Diablo II: Lord of Destruction/Siege on Harrogath

Siege On Harrogath

• Objective: Kill Shenk the Overseer
• Objective Location: Bloody Foothills
• Quest Giver: Larzuk
• Reward: Socket an item.

Getting the Quest

Activate the first quest in Act V by speaking with Larzuk in Harrogath. Completing this first quest not only offers a decent reward (Larzuk sockets one of your items) but also provides the gateway to the act's larger, and much tougher, quests.

"If you're here to defeat Baal...you must prove it! As we speak, Harrogath is under siege by Baal's demons. Catapults rain death just outside the town walls. Baal himself travels up the sacred mountain, having left in charge here one of his most vicious generals, Shenk the General. A ruthless taskmaster, he lashes his own minions into suicidal frenzies on the battlefield. If you wish to prove yourself to us, destroy the monster, Shenk, that commands those infernal catapults outside Harrogath. If you manage to do this, return to me."

Location

You'll find General Shenk the Overseer in the Bloody Foothills. Simply exit Harrogath through the main gate; the Bloody Foothills is the first area adjacent to Harrogath. Cross the bridges and walkways and discover General Shenk the Overseer far from Harrogath surrounded by many monsters and catapults. You'll probably find General Shenk the Overseer not far from the next land, the Frigid Highlands. There is no waypoint in the Bloody Foothills. Use town portal scrolls to return to Harrogath should you need to replenish health or mana potions, sell recovered equipment, or repair damaged weapons and armor.

Recommended Level

Most players end Act IV of Diablo II around level 26 to 28 on normal, depending on the number of side quests taken and the quantity of replay of the larger areas and dungeons. You can't reach Act V unless you possess a character that has already beaten the four acts in Diablo II. Thus you should be whatever level you were when Diablo was slain. Expect to be around level 26 to 28 as you enter the Bloody Foothills and take on General Shenk the Overseer.

Quest Logs

Log Entry #1

Stop the siege by killing Shenk the Overseer in the Bloody Foothills.

Activate the quest by speaking with Larzuk at Harrogath's main gate into the Bloody Foothills. Stock up with health potions and a town portal scroll or two--you're about to face some of the new, and quite deadly, Act V monsters! According to the objective, you will locate Shenk the Overseer within the Bloody Foothills. Time to search for Baal's nefarious general.

The Bloody Foothills are overflowing with enslaved and death maulers. But you must deal with troublesome catapults as well. When you spot a burst of poison, cold, or lightning fall from the sky, there's a catapult nearby. When the poison, cold, or lightning bursts are dropping down, avoid standing toe-to-toe with enslaved or death maulers or you may fall victim to the catapult's blast. Seek out the catapult quickly and destroy it with the aid of skills or spells. Avoid walking through the poison bursts; couple the drain of poison with the power of Act V monsters, and you could find yourself low on health in a matter of seconds.

As you move through the Bloody Foothills, you will spot Harrogath barbarians attempting to hold off Baal's hordes. Assist these barbarians in their battle. While they won't officially join your party, they will help by defeating nearby monsters and taking some of the monsters' damage meant for you. Follow the barbarian and continue to pummel the monsters in your path. Expect the barbarian to eventually fall to the tough monsters. Be wary of overwhelming yourself by simply following the barbarian, who may trigger more monsters than you're able to fight. Be prepared to make a hasty retreat, either toward Harrogath away from the hordes or with a town portal scroll for a quick exit back to town.

Log Entry #2

Kill Shenk the Overseer.

Certainly by now you have mastered the art of demon killing--even against an extra-strong brute like General Shenk the Overseer! The toughest part of the battle isn't necessarily Shenk himself but the enslaved and death maulers surrounding him. There are also likely catapults nearby that make a standing fight even more difficult.

Use area-effect spells if you possess them to clear out some, most, or all of the enslaved and death maulers protecting General Shenk the Overseer. If you are playing with more party members, have a barbarian or druid pound any nearby catapults to protect the party as you near Shenk. Avoid approaching Shenk if he's still surrounded by many minions. Since the Bloody Foothills don't offer much maneuvering room to begin with (many narrow bridges, many trenches), it's possible to become trapped by a group of monsters. Instead, use the bridges and trenches as choke points against the monsters protecting General Shenk the Overseer. And, by the way, Shenk the Overseer is extra strong.

Log Entry #3

Return to Larzuk for your reward.

