How to Complete the Guardian Quest in Diablo 2
- 1). Complete the Khalim's Will quest and the Blackened Temple quest (creating the flail Khalim's Will and using it to smash the Compelling Orb). This will open the way into the Durance of Hate, Mephisto's lair. (In multiplayer mode, you don't have to complete these quests if another player opens a portal into the Durance of Hate for you, but you will have to defeat the High Council members in Travincal before you can enter the portal.)
- 2). Return to Kurast Docktown and talk to Ormus to officially receive the quest. (You can skip this step if you don't want to return to town.)
- 3). Enter the Durance of Hate and fight your way down to Level 3. (Make sure you activate the Waypoint on Level 2 so you have an easy way of getting back when you die.)
- 4). Clear out Mephisto's minions on Level 3. The most dangerous is Bremm Sparklefist, who is either Lightning Enchanted (in v. 1.07 and earlier) or Fire Enchanted (in v. 1.08 and later). There are also two more, one in each of the side rooms, and a slew of Blood Lords that will rain fire on you.
- 5). Fight Mephisto. He deals Lightning, Poison and Cold damage, so you'll benefit from equipment that prevents freezing or reduce freezing time, reduce poison duration and raise your resistances. He has no Physical or Magic resistances in "Normal" and "Nightmare" difficulties (and very low in "Hell"), so use those attacks.
- 6). Pick up the items that Mephisto drops, then walk towards the red portal in the middle of the Blood Lake. A stone will rise from the lake so you can reach the Portal. Go through it to enter the Pandemonium Fortress and begin Act IV.
