With the new season of D3 starting tomorrow, I began putting some thought into what to play. As I have mostly played HC in ARPGs, even in D3, though I don't play D3 as much as other games, I was going to click on "Seasonal HC" just out of habit. However, after giving it some more thought I couldn't understand what the benefit behind playing HC is.
First of all, with the number of bots and some hacks/cheats which usually get found early in the season and then possibly nerfed. So the ladders/rankings in D3 don't mean much.
Secondly, there is no in-game benefit to playing HC. For example, an ARPG I play more than D3 is Path of Exile. There are several benefits or difference between their Seasonal HC and SC:
1) The game play in HC and SC are completely different. Currently, SC is "Warbands" and HC is "Tempest". In Warbands you have unique monster/boss types of monsters spawn which depending on the specific map or area drop certain items. In Tempest, there are certain "weather" effects that spawn that either buff you and the monsters or debuff. Both fo these changes in HC/SC are displayed on the map, so you can decide where to farm.
2) The items/currencies in HC are cheaper. There are two reasons for this, one is that when players die in HC, they lose everything in that league and thus the HC league loses the currencies. So because there isn't enough currencies in the HC leagues the prices stay relatively low compared to SC.
3) Furthermore in HC (tempest) the map buffs provide a 10% increase in the currencies/items dropped. So you have a higher chance of getting more/better items, and accumulating more currencies to buy whatever you are looking for.
So as you can see in POE not only is the game play between HC/SC is different, there is a real advantage to playing HC. POE says, hey if you take the risk of playing in HC and possibly losing everything, we will reward you with more benefits. Which makes sense to me, and which is why I play HC in POE. However, in D3, I don't understand why I was playing HC. I think it was just out of habit and will probably switch to SC tomorrow.
Some people may respond with something along the lines of "more of an accomplishment", but with the ladders/rankings not meaning much, I don't find that to be an appropriate answer. If the rankings were legitimate, then I could totally see that point, as being higher on the ladders would actually mean something.
Any ways, this wasn't a POE v D3 thread. I just think in POE there is a benefit to palying HC and the ladders mean more than they do in D3. So if anyone has an objective reason behind why they play HC versus SC, I would love to hear it. Just not "....because it makes me feel good"
HC comes with it's own built in end game, exclusive to that mode. Death. ...or....avoiding death. Permanent death. Your character isn't rolling over to SC like in PoE, this is real HC.
HC has rewarded me endlessly. It saved D3 for me when the game was at it's lowest points early on. Now that D3 is a legit top-shelf ARPG (IMO), I am bound to HC mode. I simply couldn't enjoy the game without it.
Objectively speaking; HC adds an aspect to the game that it currently doesn't have outside of HC. It makes it possible for you to lose. It's a game, you should be able to lose. There is no PvP, so if you want to risk loss, hardcore is for you.
HC in Diablo 3 doesn't really gives you any reward per say, as in, you get a free cookie for playing HC.
As someone who used to only play HC in Diablo 2, and a bit in Diablo 3, your reward of playing HC is the thrill, the rush you get by knowing that if you die, all of what you did with that specific character, will be lost.
While that might sound extreme to some people, others enjoy it tremendously.
The thing that made me stop playing HC in Diablo 3 was the little fact that sometimes Battle.net goes bananas and you lag in the middle of a fight and end up dead. And while i have no problem with dying in HC for my own fault, i do have a problem with dying because battle.net decided it would be hilarious to give me a bit of lag.
All in all, HC can be extremely fun, so i can only sugest you to play for a bit and see if you enjoy it as much as some people. You can always go back to SC.
I don't think you should get any benefits from playing HC. I play hardcore because I want more challenging gameplay. Additional buffs and bonuses take that away, it becomes more like "you die forever, but everything is cheaper and easier - mode"
It's (HC) not easier, but HARDER in POE than SC. As I mentioned in tempest (HC) you have monsters that are getting buffed, so more dmg or faster attacks, as well as debuffs on the ground for you, such as poison aoe dmg...etc. So it becomes more like "stronger monsters. weaker player. you die forever." HC being cheaper is only due to players dying because of the difficulty, not because GGG made any design changes to make the economy any different.
HC comes with it's own built in end game, exclusive to that mode. Death. ...or....avoiding death. Permanent death. Your character isn't rolling over to SC like in PoE, this is real HC.