Killing General Shenk the Overseer triggers a new entry in your quest log. It's time to return to Larzuk, who offered the quest in the first place, to notify him of Shenk's death and your apparent worthiness to combat Baal and his dark forces. Before you town-portal back to Harrogath, continue beyond Shenk the Overseer's corpse and locate the entrance into the Frigid Highlands.

The Bloody Foothills don't contain a convenient waypoint marker, but the adjacent land--the Frigid Highlands--does contain a waypoint. You will find the entrance to the Frigid Highlands not far from where you killed General Shenk the Overseer. Enter the Frigid Highlands and seek out the waypoint. Use the waypoint to return to Harrogath. That way, when you activate the next quest (which will take you into the Frigid Highlands), you won't have to traverse the long, windy (and potentially dangerous, if the monsters and catapults have been reset) Bloody Foothills, and you can simply use the waypoint.

Reward

When you return to Larzuk with news of your accomplishment, he offers his thanks and agreement that you may be the one to combat Baal. For a reward, Larzuk offers to add sockets to one of your items. Choose wisely and consider your current inventory of runes, gems, and jewels. You don't have to complete his reward on the spot. If you would rather wait until you have gained more or new runes, gems, or jewels, cancel the socket procedure and return to Larzuk later in Act V when you are prepared. Just talk to Larzuk and select "Add Sockets" when you are ready to complete the reward.

Rescue on Mount Arreat

• Objective: Free the captured barbarians.
• Location: Frigid Highlands
• Quest Giver: Qual-Kehk
• Reward: Ability to hire Barbarians as mercenaries; runes Ral, Ort and Tal.

Activate the second quest by entering the Frigid Highlands (the area beyond the Bloody Foothills) or by speaking with Qual-Kehk upon completion of the Siege on Harrogath quest. You'll find Qual-Kehk near the center of Harrogath. Speak with him to learn about the 15 missing barbarians.

Objective, from Qual-Kehk

"My concerns have turned to my men taken prisoner on the battlefield by Baal's demons. I hate to think what's happened to them. As you journey up the mountain, keep your eyes out for my soldiers and bring them back to me if you can. Those of my men fortunate enough to escape on their own told me that they were held captive in the highlands and plateaus."

Location

You'll find Qual-Kehk's missing men in the Frigid Highlands. There's a waypoint there, and you may have activated the waypoint upon completion of the Siege on Harrogath quest (if you continued beyond the Bloody Foothills and into the Frigid Highlands to seek out the waypoint). Use the waypoint in Harrogath to bypass the Bloody Foothills and travel straight to the Frigid Highlands. Otherwise you will have to traverse the complex Bloody Foothills and its narrow bridges and winding trenches. If you're seeking more combat or experience, take the path through the Bloody Foothills to toughen you up for the combat that awaits you in the Frigid Highlands.

Recommended Level to Complete Act V, Quest II: You'll likely begin the second quest not long after you complete the first quest in Act V. Your level probably won't be much higher than when you completed Act IV or the first quest in the fifth act. If you feel the need to be stronger, explore the side dungeon Abaddon within the Frigid Highlands to gain experience, or battle through the Bloody Foothills a number of times before making your way into the Frigid Highlands.

Log Entries

Log Entry #1

Find the soldiers in the Frigid Highlands.

The Frigid Highlands is a fairly large map area that bridges the gap between the Bloody Foothills (adjacent to the town of Harrogath) and the Arreat Plateau. You'll find a waypoint in the Frigid Highlands. Trigger the waypoint after completing the Siege on Harrogath quest (which entails killing Shenk the Overseer along the outskirts of the Bloody Foothills near the Frigid Highlands) so you can travel back and forth between the Frigid Highlands before and after this quest.

Qual-Kehk's soldiers are being held in three separate jail pens in the Frigid Highlands. Each pen holds five soldiers. To complete the quest, the soldiers must escape the pen and return to Harrogath via the opened town portal. Locate the pens off the edge of the map toward the center of the Frigid Highlands. You'll be able to spot the distinct square-shaped thick white fence of the pens on the overhead map. The pens are heavily protected by several walls and are typically near towers and catapults.

Log Entry #2

Rescue 10 more soldiers in the Frigid Highlands.

Once you have assisted a single pen of soldiers in their escape, your quest log updates with a new entry. The Frigid Highlands offer a new variety of dangers. You'll find catapults, as you did in the Bloody Foothills, though not the same quantity. As you did in the Bloody Foothills, avoid standing still in toe-to-toe battles while the catapult's burst of poison, cold, or lightning smashes on top of you. Most of the catapults are positioned near the mini-forts and soldier pens within the Frigid Highlands.

