before setting foot on the pier, use your scanner to mark Diego. This prevents him from getting the jump on you with a stealthy reposition.
- Prioritize Non-Lethal: If you want the maximum payout from Regina, equip the "Target Analysis" mod on your Kiroshi optics. It makes all your weapons non-lethal.
- Check the Loot Twice: Don't just grab the shard and run. There's often a hidden stash under the pier or behind the crates that contains mid-tier clothes or quickhack components.
- Read the Context: Open your journal after the fight. Reading the messages between the thugs and the Voodoo Boys explains why Pacifica is such a mess and provides context for later missions like "M'ap Tann Pèlen."
The tragedy of Diego Ramirez is just one of many in Night City, but the Smoke on the Water mission stands out because of its isolation. It’s just you, a broken man, and the sound of the waves. It’s a reminder that in this world, even a "boss fight" is usually just a symptom of a much larger, systemic failure.
Once you've dealt with Diego, make sure to send that text to Regina immediately. Standing around in Pacifica for too long is a great way to get jumped by a gang of Scavengers looking for spare parts. Move fast, get paid, and keep your head down.