A Guide to Rushing
Act III: One (D2) / two (D2R) locking quests.
Khalim's Will (needed only in D2R)
Khalim's Eye: Head out to the Spider Cavern in the Spider Forest. The rusher teleports to the golden chest, clears the immediate area of arachnids (including Sszark the Burning), and pops a safe portal. The rushee hops down, grabs the Eye from the chest, and heads right back to safety.
Khalim's Brain: Level 3 of the Flayer Dungeon in the Flayer Jungle. The rusher clears around the golden chest (including Witch Doctor Endugu fetish shaman and fetish which spawns after killing the shaman), casts a TP, and the rushee grabs the Brain. Watch out for the traps
Khalim's Heart: Level 2 of the Sewers beneath the Kurast Bazaar. The rusher clears around the golden chest. The rushee hops down, grabs the Heart from the chest, and teleport back to town.
The Blackened Temple
Travincal High Council... The High Council minions are not naturally cold immune, but each of the High Council bosses are immune to one of the three elements in the higher difficulties, and always take care around fire enchanted bosses. One of the high council is ALWAYS fire enchanted, and the other two could be as well, in nightmare and hell difficulty. This is very dangerous indeed, as an untimely pop could kill everybody in the rushing party. Never under any circumstances should you press your luck by standing next to a fire enchanted boss that is about to die in nightmare/hell. Your goal is to get to the person that is already dead, not make them loot you too. The rushee should stand in the center area away from the fighting, but before he gets there you will need to clear out ALL of the enemy you can see WITHOUT HARMING ANY OF THE HIGH COUNCIL. If any of the High Council bosses die without the rushee there, you may be forced to collect all of the flail parts, which takes a lot of time, and deals with a lot of dolls in the sewers, most likely. The rushee should be there and safe during the death of all three of the High Council bosses. In order to get credit for this quest, the rushee will need to be within 2 screens of the High Council bosses when they die. Immediately upon seeing the quest button light up and noting that "you must speak to Cain" the rushee should leave the area right away (go directly to town via Town Portal). The rushee must speak to Cain before he can take a portal into the Durance of Hate. It has been noted that you may be able to cheese your way through the High Council by only seeing the last one die (be within 2 screens), but in the case of a loot rush game, it is far better to be safe than sorry.
To proceeed further in D2R, the rushee must additionally complete the Khalim's Will quest by cubing the collected Khalim's organs and Khalim's Flail, and destroying the Compelling Orb with Khalim's Will.
The Guardian
Inside the Durance of Hate 2nd floor, you should bear to the left in order to find the stairs down fastest. In order to get credit for Mephisto, I think you are only required to be partied and on the 3rd floor when he dies, thus the rushee need not be in direct danger or line of sight for mephisto. It is safest to clear out all of the High Council and any miscilanious monsters before engaging with Mephisto himself. While doing so, the safest place for the rushee to stand is back in one of the side rooms. As soon as Mephisto falls, the rushee should carefully make his way to the red portal with all speed, while avoiding the lightly glowing spots on the floor (evil spirits will pop up and attempt to hit you as you walk past). You can indeed be slain by "an evil spirit"... and it is a very humiliating way to go. It is safer to set a tp for the rushee on the platform right next to the red portal and have him hop the hoops, rather than having him run there... But do make sure that the rest of the level is totally cleared or the poor rushee might end up with a hot surprise when he pops down for the getaway, and that would be the end of our noble quest...