New creatures include demon imps (teleporting fireball-hurling demons) and crush beasts (large creatures that the demon imps can actually ride on to produce an additional attack). It's wise to equip any fire-resistance items you may have or use a paladin in your party to use fire-resistance auras for the betterment of the group. Be careful when you approach the towers positioned along the mini-fort walls. Demon imps can climb to the tops of the towers and launch fire attacks. Take out the towers when no demon imps are on them for the safest alternative. The demon imps can also mount the crush beasts and launch a flamethrower-like attack. Use ranged spells or attacks to take out the crush beasts ridden by demon imps; attempt to avoid a close-range fight.

Log Entry #3

Rescue five more soldiers in the Frigid Highlands.

After locating two of the three pens and rescuing ten barbarian soldiers, a new entry appears in your quest logbook. You have just one more pen to find. Search any remaining unexplored ground in the Frigid Highlands and keep your eye open for the distinct white fence marking the remaining pen. As you should with each pen, clear out all the defenders before opening the door and freeing the barbarians. Nearby monsters will target the soldiers, and you could fail the quest if too many of the soldiers die before returning through the portal.

Entry #4

Return to Qual-Kehk for your reward.

Successfully rescuing the 15 barbarian soldiers triggers a new entry in your quest logbook. Return to Harrogath using a town portal scroll or via the Frigid Highlands waypoint. You may also want to consider exploring the Arreat Plateau to locate the waypoint there. That way you can receive your reward from Qual-Kehk and use the waypoint to travel quickly to the Arreat Plateau after opening up the third quest in Act V.

Completed from Qual-Kehk

"Thank you for rescuing my men. They have spoken well of your bravery in battle. Perhaps there is hope for us after all. If you wish, you may hire some of my mercenaries that you saved. And please...take this set of runes. I had been saving them for a socketed shield, but I think you'll make better use of them. Be sure to set them in the right order for their fullest effect."

Reward

Return to Qual-Kehk to receive your reward for rescuing the barbarian soldiers. Qual-Kehk offers a double set of rewards. First, from the completion of the quest and onward, you can hire hirelings from Qual-Kehk to assist you. Hirelings in the Diablo II Expansion are a bit more useful than the hirelings in Diablo II. You can equip them with specific weapons and armor and even use healing potions on their portraits to restore their hit points.

Qual-Kehk offers a second reward as well: a set of runes that can be used to socket different items, though you only receive the runeword benefits within a socketed shield. Qual-Kehk hands you three runes: Tal, Ral, and Ort.

• Tal: In a weapon, +19 poison damage; in armor/helm/shield, +35 percent poison resistance
• Ral: In a weapon, +5-30 fire damage; in armor/helm/shield, +35 percent fire resistance
• Ort: In a weapon, +1-50 lightning damage; in armor/helm/shield, +35 percent lightning resistance

Qual-Kehk mentions that putting the runes in a specific order offers greater benefits. Place the runes in the order Ral, Ort, Tal into a shield to create the Ancient's Pledge. The shield offers +43 to all resistances, +50 percent enhanced defense, and 10 percent damage taken goes to mana. You won't receive the same degree of benefits unless you create the designated runeword in a socketed shield.

Prison of Ice

• Quest Giver: Malah.
• Objective: Save Anya.

Activate the third quest in Act V by speaking with Malah, just Northwest of where you come through the portal from the Pandemonium Fortress. She asks for your assistance in finding Anya. Malah, as well as the other residents in Harrogath believe that Nihlathak (the NPC responsible for gambling when you arrived) may be involved. In fact, thorough exploration of Harrogath reveals Nihlathak has apparently disappeared without a trace.

"There is a matter which I hesitate to share, but I believe you are the only one who can help me now. Anya, the young alchemist and daughter to one of our slain elders, has been missing for some time. She is a strong, crafty woman with a spirit like no other. One night, just before your arrival, I overheard her and Nihlathak arguing about her father's death. The next morning she was gone. Nihlathak has his own talk as to where she went and why. Don't believe him! I fear he is at the root of her disappearance. Please, if you can, search for Anya and bring her back to us. She'll know what to do about Nihlathak. If it were anyone else, I would assume her dead. However, Anya is not so easily beaten. I know she must be alive."

