Starting a Hardcore Character

[Vince]

A couple of years ago, I finished the basic level in Lilith without getting killed, but I had to import Legendary items. Now I'm trying to do it honestly.

When you create a new character, you have to go to the Epic and Legendary levels before actually playing the game. At the Legendary level, go west through the field, go to the south-east corner of the field, and get all the items in the chest. Then do it on the Epic level. Then return to Normal and do it. Your character will probably have a weapon, a shield, and some armor.

Start fighting to the south of the forest, but don't actually enter it. It is easier to flee, and monsters won't chase you into town. Kill boars before spiders, because spiders are slower and are easier to escape from.

After clearing both sides of the road south of the forest, stay on the road, fighting only the monsters that come at you. But turn back immediately when the road leaves the forest and curves to the west, because wolves are there.

Do not fight the giant boar until you have reached level 3. Quit and restart if you have to.


Of course you can win without doing any of this, but this is for a hardcore character.

[Vince]

After retrieving Zara's turtle and killing the giant boar, you are supposed to go to the underground passage. But there's a better way to keep your hardcore character alive.

Stay on the road leaving the village and enter the caves. They are actually easier than the underground passage. Eventually, you will reach a rest point. When you do, stay very close to the west wall, DO NOT GO DOWN ANY MORE STEPS. A secret passage along the west wall is carefully hidden, and it is full of treasure. After collecting all the loot, quit the game and keep returning to the rest point to farm the secret passage.

Don't go down any stairs, because there is a powerful shadow monster who is very difficult to defeat. Finish the underground passage and Highlands first, as the game directs you to.

[Vince]

I learned a painful lesson yesterday. I was running a new hardcore character whose masteries were going to be Nature and Dream. It occurred to me that there is no difference between using a staff or a bow with those two masteries--just use the most powerful.

At level 5, I switched from a bow to a slightly more powerful staff, and was soon killed. The bow has far greater range, allowing two or three shots before the monster reaches you, while the staff only allows one free shot. The bow also makes it easier to get a mob to chase you while you have time to build a lead, so you can pick off the leaders without the slower monsters able to reach you.

[Vince]

Using Nature and Dream, and armed with a bow, my hardcore character reached level 40 this morning. Granted, I am using equipment picked up by other characters.

[mostal]

Nice progression

[Vince]

(sniff) Thank you, Mostal. (sniff) Today I went to the Legendary level at level 41 to try to get some better equipment. (sniff).

Well, I learned not to try that stunt again.