Baal

Lore & Background

Baal's return began before Diablo and Mephisto fell. In the prologue cinematic, he reclaimed his Soulstone from Marius, a key figure in the original game's narrative. Unlike his brothers—Diablo's Soulstone was used to imprison his essence, and Mephisto's Soulstone was destroyed at the Hellforge in Act IV (after Baal's prologue actions)—Baal escaped destruction by recovering his stone early. With this power restored, Baal marched on Mount Arreat, targeting the Worldstone that kept Hell at bay. The Barbarians, tasked with its defense, were overwhelmed. When the hero arrived via Tyrael's portal to Harrogath, they found a town under siege and distrustful of outsiders. To earn aid, the player had to slay Shenk the Overseer in the Bloody Foothills and rescue captured defenders. A deeper betrayal emerged when Councilor Nihlathak struck a deal with Baal for safe passage to the Worldstone Keep. After uncovering this treachery and killing Nihlathak in the Halls of Vaught, the hero faced The Ancients—Talic, Madawc, and Korlic—who guarded the summit. Only by defeating them could the player enter the Keep, where Baal had already corrupted the Worldstone.

In Their Own Story

In Harrogath, the air was thick with tension as the siege tightened around the stronghold. The hero met wary townsfolk who demanded proof of worth before offering help. After cutting down Shenk the Overseer and freeing prisoners, trust began to build. But hope turned to horror when it was revealed that Nihlathak, one of Harrogath's elders, had allied with Baal. Confronting him in the Halls of Vaught exposed his pact: access to the Worldstone Keep in exchange for sparing the town. With Nihlathak dead, the path to Arreat's summit opened, but first came the trial of The Ancients. Talic the Defender, Madawc the Guardian, and Korlic the Protector tested the hero's resolve. Upon passing, they warned that Baal had already breached the Worldstone Keep and blocked Tyrael's divine presence. Inside the Throne of Destruction, the hero fought through Baal's minions before facing him in the Worldstone Chamber. When Baal fell, Tyrael arrived too late to save the stone. Corrupted by Hell's influence, it had to be shattered to prevent all creation from falling.

Reader's Guide

Baal serves as the final boss of Act V and the expansion's climax. To reach him, players must complete six quests in Harrogath and beyond: relieve the siege by defeating Shenk, rescue captured Barbarians, uncover Nihlathak's betrayal, kill him in the Halls of Vaught, defeat The Ancients to gain access to the Worldstone Keep, and finally confront Baal at the Throne of Destruction. His minions include corrupted warriors and demons that guard the path. Once inside the Worldstone Chamber, players face Baal directly after clearing his pack. Upon victory, Tyrael appears and opens a portal to Destruction's End, marking the game's conclusion. However, the true cost is revealed: the Worldstone is beyond saving, forcing Tyrael to destroy it to stop Hell's corruption from spreading.

Did You Know?

• Baal reclaimed his Soulstone from Marius during the prologue cinematic, before Diablo and Mephisto were defeated.
• The Worldstone was destroyed by Tyrael because it had been corrupted by Baal, an event whose full consequences would not be known for twenty years.
• Act V takes place in Harrogath on Mount Arreat, where the Barbarians guard the Worldstone.
• Nihlathak, a councilor of Harrogath, betrayed his people by allying with Baal to gain access to the Worldstone Keep.
• The Ancients—Talic, Madawc, and Korlic—must be defeated to prove worthiness before facing Baal.

The Rise of Baal and Act V

Act V begins after Diablo's defeat in Act IV. Tyrael summons the hero to Harrogath on Mount Arreat, where Baal has launched an assault with his army. The player navigates icy caverns and hellish pits while dealing with a distrustful population. Key moments include slaying Shenk the Overseer to lift the siege and rescuing captured Barbarians. A major plot twist occurs when Nihlathak, a councilor of Harrogath, is revealed to have made a deal with Baal for access to the Worldstone Keep. After exposing this betrayal and killing him in the Halls of Vaught, the player must defeat The Ancients—Talic, Madawc, and Korlic—who guard the summit. Only then can they enter the Worldstone Keep.

The Final Confrontation at the Worldstone

Inside the Worldstone Keep, Baal has already corrupted the stone and blocked Tyrael's presence. The hero fights through his minions at the Throne of Destruction before facing him in the Worldstone Chamber. Upon defeating Baal, Tyrael reappears but finds the Worldstone irreparably tainted by Hell's influence. To prevent its corruption from taking root and destroying the world, he makes the tragic choice to shatter it. This act concludes the game with a portal to Destruction's End, though the consequences of the Worldstone's destruction would not be fully known for twenty years.

New Character Classes and Combat

Lord of Destruction added two new classes: the Assassin and the Druid. The Assassin uses martial arts, traps, and shadow magic, with skills like Claw Mastery, Mind Blast, Death Sentry, and Dragon Talon. She can also open locked chests without keys. The Druid specializes in nature magic and shapeshifting, wielding spells like Cyclone Armor, Tornado, Fissure, Volcano, Hurricane, and Armageddon. He can summon wolves, grizzlies, ravens, spirits with auras, and vines that poison or heal. In Werewolf form, he gains speed and attacks via Feral Rage; as a Werebear, he deals heavier damage with Maul and gains more life and armor. Both classes have access to class-specific items like Claws for Assassins.

Gameplay Systems and Itemization

The expansion introduced thirty-three Runes that can be socketed into items for bonuses, along with Runewords—specific sequences granting unique effects. Hundreds of new Horadric Cube recipes allow players to create Crafted items with predetermined stats plus random properties. Jewels provide random socketable bonuses regardless of base item, while Charms offer passive inventory-based buffs. The stash size was doubled, and an alternate weapon/shield/spell setup became available via hotkey. Hirelings were overhauled to follow through all Acts, gain independent experience, be equipped with gear, healed by potions, and resurrected if killed. Ethereal items, which are more powerful but unrepairable (unless used by NPCs or socketed with an indestructible rune), were also added.