The Big Score
Lester's climactic Union Depository heist with Subtle or Obvious approaches that determine vehicles, setups, and how the crew breaches the vault.
Overview
The Big Score is the final major story heist in GTA V. Lester plans a robbery of the Union Depository vault in downtown Los Santos. The Subtle approach uses modified Gauntlet getaway cars, stolen police stingers, and traffic manipulation to move gold quietly. The Obvious approach employs a tunnel-boring drill delivered by hijacked freight train to breach the vault from below. Gunman, hacker, and driver hires affect combat, hack speed, and escape timing. The finale pays the largest story cash reward and leads directly to the endgame choice.
Walkthrough
Subtle approach finale: 1. Execute the traffic-control plan at the Union Depository. 2. Breach the vault access route with the crew. 3. Load gold onto modified Gauntlet vehicles. 4. Deploy stingers to block pursuing police. 5. Escape along the planned route to the buyer handoff. Obvious approach finale: 1. Position the freight train and tunnel drill beneath the vault. 2. Drill into the Union Depository from underground. 3. Fight security while filling transport vehicles with gold. 4. Exit through the tunnel route as alarms escalate. 5. Reach the final getaway convoy and lose pursuit.
Fail Conditions
The heist fails if all protagonists die, if too much gold is lost during transport, if getaway vehicles are destroyed before the handoff, if the drill or train is disabled on the Obvious path, or if hired crew deaths exceed what the selected gunman can compensate for.
Unlocks
- Subtle path: Gauntlets and tunnel fantasy - Obvious path: trains / heavy hardware fantasy - Finale payout funds endgame choices - Progress toward Something Sensible / The Time’s Come / The Third Way