Location

You'll find Anya's prison of ice fairly far from Harrogath. Use the waypoint in town to immediately transport to the Arreat Plateau (if you triggered the waypoint after rescuing the barbarian soldiers from the Frigid Highlands). From the Arreat Plateau, seek the entrance to the Crystalline Passage along the outer wall. Explore the edge of the Arreat Plateau to discover the cavern passage. You're nearly there once you reach the Crystalline Passage. Although you'll find two new entrances down in the Crystalline Passage, you're seeking out the Frozen River. Descend into the Frozen River and search for Anya. You'll know you're close when you encounter Frozenstein, a powerful unique abominable.

Recommended Level to Complete Act V, Quest III: Both the Crystalline Passage and, especially, the Frozen River offer the toughest fights yet in the fifth act. You may wish to explore the two possible side dungeons encountered so far to gain experience. Descend into Abaddon from the Frigid Highlands or into the Pit of Acheron within the Arreat Plateau. You should ideally have gained a couple of levels when you defeated Diablo. Experience jumps as you battle the Act V monsters, and you will find yourself gaining levels more quickly than you did in Act IV.

Log Entry #1

"Look for Anya under the Crystalline Passage by the Frozen River."

Exit Harrogath and use the waypoint system to proceed directly to the Frigid Highlands or the Arreat Plateau (if you triggered the waypoint before returning back to Harrogath from the second quest). Alternatively, you can exit Harrogath and proceed through the Bloody Highlands and move to the Frigid Highlands and then to the Arreat Plateau.

Once you're in the Arreat Plateau, fight your way through the new land and search the edge of the Arreat Plateau to find the cavern entrance into the Crystalline Passage. The Crystalline Passage has two exits: the Glacial Trail and the Frozen River. You're searching for the opening into the Frozen River. Before heading down into the Frozen River, be sure to locate and trigger the Crystalline Passage waypoint.

Expect to encounter some new monsters in the Arreat Plateau and especially within the Crystalline Passage and the Frozen River. The Arreat Plateau contains a new suicide creature (it goes by several different names). The suicide creature maneuvers its way toward you, your party, or your hirelings and summonings, and instead of attacking, it just explodes! The explosion can inflict significant damage and can catch you unprepared if you're currently in the middle of a difficult battle. If you spot one approaching, back away quickly, and you will likely move out of the explosion's range and not take any damage.

Log Entry #2

"Rescue Anya."

Once you reach the Frozen River and get close to Anya's position, a new entry appears in your quest logbook. The Frozen River contains several new beasts, including the abominable, frozen creepers, and the succubus. Cold resistance pays off in the Frozen River; tough monsters to fight plus your slow speed as a result of cold damage could prove extremely difficult for you or your party.

You'll find Anya imprisoned in a block of ice and surrounded by several abominable minions faithful to the powerful Frozenstein, a unique abominable with cold resistance and mana burn. If you rely on cold damage, it will take something more to eliminate Frozenstein quickly. Attempt to tackle his large group of minions a few at a time by luring the abominable away from the main group near Anya.

Once you have defeated Frozenstein and the monsters surrounding Anya's prison of ice, approach her and speak with her. There's nothing you can do to free Anya just yet. Listen to what she has to say and receive a new entry in your quest logbook.

From Anya: "Hero. Nihlathak did this to me! If you've come to help me, my only hope lies with Malah. Please...tell her you've found me."

Log Entry #3

"Talk to Malah."

After you have spoken with Anya, she instructs you to return to Harrogath and talk with Malah. There's nothing you can do about Anya's ice prison, but Malah may have a solution. Open a town portal scroll (though you could take the long way or use the waypoint at the Crystalline Passage to return to Harrogath) and proceed through back to Harrogath.

Locate Malah and speak with her. Malah's quite pleased with your success thus far and offers a special potion to thaw Anya (a standard thawing potion won't do). Pick up Malah's potion, and, as instructed, keep it to thaw Anya. Return through the town portal to the Frozen River, or take the long way if you would rather do so by using the waypoint system to the Crystalline River or by making the trek on foot through the various maps.

Log Entry #4

"Use the potion Malah gave you to thaw Anya."

After returning through the portal, using the waypoints, or making the trip on foot, approach Anya and her prison of ice with Malah's special potion in your inventory. Speak with Anya to automatically use Malah's potion. The ice holding Anya captive thaws and Anya escapes. She enters a town portal automatically and without a word. Don't worry. She'll offer plenty of thanks soon enough!

Log Entry #5

"Talk to Malah for your reward."

