ACT 2 Solution

Diablo has been let loose on the world, he has made a fresh alliance with Hell, and now he seeks to free his brother, Prime Evil Baal, Lord of Destruction. Two centuries ago the great Horadrim Mage Tal Rasha hunted down Baal and tried to imprison him in the Soulstone the Archangel Tyrael had given him. It failed.

Tal Rasha selflessly bound Baal into his flesh, as the Dark Wanderer had, and then had himself chained into a tomb. If Diablo finds this hidden tomb, which is located deep in the desert sands, his power will have doubled. Stop him if you can, using the town of Lut Gholein as your base of operations. Once you arrive, have a look about town.

Lut Gholein Townsfolk

Atma: Speak with Atma to receive the first quest in Act II, Radament's
Lair. Radament is a Demon occupying the sewers beneath Lut Gholein, who killed Atma's family.
Deckard Cain: Cain follows you From the Rogue Encampment and can be used to identify items.
Drognan: Speak with Drognan if you need healing potions, Town Portal and Identity scrolls as well as magic items, such as wands and staffs.
Elzix: Talk with Elzix to purchase new weapons, armour, or magical weapons and armour. Check with Elzix upon each return to Lut Gholein to examine his current inventory. He'll gamble as well.
Fara: Find Fara upon each return to Lut Gholein as she will instantly heal your wounds and replenish your Mana supply. You can also purchase new weapons, armour, and magical weapons and armour from Fara. Lastly, use her to repair damaged weapons and armour.
Geglash: Geglash offers conversation and information. He's sort of a town bully.
Creiz: Use Greiz to hire mercenaries. He's a hard sell.
Lysander: Should you need healing and attacking potions (such as gas and exploding potions), speak with Lysander. He also offers keys for sale should you discover any locked chests. He has the greatest attitude
of any NPC in the game.
Meshif: Talk with Meshif at the end of Act II to take the transport into Act III. Meshif can also provide additional information and dialogue about current quests.

Quest 1: Radament's Lair

"In the sewers below our city, there lurks a horrid creature that hungers for human flesh. The creature has killed many, including my son and husband. If you destroy it, I will reward you. Please be careful though, that beast has taken enough from us already. The sewer entrance is through the trap door just up the street." There are two entrances, actually, as there is also one at the docks near Meshif.

Once you are in the sewers, it's pretty straightforward. There are three levels. Go down them and find the twisted Undead, Horadrim. Sounds simple? Well, yeah, except the Undead that pack the sewers are tougher than what you are used to. The Horrors here also have a sorcerous element at their command, and other Mage Undead have other powers. Many of them poison you. So, take a club, take some antidote, and get bashing.

The usual rules apply. Have some portals ready and jump out when things get tough. There's a Waypoint on level two if all else fails. Sure, it's tougher than before, but it's nothing you can't handle, right? Most of the dungeons in Act II contain Mummies and Greater Mummies called Hollow One, Unraveller, and the like. The Greater Mummy will raise dead Mummies (for which you won't receive experience in a second kill) like Shamans. To make matters worse, the Greater Mummies are typically hiding behind a large wall of Mummy warriors. Eliminate the Greater Mummies as quickly as possible. These spooky buggers also have a nasty spell. Unholy Bolt, which looks like a star made of shadows multiplying and heading your way. It's sometimes hard to spot but rest assured, if they see you, they'll shoot you.

When you get to Radament, the most important thing to watch out for is his speed. This sucker is fast. Sadly for the magicians among you, he's also strongly spell resistant. Slow him down with cold, or try and wall him in. And once he's dead? First, grab the Book of Skill he dropped. Use the book to receive an additional Skill point to use on your skill tree. Second, look for the chest inside Radament's lair. Inside, you'll find the Horadric scroll, an integral part of Act Two's second quest - plus, picking up the Horadric scroll sets the second quest in motion. Don't leave here without it. Head back to the surface and see Atma, then go and chat with Deckard Cain.

Quest 2: The Horadric Staff

"Ahh., the lost Horadric Scroll! What a fortunate turn of events. As the last living Horadrim, I alone have knowledge of its meaning. Now, to read the Horadric runes it bears ... The Horadric Mages, after binding Baal within Tal Rasha, magically sealed off his Burial Chamber from the mortal realm. Those same Mages also crafted fearsome Horadric Staves and imbued them with the special power to open the Chamber's hidden door. After nearly losing one to the thievery of a rogue sorcerer, they divided all the Horadric Staves into two parts - wooden shaft and metal headpiece - hiding them separately to safeguard them. The Horadrim foresaw our current plight and designed the hiding places to reveal themselves to worthy heroes like you. Collect both parts of a Horadric Staff and unite them using a Horadric Cube. Then, you may enter Tal Rasha's Burial Chamber."

