Okay, hardcore mode in the beta was easy. Nothing surprised me in the beta. Did you guys know though, that Diablo 3 has shipped with the difficulty tuned up a notch? That’s the truth!
I have yet to delve into hardcore in normal but I can say that the group I’ve been playing with hasn’t seen a death yet – we let no man die. We’re playing smart, we’re playing it cautious. In effect we’re practising for the ‘big show’ to come in later difficulties.
But have we been near death? Hell yeah. And the danger isn’t the bosses (though some are tough) it’s the champions and elites. With one uncomfortable affix and another pack of mobs pulled into the fray things can get hectic!
I see this trend carrying over to hardcore mode. You can (and should, unless you’re a diehard hardcore player) play softcore before moving into hardcore – you’ll learn the bosses movements and attacks. Some require varyingly complex routines.
But the greatest danger – even when you’re prepared – is the danger of the ‘affix’. Nightmarish mobs will make your Monk or Barbarian very uncomfortable. Vortex, Waller and Jailer mobs will mock your efforts to keep distance between your Witch Doctor, Wizard or Demon Hunter and the champion pack.
It’s thrilling stuff, even on softcore and normal. I might be tempted to go hardcore! … just not yet.
Ray
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