Diablo Walkthrough - Guide for Diablo

Poison Water Supply 

This quest begins when Pepin the Healer seeks your help in stopping a sickness 
running through the town. Its source is a fouled water supply. Down on Level 2 
you'll find an obvious entrance, "To A Dark Passage"- a crack in the wall surrounded 
by an array of elements usually reserved for important tomes of lore. Beyond the 
crack lies a set-piece level of caverns. Prepare for combat on arrival: A small band 
of bad guys awaits you. 



Traverse the few rock corridors and dispose of the Goat Demons and lesser scum. When 
you've dropped the last of the Demons, you'll hear a trumpet of triumph in the 
distance, and the fouled waterway will clear to blue before your eyes. 



Return to Pepin. He'll give you the Ring of Truth, a Unique Item that will serve you 
well early in the game, and perhaps even deep into the dungeon. 



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Curse of King Leoric 

This quest begins when Ogden the Tavern Owner solicits your help. He'll tell you the 
story of a King Leoric who, years ago, lost his son to kidnappers. Grief drove 
Leoric mad, forcing his knights and priest to destroy him. Upon his death, he cursed 
the town and his former followers. Now, risen from the dead, he rules a legion of 
undead minions within the labyrinth. 



Buff thyself before you go looking for trouble, and bring a club or axe, the better 
to smash Skeletons with. 



Go to Level 3 and locate an obvious passage to Leoric's Tomb. Enter and find 
yourself on a small level, just stuffed with Skeletons. In fact, Leoric produces the 
monsters as you watch. Put him out of business as quickly as you can, lest he create 
an insurmountable horde of bonemen. As reward for Leoric's demise, you'll receive 
the Skeleton Crown, another Unique Item that drops when the king dies. 



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Butcher 

You'll find the Butcher in a large room on Level 2. Make sure you clear the dungeon 
level in its entirety before opening the Butcher's room: He'll rush outside to greet 
you, and you don't want any other traffic in the neighborhood while you make his 
acquaintance. 



The simple trick to humbling the fiend lies in the structure of the dungeon level 
itself. As you've probably noticed, there are several junctures in the level where 
steel grating flanking a doorway allows you to see (or shoot) into a room before 
opening the door. 



Yes, that's right: The Butcher's major tactical deficiency is his inability to open 
doors. After clearing out the level, simply find such a grating-flanked doorway 
(unobstructed by fallen monsters). Let the Butcher chase you to that point, and 
close the door in his face. Equip a bow. Fire at will. 



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ogden's Sign 

Those lousy demons have stolen the sign to Ogden's Rising Sun Inn and Tavern, and 
it's up to you to get it back. You must claim the sign before a disgusting little 
creature named Snotspill will let you advance from the fourth to the fifth dungeon 
level. Snotspill waits in a set piece on Level 4, between you and the staircase to 
Level 5. You must acquire the sign to open the way to the down staircase, although 
you have two options thereafter. 



For starters, the sign is in the large chest in the same small set-piece area as 
Snotspill. Several Horned Demons stand between you and the prize. With the sign in 
your possession, you can either fork it over to Snotspill or you can return it to 
Ogden. 



If you give the sign to Snotspill, he'll thank you and run away, trading you some 
random item for the favor. If you take the sign back to Ogden, he'll rummage around 
and produce the Harlequin Crest as your reward. 



When you return to Snotspill's area after giving Ogden the sign, a massive attack of 
Fallen Ones ensues. Although there are a ton of them, they'll all panic and flee 
briefly as long as you can keep killing them. Target the closest monster and attack. 
Rinse and repeat. 




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gharbad the Weak 

The first time you find him, Gharbad whines and pleads for his life, promising that, 
if you let him live, he'll do you a favor in return. The second time you meet him, 
he swears that "something for you I am making"; he even gives you a token of good 
faith. When you see him the third time, he's still full of promises, and he's almost 
done with the project. On your fourth encounter, Gharbad decides his project is too 
good for you, and attacks. 



When you rid the world of this whiny piece of dungeon debris, he'll drop a 
formidable Mace you can add to your inventory. 



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Magic Rock 

Griswold tells you about a "sky rock" a caravan brought into the area. Cloaked 
riders attacked the caravan and stole the rock, which the blacksmith now covets. If 
you could only lay hands on the prize he could make something useful, he promises. 