Got all that? This is a long and hellishly difficult quest. You will traipse all around the desert looking for the various parts of the Horadric Staff, which must then be assembled in the Cube. The Cube is used to transmute the parts of the Horadric Staff into the whole thing. You can also use the Horadric Cube to hold inventory items and transmute other items into better items. You must first locate the Horadric Cube, which is inside the Halls of the Dead on level three. To reach the Halls by starting in Lut Gholein, head into the Rocky Waste which is straight out of town, then to the Dry Hills, then locate the staircase into the second section of the Hills.

When you are out in the open desert, there are three major new threats. The first are the Leapers. Individually quite harmless, their sudden leaps can frustrate your ability to properly damage them and they can surround you very quickly indeed. Swarms are another threat. Highly resistant to physical damage, they can take forever to kill. Rely on potions and spells if possible. Lastly, there are the Maggots. Not only do they breed young, not only do they look horrible, but they lay eggs which can explode into several new young before you know it. Take out the mature ones quickly.

Descend to the third level of the Halls to find the Horadric Cube. It's in a standard dungeon, filled with nasty Undead. It's guarded by the terribly unpleasant Bloodwitch the Wild, an extra strong (increasing damage three-fold and Chance to Hit percentage) and cursed Huntress.

Your next goal is the shaft, which lies in the Maggot's Lair found in the far Oasis area of the desert surrounding Lut Gholein, past the Dry Hills. There are many Swarms here. Descend to the third level of the Lair and find the marked chest in the dead-end room protected by a horde of sand maggots. These sand maggots offer a unique challenge. You must eliminate the sand maggots quickly; they lay eggs that sprout sand maggot young. It's easy to get overwhelmed with monsters if you neglect the sand maggots. Also, look out for the sand maggot eggs and destroy them before they sprout young. All this, and the horrid things are poisonous. Bring antidote. Try and use missile attacks to take out the maggots before you engage the young.

A Unique sand maggot, Coldworm the Burrower, protects the shaft. Coldworm is cold enchanted and magic resistant, making it a tough customer against all elemental attacks; melee attacks should prove much more effective. Coldworm, while not tough and not even particularly capable of attack due to immobility, is hard to kill because of the sheer amount of minions around it. Missile weapons are a must, or multiple attack spells. The leap attack of the Barbarians is essential here.

Quest 3: Tainted Sun

"I've been researching this phenomenon, and I believe it to be the work of Claw Vipers. Find their temple beneath the desert sands and you may find the source of this curse."

Next stop is the Claw Viper Temple. From the Oasis, you must head towards the Lost City. It's on the second level, up a set of stairs. From here it's a quick walk to the Valley of Snakes. This level has many Raiders who are quick and vicious. Take it slow and don't make a run For the Temple. Deal with the monsters here in the groups they run in. The sun will suddenly eclipse in the sky. Get back to town and talk to Drognan and Deckard Cain about this to trigger a new quest. Thankfully, the altar you must destroy is next to the headpiece you need to collect.

Claw Vipers, and their accompanying Salamanders, are quick and have ice attacks. Move around, so you don't get frozen and then surrounded. Thawing potions are essential here. This is quite a simple dungeon, admittedly with some tough opponents. Get to the second level, destroy the altar, grab the headpiece and go back to town. The Unique monster here is Fangskin, a strongly magic-resistant Claw Viper.

Get back to town to learn the sun is back up and then finish the quest. Put the Staff and headpiece into the Cube, press the transmute button and presto chango, a Horadric Staff. At last. But now the fun stuff comes, because you still don't know where to find Tal Rasha's Tomb. Jerhyn, the ruler of Lut Gholein, has a hint. Speak to him.

Quest 4: Arcane Sanctuary

"I've been researching the old records, trying to find the location of Tal Rasha's Tomb. Though I haven't found the Tomb itself, I may have a good lead for you. The great Vizjerei Summoner, Horazon, built this Arcane Sanctuary somewhere around here. He was a powerful spell caster and kept demons as slaves within the Sanctuary. He kept a close eye on great events, too - such as the imprisonment of Baal within Tal Rasha's Tomb. If you could find Horazon's Sanctuary, I'm sure that it would hold some clue to the Tomb's location. Though I doubt Horazon is still alive, you must proceed with caution. There's no telling what could be waiting inside. When I spoke of this with Lord Jerhyn, he asked that I send you to him. Perhaps he knows of a secret entrance or the like."

Jerhyn, who is in front of the Palace, will confirm that Horazon's Sanctuary is beneath the Palace and that terrible things have poured out of it, destroying the interior. So it's up to you to clean out the place, then besiege the Sanctuary. Go speak to Drognan and then enter the Harem within the Palace. The Palace is complex, but the Sanctuary is very tough. IF you aren't hovering around level 20, go clear out some areas of desert first. There are many powerful, dangerous creatures with damaging attacks waiting for you coming up, especially the Ghoul Lords.

