Usually, when you start a new character in Diablo 2: Resurrected (D2R), the quests aren’t always compulsory. You just need to finish those that give good rewards — skill points, stats, imbue, or adding sockets. As there’s usually popular demand for socketing, finding the quickest route to Larzuk’s quest in Act 5 is very useful.

It’s usually a nuisance getting through all the quests in Act 3, but you don’t actually need to get Khalim’s Eyes, Brain, and Heart to pass through to Mephisto. With a good Sorceress friend, or a rich friend who has Enigma, you can reach Larzuk within 15 minutes. Here’s the fastest route to Larzuk and the fastest ways to clear each Act.

Act 1

Friend: Catacombs Level 2 (Waypoint) → Catacombs Level 4 → Open Town Portal and wait

You: Enter portal

Friend: Slay Andariel

You: Return to town and speak to Warriv → Go East

Act 2

Friend: Halls of the Dead Level 2 (Waypoint) → Halls of the Dead Level 3 → Open Town Portal

You: Enter portal → Gain Horadric Cube

Friend: Far Oasis (Waypoint) → Maggot Lair → Maggot Lair Level 3 → Open Town Portal

You: Enter Portal → Gain Staff of Kings

Friend: Lost City (Waypoint) → Valley of Snakes → Claw Viper Temple → Claw Viper Temple Level 2 → Open Town Portal

You: Enter Portal → Gain Amulet of the Viper → Transmute Amulet of the Viper and Staff of Kings to gain Horadric Staff → Talk to Drognan

Friend: Arcane Sanctuary (Waypoint) → Kill Summoner

You: Talk to any NPC

You: Tell friend the shape of Tal Rasha’s Tomb

Friend: Canyon of the Magi (Waypoint) → Tal Rasha’s Tomb → Open Town Portal in front of Tal Rasha’s (Duriel’s) Chamber

You: Enter Portal → Open Tal Rasha’s Chamber using Horadric Staff

Both: Enter Tal Rasha’s Chamber → Slay Duriel

You: Move past Duriel’s Chamber and speak to Tyrael → Return to Lut Gholein → Speak to Jerhyn → Speak to Meshif → Sail East

Act 3

Collecting Khalim’s Eyes, Brain, and Heart is quite a nuisance, but if you are nearby when a friend is slaying the Council Members, you can jump past the quests and move on to slay Mephisto.

Friend: Travincal (Waypoint) → Open Town Portal

You: Enter Portal → Wait

Friend: Kill all Council Members

You: Return to Kurast Docks and speak to Cain

Friend: Durance of Hate Level 2 (Waypoint) → Durance of Hate Level 3 → Open Portal

You: Enter Portal → Wait

Friend: Slay Mephisto

You: Enter Red Portal to Act 4

Act 4

Friend: River of Flames (Waypoint) → Open Town Portal

You: Enter Portal → Wait

Friend: Chaos Sanctuary → Slay Diablo

You: Return to Pandemonium Fortress and speak to Tyrael → Travel to Harrogath

Act 5

To do Larzuk’s quest, it’s much faster if you use the Frigid Highlands and go backward to find Shenk the Overseer.

Friend: Frigid Highlands (Waypoint) → Open Town Portal

You: Enter Portal → Wait

Friend: Bloody Foothills → Slay Shenk the Overseer

If your goal is to add sockets with Larzuk, this is it.

To clear Act 5 fully, you need to open the way to Worldstone Keep by getting through the three Ancients. However, this quest has a level requirement. In normal mode, you need to be at least 20, in nightmare, 40, and in hell, 60. Unless you finish this quest, you can’t clear Act 5.

After you’ve hit level 20 (40, or 60 in nightmare or hell), you can move on and finish Act 5.

Friend: The Ancients’ Way (Waypoint) → Arreat Summit → Open Town Portal

You: Enter Portal → Wait

Friend: Defeat the Ancients

You: Return to Harrogath

Friend: Worldstone Keep Level 2 (Waypoint) → Throne of Destruction → Open Town Portal

You: Enter Portal → Wait

Friend: Slay Baal