WoW Classic Hardcore Tips and Tricks Part 1

A handful of Classic Hardcore Tips and Tricks to prepare you for Hardcore and your adventure.

This is part 1 of our tips and tricks, focusing on some general tips, professions etc in our part 2 Classic Hardcore Tips and Tricks (coming soon) we'll be a little more specific as we look at how you can improve your Hardcore adventure.

Classic Hardcore Tips and Tricks

To start things off, let's take a look at some general tips that will be good to know for everyone. While some of these are obvious, you need to keep them in mind when you only have one life.

AFK and Logging out

We cannot stress enough how bad of an idea going AFK is here. You can't pause an MMO, so if you need to step away for a few minutes, get to safety and log out. It takes 20 seconds to log out (outside of a rest area), so do that. When logging out for the day, always try to do so in a rest area (like an inn), if not, make sure it's someplace safe. No one wants to log back into the game and get attacked right away.

Rest up

Hardcore isn't going to be a quick experience, especially if you're not trying to die… but, if you want to speed up the process making sure to log off in an area where you can get rest is going to help a lot.

Slow and steady

You have one life; remember this every time you log into Hardcore. Don't pull that extra mob because you think you can, be slow, prepare, and stay alive. If you enter an area that is crowded with mobs, asses the area first and see if you have the toolset to help make the encounter easier.

Pay attention

Classic is a fairly relaxing way of playing WoW, but paying attention is important when playing Hardcore—every camp, cave, encounter, etc. Make use of that right-click, and keep your camera on a swivel and always know what's around you. Agro ranges are a lot higher in Classic than what most players are used to from Retail, so don't chance it by trying to weave through multiple mobs.

Run if you need to

Be prepared to run at any time. If a fight looks like it won't go your way, get out while you can. Though, do try to do so without pulling the other 10 mobs in the local area.

Prepare your Class

Knowing what you're playing and how to play it is going to be the best way to prepare. We've done a tier list for solo players, with one for duos coming before release. But it's so important that you understand what your class is going to be doing. When are you getting class quests, what are some key weapons to pick up and what buffs and potions do you need? All of this will help you, and it's all things you can do before you even log in.

Bags

You will likely be hoarding a lot more stuff in Hardcore than you would normally. So finding bags or buying bags from a vendor is important. You'll likely make good early gold just from trash drops, so make sure to get the largest vendor bags you can. After that, maybe look to trade some spare cloth to a tailor in order to get some larger bags.

Professions

You might not normally care too much about your professions, but in Hardcore, it might be the time to start paying attention. It'll change a little if you plan to go Solo, where engineering might be useful. Regardless, here's a few tips to help you out.

First Aid

Taking up a secondary slot, there is literally no reason not to pick up first aid. Cloth is generally plentiful, though, with the slower pace of leveling in Hardcore you might find yourself out leveling the bandages. It would probably be wise to pick up the next versions as a priority as you level.

Engineering (with mining)

If you plan to play solo, Engineering might just be the best profession for giving you the edge. This is especially so when it comes to padding up weaknesses in certain classes. Your level 30 Warrior lacking that needed CC? Don't worry, we probably have a bomb for that. Your Shaman struggling to burst down multiple mobs, that's right, we have a bomb for that. Pair it with mining and you'll likely be able to level engineering on your own without much help.

Alchemy and Herbalism

Another very good pairing, especially when it comes to filling out gaps in your toolkit. Alchemy will also provide you with a constant stream of healing/mana potions to keep you topped up on your journey. Though be careful when going off the path to get Herbalism nodes and don't put yourself in danger.