This question is about a specific Cyberpunk 2077 story choice: whether to tell Dexter DeShawn you have the Relic or lie/“give” or withhold it from him. In terms of long‑term consequences, it barely matters for the main plot, so you can safely role‑play the choice that feels right for your V.

What the choice actually changes

In the early game, you can:

  • Tell Dex you got the Relic and play it straight
  • Lie to Dex or side with Evelyn’s plan to cut him out

Across forum threads and guides, the consensus is that this decision has no meaningful impact on how the heist itself unfolds or the ultimate story direction.

The big beats still happen: the heist goes sideways, you do not end up getting rich, and Dex ultimately betrays you and dies for his own mistakes.

Why it “doesn’t matter” mechanically

Players and guides repeatedly point out:

  • The payout: Whether you stick with Dex’s original cut or chase Evelyn’s better percentage, events guarantee you never actually see that money.
  • Dex’s betrayal: Dex will still sell you out later, regardless of how honest or loyal you were during the Relic discussion.
  • Story rail: Veterans of the game note that this early mission is a fixed story beat—dialogue flavors your path, but does not branch the core outcome in a big way.

So from a pure “optimal build / best ending” standpoint, there is no correct meta answer to “should I give Dex the Relic?” because both roads converge on the same major story events.

How to decide for role‑play

Since the mechanics don’t punish either side, the choice is really about who your V is:

  1. Trusting, street‑loyal V
    • Tells Dex about the Relic, honors the original deal, tries to play the professional merc.
    • Fits a character who values reputation with fixers and believes in old‑school loyalty, even in a city like Night City.
  1. Pragmatic / cynical V
    • Lies to Dex or chooses Evelyn’s offer, chasing the bigger theoretical cut (50% instead of Dex’s 40%).
 * Fits a V who assumes everyone will screw them over anyway, so they move first.
  1. V focused on Evelyn and the victims of Arasaka
    • Might side with Evelyn because they sympathize with her situation and want to stay in her orbit; guides highlight that you get heavily involved with her life later no matter what, but this choice can set your personal tone toward her.

Several forum posters sum it up as: “Every choice you make is the correct one. It’s your narrative.”

Community vibes & “trending” take

Recent forum posts and videos about this exact question (“should you lie to Dex / give him the Relic”) line up on a few points:

  • People new to the game often worry they “ruined” their run by trusting Dex or lying to him.
  • Veterans and guide writers reassure them that you didn’t ; this is one of those early choices that’s more about flavor than deep branching.
  • The more impactful choices arrive much later, especially around the true endings and some major side stories, not this Relic handoff.

So, should you give Dex the Relic?

If you want a simple rule:

  • If you’re min‑maxing outcomes: Do whatever you like; it won’t change the main story trajectory or your long‑term rewards.
  • If you’re role‑playing:
    • Give/tell Dex about the Relic if your V tries to be a professional, loyal merc.
    • Lie/withhold if your V is suspicious, opportunistic, or already thinks Dex is a walking backstab.

Either way, you haven’t locked yourself out of any major endings or “best” paths, so you can lean into the version of V that feels most fun to you.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.