Down on Level 5, in no particular place, you'll find the rock sitting on a small 
table. If you take it to Griswold, he breaks the rock into smaller stones and sets 
them in the Empyrean Band. Unless you're tripping over magical rings every time you 
turn around, the Band's broad positive effects will make it a mainstay for much of 
the remaining game. 



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Arkaine's Valor 

When you find the Book of Blood, you'll also find the first of the Blood Stones on 
the ground nearby. Take it into the next room, and plug it into the Altar of Blood. 
Now look at the map: A doorway has appeared in the wall of the set piece, very near 
where you stand. In that room some Horned Demons and another Blood Stone await you. 
The Stone, when set in the pedestal, opens a similar room opposite the first. 



When you've set all three Blood Stones in the Pedestal of Blood, a final chamber 
opens, and you'll battle yet more Horned Demons for the ultimate prize- Arkaine's 
Valor. The armor of the hero Arkaine is simply the best you can hope to acquire 
early in the game, regardless of class. 



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Chamber of Bone 

A mysterious book you find on Level 6 opens the way to a secret staircase, leading 
to the Chamber of Bone. They don't call it that for nothing. 



The Chamber is a small separate level, with two broad hallways flanking a central 
chamber. At the end of each hall lie two large switches. Horned Demons, Unseen, and 
the occasional Skeleton stand guard. Those switches open two small ancillary rooms, 
featuring more Skeletons and two chests stuffed with prime treasures. 



Before you open the door to the central chamber, prepare to break some bones. The 
room is stuffed with Skeletons, and it behooves you to keep them from escaping, if 
at all possible. Target the doorway, and cut loose. If you're playing the Warrior, 
you've got a lot of serious whacking in store. Whatever class you play, a couple of 
Firewall Spells can go a long way to even the odds. 



When the chamber finally falls silent, pass through into the larger area (prepare 
for a few more Horned Demons and Unseen). When the last monster succumbs, read the 
nearby book to acquire the Guardian Spell, a handy three-headed fire monster that 
spouts from the ground to hurl flaming orbs at any enemy attacking you. 



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Halls of the Blind 

Some evil evoker of bad poetry foretells of the Halls of the Blind in a book you 
find, opening doorways to a set piece from hell. 



You'll probably come across the Halls of the Blind before you can actually enter 
them- a large, figure-eight-shaped hall around two small rooms. Once you've read the 
book, two doorways open on either side of the structure, allowing you to peek into a 
seemingly empty area. 



Of course, the area is far from empty. It is, in fact, crawling with diabolical 
Illusion Weavers. If you stand up in the doorway, the monsters won't be able to pass 
into the hall to surround you. That's the key to fighting any monster of this type- 
realizing they don't teleport or etherealize, but simply turn invisible. Thus you 
can jam them up at junctures, and even attack them, while they're invisible. So, if 
you're packing a bow or some decent magic, you don't even have to wait for them to 
show up in front of you. Cut loose into the empty room, and bodies will drop. 



Expect more Weavers in the small central rooms (clear the halls before opening the 
doors). In one of the rooms you'll lay hands on the Optic Amulet, which hardly seems 
worth the trouble. 



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zhar the Mad 

You'll find Zhar busy with his thoughts in a library. The first time you meet him, 
he'll lay a Spellbook on you and tell you to get lost. 



If you don't take the hint, or if you attempt to pilfer his bookshelf, Zhar attacks. 
As Uniques go, Zhar can be bad news. He lobs Fireballs- probably your first 
opportunity to experience that lovely spell. To make matters worse, Zhar won't give 
chase; he prefers instead to guard his books and lob fire at you whenever you peek 
into the room. 



Obviously, you must trot out some big guns for this guy. If you're playing the 
Warrior, expect Zhar to teleport when you run over to whack on him. Watch the floor 
when he disappears: You can judge by the lit section where he's going, and where 
he'll re-materialize. Anticipate his arrival with the worst of intentions. 



If you've got a decent distance attack, by all means use it. Regardless of your 
offensive tactics, prepare to heal yourself, and equip anything you own that has a 
hit of resistance to fire. 



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Black Mushroom 

Down on Level 9, encountering the Fungal Tome signals the beginning of the quest. 
Take it to the Witch, who tells you now she needs only a large Black Mushroom to 
complete her concoction. 



You may have run across the mushroom patch already down on Level 9. It looks like a 
small area of incongruous texture on the dungeon floor. When you click on it you 
understand it's not yet usable. 



