How to get to Worldstone keep without doing ancients?

[W]

I read somewhere that I should save the ancient quest for later since
it's a lot harder to level after level 90ish. I got a nec that has
completed the game, so I can open a portal in the worldstone keep.
However, my avenger can't enter the portal for some reason. I assume
that's because he hasn't proven himself to the ancients yet. Is there a
way to get around this?

[Mark (newsgroups)]

Post by W
I read somewhere that I should save the ancient quest for later since
it's a lot harder to level after level 90ish. I got a nec that has
completed the game, so I can open a portal in the worldstone keep.
However, my avenger can't enter the portal for some reason. I assume
that's because he hasn't proven himself to the ancients yet. Is there a
way to get around this?

There is a way to get through to the next difficulty Normal ->
Nightmare -> Hell without doing the Ancients quest. Killing Baal is the
same as any other quest, that is, if for example you have two people in
a game, neither of whom has done the Baal quest for Normal, only one
person has to be present at the death of Baal for both to get the quest
and both progress to Nightmare.

So with that in mind, only one has to have done the Ancients to get
down to Baal, kill him, and as long as both players are partied, both
will get the quest even though the one player remains in town at the
time.

However, the player who hasn't done the Ancients quest will never (as
far as I know) be able to get down to WSK / Baal until he's done the
Ancients. That means in Hell, he won't be able to do Baal minion runs
which is the best source of XP to level. Also, the Ancients quest only
gives a set amount of XP, not a guaranteed level each time, so saving
the Normal and Nightmare Ancients quest until you are level 90ish will
make no difference.

[W]

Post by Mark (newsgroups)

Post by W
I read somewhere that I should save the ancient quest for later since
it's a lot harder to level after level 90ish. I got a nec that has
completed the game, so I can open a portal in the worldstone keep.
However, my avenger can't enter the portal for some reason. I assume
that's because he hasn't proven himself to the ancients yet. Is there a
way to get around this?

There is a way to get through to the next difficulty Normal ->
Nightmare -> Hell without doing the Ancients quest. Killing Baal is the
same as any other quest, that is, if for example you have two people in
a game, neither of whom has done the Baal quest for Normal, only one
person has to be present at the death of Baal for both to get the quest
and both progress to Nightmare.
So with that in mind, only one has to have done the Ancients to get
down to Baal, kill him, and as long as both players are partied, both
will get the quest even though the one player remains in town at the
time.
However, the player who hasn't done the Ancients quest will never (as
far as I know) be able to get down to WSK / Baal until he's done the
Ancients. That means in Hell, he won't be able to do Baal minion runs
which is the best source of XP to level. Also, the Ancients quest only
gives a set amount of XP, not a guaranteed level each time, so saving
the Normal and Nightmare Ancients quest until you are level 90ish will
make no difference.

The problem is that after level 90, players can only gain a very small
percentage of XPs from monsters. The ancients give a fix amount of XPs,
so it's not affected by the diminishing return. Oh, well, I guess we
can't do it anymore. Too bad for the ancients. :)

[blooper01]

The ancients is a guaranteed level only one time. After that you only
get xp, but you do get a guaranteed level for doing them the first
time.

Post by Mark (newsgroups)

Post by W
I read somewhere that I should save the ancient quest for later since
it's a lot harder to level after level 90ish. I got a nec that has
completed the game, so I can open a portal in the worldstone keep.
However, my avenger can't enter the portal for some reason. I assume
that's because he hasn't proven himself to the ancients yet. Is there a
way to get around this?

There is a way to get through to the next difficulty Normal ->
Nightmare -> Hell without doing the Ancients quest. Killing Baal is the
same as any other quest, that is, if for example you have two people in
a game, neither of whom has done the Baal quest for Normal, only one
person has to be present at the death of Baal for both to get the quest
and both progress to Nightmare.
So with that in mind, only one has to have done the Ancients to get
down to Baal, kill him, and as long as both players are partied, both
will get the quest even though the one player remains in town at the
time.
However, the player who hasn't done the Ancients quest will never (as
far as I know) be able to get down to WSK / Baal until he's done the
Ancients. That means in Hell, he won't be able to do Baal minion runs
which is the best source of XP to level. Also, the Ancients quest only
gives a set amount of XP, not a guaranteed level each time, so saving
the Normal and Nightmare Ancients quest until you are level 90ish will
make no difference.

[~misfit~]

Post by blooper01
The ancients is a guaranteed level only one time. After that you only
get xp, but you do get a guaranteed level for doing them the first
time.

