Classic Hardcore Rules

Blizzard is releasing Hardcore Classic World of Warcraft server, and with this new game mode comes a unique set of rules that will greatly impact your experience while playing. Most of these rules are structured in a way to make the perma-death rule set more fair, eliminating outside interference so the game feels more fair. The original Classic game was not designed with the Hardcore rule set in mind.

If your character dies on Hardcore, you will not be able to revive, but are still able to operate inside of the game world as a Ghost. This is largely to be able to communicate with other players and handle various administrative tasks. This applies to stuff such as handing off Guild Leader to another character. Blizzard has offered free server transfers from the Hardcore servers to the Forever Classic servers if your character dies on Hardcore. Essentially this means your character is not gone forever, it just becomes unplayable on Hardcore.

The largest change to PvP in Hardcore Classic is the removal of the ability to queue for battlegrounds. You may still engage in pre-made Wargames against other groups, but these will not offer reputation or honor rewards.

Instead of being automatically flagged when attempting a hostile action against a PvP flagged member of the opposite faction, you will be prompted that you are not able to complete this action until you PvP flag yourself, which can be completed by typing the /PvP Command into chat. This change is an effort to minimize the amount of griefing that happens due to an unwilling player being tricked.

There are also many quests throughout World of Warcraft that will either trigger a PvP Flag by asking you to kill an NPC that is either flagged as a member of the opposite faction or aiding an NPC that is flagged for PvP combat. Neither of these actions will trigger your PvP Flag to be activated on Hardcore servers.

Blizzard has also added a 'Duel to the Death' feature where players can challenge each other to a literal duel to the death. The losing player dying and their character being retired upon death. The winning player will gain a stacking buff called String of Ears, which notes how many victories in Duels to the Death they have achieved.

All dungeons will be on a 24 hour lockout to non level 60 players. This change is made in an effort to keep people in the overworld instead of within instanced content. The Season of Mastery changes to dungeon experience is also in effect, so any players higher than the intended level for the content will greatly reduce the experience gained by the party.

There will be no debuff limit on the Classic Hardcore servers, enabling the use of some abilities that would otherwise be harmful to your group/raids overall performance. This change was made to encourage people playing the classes they want to play as opposed to what may be optimal in endgame.

The one major class change that Blizzard has made in Hardcore is the removal of the ability to 'Bubble Hearth' as a Paladin. When under the effects of the abilities Blessing of Protection, Divine Protection or Divine Shield you will not be able to use your Hearthstone item.

Blizzard has also re-worked the leashing function of mobs on Hardcore servers. Most mobs will not be able to be kited outside of the original zone you encounter them in. This change is in an effort to minimize the amount of griefing that occurs when a player kites a mob with either a breath attack or some other harmful ability towards unsuspecting players while still allowing others to use kiting in a productive manner to defeat challenges that otherwise may not be able to be completed.