The Payday 3 Dirty Ice mission is one of the game's more flexible heists, in which you head into the Ashton Fine jewelry store and ransack the place, accessing various areas that each have different elements worth stealing. Because this is one of the less linear heists, I'll simply go through the different areas, locks and puzzles in the jewel store, and what you need to crack them via stealth or full on aggression. Here's how to crack the Dirty Ice heist in Payday 3, and how to access all the areas inside.
How to beat the Dirty Ice Heist in Payday 3
The Payday 3 Dirty Ice heist has several elements in play to contend with - most of which are optional, but ultimately all lead to a greater payout. Here's the full list of what you can find beyond simply smashing and grabbing in the main display room.
- QR Code locks
- Basement Door
- VIP Showroom and Case Alarms
- Jewelry Workshop
- The Vault
We'll cover each of these elements individually below, but keep in mind that the longer you spend sniffing around, the more likely you are to get caught. We definitely suggest reading this guide before you start, not during, and playing with friends to maximize your ability to cooperate and take down guards and cameras stealthily.
QR Codes
Many of the entrances into the jewelry store require QR codes found on cell phones scattered around the map. Each QR code is single use, meaning you'll have to find a phone for each lock you work to open. Not only that, but the phones are placed randomly each time you start the level. Here's some locations we know can have phones with QR Codes:
- Next to the car in the alley left of the store
- In the employee staff break room
- On the couch in the manager's office
- In the building's bathroom
Basement door
The basement door under the building leads to a safe with evidence on the Manager, the Red Keycard next to it, and the shutdown for the case alarms. You'll need a 4-digit code to get in, which is in a randomized spot in the store. The way to find it is to go to the computer in the manager's office and read her emails, one of which will reveal the location. Then sneak down and enter the code to gain access.
VIP Showroom and Case Alarms
The VIP Showroom can be accessed by one of two doors - a public one in the main store, one in the corridor opposite the manager's office. Either way you'll need a QR code to get inside, but the area is full of jewels - but most of it will require getting through a glass display case, which will set off alarms. However, if you go through the basement door above, there's a big power switch on the right-hand wall you can use to deactivate the alarms and take what you want.
Jewelry Workshop
This room is accessible via the VIP Showroom, and inside you can scrub stolen jewels of their markings. If you don't do this, each bag you steal has a chance of being worth nothing. However, the Jewelry Workshop requires a biometric scan of the manager, which is where things get tricky in stealth. Here's how to do it:
- Head to the basement door and open the safe inside.
- Photograph the evidence using the prompt provided.
- Head to the manager's office and use the phone to call and blackmail her.
- She'll come to the VIP Showroom - grab her with the "human shield" prompt and take her to the scanner. Then head inside and tie her up to avoid breaking stealth.
Vault
The vault is in the main staff corridor, opposite the manager's office door. It requires two triggers to be pushed at the same time - one person using the Red Keycard on the scanner next to the vault, while the other presses the button on the left of the manager's computer in her office. If you're playing solo, you can use the manager while in "human shield" mode and drag her to the office button, where there'll be a prompt to order her to press it. Once done, the vault will be open, revealing a "Rare Stone" you can grab for extra loot.
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