Diablo 3 Walkthrough: Act 2, Caldeum to Belial

Part 2 of our Diablo 3 walkthrough covers Act 2, the desert act. It starts in the Hidden Camp outside Caldeum and ends with the fight against Belial, the Lord of Lies, in the Imperial Palace. On the way you finish off Maghda and bring back the mad Horadrim mage Zoltun Kulle.

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The whole walkthrough

Quests in Act 2

1. Shadows in the Desert
2. The Road to Alcarnus
3. City of Blood
4. A Royal Audience
5. Unexpected Allies
6. Betrayer of the Horadrim
7. Blood and Sand
8. The Black Soulstone
9. The Scouring of Caldeum
10. Lord of Lies

1. Shadows in the Desert

You arrive in the Hidden Camp, a refugee camp outside the city of Caldeum. Leah gives the first quest.

1. Leave the camp into the Caldeum Bazaar and talk to Asheara, leader of the Iron Wolves, at the city gate.
2. The road to Alcarnus is blocked, so you go the long way through the canyons and out onto the Howling Plateau.
3. Cultists are holding rituals there. Break them up and you meet the Enchantress Eirena, your third follower.
4. Follow the path to the Black Canyon Bridge. Talking to Eirena there starts the next quest.

Tip: before you leave the Hidden Camp, look for Leah's Belongings under a tent near Nek the Brawler. It holds a page of her journal for the lore achievement.

2. The Road to Alcarnus

1. The main road past the bridge is blocked. Look around for the entrance to the Stinging Winds and go through it.
2. Reach Khasim Outpost. Some of the "soldiers" are demons in disguise. Kill them and help the Iron Wolves with the Lurkers.
3. Talk to Captain Davyd. He confirms Maghda went to Alcarnus.

3. City of Blood: Maghda

1. Davyd opens Khasim's east gate. Go through to Alcarnus, the cult's town.
2. Optional: free the caged prisoners on the way for a bonus.
3. Head north-west and enter the Lair of the Witch.

Boss: Maghda. She hangs back and fights from range.

• Her moth swarms chase you and do damage over time. Keep moving.
• Now and then she puts up a forcefield and is invulnerable. She also calls in berserker thralls. Kill the thralls during the shield, then go back to her when it drops.
• She can teleport around the room. Ranged heroes have an easier time here.

Portal to the Hidden Camp when she dies.

4. A Royal Audience

1. Talk to Asheara at the Gates of Caldeum in the bazaar. Now you can enter the city.
2. Go to the Imperial Palace for a meeting with the boy emperor, Hakan II. It does not go well.
3. Escape the palace into the city with Leah. Follow her until she finds a way into the sewers.

5. Unexpected Allies

1. Work through the sewers and out into the Wretched Pit.
2. A demon torturer is questioning a prisoner: Adria, the witch from the first Diablo game. Kill the demon and his helpers.
3. Go back to the Hidden Camp and talk to Adria. She has a plan, and it needs the head of a dead mage.

6. Betrayer of the Horadrim

1. From the bazaar, go down into the Ruined Cistern and follow the path out to the Dahlgur Oasis.
2. Find the Forgotten Ruins under the oasis. Zoltun Kulle's head is there.
3. Taking the head wakes an Ancient Guardian. Kill it.
4. Bring the head to Adria in the Hidden Camp. Kulle's ghost speaks, and he wants his body back.

7. Blood and Sand

1. Kulle's ghost opens the way into the Ancient Waterway.
2. Pull the western and eastern flow control levers to open the Waterlogged Passage.
3. Go on into the Desolate Sands. Kulle needs his blood back, and it is in two places: the Cave of the Betrayer and the Vault of the Assassin. Clear both and grab the blood.

The Desolate Sands is a big open zone. Follow the quest markers on the map so you don't waste time in empty corners.

8. The Black Soulstone: Zoltun Kulle

1. Find the Archives of Zoltun Kulle at the north end of the Desolate Sands.
2. Use the blood to power the relics and open the locks inside.
3. Deep in the Archives, Kulle shows you the Black Soulstone. Then he turns on you.

Boss: Zoltun Kulle. He opens the fight with two large sand golems.

• Kill the golems first. They hit hard but are slow, so stay at range or keep circling.
• Kulle teleports around the arena, makes arcane twisters, and drops rockfalls from the ceiling. Walk out of any marked area on the ground.
• Keep moving in a loop and hit him whenever he lands near you.

Take the Black Soulstone back to camp with Adria.

9. The Scouring of Caldeum

Demons flood the city. Fight your way through Caldeum to the Imperial Palace. Leah breaks the door open. Inside you learn who the emperor really is.

10. Lord of Lies: Belial

Boss: Belial. The fight comes in stages.

• First, you chase the boy form around the arena while his guards attack. Kill the guards as they come, then hit Belial when you can reach him.
• Then he shows his true, giant demon form. Now he slams his huge hands into the ground. The slam spots show before they hit. Step out of them.
• Later in the fight his attacks cover more of the floor. Keep moving, use your defensive skill when the floor fills up, and only attack when you are in a safe spot.
• Health globes are your friend here. Don't be greedy with damage.

When Belial dies, collect his soul for the Black Soulstone. Act 2 is done. The next stop is Bastion's Keep in Act 3.

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Love the world? The Book of Tyrael covers the angels, demons and heroes of Diablo III.

Tips for this part

• Use the waypoints. Act 2 has long walks. Each zone's waypoint saves you the trip if you leave and come back.
• Don't fight sand wasps and snakes in the open. Pull them back into narrow spots so they come at you in a line.
• Try the Enchantress. Her crowd control is great against packs. Each follower gives different help, so pick the one that fills your gaps.
• Check your gear between quests. Your old Act 1 items fall behind fast. Visit the blacksmith in the Hidden Camp.

My take

Act 2 is the one I find the slowest on replays, mostly because of the Desolate Sands. Kulle is the highlight for me: great voice, nasty fight. Do you like the desert act, or do you rush it to get to Bastion's Keep?

FAQ

How long is Act 2 in Diablo 3?

Act 2 also has ten quests and some big outdoor zones, so it is about as long as Act 1. Expect a few hours on a first run.

What level do I need for Belial?

No fixed level. Monsters scale to you, so difficulty and gear decide how hard it is. If Belial kills you quickly, lower the difficulty one step or improve your defence.

Where is Zoltun Kulle in Diablo 3?

In the campaign you fight him at the end of The Black Soulstone, inside the Archives of Zoltun Kulle at the north end of the Desolate Sands.

Where do I get the Enchantress?

She joins in the first Act 2 quest, Shadows in the Desert, on the way to the Black Canyon Bridge.

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