The term rush means a way for a new character to quickly finish all the quests in Diablo II and Diablo II: Lord of Destruction. It is usually done with the help of more experienced players in order to progress faster. This is called "boosting", "training" (train as in rusher is locomotive and others are its cars) or "taxi" (as if the more experienced player provided a taxi service and carried less experienced player over).
Once the key quests are complete, any further leveling is usually performed in The Secret Cow Level. At many occasions, the payment for the services is a rune obtained from the Act IV quest Hell's Forge.
In Diablo III, similar activities are sometimes performed. The new character (mostly one replacing a deceased Hardcore character) is simply following the leading comrade(s) at the maximum possible difficulty, gaining experience and items at a vastly increased rate. At high Torment difficulty, the process of leveling from 1 to 70 may take less than 1 minute with 3 supporting players.
Rush Walkthrough
- The less experienced player (passenger) creates a game in selected difficulty.
- The more experienced player (cabbie, taxi), who has completed the game on this difficulty joins the game and they both form a party.
Act 1
- Cabbie takes waypoint to Catacombs Level 2 and proceeds to Catacombs Level 4
- Cabbie creates a Town Portal in a safe spot in Andariel's hall.
- Passenger takes the Portal.
- Cabbie kills Andariel while Passenger is in the room. If the Passenger dies during Andariel fight, it is advised for them to "stay dead". This way the game treats Passenger as in the room and even though they don't get any experience from the kills, they complete the quest.
- Quest is completed for the Passenger, who takes Warriv to Act II.
Act 2
- Cabbie takes Halls of the Dead Level 2 waypoint and finds gold chest in Level 3, to give passenger a Horadric Cube. (This is not necessary if Passenger already has one, or if Cabbie lends the Cube to the Passenger who mutes the artifacts and then return the cube to Cabbie. In Act III, Travincal Council will also drop a Horadric cube if Passenger doesn't have one).
- Cabbie takes waypoint to Far Oasis and finds Maggot Lair Level 3 gold chest.
- Cabbie creates a Town Portal in a safe space.
- Passenger takes the Staff of Kings.
- Cabbie takes waypoint to Lost City and finds Claw Viper Temple in Valley of Snakes.
- Cabbie creates a Town Portal directly at the altar, after clearing monsters in the vicinity (namely Fangskin, which can be deadly for the Passenger).
- Passenger releases the sun from the altar and takes the amulet.
- Passenger cubes the artifacts.
- Passenger talks to Drognan to get the Arcane Sanctuary quest. (If he doesn't talk to Drognan, Passenger won't be able to enter the Arcane Sanctuary).
- Cabbie takes a waypoint to Arcane Sanctuary and locates the Summoner, then makes a Town Portal in a safe place.
- Passenger enters the portal and Cabbie kills the Summoner. "Stay dead" applies here.
- Passenger takes the red portal to Canyon of the Magi and the Canyon waypoint, while telling the Cabbie what sign is the true tomb. Usually these terms are used to quickly and unanimously identify the tombs: circle, triangle, star/sun, o), >>, ), square.
- Cabbie enters the right tomb and finds the orifice. Creates a Town Portal after clearing monsters.
- Passenger enters the orifice area and inserts the staff.
- Both enter Tal Rasha's Chamber and Cabbie kills Duriel. Passenger has to be present in the chamber. "Stay dead" applies.
- Passenger explores the tomb, takes portal from Tyrael. Then talks to Jerhyn (if Passenger can't access Jerhyn through the mercenary guard, Cabbie takes the Palace Cellar waypoint and backtracks to Harem Level 1 where he creates a Town Portal. Passenger can take it and enter Lut Gholein Palace from the Harem stairs, then talk to Jerhyn). Then Passenger talks to Meshif and goes to Act III (Passenger can go to Harem Level 1 after talking to Jerhyn and take a Town Portal to Lut Gholein to get to Meshif much more quickly).
Act 3
- Cabbie takes the Travincal waypoint and teleports right behind the Council temple, then clears the monsters around (not the Council itself), then creates a Town Portal there.
- Passenger enters the portal and stays there while Cabbie kills the Council. Passenger must be present in the vicinity of the Council to finish the quest. "Stay dead" applies here. After the Council has been slain, the Quest dialogue should say "Ask Cain for help". If it says that the quest can't be completed, both players need to remake a new game and try again.
- Passenger talks to Cain and the Council Quest is done.
- Cabbie can now go to the Durance waypoint and share it with Passenger via Town Portal.
- Cabbie locates Durance Level 3 and creates the Town Portal at the very end of the pier (as close to the red portal as possible), to keep Passenger safe from Mephisto.
- Cabbie kills Mephisto while Passenger is present. "Stay dead" applies here.
- Passenger enters the red portal to Act 4.
Act 4
- Cabbie takes the portal to the River of Flame and teleports directly to the Chaos Sanctuary, clearing all seal bosses. If Passenger wants, they can enter the Sanctuary as well and slowly follow the Cabbie to leech some experience from the kills.
- When Diablo is about to spawn, Cabbie creates a Town portal slightly further from the pentagram to keep the Passenger safe from Diablo's attacks.
- Cabbie kills Diablo, while Passenger is present. "Stay dead" applies here.
- Passenger talks to Tyrael and takes the red portal to Act V (or End Of Terror if playing Classic).
Act 5
Act 5 is described in Low Level Hell Rush.