HC has rewarded me endlessly. It saved D3 for me when the game was at it's lowest points early on. Now that D3 is a legit top-shelf ARPG (IMO), I am bound to HC mode. I simply couldn't enjoy the game without it.
Objectively speaking; HC adds an aspect to the game that it currently doesn't have outside of HC. It makes it possible for you to lose. It's a game, you should be able to lose. There is no PvP, so if you want to risk loss, hardcore is for you.
This is what I am asking. What is that HC only built in end game? Could you give me an example?
the rush u get when u know your is going to die character is enough. but I wouldn't mind if they gave us a bonus on paragon farming.
Yes, I agree there is a rush, but the rush becomes moot since there is so much botting and cheating going on. If the ladders/rankings were legitimate, then I could see this as a viable answer.
I don't think anyone will be able to come up with an answer, because I couldn't. So I think I will switch to SC from now on in D3. SC gets to higher GRIFT lvls as well, so thats another thing SC players can brag about. HC players....great you are top 10 in botting, congratulations.
HC exists as an option for those players who get more enjoyment out of the concepts of increased risk due to permanent character death. SC is for everyone else. There does not need to be any additional incentive other than that.
If someone offered you some ice cream, you choose chocolate or vanilla based on which you think tastes better, not because one of them comes in a plain cup and the other comes in a waffle cone covered with hot fudge and sprinkles.
If you, like many people, don't find extra enjoyment from HC, then you should play SC. HC/SC, Season/Non, Bounties/Rifts - whatever is the most fun to you is what you should be doing in a game.
If botting is the issue for you, then don't play SC. I feel like botting is a lot more rampant in SC than HC. Because well, losing a character because your bot fucked up sucks.
I guess one benefit to playing HC is the sense of being an elitist prick you gain from thinking you're somehow better than anyone that doesn't play HC.
This isn't a D3 v POE thread. I just chose POE as an example, because they are a successful ARPG that does things in contrast to D3.
Thanks for contrasting them. Based on your description, I definitely prefer the D3 approach. Giving in-game incentives to play HC is a horrible idea, imho. Hardcore should be aimed at people who want the different mindset and different playstyle. I'd hate to think of someone who didn't want to play that way feeling that they "should" do so for better rewards.
Say, let all mobs on any difficulty have 15% more damage and 25% more health. And you get only half of healing.
Surely, the softcore players won't complain - or will they? - about their mode being easier? And this will make hardcore more challenging. As it is right now, seasons' fresh start is the only thing there to remind you that you're not god-mode outside 35+ grifts
Say, let all mobs on any difficulty have 15% more damage and 25% more health. And you get only half of healing.
Surely, the softcore players won't complain - or will they? - about their mode being easier? And this will make hardcore more challenging. As it is right now, seasons' fresh start is the only thing there to remind you that you're not god-mode outside 35+ grifts
That's what POE's tempest (HC) league is like. It's more difficult. Monsters can do more damage, have more hp, have resists to certain types of damage, their mod system is very detailed. So it just makes playing HC a lot more fulfilling, because you look at the SC guys and think, "I did everything you did on a higher difficulty."
D3, from all of the responses I got, is not like that. HC, just means if you die you lose your toon. But difficulty wise there is no difference. I just asked because I thought I was missing something.
I just finished lvling a monk in Seasons HC to 70 and got to 84 paragon. Now I am going to switch to SC, and probably just play in SC. It's the same difficulty. Thanks to all for their input, and helping me make this decision.
That's what POE's tempest (HC) league is like. It's more difficult. Monsters can do more damage, have more hp, have resists to certain types of damage, their mod system is very detailed. So it just makes playing HC a lot more fulfilling, because you look at the SC guys and think, "I did everything you did on a higher difficulty."
HC is more exciting than SC. Specially if you start pushing the limits of your chars.
it's not for you though if you are just in it for the epeen measuring.
HC comes with it's own built in end game, exclusive to that mode. Death. ...or....avoiding death. Permanent death. Your character isn't rolling over to SC like in PoE, this is real HC.
HC has rewarded me endlessly. It saved D3 for me when the game was at it's lowest points early on. Now that D3 is a legit top-shelf ARPG (IMO), I am bound to HC mode. I simply couldn't enjoy the game without it.
Objectively speaking; HC adds an aspect to the game that it currently doesn't have outside of HC. It makes it possible for you to lose. It's a game, you should be able to lose. There is no PvP, so if you want to risk loss, hardcore is for you.
The only benefit would be that it's easier to make the Leader-board because less people play that mode.