Anya's return through the town portal triggers a new entry in your quest logbook. You're instructed to return to Harrogath and speak with Malah for your reward. Open a town portal or use the waypoint (or go the long way on foot) to return to Harrogath.

Find Malah and speak with her about Anya and the mission you have just completed. Malah offers the first part of your reward for completing quest three. Malah has constructed a special scroll that permanently adds +10 percent to your character's resistances. You can receive this scroll three times (one for each level of difficulty) for a total of +30 percent. Any other resistances you possess are added on top of your new baseline of 10 percent. Once you speak with Malah, you receive a new entry in your quest logbook. Time to speak with Anya and receive the second part of your reward.

Log Entry #6

"Talk to Anya."

Anya shows her gratitude with an item reward as well as the trigger to the next quest in Act V. Speak with Anya and you receive a rare class-specific item. After you have completed the quest and Anya is safe back in Harrogath, she takes on Nihlathak's former role--you can now gamble for items with Anya. You can also purchase some armor and weapons from her. Speaking with Anya after receiving your reward for quest three automatically triggers the next quest. Time to hunt down the nefarious Nihlathak!

Betrayal of Harrogath

• Objective: Slay the traitor Nihlathak.

To activate the fourth quest in Act V, you must first complete the third quest in Act V, Prison of Ice. Rescue Anya from her prison of ice down in the Frozen River below the Crystalline Passage. Once you rescue Anya, speak with her for your reward for quest three, and she automatically triggers the beginning of quest four with a speech.

Objective Text From Anya

"Nihlathak told me he struck a deal with Baal to protect Harrogath. In exchange for the demon's mercy, the misguided fool plans to give Baal the Relic of the Ancients, our most holy totem! Doing so will allow Baal to enter Mount Arreat unchallenged by the Ancients. I tried to stop Nihlathak, but he imprisoned me in that icy tomb. Nihlathak must be stopped before he dooms the whole world. As much as I would love to strangle the life out of him, I'm afraid I haven't the strength. You must go to his lair through this portal I've opened, kill him, and then bring back the Relic of the Ancients. Stop Nihlathak from destroying what we have striven eons to protect."

Location

You'll find Nihlathak deep inside the Halls of Vaught. Anya opens up the portal into Nihlathak's Temple. You must follow this portal to reach Nihlathak hiding out in the Halls of Vaught. Once inside Nihlathak's Temple, locate the entrance downstairs into the Halls of Anguish. Search the Halls of Anguish for the entrance downstairs into the Halls of Pain. Once in the Halls of Pain, seek out the waypoint marker before searching for the entrance downstairs into the Halls of Vaught. There's no waypoint in the Halls of Vaught, and if you're killed during the battle with Nihlathak and fail to erect a town portal, you could face a lot of walking to return to your corpse and Nihlathak!

Recommended Level to Complete Act V, Quest IV: Nihlathak's a tough necromancer, as are the minions scattered throughout the Halls of Anguish, Pain, and Vaught. You will certainly be over level 30 by this point, especially if you ventured into the side dungeons for further experience or took your time in the first four acts. Time to put those level-30 skills to use in this battle against the Betrayer of Harrogath!

Log Entry #1

Take Anya's portal to Nihlathak's temple.

After speaking with Anya and triggering the Betrayal of Harrogath quest, Anya opens a portal to Nihlathak's Temple. You must use this portal to reach Nihlathak. You won't find him by exploring the maps around Harrogath. Enter Nihlathak's Temple and battle the fire-enchanted unique monster, Pindleskin, almost immediately.

Log Entry #2

Find Nihlathak in the Halls of Vaught.

Once in Nihlathak's Temple, a new entry appears in your quest logbook with Nihlathak's location. He's in the Halls of Vaught. Inside Nihlathak's Temple, you must locate the staircase down into the Halls of Anguish. Comb the Halls of Anguish in search of the staircase leading down into the Halls of Pain. Though you should search for the staircase leading down into the Halls of Vaught once you reach the Halls of Pain, don't neglect to seek out the important waypoint marker.

In the Halls of Pain you'll find an important waypoint marker. There's no waypoint in the Halls of Vaught. If you happen to be killed during the battle with Nihlathak or his minions and fail to cast town portal, you could have quite a trek ahead of you if you failed to find the Halls of Pain waypoint. Even if you do use the waypoint, it could still be quite a walk!

Keep that in mind as you approach Nihlathak, and cast a town portal away from the minions so you can return to the Halls of Vaught with ease. There are a lot of undead in the Halls of Anguish and Pain, including prowling dead. You'll also face the lumbering putrid defiler and death maulers.

