CalemDrift Hardcore Mode Guide
By the developer
Hardcore heroes get one life. Die once and the run ends. Removing the fallen hero archives its record and returns you to character select. That grave marker is what you leave behind.
What you get for the risk is a separate leaderboard and a hero that has never died. Getting one to level 50 and through the Ancient Chromatic Dragon King is a goal to work toward.
How Hardcore works
- You choose Hardcore when you create a hero. You cannot switch a normal hero to Hardcore later, or the other way around.
- Death ends the run. Removing the fallen hero archives its record and deletes the playable character.
- Hardcore heroes have their own leaderboard, separate from normal heroes, ranked by Power Score.
- Hardcore needs a full account. Guest heroes cannot play Hardcore.
How to survive
- Pick a sturdy class. Paladin or Warrior first, Cleric if you want to cast. Leave Wizard and Monk for a second Hardcore run. See best class for beginners.
- Stay one zone behind. Fight monsters at or a little below your level. Gray monsters give no experience and can trigger revenge raids.
- Read the combat log. Elites, named rares and bosses hit much harder. Your log shows who is hitting you.
- Raid when you are over-ready. A raid boss is a solo fight. Go in with your best gear.
- Upgrade often. Hunt for gear upgrades. Hardcore heroes cannot use the Auction House.
Hardcore in the Drift
Treat the Drift as a serious risk on a Hardcore hero.
Drift monsters scale to your level, and some roll above it, so you cannot out-level a Drift Zone the way you out-level a normal one. They also use abilities they never have outside it. Rot Burst and Soul Rot hit you over time. Static Surge and Grave Pulse hit back when you hit them. Reality Tear just goes off.
The Drift can corrupt you too. Some corruptions help and some hurt. A couple, like Rotsight and Rift Instability, send harder enemies your way. Grave Ward lets you survive one lethal blow, and on a Hardcore hero that one matters more than any other.
My advice: do the Drift on a normal hero first, and learn which monsters to skip. The Drift-only named rares, like the Tomb-Crown Behemoth at Necropolis Gate, are the ones that end runs.
FAQ
What happens to my items when my Hardcore hero dies? You lose access to that hero and its gear. Its record can be archived when you remove the fallen hero.
Can I play normal and Hardcore at the same time? You can have normal and Hardcore heroes, but only one hero can be actively played at a time.
Is Hardcore harder to level? The monsters are the same as on a normal hero. Dying is what changes.
Can I buy my way out of a death? No. Nothing in the shop saves a Hardcore hero.
Keep reading
Make a Hardcore hero at calemdrift.com · Get CalemDrift on Android