Hardcore (HC) is an optional gaming mode in the Diablo series, implemented to give an extra level of challenge to players.
Blizzard will bring back Hardcore mode (aka HC mode) in Diablo 4. When a character first dies in HC, the character is gone forever (i.e., permadeath) and the player must begin anew with a fresh character. Diablo 4’s Hardcore mode will follow the traditions of past Diablo games.
Q: Will there be Hardcore?
A: Yes! We’ve loved this feature ever since it started as a player-created and self-imposed challenge in the original Diablo.
There’s currently no plans to transition a slain Hardcore character to Softcore mode (aka SC), which occurs in games like Path of Exile.
Hardcore players can partake in PvP on the Fields of Hatred. If a Hardcore player dies in PvP, the death won’t count as permadeath , and the player can continue playing the storyline.
For games with a Hardcore mode, dealing with players disconnecting (intentionally or unintentionally) is tricky — game developers should find a solution that saves players heartache while not making the solutions so easy or frequent that they can be abused. Blizzard has struck a good balance with the new Scroll of Escape item, a rare drop that’s automatically consumed when Diablo 4 detects a disconnect, teleporting the player out of danger and to a random location. How far away the player is teleported to isn’t known.
| Name | Description | Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Epic Adventurer | Reach Level 50 with every class in Hardcore Mode. Barbarian, Druid, Necromancer, Rogue, Sorcerer. |
Accomplished, Cohort(Player Titles) |
| Daring Delver | Complete a Sacred Nightmare Dungeon in Hardcore Mode. | Embattled, Explorer(Player Titles) |
| Audacious Delver | Complete an Ancestral Nightmare Dungeon in Hardcore Mode. | Tormented, Phantom(Player Titles) |
| Fearless Whispers | Complete a Silent Offering in Hardcore Mode. | Giant, Sacrifice(Player Titles) |
| Treacherous Inferno | Pickup 100 Cinders in Helltide zones in Hardcore Mode. | Crimson, Connoiseur(Player Titles) |
| Confident Combatant | Get 1 PvP kill in Hardcore Mode. | Murderous, Rat(Player Titles) |
| Daring Combatant | Get 5 PvP kills in Hardcore Mode. | Malicious, Villain(Player Titles) |
| Fearless Combatant | Get 10 PvP kills in Hardcore Mode. | Sweaty, Murderer(Player Titles) |
| Name | Description | Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Slayer of Vanity | Kill Astaroth in Hardcore Mode. | Vain, Victor(Player Titles) |
| Slayer of Anguish | Kill Andariel in Hardcore Mode. | Anguished, Assailant(Player Titles) |
| Slayer of Pain | Kill Duriel in Hardcore Mode. | Pained, Protector(Player Titles) |
| Slayer of the First Mother | Kill Lilith in Hardcore Mode. | Succubus, Supplanter(Player Titles) |
| Travelling Slayer | Kill a World Boss in Hardcore Mode. | Worldly, Challenger(Player Titles) |
| Journeyed Slayer | Kill every World Boss in Hardcore Mode. Ashava Slain, Avarice Slain, Wandering Death Slain |
Complete, Conqueror(Player Titles) |
| Slayer of the Butcher | Kill the Butcher in Hardcore Mode. | Chamel, Chef(Player Titles) |
| Name | Description | Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Feat of the Braggart | Reach Level 25 in Hardcore Mode. | Brash, Braggart(Player Titles) |
| Feat of the Hero | Reach Level 50 in Hardcore Mode. | Dauntless, Hero(Player Titles) |
| Feat of the Champion | Reach Level 100 in Hardcore Mode. | Tempered, Champion(Player Titles) |
| Feat of the Challenger | Unlock 2 Legendary Paragon Nodes in Hardcore Mode. | Bold, Believer(Player Titles) |
In Diablo II and Diablo III, a player may choose upon the character creation to make it a Hardcore (HC) character, the true test of the player's skills. This is an irreversible decision. In effect, the game treats Hardcore characters like mortal human beings rather than the semi-immortal non-Hardcore characters, accordingly called Softcore (SC) by Hardcore players. In this mode, a character only lives until the first death, being permanently lost after that.
Remember: all Hardcore characters are mortal and will, sooner or later, die, the only way to prevent this is not to play them at all. Usually it happens because of a lag spike, an overly powerful monster (for example, Multishot + Lightning Enchanted, Bone Fetishes, or Gloams with Conviction), disconnection (in D3 only, as game continues for 10 more seconds after losing control). In Diablo II, a set of side cheat programs were developed (such as MapHack) to minimize the chances of dying, but it will eventually happen.
Using bots on Hardcore is also pointless, since bots are generally more prone to dying than players. It is also common among players of some communities to orchestrate deaths of HC characters who are suspected of cheating.
Customer Support does not restore dead Hardcore characters, no matter the cause of death; by checking the 'Hardcore' checkbox, a player accepts that their character may die with no chance of revival. This includes deaths due to account being stolen or otherwise compromised.
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