Hardcore 101- Looking for your input

[X an th]

I'm going to be putting together a hardcore 101 primer for new players to Hardcore. I'm looking for your ideas/suggestions for people new to hardcore. Ideally I want to do this as a two parter. The first part about Hardcore in general and the second after release about specifics. So what do you think people need to know about Hardcore before D3 launches?

[The Magic]

Well I keep seeing the same question about when it is unlocked. It looks like a lot of people still assume it is unlocked after beating SC normal.

[snowieken]

"Don't die" is probably too obvious. Maybe once the game is released, I would delve a bit into defensive skills and how to effectively use them. Apart from those defensive skills, it is also a different, more slow and cautious playstyle, you might want to elaborate on that a bit.

Not really groundbreaking, but that's the stuff I can come up with at the moment.

[capnlarge]

I say, if you beat the very first area on the way to New Tristram without dying and then park yourself in town, you'll probably stay alive forever.

[X an th]

good one The Magic, I can see a lot of new players not knowing this

[Risingred]

I told a friend to avoid events that he wasn't familiar with. They really seem to be considerably harder than many other portions of gameplay. Just generally getting a lay of the land and playing slowly, like we did in D2. Understand how each aspect of defense synergises, how it works together, and figure out where you are lacking and where you need to shed some stats.

[jamesL]

if your goal in HC is to be the first person to reach level 60, then you're doing it wrong

you'll be playing too fast, too recklessly and taking too many chances
you can't "rush" HC

take your time, settle down, rerun the same area a few times, gain some levels, farm some gear, spend some time crafting

nobody reached level 60 by dying

[Xens]

I think one of the most important parts of playing HC is being actually 'ready' to step into the next difficulty level. So many times I've finished Nightmare only to die very early into A1 Hell. You have to totally change your mindset back to a very cautious one when stepping up the difficulty.

[Retardje]

- Make sure they know that hardcore is in fact, hardcore. Thats the start. The mindsetting this provides helps you survive. If they come over from softcore, its probably usefull to tell people about defensive skills, they will be more used in hardcore. The same will be with healthglobes and cooldowns on potions. Youll have to learn to manage this, so start it asap.

- Then try to explain the thrill it gives when you do survive something, barely. And the sense of achievement beating certain parts of the game. People are always warning and such, making it sound so negative

- In D2, we were used to stacking vitality and such and to a certain degree we will probably find a way to do that here, probably through gear. Explain how and why.

- Explain whats actually lost when you die. Artisans wont be lost, same for your stash. Everything on your character will be lost. Also explain, this probably means that @ the start you will only lose time if you die. In later stages, it might start to hurt, losing geared characters. This probably also means that progressing in the two fields which you take with you after you die is a smart choice.

- Lvl 10 unlocking.

- Depending how on steep the curve is, explain that farming the completed difficulty is mandetory to beating the next difficulty.

- Never trust anybody (except friends). Just dont. Really, dont. Its scary, I know, but for every person willing to help you, there will be twenty willing to kill you.

- If you find something useful, but not for the character which you are currently playing, stash it. Stashing = cashing.

When I think up more, Ill add it

[Namik]

- If you can't accept that your character will die from things you can't predict and counter (for example: lags, disconnects, your PC burning, etc.) then just don't bother. You will lose your time, nerves and fun.

- Don't give up after first death or few. It's normal for everyone to die on hardcore and lose their characters. Once you get your head around fact that you will create new characters over and over again you will find so much fun playing hardcore.

- Items with affixes that help you survive longer are your priority over items that gives only bonuses to damage (especially important for begginers).

- Don't rush. If you are playing range class shoot few attacks / spells to new room you are going to before stepping into it. If you play melee class go there slowly, don't just Leap there and hope for the best.

- And most important -- if someone asks you: It was a lag that killed you.