Give the Fungal Tome to the Witch and return to the mushroom patch to search. Out 
pops one big (bloated, disgusting) Black Mushroom. When you take it to Adria, she 
thanks you kindly, and mentions that Pepin needs a demon brain to make some elixer. 
If you go talk to him regarding the Black Mushroom quest, Pepin confirms this. 



When you return to the dungeon, the next monster you kill yields a brain you should 
deliver to the Healer. He'll give you a small sample of elixer, instructing you to 
carry it to the Witch. 



Finally, the Witch berates you for showing up too late with the sample; she no 
longer has a use for it, and why don't you just keep it? 



Using the Astral Elixer adds two points to each of your Experience characteristics, 
and that's a good thing. 



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Anvil of Fury 

After you've dug around in the labyrinth for a while, return to Griswold and he'll 
tell you about a mystical anvil that contains "the very essence of the demonic 
underworld." Griswold tells you. "I may be able to make you a weapon capable of 
defeating even the darkest lord of hell!" 



You'll find the Anvil on Level 10, sitting on a small island in the lava. A narrow 
walkway connects the area to the shore. 



To lay hands on the Anvil, clear the perimeter of dungeon denizens first; this 
process can be tedious and painful. Try to draw the monsters out in smaller groups 
to take care of business, and proceed with caution when you finally make your way to 
the prize. 



If you take the Anvil to Griswold, he'll use it to fashion the 
impressive "Griswold's Edge" blade. Don't be afraid to try it out on the next 50 or 
so monsters you meet. 



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Slain Hero 

Single players will come across the body of a Slain Hero while exploring the 
dungeon's ninth level, and add an item to their inventory that will prove pivotal in 
the battles just ahead. 



In other words, the Slain Hero will help ensure that you have what it takes to face 
upcoming monsters, just in case luck has been unkind in terms of the spells or armor 
you've managed to collect at random. 



For the Warrior, that means a decent suit of armor. For the Sorcerer, a book of 
lightning. The Rogue can expect to lay hands on a high-quality bow. 



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Warlord of Blood 

Go to Cain after you come across the Steel Tome and he'll tell you about a legendary 
warrior mentioned in the chronicles of the Sin War. "Stained by a thousand years of 
war, blood, and death," he says, "the Warlord of Blood stands upon a mountain of his 
tattered victims. His dark blade screams a black curse to the living, a tortured 
invitation to any who would stand before this executioner of hell." 



Once you've read the book, the stairway between Levels 13 and 14 becomes accessible, 
and the Warlord will come out to play if you peek into that area. 



Try to clear the level before drawing out the Warlord, paying particular attention 
to the immediate area around his room. You don't want any of his minions getting in 
your way. Next to Lazarus, and Diablo himself, the Warlord of Blood is as bad as 
they come. 



Notice that you can draw off the Warlord and then pilfer his treasures; these 
usually amount to at least one decent suit of armor and some high-end weaponry. If 
you lead the Warlord off and ditch him in the dungeon, there's only a couple of 
relatively minor monsters between you and the major trove of the hell levels. Head 
back to town, sell stuff, buy stuff, stock up then come back and reacquaint yourself 
with the Warlord. 



If you're playing the Sorcerer or Rogue, keep your distance, or the Warlord of Blood 
will quite likely slice you in half with a couple of swipes. A fighter with a 
serious armor class might be able to go toe to toe, but watch that Health level: If 
it drops below half, you'll need to break off and heal up. 



If you're packing the Stone Curse Spell, the Warlord is no more intimidating than 
the average Unique. Stone him, give him two or three whacks, and then turn and run 
before the spell wears off. You don't want to be standing in front of the Warlord 
when he gets mobile, so put back some distance the instant the spell begins to wear 
off. 



Keep chipping away, and you'll claim another decent piece of weaponry when the 
Warlord of Blood goes to meet his maker. 




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lachdanan 

You find Lachdanan trapped on Level 14. He tells you he was once captain of King 
Leoric's knights, but later succumbed to the mad king's curse. 



"I've heard of a golden Elixir," Lachdanan tells you, "that could lift the curse and 
allow my soul to rest, but I have been unable to find it." 



It turns out Lachdanan has been looking in the wrong neighborhood: The Golden Elixer 
actually lies on the floor a level lower in the dungeon. Secure the prize and return 
with it to Lachdanan. He rewards you with his helm, the Veil of Steel. 



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Archbishop Lazarus 

Preparatory to the showdown with Diablo, you must deal with Lazarus, a.k.a. "the 
Vile Betrayer." On Level 15, you'll come across a large room with a pentagram on the 
floor. In that vicinity note an apparatus called the Vile Stand, upon which rests 
the Staff of Lazarus. 