I disagree with that. If you're saying that it's a guaranteed level if it's
your quest that is. I've had higher level characters only get 2/3 - 3/4 of a
level when doing ancients for quest in hell.

[Bingain]

Post by W
I read somewhere that I should save the ancient quest for later since
it's a lot harder to level after level 90ish. I got a nec that has
completed the game, so I can open a portal in the worldstone keep.
However, my avenger can't enter the portal for some reason. I assume
that's because he hasn't proven himself to the ancients yet. Is there a
way to get around this?

Did you read it a long time ago, or was it information
pertaining to patch 1.09 or before?

Prior to patch 1.10, it was possible to get to WSK via TP
without having to complete the Ancients Quest. It was 'fixed' in
patch 1.10. The followings are extracts from 1.10 readme, under
"Enhancements and other changes".

<quote>

One can no longer enter Town Portals cast by other players in
areas beyond the "blocking quests" without having completed
those quests: e.g., Canyon of the Magi/Seven Tombs/Duriel's Lair
(The Summoner), The Harem/Palace Basement/Arcane Sanctuary (The
Tainted Sun), Durance of Hate (The Blackened Temple), The
Worldstone Keep (The Ancients), The Secret Cow Level (Terror's
End in DII classic or Eve of Destruction in DII: LoD). NOTE: A
player who kills the High Council (but doesn't use Khalim's Will
to smash the Compelling Orb), may take a Town Portal into the
Durance of Hate.

</quote>


Bing

[W]

Post by Bingain

Post by W
I read somewhere that I should save the ancient quest for later since
it's a lot harder to level after level 90ish. I got a nec that has
completed the game, so I can open a portal in the worldstone keep.
However, my avenger can't enter the portal for some reason. I assume
that's because he hasn't proven himself to the ancients yet. Is there a
way to get around this?

Did you read it a long time ago, or was it information
pertaining to patch 1.09 or before?
Prior to patch 1.10, it was possible to get to WSK via TP
without having to complete the Ancients Quest. It was 'fixed' in
patch 1.10. The followings are extracts from 1.10 readme, under
"Enhancements and other changes".
<quote>
One can no longer enter Town Portals cast by other players in
areas beyond the "blocking quests" without having completed
those quests: e.g., Canyon of the Magi/Seven Tombs/Duriel's Lair
(The Summoner), The Harem/Palace Basement/Arcane Sanctuary (The
Tainted Sun), Durance of Hate (The Blackened Temple), The
Worldstone Keep (The Ancients), The Secret Cow Level (Terror's
End in DII classic or Eve of Destruction in DII: LoD). NOTE: A
player who kills the High Council (but doesn't use Khalim's Will
to smash the Compelling Orb), may take a Town Portal into the
Durance of Hate.
</quote>
Bing

That's probably it. I think I read it in a walkthrough when I first
bought the game (about a year ago). Didn't pay too much attention to it
at the time since I was thinking, yeah, right, like I can get to level
90. :) Thanks for the info.

[ModeratelyConfused]

Post by W

Post by Bingain

Post by W
I read somewhere that I should save the ancient quest for later since
it's a lot harder to level after level 90ish. I got a nec that has
completed the game, so I can open a portal in the worldstone keep.
However, my avenger can't enter the portal for some reason. I assume
that's because he hasn't proven himself to the ancients yet. Is there a
way to get around this?

Did you read it a long time ago, or was it information
pertaining to patch 1.09 or before?
Prior to patch 1.10, it was possible to get to WSK via TP
without having to complete the Ancients Quest. It was 'fixed' in
patch 1.10. The followings are extracts from 1.10 readme, under
"Enhancements and other changes".
<quote>
One can no longer enter Town Portals cast by other players in
areas beyond the "blocking quests" without having completed
those quests: e.g., Canyon of the Magi/Seven Tombs/Duriel's Lair
(The Summoner), The Harem/Palace Basement/Arcane Sanctuary (The
Tainted Sun), Durance of Hate (The Blackened Temple), The
Worldstone Keep (The Ancients), The Secret Cow Level (Terror's
End in DII classic or Eve of Destruction in DII: LoD). NOTE: A
player who kills the High Council (but doesn't use Khalim's Will
to smash the Compelling Orb), may take a Town Portal into the
Durance of Hate.
</quote>
Bing

That's probably it. I think I read it in a walkthrough when I first
bought the game (about a year ago). Didn't pay too much attention to it
at the time since I was thinking, yeah, right, like I can get to level
90. :) Thanks for the info.

The thing is, on the realms it requires no skill to level. All it requires
is time.