Act IV of Diablo II sees the character enter the depths of hell and a final showdown with Diablo. This act was the last act of the unexpanded retail release of the Diablo 2 PC game. What lays in wait for players in this final act?
Act IV Overview
Having come this far in the Diablo 2 PC game, Act IV of the game represents the final chapter of the unexpanded game. In the act, which contains only three quests, the player faces a final showdown with the demon lord, Diablo. Your character should be around 25th Level when they begin Act IV.
Act IV is the smallest act of the game and comprises of only five map areas. There are no additional dungeon levels and all but the final quest are optional to the player. Completing Act IV completes the game, unless the player also has the Lords of Destruction expansion pack installed, in which case Act IV is used as a stepping stone to the storyline offered in Act V.
So, what adventures await the player in Hell? The three quests are detailed as below:
Act IV Quest One: The Fallen Angel
The first quest of Act IV is an optional quest, but the reward makes it well worth completing as it offers what is perhaps the best reward in the entire game.
The Fallen Angel quest is triggered when you first enter the beginning area of Hell, known as the Pandemonium Fortress, and details of the quest are available from Tyrael. Tyrael tells you of a fallen angel called Izual whom the character must find and free from torment. Of course, Izual has been corrupted and the only way to free him is to kill him.
Izual will be found in the second area of Hell, known as the Plains of Despair, in a random location. To get there, leave the Pandemonium Fortress and search the Outer Steppes for a stairway portal that leads to the Plains.
Izual is a relatively tough opponent capable of dealing a fair amount of damage, but in the main he’s a relatively straightforward fight. Although his damage dealing is quite potent, his attack speed is quite slow; but he can cast a Cold Nova spell at will to slow you down. Izual’s main strength lies in his massive amount of hit points – he has even more than Diablo – so you’ll be in for a long fight.
You don’t actually kill Izual in the quest, but you do kill the host body that Izual is trapped within. Once vanquished, the host disappears to be replaced by the spirit of Izual whom you can talk to, to find out more information. Once you are done talking, return to Tyrael who will reward you with two skill points.
Act IV Quest Two: The Hellforge
This quest is triggered either upon freeing the spirit of Izual, or by entering the River of Flame area. The quest is given by Cain and revolves around the character breaking Mephisto’s Soulstone on the Hellforge, which can be found further into Hell.
Like the first quest of the act, this act is also optional, but again it does offer a good reward upon completion.
You will find the Hellforge somewhere in the River of Flame. As you explore this area, you will come to a fork in the path; an angel will be present on one path. The Hellforge is not on the same path as the angel, so go back and explore the other path instead to find the Hellforge. The angel won’t try to stop you, however, if you decide to continue along the chosen route towards the Chaos Sanctuary.
In order to break the Soulstone you will first have to defeat its protector, a demon called Hephasto. This boss monster was one of the toughest of the game prior to the 1.08 patch, but even since he’s still a fearsome opponent. You need to kill Hephasto to retrieve the Hellforge Hammer.
With the Soulstone placed on the Hellforge, shatter it using using the hammer – you’ll need to click the Soulstone three times to destroy it – and you’ll free lots of spectral spirits who were trapped in the stone. By way of reward, shattering the stone yields a collection of gems, and also a rune if you are playing the expanded version of the game. The types of gems dropped are randomly generated, but will always consist of two normal gems, one flawless gem and one perfect gem. If you are playing multiplayer, four gems will be dropped for each character in the game that has not yet completed the Hellforge quest.
Before you go any further into the game, it’s wise to return to town to restock with potions and repair equipment, or to equip new gear. The next quest is the final quest of the act and is your showdown with Diablo.