Act 5: Rite of Passage Overview
- Quest Name: Rite of Passage
- Triggered by: Reaching the Ancient’s Way triggers Qual-Kehk to speak of it. Alternatively, you can go directly to the Arreat Summit and click on the altar.
- Given by: Qual-Kehk
- Location: Arreat Summit
- Reward: Bonus Experience. Normal: 1.4 million, Clvl 20 required. Nightmare: 20 million, Clvl 40 required. Hell: 40 million, Clvl 60 required. This bonus experience is not reduced like experience from monster kills when you are past Clvl 75, making it a substantial boost. If possible, it’s even more valuable to save it (borrow a portal to the Worldstone Keep) until you reach Clvl 80 or 85.
- Quest Priority: Not mandatory if you can obtain a portal inside the Worldstone Keep from another player. However, the reward is significant, so we recommend completing it.
Once you progress to the Ancient’s Way, the final ice caves level in the game, and return to town, Qual-Kehk will be eager to speak:
“Every time I hear about you, warrior, your accomplishments become more legendary. But be cautious. You are nearing the summit of Mount Arreat, our most sacred and holy place. The legends speak of its guardians, the Ancient Ones, who test the worthiness of all who approach. Your reputation here is irrelevant… It will be the Ancients who determine your worth.”
You don’t need to talk to Qual-Kehk or anyone else about this. You can simply advance through the Ancient’s Way to the Arreat Summit and proceed with the quest. This quest may seem straightforward, but it possesses a very unique and challenging element unlike any other quest in Diablo II.
Quest Objective: Travel through the Ancient’s Way to find the Ancients at the Arreat Summit.
In addition to the quest, the Arreat Summit is perhaps the most awe-inspiring area in the entire game. The screenshots don’t do it justice. The impressive part is walking along the edge with the landscape far below. With perspective mode enabled (automatically activated in this area if your 3D card supports it), the ground moves slower than the edge of the cliff you are walking along, creating a stunning illusion of depth. It must be seen in motion to truly appreciate its beauty.
The Summit is a relatively small area, not much larger than two screens end to end in 800×600 mode. In the center, there is a raised circle with three statues, surrounded by pillars in a large circle. Outside of this circle, there is some open snowy ground, with cliffs enclosing the area on all sides and a barred stairway to the far right. The center of the dais features three statues, each with a unique name and stats. Click to learn more about them.
The altar becomes highlighted when you point at it, and clicking it triggers a long speech with three voices speaking in harmony:
*”We are the