Log Entry #3

Kill Nihlathak.

As you near Nihlathak in the Halls of Vaught, a new entry appears in your quest logbook. Immediately cast a town portal away from Nihlathak and his plentiful monster entourage. The town portal helps protect you in case you perish during the fight, or it can be used as a means of quick escape if the battle becomes especially difficult.

Should you die during the battle, use the town portal to return to the Halls of Vaught and recover your corpse and equipment. Otherwise, you'll have to enter the portal to Nihlathak's Temple near Anya or use the waypoint to venture into the Halls of Pain and retrace your steps back into the Halls of Vaught.

Nihlathak is a necromancer and loves to use corpse explosion. A large force of fairly weak ice spawn monsters (easy to kill but not so weak when their corpses are exploding!) surrounds Nihlathak, giving the necromancer a ton of ammunition to use against you. Be careful when fighting the weak monsters around Nihlathak. He'll explode the corpses, which inflicts serious damage on your character, party, hirelings, or summonings. Use ranged skills to stay away from the fallen monsters (Nihlathak's corpse-explosion range is large).

With the monsters out of the way, defeat the necromancer Nihlathak to receive a new entry in your quest logbook.

Log Entry #4

Talk to Anya before you continue through the Crystalline Passage, past the Glacial Trail, to proceed up Mount Arreat to the summit.

After defeating Nihlathak, open a town portal or retrace your steps back to the waypoint in the Halls of Pain. Once in Harrogath, seek out Anya. She congratulates your victory over Nihlathak but notes that he didn't possess the relic.

Act V, Quest IV Completed from Anya: "You have stopped Nihlathak, but he didn't have the relic! He must have already given it to Baal. Now, Baal will not be tested when he reaches Arreat's Summit. Damn, Nihlathak. I do thank you for trying, though. Please, allow me to honor your courage by magically inscribing your name to an item of your choosing. It's the least I can do."

Log Entry #5

Anya will personalize an item for you.

As a reward for your courage, Anya offers to magically personalize an item for you. Speak with her after completing the quest and note the new selection "Personalize." Select the new dialogue and give her the item you wish to personalize. Your character's name will be added to the item.

Reward

Anya will magically personalize an item for you upon completion of the Betrayalof Harrogath quest. You can personalize an item on all three difficulty levels.

Rite of Passage

• Objective: Defeat the Ancients.

To activate the fifth quest in Act V, speak with Qual-Kehk after returning from the Halls of Vaught and killing Nihlathak. You can speak with Anya to receive your reward for finishing off Nihlathak (she will personalize an item for you), then locate Qual-Kehk in Harrogath and speak with him to trigger the next quest. You can also trigger the quest by exploring the Ancient's Way and returning to Qual-Kehk.

Objective Text From Qual-Kehk

"Every time I hear of you, warrior, your deeds become more legendary. But take heed. You are approaching the very summit of Mount Arreat. I have never dared venture there. It is sacred--our most holy place. The legends say it is guarded by the Ancient Ones, who block the path of all who are unworthy. Your reputation here does not matter...it will be the Ancients who determine your worthiness. Good luck."

Location

You'll encounter the Ancient Ones far from Harrogath. You should use the waypoint marker to transport yourself to the Crystalline Passage or the Glacial Trail if you have already triggered its waypoint. Once in the Glacial Trail, locate the entrance into the difficult Frozen Tundra. Cross the Frozen Tundra to locate the entrance into the Ancient's Way. From there, you must enter the Arreat Summit to spot the Altar of the Heavens. Approach the Altar of the Heavens to speak with the Ancient Ones.

Recommended Level to Complete Act V, Quest V: You should probably be at least level 34 to 36 by the time you reach the Ancient Ones, especially if you are taking time to explore the side dungeons (which include the Infernal Pit in the Frozen Tundra and the Icy Cellar in the Ancient's Way). You will also gain a level upon defeating the Ancient Ones in battle. Read on to hear about the battle and its rewards.

Log Entry #1

Travel through the Ancient's Way to find the Ancients at the Arreat Summit.

The Arreat Summit is quite far from Harrogath. Exit Harrogath and move through the Bloody Foothills and Frigid Highlands into the Crystalline Passage. Alternatively, simply use the waypoint marker and travel instantly to the Crystalline Passage. From there, you must locate the entrance into the Glacial Trail, into the Frozen Tundra, and through the Ancient's Way into the Arreat Summit.

