As the World Burns Walkthrough and How to Fix Bug
As the World Burns is the final main quest of Act 2 in Diablo 4 (Diablo IV). Learn how to defeat Astaroth in Cerrigar, how to fix the As the World Burns bug, all quest rewards, and completion tips!
As the World Burns Overview
Basic Information
| Quest Type | Main Quest | |
|---|---|---|
| Zone | Scosglen | |
| Starting Location | The Emerald Chase | |
| Quest Giver | Donan | |
| Rewards | ||
| Renown | EXP | Gold |
| Rare Gloves | ||
How to Unlock As the World Burns
Meeting Donan for the preceding quest Shadow Over Cerrigar will trigger a cutscene that leads straight into the As the World Burns quest. You meet Donan at Lower Cerrigar and start the quest by opening the Lower Cerrigar Gate.
As the World Burns Quest Walkthrough
| Objective | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Defeat Astaroth The quest immediately starts with a boss battle with Astaroth. Best to start this quest with your best equipment prepared and remaining skill points already assigned. ▶︎ Best Equipment for Early Game |
| 2 |  At the end of every phase of its health, Astaroth will head over to a new area of Cerrigar, breaking a wall that was previously blocking the path. You must follow him to these new areas for the fight to continue. You can find Astaroth by looking for the skull icon on your map. |
| 3 |  Speak with Donan After defeating Astaroth, Donan will show up and mourn his son Yorin. Interact with Donan to trigger this cutscene. ▼ What to Do If You Can't Progress |
| 4 |  Speak to the guard at the gate After the cutscene, head back to the gate area where you started the quest. Talk to the guard to complete the quest and Act 2. |
As the World Burns Previous and Next Quests
| ◄Previous Quest | Next Quest► |
|---|---|
As the World Burns is the final quest of Act 2. Afterward, you are free to continue to either Acts 1 or 3, if you haven't completed those acts yet. Alternatively, if you did Act 2 last among the first three acts, then you will unlock Act 4 next.
As the World Burns Bug Fixes
June 4 Hotfix Patches Astaroth Bug
The progression-locking bug where Astaroth would destroy a house before moving to it has been patched, as of the June 4 hotfix.
Wait or Reset Due if Donan Doesn't Appear
After defeating Astaroth, you may encounter a bug where Donan either takes long to show up or doesn't appear altogether. The walkthrough team experienced the latter and waited 2-3 minutes before Donan eventually showed up.
All Known Bugs and Error Codes
Reported Bug Fixes
On the official Blizzard forum, players have reported that Donan does not show up after defeating Astaroth at all, causing them to be stuck in the arena of the boss fight and be blocked off from quest progression.
The fix reported by these players was to restart the game and do the boss fight all over again and aim to defeat Astaroth in the middle of the area, rather than the side or outskirts. We are currently unable to confirm this fix at this time, however.
Diablo 4 Related Guides
Story Walkthrough and List of Main Quests
List of All Main Quests
| Prologue Quests | |
|---|---|
| Dusk on the Mountain | Darkness Within |
| A Hero’s Return | A Hero’s Reward |
| Prayers for Salvation | In Search of Answers |
| Rite of Passage | Missing Pieces |
| Act 1 Quests | |
| Ill Tidings | Tarnished Luster |
| The Knight and the Magpie | Undertaking |
| Below | In Her Wake |
| Storming the Gates | The Cost of Knowledge |
| Wayward | Shroud of the Horadrim |
| Fledgling Scholar | Light's Guidance |
| Kor Valar | Pilgrimage |
| Light's Judgement | Light's Protection |
| Crossing Over | Descent |
| Light's Resolve | - |
| Act 2 Quests | |
| An Unforeseen Visit | Dark Omens |
| Encroaching Shadows | Exhuming the Forgotten |
| Harrowed Lament | Apex of Misery |
| Parting Embers | Feral Nature |
| The Beast Within | The Path of Rage |
| Fangs of Corruption | Stemming the Flow |
| Buried Secrets | In Ruins |
| Entombed Legacy | Shadow Over Cerrigar |
| As the World Burns | - |
| Act 3 Quests | |
| The Spreading Darkness | Whittling Sanity |
| Suffering Disquiet | A Moment to Collect |
| Brought Low | The City of Blood and Dust |
| Small Blessings | Whispers from the Past |
| Through The Dark Glass | Descent Into Flame |
| Loose Threads | Oasis of Memories |
| Flesh from Bone | Beneath the Mask |
| Piercing the Veil | Exhumed Relics |
| Act 4 Quests | |
| Prying the Eye | A Master's Touch |
| Lost Arts | A Meeting of the Minds |
| Anguish Incarnate | Eye of the Storm |
| Act 5 Quests | |
| The Path Divided | Secrets of the Zakarum |
| Entombed Hatred | Swamp Hospitality |
| Witch of the Wastes | Encumbered Mind |
| The Cage of Grief | One Step Forward |
| Tainted Flesh | Wrack and Ruin |
| Cold Blood | Judgement of the Swamp |
| The Serpentine Path | Dirge of the Mire |
| The Slow, Beating Heart | A Cold and Lifeless Shore |
| Picking Through the Bones | Beneath the Wine-Dark Sea |
| Fragments of Mortality | On the Precipice |
| Knee-Deep in Filth | A Chorus of Voices |
| Act 6 Quests | |
| Evil Stirs in Kehjistan | The Jewel of the East |
| The Scouring of Caldeum | The Walls Shake |
| Turning the Tide | Essence of Hatred |
| In Desolation's Wake | Light Extinguished |
| The Blind Eye | What Lies Ahead |
| Epilogue Quests | |
| Promises | A Heavy Burden |
| Legacy of the Horadrim | - |
Campaign Guides
| Quest Guides | |
|---|---|
| Best Quest Order | How to Skip Campaign |
| Endgame Guide | Campaign Length |