The area beneath the Palace is extensive. You'll descend through two levels of the Harem and an additional three levels of the Palace Cellar. Be sure to explore the first level of the palace cellar thoroughly to locate the Waypoint. You'll need it. The third level of the palace cellar contains the Portal leading into the Arcane Sanctuary. It also has Encounter Fire Eye, a Unique. Fire enchanted with 75% resistance to fire damage
and bonuses to fire attack damage and Chance to Hit percentage as well as extra fast, he's a nasty bit of work.

You can go and talk to Drognan to activate Quest 6 or simply go into the Sanctuary. The Arcane Sanctuary is the toughest dungeon area yet. The corridors are quite cramped and don't offer much opportunity for a retreat. There is a Waypoint here, but keep your Town Portal scrolls ready. There are a lot of very nasty Clan here, but the real threat is the powerful Undead Ghoul Lords. With potent fire attacks and an unnerving tendency to run away from you to regroup, they are your target of choice on this level. Try and have some ranged attacks, even if you normally wouldn't use a bow. There are sections where creatures can get you, but you can't get them, from neighbouring platforms. You'll often need to clear some space For yourself simply to prevent crossfire.

Quest 5: The Summoner

Cut your way through the beasts and find the Summoner. Sadly, this isn't the chap you'd thought he'd be and whoever he is has gone mad. The quest is to kill him. He's on a platform surrounded by many monsters. Lure them out then move far away to avoid the Summoner's powerful magic attacks. The Summoner's spells pack a nasty punch but physically he is not particularly tough. A good shield spell and some potent attack spells will do him in. Barbarians and Amazons should simply beat the hell out of him. He uses cold spells so have some thawing spells on hand.

Once he's dead look around the room. Get his journal. This is the most important part of the quest. Once you have the book, Town Portal back and talk to Drognan and Cain if you haven't already activated the sixth quest. If you have, go through the Portal you'll see in the Arcane Sanctuary to the Valley of the Magi.


Quest 6: The Seven Tombs

"I have heard of your many deeds of skill and bravery. I feel I can trust you with something I have been hesitant to speak of. Drognan and I have concluded that the Dark Wanderer who passed through here recently was Diablo himself! Drognan believes that Diablo is searching the desert For the secret tomb where the great Horadrim, Tal Rasha, keeps Baal imprisoned. You must find Diablo and put an end to the terrible evil that has fallen upon our city! Drognan is wise and is sure to have some helpful advice for you as to how Tal Rasha's tomb
may be found."

Drognan will tell you that you need the Summoner's Journal. You should have this in your possession. Now go back via Portal to the Sanctuary and head on over to the Valley. Talking to other townsfolk will provide the information that Diablo is the Dark Wanderer and he must be getting terribly close to the Tomb now. If you want to prevent Baal's release, you'd best hurry.

The Valley of the Magi has seven Tombs in it. Six are fakes Tal Rasha had prepared, but only one has the orifice that you need to place the Horadric staff into to open the way to the martyred mage's place of torment. Look in the Summoner's Journal and you'll see there is a symbol. This symbol marks the true Tomb.

Each of the Tombs, which are located at the borders of the Valley, has a stone with a symbol etched into it. Obviously, the one that matches the symbol in the Journal is the one marking Tal Rasha's Tomb. If you want a lot of fighting before you confront Baal, then go down these extraneous tombs. Otherwise, just pick the correct one and enter.

When you are in the Valley, take it slow. Don't run and provoke attacks from very large amounts of monsters. The Panther Women run in particularly large packs and you don't need to waste healing potions before your next battle, which is very, very close.

Work your way down through Tal Rasha's True Tomb and do be aware that there is a very powerful Unique mummy here called Ancient Kaa the Soulless. Lightning enchanted, Kaa is particularly powerful for a Unique, so watch out for him. Then locate the circle of seven symbols, where you'll find an area marked "orifice". Once you clear out the surrounding minions, take the Horadric Staff from your inventory and use the staff on the orifice to
open the passage into Tal Rasha's chamber. A wall will crumble and from there on it's just you and a Prime Evil or two.

Or is it? If you go through the wall expecting to find Baal, you'll be rudely shocked as one of the Lesser Evils, Duriel, attacks you instead. He's been put here to further delay pursuit. Baal is free! Duriel is big, ugly, stupid-looking, and he hits like a truck. He's very, very resistant to cold attacks, but only 20% resistant to lightning and fire. As with all big tough monsters, don't go toe-to-toe with him.

You might also note that he's physically very, very large. Run around him and hit him in the flanks rather than let him just beat you. He's tough, but because of his slow turning-circle you'll have a certain advantage over him. The only problem is that the chamber you fight him in is quite small.

Eventually you'll get him, so don't fret. Then go and find the Archangel Tyrael. He'll tell you that Diablo and Baal have been and gone and are even now on their way to free Mephisto in eastern Kurast. You've failed, and now you have two creatures to battle, and unless you stop them, there'll be a third.

Go back to town through the portal the Archangel opens and do final wrap-ups. Then hit up Meshif for a boat ride and prepare to the Lord of Hatred in Kurast.

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