Log Entry #2

Consult with the Ancients by activating the Altar of the Heavens.

You'll notice that the Arreat Summit is a small area. You begin on one side of the Arreat Summit, the Ancients rest in the middle around the Altar of the Heavens, and the far side of the Summit includes the entrance into the Worldstone Keep, Level 1.

The stone statues surrounding the Altar of the Heavens will play an important role within moments. The statues represent powerful barbarians; their names are Talic the Defender, Korlic the Protector, and Madawc the Guardian, and they use barbarians' skills. For instance, Talic the Defender uses whirlwind, while Korlic employs leap attack.

Before you click on the Altar of the Heavens to summon the Ancient Ones, cast a town portal and restock health potions and mana potions and do whatever else you may need to do before a difficult battle. There's a reason you need to town-portal before the battle!

Click on the Altar of the Heavens to hear from the Ancient Ones.

"We are the spirits of the Nephalem, the Ancient Ones. We have been chosen to guard sacred Mount Arreat, wherein the Worldstone rests. Few are worthy to stand in its presence; fewer still can comprehend its true purpose. Before you enter, you must defeat us."

Nihlathak's betrayal of Harrogath included giving a special relic to Baal. This relic permitted Baal to enter the Worldstone Keep without having to deal with the powerful Ancient Ones. You're without the relic, however. Therefore, to follow Baal into the Worldstone Keep, you must battle the Ancient Ones.

Log Entry #3

Defeat all three Ancients without leaving Mount Arreat.

As the new entry in your quest logbook indicates, you must defeat all three of the barbarian Ancients without leaving the Arreat Summit. You can town-portal back to Harrogath if you wish, but upon your return to the Arreat Summit, the barbarians will have returned to their initial state--with full health restored! Although you may need the town portal for a quick escape, realize that you must restock your potions and return to the Arreat Summit for a brand-new battle.

The same occurs if you perish during the fight. Not only will you have to traverse all the way through the waypoints back to the Arreat Summit, but once again you will have to combat and defeat the barbarian Ancients at full strength. As you battle, be ready with your potions, and use any damage-assistance skills you possess. The barbarian Ancients are fast and powerful, especially at nightmare and hell difficulty levels, and they have several special properties and immunities.

These immunities are reset each time you use a town portal scroll or die in battle. Even though resetting the barbarians to full health doesn't sound like the most inviting prospect, it's possible to simply reset the barbarians because of their difficult immunities. You'll find this even more important in nightmare and hell difficulty.

Reward

You receive the quest reward the instant the last barbarian Ancient falls. The reward is an experience reward. You receive approximately 1.4 million experience points for defeating the barbarians on normal difficulty, 20 million on nightmare, and 50 million on hell difficulty. Essentially, the quest offers an instant level-up or multiple levels-up depending on your current level and experience. It's an excellent reward but a task quite difficult to accomplish on higher difficulty levels.

Eve of Destruction

• Objective: Destroy Baal and his minions.

Trigger the sixth and final quest in Act V by defeating the barbarian Ancients on the Arreat Plateau. When you defeat one barbarian, he returns to statue form (now gold). Defeat all of them, and a new entry in your quest logbook appears under the sixth quest. Walk beyond the Ancients and open the passage into the Worldstone Keep, Level 1.

Location

Enter the Worldstone Keep, Level 1 from the Arreat Plateau (you will probably need to town-portal back to Harrogath before you enter the Worldstone Keep). You must traverse three levels of the Worldstone Keep to the Throne of Destruction, where you encounter the expansion's final boss, Baal. There's a waypoint marker at the Worldstone Keep, Level 2. Make sure you activate this waypoint in case you die and need to return to the keep's depths.

Recommended Level to Complete Quest VI

You gained a level upon defeating the barbarian Ancients. You're likely nearing level 40 by this point (approximately 35 to 37). Should you wish to attempt to level up, make sure you have visited Act V's optional dungeons: Abaddon, Pit of Acheron, Infernal Pit, and Icy Cellar. Proceed to the Worldstone Keep and the Throne of Destruction after exploring these areas.

Log Entry #1

Find Baal's Throne Room.

You'll find Baal's Throne Room at the bottom of the Worldstone Keep. Traverse three levels of the Worldstone Keep (beginning at the entrance off of the Arreat Plateau) and enter the Throne of Destruction from the Worldstone Keep, Level 3. Be sure to activate the waypoint in the Worldstone Keep, Level 2 or you could be in for some serious backtracking should you perish without a town portal in the Throne of Destruction.

