Mastering The Big Score Heist in GTA 5: Your Essential Crew and Strategy Guide
Executing a successful robbery of the Union Depository Bank is no small feat in GTA 5. This comprehensive guide on The Big Score will walk you through the best crew selections and approaches for a flawless heist. This critical mission strips down the complexity of the gaming world as Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton, and Trevor Philips ally with the brilliant hacker Lester Crest and other members to secure their financial futures.
By effectively orchestrating this heist, all three protagonists have the potential to amass incredible wealth, making strategic planning crucial. Below, we’ll delve into the best crew selections and tactics to maximize your heist gains.
The Big Score Heist: Overview and Planning
After wrapping up the Meltdown mission, you’ll unlock the Planning the Big Score mission. Head to the H marker situated near the Vanilla Unicorn strip club on your map, where any of the three protagonists can kick-start this pivotal mission. The H marker will appear in three distinct colors corresponding to the characters:
- Michael De Santa: Blue
- Franklin Clinton: Green
- Trevor Philips: Orange
Upon arrival, enjoy the cutscene that sets the stage for the heist. Lester Crest will present two distinct approaches to executing the robbery:
- Subtle
- Obvious
For first-time players, we recommend choosing the Obvious approach. Should you wish to attempt the Subtle method later, ensure you’ve created a save file following the Meltdown mission. We’ll focus primarily on the Obvious approach here.
Unpacking the Obvious Approach in The Big Score
This approach plunges players into an exhilarating mission that involves a direct attack on the Union Depository Bank. Franklin Clinton will craft an underground tunnel to access the vault directly, while Michael De Santa leads the charge against law enforcement. Meanwhile, Trevor Philips will maneuver a helicopter to transport the stolen gold to a designated train.
The Obvious approach stands out as the most lucrative method, potentially yielding a staggering $201,600,000. Each character can pocket around $41,000,000, further bolstered by strategic stock market investments as outlined in the GTA 5 Stock Market Guide.
Selecting the Optimal Crew for the Heist
Post-approach confirmation, Lester will request your crew selections, specifically two drivers and two gunmen. Here’s a breakdown of your options:
Available Drivers:
- Eddie Toh: Takes 14%, works well as either driver.
- Taliana Martinez: Takes only 5%, reliable for either role.
- Karim Denz: Takes 8%, but crashes if selected as the first driver, risking loot loss.
Available Gunmen:
- Gustavo Mota: 14%, very capable.
- Packie McReary: 12%, equally effective.
- Chef: 12%, solid choice.
- Karl Abolaji: 8%, best suited as a first gunman.
- Norm Richards: 7%, limited use.
- Hugh Welsh: 7%, not ideal for a second gunman.
- Daryl Johns: 6%, not a great second gunman selection.
For optimal results, assemble the following crew:
- Driver 1: Taliana Martinez (5%)
- Driver 2: Karim Denz (8%)
- Gunman 1: Daryl Johns (6%)
- Gunman 2: Norm Richards (7%)
This selection minimizes crew cuts while maximizing effectiveness. Once confirmed, Lester will assign three setup missions that need to be completed prior to executing The Big Score:
- Driller
- Sidetracked
- Getaway Vehicle
Driller Setup Mission Overview
Commencing in East Los Santos, the Driller mission involves pilfering an HVY Cutter from a semi-truck. Adopting a stealthy tactic at the outset is instrumental in avoiding unwanted attention. Ensure you eliminate nearby guards before commandeering the vehicle for a seamless entry and exit.
Understanding the Sidetracked Setup Mission
During this stage, you’ll need to hijack a train in Blaine County. Located at the Davis Quartz mining site, stealthily neutralize two workers before commandeering the train. After directing it toward the mining site, switch to Trevor and maneuver the HVY Skylift to airlift both the freight train engine and a flatbed car.
Getaway Vehicle Mission Details
Selection of the getaway vehicle permits some customization, but adhere to these guidelines:
- Must be a land vehicle.
- Must seat four passengers.
- Cannot be a protagonist’s personal vehicle.
- Cannot be an emergency or service vehicle.
Ideally, opt for fast SUVs. Here’s a list of ten exemplary choices:
- Dewbauchee Exemplar – 117.50 mph
- Karin Sultan – 116.25 mph
- Übermacht Oracle – 115.50 mph
- Enus Huntley S – 109.00 mph
- Gallivanter Baller II – 108.50 mph
- Obey Rocoto – 107.75 mph
- Vapid Radius – 105.50 mph
- Fathom FQ 2 – 104.00 mph
- Declasse Granger – 102.75 mph
- Benefactor Dubsta 2 – 102.00 mph
Once selected, enhance the vehicle in any Los Santos Customs garage, focusing solely on performance upgrades. Cosmetic enhancements are unnecessary for a vehicle that will only serve its purpose once. After enhancement, inform Lester of the new getaway vehicle, and await the mission marker to appear on your map.
Exploring the Subtle Approach to The Big Score
For those inclined toward a less aggressive method, the Subtle approach allows Michael and Trevor to disguise themselves as Gruppe Sechs agents to stealthily access the bank and retrieve the loot. Meanwhile, Franklin and Lester manage the logistics externally. This method can yield approximately $201,300,000, though the final amount may fluctuate depending on the selected crew and outcomes.
For the Subtle approach, your crew should consist of:
- Gunman 1: Packie McReary (12%)
- Gunman 2: Daryl Johns (6%)
- Driver 1: Taliana Martinez (5%)
- Driver 2: Karim Denz (8%)
- Hacker: Rickie Lukens (4%)
Upon crew confirmation, Lester will assign two setup missions focusing on vehicles and equipment needed for the heist:
- Stingers: Acquire a Declasse Police Transporter equipped with stingers.
- Three Modified Gauntlets: Steal and upgrade three Bravado Gauntlets.
Players should note that these setup missions can be completed in any order by any protagonist. Once completed, the final heist marker will be activated on your map, guiding you toward the thrilling finale of The Big Score.