Take the staff to Tristram, and show it to Cain. He fills in the rest of the Diablo 
backstory, and sends you back to the depths to confront the Vile Betrayer. Back in 
the pentagram room, a red portal "To The Unholy Altar" appears. 



Through the portal, you arrive in a small, [U]-shaped set piece, featuring two large 
cages of White Witches and a couple of Advocates. To enter the Witch cages, stand on 
the circular areas near the books in nearby rooms. When you read a book while 
standing on the ornate circles, you instantly teleport to the nearest Witch pen. 



Before reading a book and making the leap, make sure all the doors near the witch 
pen, doors you've already passed through, are closed again. The witches will run 
from you, and a closed door makes them much easier to corral. 



When you've read both books and disposed of the respective throngs, return to the 
area where you first appeared in the set piece. Step on the ornate circle to 
teleport to Lazarus's chamber. 



While Lazarus talks, no one will attack you not the long-winded priest or any of the 
other Uniques nearby. Of course, fair is fair: Until the priest finishes his spiel, 
you won't be able to attack, either. What you can do, fortunately, is run away. 



You're still in the set piece where you read the teleporting books, so the layout 
should be familiar. Duck around a corner, and let Lazarus finish talking. If you 
stand in the center of the room, a nasty ambush ensues when the priest finishes his 
oration, and that's generally not a very healthy way to start the fight. 



Duck off down one of the halls while Lazarus speaks, and you'll find you're out of 
the "trigger zone" for the monsters. They'll simply stand and wait for you to 
return, and then pursue you down a hallway. That's generally a much easier battle 
from your standpoint then fighting the horde from the center of that large room. 



Further, if you took some advice and closed the nearby doors before fighting the 
White Witches, the crowd pursuing you can do a lot less milling around when it 
catches up. Continue to fall back and chip away when you need a healing break. 
Lazarus doesn't pursue you; he just lingers in the large chamber until you've 
finished with the crowd. 



Fighting the evil priest with magic can be a painful experience: He'll dish 
Fireballs in your direction as you unload your favorite spell. If your best attack 
is a magic one, hopefully it's Stone Curse or Elemental- something with an added 
aspect that's defensive in nature, allowing you to do some damage without taking a 
disproportionate amount in return. 



As the Rogue, with no one to bother you but Lazarus, you can rush at him, forcing 
him to teleport, and then target the area where he'll rematerialize (watch the light 
patterns on the floor) and unload a volley of arrows. As long as he doesn't go too 
far, you can keep him off-balance this way. Eventually he succumbs. 



As the Warrior, things can get a little dicey. If you don't have any high-end magic 
to speak of, you'll be reduced to healing yourself, and rushing around at Lazarus as 
he teleports. Again, watch the light patterns on the floor. Follow the fiend even 
while he's in mid-teleport and be waiting when he shows up. Usually, you can get in 
a good whack, and your proximity will compel Lazarus to teleport again. Stay nimble, 
and ready to heal whenever the need arises. 



Of course, Lazarus and his minions spit up some serious treasure, giving you the 
last good chunk of resources at your disposal before the final showdown. 



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Diablo 

Once you've disposed of Lazarus, another red portal opens in the room where you 
arrived at "The Unholy Altar" set piece. This takes you back to Level 15, where the 
large pentagram now glows. In the center is a teleporter "Down to Diablo." 



Level 16 comprises four quadrants. Advocates and Steel Lords guard the first, open, 
area. A switch within this area opens the second quadrant. A switch there opens the 
third quadrant, where two switches open the final section of the dungeon- and the 
game. 



As you arrive at Level 16, you have a couple of options. The open quadrant area, in 
the upper portion of the map, is a battle royale. Hallways encircle the three other 
quadrants, which also features Advocates and Steel Lords, although not in nearly the 
numbers you'll find within each primary area. 



It's prudent to circle the three sealed quadrants first, clearing out those 
monsters. When you storm the first quadrant, you must eventually retreat from the 
onslaught. Leading a line of Lords down one of those hallways, properly emptied 
ahead of time, can be a very effective way to turn the tables. Try Wall of Fire, or, 
better yet, Flame Wave. 