When you reach the Throne of Destruction map, cross to the far side and locate Baal on his throne. You can't harm Baal just yet! Instead, he summons five sets of minions and unique monsters for you to battle through before you can get a shot at defeating him.

Log Entry #2

Kill Baal's Minions.

Reaching Baal in the Throne of Destruction triggers a new entry in your quest logbook. You must defeat Baal's minions (five groups, each with a unique monster) before you can battle Baal. The minions come in five consecutive waves. Once you defeat one wave, the next appears. Here are the five waves of minions and the unique monster with each (expect additional randomized properties on higher levels).

• Colenzo the Annihilator (demon fire enchanted; immune to fire) with warped shamans
• Achmel the Cursed (undead; immune to poison) with unravelers and death mages
• Bartuc the Bloody (demon lightning enchanted) with council members
• Ventor the Unholy (demon extra fast) with venom lords
• Lister the Tormentor (demon spectral hit) with minions of destruction

All of these minions and unique monsters appear at the foot of Baal's throne. Stay away from this area! If there's a single minion left from a set, lure him far away from Baal's throne before you kill him. It's easy to be surrounded by these powerful monsters if you hang around Baal's throne carelessly. Likewise, cast town portal away from Baal's throne toward the entrance to the Throne of Destruction so you are far away from the minions should you need to return to Harrogath and then reenter the map.

Log Entry #3

Kill Baal.

You've reached Lord of Destruction's final boss battle. Once you eliminate the final unique monster and set of minions, Baal exits his throne and moves into the Worldstone Chamber. Follow Baal through the opened portal. In the Worldstone Chamber, Baal begins on the narrow walkway above the Worldstone. Maneuver around the map and defeat the festering appendages holding you back from Baal himself.

Baal is the toughest beast you've faced thus far. He has several different spell attacks, including a close-range lightning attack, a ring of fire, and an arrowlike cold burst. All of these can be devastating, depending on your resistances. Baal also creates a double, which causes problems for you, since hitting the double does nothing to further your goal of defeating the lord of destruction. Make sure Baal's moniker "Demon" is centered under his name so you can distinguish the real Baal from the fake one.

There's no correct strategy for defeating Baal, but there are some important things to remember. Make sure you have a town portal up at all times so you can return to the Worldstone Chamber after a death or take a trip back to Harrogath to replenish health potions and town portal scrolls. Use some type of ranged attack or summoning to keep away from Baal's attacks or to distract Baal to attack something else besides you.

As an assassin, use your traps if you possess the necessary skills. A druid should use his pets, if you have chosen that specialization. Even a shape-shifting werebear or werewolf with ample hit points (use oak sage) and armor can withstand a close encounter with Baal. Be prepared with ample health potions and town portal scrolls for a quick exit back to Harrogath to regroup for another assault.

If you're playing as a sorceress, use mana shield to get close and cast static field to weaken Baal. Hide behind a pillar or stalagmite to blast Baal where he can't return fire. If you're playing as an amazon, summon a valkyrie to distract Baal's attacks and use guided arrows to damage Baal. As a paladin, position yourself behind a pillar or stalagmite and use blessed hammer attacks. Necromancers can use minions and bone spirits. Barbarians may have to battle toe-to-toe but can use whirlwind to spin quickly past, causing damage but moving away at a distance, or they can use leap attack as a pseudo range attack.

Completed from Tyrael

"I am impressed, mortal. You have overcome the greatest challenge this world has ever faced and defeated the last of the Prime Evils. However we are too late to save the Worldstone. Baal's destructive touch has corrupted it completely. Given enough time, the Worldstone's energies will drain away and the barriers between the worlds will shatter. The powers of hell will flood into this sanctuary and eradicate your people and everything you've labored to build. Therefore, I must destroy the corrupted Worldstone before the powers of hell take root. This act will change your world forever--with consequences even I cannot foresee. However it is the only way to ensure mankind's survival."

Rewards

Baal drops several rare, unique, or magical items (better items on the higher difficulty levels), and you also unlock the concluding cutscene. Your character receives a new title depending on difficulty level and game mode. The new titles are:

• Standard, Normal Difficulty: Slayer
• Standard, Nightmare Difficulty: Champion
• Standard, Hell Difficulty: Patriarch (Matriarch for female characters)
• Hardcore, Normal Difficulty: Destroyer
• Hardcore, Nightmare Difficulty: Conqueror
• Hardcore, Hell Difficulty: Guardian