Welcome to this detailed stealth guide for Dirty Ice, one of Payday 3’s more dynamic and timing-sensitive heists. Played on Overkill difficulty, this mission can be soloed with patience, planning, and a little bit of bold improvisation. This walkthrough covers how to neutralize threats, secure loot, and extract cleanly — all while staying undetected.

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Pre-Planning: Start With a Loud Recon Run

Before diving into a serious stealth attempt, it’s recommended to do a quick loud run to find the passcode, which is required to access the back workshop door.

• The code is randomly generated each round but often found on a whiteboard inside the store.
• In this example, the code was 1884.

Once you’ve seen the code, restart the mission and begin your actual stealth approach. This makes intercepting the manager much easier, who is on a tight schedule and often leaves the shop early.

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Step 1: Access the Workshop

• Head to the left side of the building, input the passcode (1884), and open the workshop door.
• Pull the lever to crack open the safe — this triggers a bait mechanic to lure the manager from her normal path.
• Loot the safe and grab the evidence.

Step 2: Locate and Use the Blue Keycard

• The blue keycard opens the camera room. It’s typically found:
  • On the lead guard.
  • On the alleyway guard out back.
• In this case, the alley guard was holding it. Carefully sneak up and pickpocket him.

Optional: While you’re back there, you can also grab a phone or loot nearby cases.

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Step 3: Disable Cameras

• Use the blue keycard to open the camera room.
• Subdue the camera operator and answer the pager.
• Cameras are now disabled, allowing more aggressive movement.

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Step 4: Bait the Manager and Open the Jewelry Workshop

• Move near the back monitor after looting the safe — this allows you to call the manager.
• Before doing so, ensure the hallway is clear. Use motion sensors to track guards and civilians.
• When the manager arrives, grab her as a human shield and force her to open the jewelry workshop.

Pro Tip: The workshop is a safe zone. No guards patrol it, making it the perfect place to stash hostages and bodies.

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Step 5: Clean the Map

Move hostages and bodies into the workshop:

• Clear the office hallway.
• Subdue roaming NPCs that might stumble in.
• Secure the red keycard from the security guard downstairs (often forgotten).
• Optional: Drop motion sensors around the area to monitor guard patrols.

Now that the area is secured, you can begin looting.

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Step 6: Loot the Cleaned Jewelry

Start with the cleaned jewelry in the back rooms:

• These can be picked quickly with Rush perks (e.g., Quick Fingers).
• Deposit them into cleaning stations to prepare them for extraction.

Note: You don’t technically need to clean out the jewelry to complete the heist, but it’s worth doing for cash and experience — and it reduces the number of loot bags needed for a successful extraction.

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Step 7: Secure the Rare Stone

• Use the red keycard to open the vault room.
• Escort the manager to press the button and unlock the vault.
• Retrieve the Rare Stone, the primary loot item in Dirty Ice.

This item usually doesn’t need to be cleaned, though it doesn’t hurt to double-check in future patches or updates.

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Step 8: Eliminate External Threats

• If needed, take out guards outside the back entrance or alley.
• Hostages and guards can be hidden deep in the alleyway where no NPCs patrol.

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Step 9: Loot Remaining Jewelry (Optional)

To clean out the store’s front display jewelry:

• Either:
  • Take control of the lobby by tying up all civilians and guards.
  • Or use a more advanced trick (covered in a separate guide) for easier access.

This step is not required but is essential for 100% completion and challenges.

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Step 10: Extract

• Once your minimum number of bags is reached (including the Rare Stone), make your way to the van.
• You can choose to end the heist or go back for more loot.

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Tips and Notes:

• Motion Sensors are invaluable. Stick one on the lead guard to track him at all times — a surprisingly easy way to remove uncertainty.
• The manager must be intercepted quickly; delaying risks losing her to the scripted path.
• Most backrooms are low-traffic areas, allowing for easier takedowns.
• On Overkill difficulty, the layout doesn’t drastically change, but patrols and alert speed are tighter.

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Final Thoughts

Dirty Ice is one of the more forgiving stealth missions once you understand the manager mechanics and safe room strategy. Clearing and controlling the back areas early allows you to loot and extract with ease. Though the front display cases are a tougher nut to crack, they aren’t required for completion.

Get creative, stay patient, and remember: one quick loud run at the start can save you dozens of failed attempts later.

Good luck, heister. See you on the next run!