The first and third hubs are the toughest, as the monster horde tends to notice you 
all at once. If you have a Scroll of Apocalypse (or two or three), now's the time. 
By creeping up to those encounter areas, you can at least draw off the Dark Lords, 
and then return to deal with the Advocates. The Advocates will resist leaving their 
area, but often that's a good thing: By moving erratically near the doorways, one or 
two will eventually teleport into the large outer area. The more you can draw out in 
this fashion, the better it will be for you when you must finally venture into 
hostile territory. Prepare to heal, and crank up those magical resistances to the 
best of your ability. 



In the third quadrant, you must throw both switches to open Diablo's lair. (Throwing 
one switch won't release any of the monsters, just in case it occurs to you.) 



The good news is that if you're playing the Warrior class, and you've done a good 
job of collecting armor, Diablo is dust. Sure, he'll occasionally seize the 
initiative as you pound on him, but keep healing, and keep hacking. As long as your 
Durability and Fire Resistance are high, the big freak is going to drop. 



The bad news is that, if you're playing the Rogue or (especially) the Sorcerer, 
Diablo is no fun at all. At least the Rogue can peck away with a decent bow, 
assuming her Fire Resistance number is good. That, coupled with the character's 
general speed, help make a running fight a viable option. 



The Sorcerer can be in some serious trouble. Diablo isn't entirely immune to magic, 
but he's resistant enough to eliminate many options. Add to that the fact that the 
big guy is tossing off tremendous Fireballs that can really hamper a Sorcerer's 
ability to cast magic, and things get ugly in a hurry. 



Try the Elemental Spell, if you have it. That has the added benefit of not demanding 
a straight line of sight for the spellcaster, a definite plus when Diablo must see 
you to evoke his version of the Fireball. 



The problem, of course, is how to heal yourself fast enough to keep pace with the 
damage you're likely to absorb. Couple that with the fact that Diablo's magic 
attack, unlike other creatures', actually affects your armor's Durability. You can 
take only so much punishment before things start deteriorating. 



As far as healing goes, consider using the Healing Scrolls, as opposed to potions. 
You can hotkey a scroll, and they cast almost instantly, without, of course, drawing 
off any Mana. 



If you find that, no matter what, as a Sorcerer you keep getting your butt handed to 
you, you might consider dumping some stash to get a decent suit of armor, preferably 
with some kind of fast-attack benefit. That way, you might be able to stand toe-to-
toe with the big guy, hopefully with Mana Shield in effect, and whack him down to 
size. 



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Battle.Net 

Multiplayer Strategies 

Most of the tactics and tendencies you acquired as a single player translate 
directly to multiplayer mode, but some aspects of composing a party and clearing a 
room bear closer examination. 



Warrior 

Accentuate Strength and Dexterity, and look for magical items that enhance those 
traits, as well as Vitality. Also, fast hit recovery is something to covet, as is 
significant magic resistance. Not only does that help you out when you're battling 
bad guys, but some Sorcerers tend to be loose cannons, and as a Warrior you'll spend 
a lot of time in the line of fire. 



Sorcerer 

Pour those points into Magic, and look for items that detract from the damage a 
monster does in combat to further heighten your defenses. Also, look for offensive 
spells that don't carry a blast-radius component (that is, those that don't 
explode). Notice that the higher-level spells tend to allow you to focus fire or 
lightning into smaller areas, which is a skill to covet. Take pains to avoid 
damaging your partners, lest they take exception. 



Rogue 

Strength is somewhat important (you need good Strength to use a bow, as you would 
for any other large weapon). Beyond that, when you're not pouring points into 
Dexterity, go with Vitality. Look for bows that carry a magical component- not only 
in characteristic adjustments but those that include fire or lightning as part of 
the damage they do. 



Special Skills in Multiplayer 

By including all three character types in a party of adventurers, you have the 
ability to recharge staffs, repair worn Durability, and disarm any traps. 



The disarming technique is simple: No one opens a chest until the Rogue checks it 
first. The Rogue can have a simple term for this- "Clear"" or some such thing- that 
lets everyone know that the chests in that room have been investigated. The Rogue 
bears a certain responsibility here, because she must discover every chest before 
giving the word, and sometimes chests can be hidden in corners or up against walls. 



The Sorcerer and the Warrior can employ their specific skills to repair or recharge 
weapons, armor, or staffs. Simply have one character throw down an item and another 
pick it up to perform the service. 



Of course, this method "wears down" items over time, as opposed to repairs or 
recharges done in Tristram. Deep in the dungeon, however, you'll appreciate a 
diverse party. 
 
 
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------