Starting out in Grand Theft Auto V and thinking Story Mode is just a few missions followed by casual cruising around Los Santos?
Not quite. GTA 5 gives you three protagonists, major heists, a stock market, properties, dozens of side activities, character-specific abilities and one of Rockstar’s biggest open worlds. Knowing what matters early can save you money, failed missions and a surprising amount of driving across San Andreas.
Table of Contents
First Steps in Los Santos
GTA 5 Story Mode follows Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton and Trevor Philips. You do not unlock the full trio immediately, so keep progressing through the early story before worrying about exploring every icon on the map.
Once available, character switching becomes one of the most useful systems in the game. On PlayStation and Xbox, hold D-Pad Down and select a character with the right stick. On PC, hold Left Alt and select with the mouse. There are also PC shortcuts for individual protagonists.
For the complete controls, see our GTA 5 character switching guide. You can also learn more about their personalities and roles in our Michael, Franklin and Trevor guide.
Michael, Franklin and Trevor in GTA 5. Image credit: Rockstar Games.
Special Abilities: When to Use Them
Each protagonist has a unique special ability. Do not treat it like an emergency-only ultimate. Using these abilities at the right time can make driving, gunfights and difficult mission sections significantly easier.
The default activation is L3 + R3 on PlayStation, both analog sticks on Xbox and Caps Lock on PC. Your Special stat develops through gameplay actions associated with each protagonist’s specialty, so simply playing to their strengths helps over time.
Money Making – Heists, Stock Market and Properties
One of the biggest beginner mistakes in GTA 5 is spending freely before the campaign starts paying serious money. Early cash is better saved for weapons, armor and mission-related purchases than burned on a garage full of cars.
Heists
Story Mode heists are your major paydays, but crew selection matters. Cheap crew members take a smaller cut, although weaker specialists can make mistakes that cost you money. More expensive crew members are generally safer, but their larger percentage reduces the final share.
The important exception is The Merryweather Heist, which is story-critical but does not provide a normal heist payday. If you want to compare every major robbery, see our GTA 5 and GTA Online heist guide.
Lester’s Assassinations and the Stock Market
This is where GTA 5 can turn three reasonably wealthy criminals into absurdly wealthy criminals.
One Lester assassination is required as part of normal story progression. Most of the later assassination jobs can be delayed. If maximum money is your goal, a useful strategy is to finish the main story before completing most of the optional assassinations. That gives all three protagonists a much larger amount of cash to invest.
Stock timing differs between missions, so use our dedicated GTA 5 Lester assassination and stock market guide rather than guessing when to buy and sell.
Properties
Properties unlock after you progress far enough into the campaign. Some generate weekly income, some provide storage and others unlock additional activities.
Do not assume every expensive property is a quick investment. Some take a long time to pay back their purchase price. Buy early properties for useful income or content, and save the luxury purchases for when your heist and stock market money starts rolling in.
Our GTA 5 property guide compares ownership, income and storage options.
Weapons and Gear – Buy What You Actually Use
You do not need to clear out Ammu-Nation every time a new gun becomes available. A practical early loadout is more useful than an expensive collection.
- A reliable pistol for ordinary fights.
- A shotgun for close-range encounters.
- An assault rifle or SMG for sustained combat.
- A sniper rifle once long-distance missions become more common.
- Body armor before difficult missions and heists.
Use cover. GTA 5 gives you enough ammunition to play aggressively, but standing in the open is still a good way to reload a checkpoint. Keep your armor stocked and remember that dropped weapons and ammunition can reduce how often you need to visit Ammu-Nation.
Vehicles – Speed Is Not Everything
Franklin’s special ability can make almost any decent car far more capable in a chase, so you do not need to buy a supercar immediately.
Each protagonist has a personal vehicle that regularly returns as the story progresses. If you find or buy other cars you want to keep, store them in a garage. Story Mode vehicle ownership is less forgiving than GTA Online, so do not treat every expensive car as permanently protected.
For beginners, prioritize control, braking and durability over raw top speed. A car you can actually keep on the road is usually more useful during missions than something that reaches a huge speed five seconds before meeting a lamppost.
Exploration and Side Missions
Story missions are only part of GTA 5. Strangers & Freaks missions, random events, hobbies, races and collectibles reward players who leave the main route.
Random events are particularly worth checking because some introduce characters, money-making opportunities or useful rewards. Exploring also leads to spaceship parts, letter scraps, stunt jumps, Knife Flights, Under the Bridge challenges and other content tied to deeper completion goals.
You do not need to clear every icon before continuing the story. A better beginner rhythm is to complete several main missions, explore whatever opens around you, then switch characters when you want a change of pace.
Cheats, Saves and Checkpoints
GTA 5 has a huge collection of Story Mode cheats covering weapons, vehicles, wanted levels, invincibility, weather and more.
They are fun, but cheats can temporarily interfere with achievements and trophies. Make a manual save before using them, especially if you care about completion progress.
Our complete GTA 5 cheat code guide covers PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.
Before the Final Choice
GTA 5 eventually gives Franklin a choice between three endings. If you want to stay completely spoiler-free, stop reading this paragraph now.
Option C, Deathwish, is the route to choose if your priority is keeping Michael, Franklin and Trevor available after the story. The other two options permanently change which protagonists remain playable.
Either way, make a manual save before the final decision. GTA encourages chaos, but there is no reason your save file needs to participate.
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Finished Los Santos and already looking toward Vice City? Grand Theft Auto VI is currently scheduled for November 19, 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. You can also check our complete GTA VI guide.
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GTA 5 Beginner FAQ
Which GTA 5 character should I use most?
There is no single best protagonist. Franklin is excellent for driving, Michael is strongest when precision shooting matters, and Trevor is extremely useful in heavy combat. Story progression also regularly requires specific characters.
What should I spend money on first in GTA 5 Story Mode?
Prioritize useful weapons, ammunition and armor. Avoid spending everything on expensive cars or properties early because major heists and late-game investments give you much more financial freedom.
Should I do Lester’s assassination missions immediately?
The first Hotel Assassination is required for story progression. If maximum stock market profit matters to you, consider saving most later assassination missions until after the main story when your characters have more money to invest.
Can you make money with properties in GTA 5 Story Mode?
Yes. Several properties generate regular income or unlock additional missions and activities. However, some expensive properties take a long time to recover their purchase price.
Does GTA V Enhanced change Story Mode?
The core campaign, protagonists and mission structure remain the same. Enhanced mainly changes the technical presentation with newer graphics and performance features.
Which GTA 5 ending keeps everyone alive?
Option C, Deathwish, keeps Michael, Franklin and Trevor available after the final story sequence.
Los Santos Rewards a Little Patience
GTA 5 gives you enough freedom to spend the first ten hours stealing sports cars and annoying the LSPD, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. But if you want a smoother first playthrough, build your arsenal gradually, save before important decisions, use each protagonist’s specialty and keep your biggest stock market opportunities for when you actually have serious money to invest.
Then go back to stealing sports cars. Some traditions deserve respect.