The community is probably tighter, so, it's probably easier to find a group that will play with you on consistent basis.
The game is exactly the same with the exception that there is a cheat death amulet. If you die, it consumes itself but you live.
Personally, I'm too chicken to play it. I haven't played HC since S1. I lost 4 dudes. But I will state that if you are going for the Achievements Leader-board, SC player can not complete a lot of them. I only played HC for the achievements. I still need to get a pair of Nemesis Bracers so I can spawn some Elite Bats. It's one of the few achievements that I still have yet to do.
I guess one benefit to playing HC is the sense of being an elitist prick you gain from thinking you're somehow better than anyone that doesn't play HC.
I agree with this somewhat. And a lot of the comments in this thread seem to prove this.
I guess one benefit to playing HC is the sense of being an elitist prick you gain from thinking you're somehow better than anyone that doesn't play HC.
Just don't apply that standard to all HC players. Many people forget that this game can mean different things to different people, and they forget to type the qualifier of "for me" and the beginning of certain sentences; Such as; "FOR ME, the game doesn't offer enough of a challenge in standard mode"....or ..."FOR ME, the game is too easy without HC".
Personally, I get why a lot of folks enjoy standard mode. It's kinda nice to be able to die and not have it be a big deal. But for me, I need a bit more excitement, especially without a sensible PvP in diablo 3.
One thing you'll never see in HC (something you hear a lot of complaints about in standard); You'll never see a paragon 5 with all yellows equipped trying to leech in t6-t10 games. That tells us a lot about the differences between these modes.
I guess one benefit to playing HC is the sense of being an elitist prick you gain from thinking you're somehow better than anyone that doesn't play HC.
I agree with this somewhat. And a lot of the comments in this thread seem to prove this.
Sometimes people perceive certain comments the wrong way, and they want to receive them as personal in nature. The truth is; HC is more of a challenge than Standard, this cannot be argued. It isn't up for debate. Simply saying this can get some people all pissed off, truth or not.
That being said, I know plenty of HC players that really suck at this game. So....take that for what it's worth.
HC in all diablo's has never had boosted drops/exp, cheaper items, etc. The point is to actually lose something when you die. Making things twice as fast to obtain or level contradicts this philosophy. If anything they should do the opposite.. I think drops should be lowered and prices increased, or add even harder difficulties (i.e. higher torments) only in HC.
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Hi,
With the new season of D3 starting tomorrow, I began putting some thought into what to play. As I have mostly played HC in ARPGs, even in D3, though I don't play D3 as much as other games, I was going to click on "Seasonal HC" just out of habit. However, after giving it some more thought I couldn't understand what the benefit behind playing HC is.
First of all, with the number of bots and some hacks/cheats which usually get found early in the season and then possibly nerfed. So the ladders/rankings in D3 don't mean much.
Secondly, there is no in-game benefit to playing HC. For example, an ARPG I play more than D3 is Path of Exile. There are several benefits or difference between their Seasonal HC and SC:
1) The game play in HC and SC are completely different. Currently, SC is "Warbands" and HC is "Tempest". In Warbands you have unique monster/boss types of monsters spawn which depending on the specific map or area drop certain items. In Tempest, there are certain "weather" effects that spawn that either buff you and the monsters or debuff. Both fo these changes in HC/SC are displayed on the map, so you can decide where to farm.
2) The items/currencies in HC are cheaper. There are two reasons for this, one is that when players die in HC, they lose everything in that league and thus the HC league loses the currencies. So because there isn't enough currencies in the HC leagues the prices stay relatively low compared to SC.
3) Furthermore in HC (tempest) the map buffs provide a 10% increase in the currencies/items dropped. So you have a higher chance of getting more/better items, and accumulating more currencies to buy whatever you are looking for.
So as you can see in POE not only is the game play between HC/SC is different, there is a real advantage to playing HC. POE says, hey if you take the risk of playing in HC and possibly losing everything, we will reward you with more benefits. Which makes sense to me, and which is why I play HC in POE. However, in D3, I don't understand why I was playing HC. I think it was just out of habit and will probably switch to SC tomorrow.
Some people may respond with something along the lines of "more of an accomplishment", but with the ladders/rankings not meaning much, I don't find that to be an appropriate answer. If the rankings were legitimate, then I could totally see that point, as being higher on the ladders would actually mean something.
Any ways, this wasn't a POE v D3 thread. I just think in POE there is a benefit to palying HC and the ladders mean more than they do in D3. So if anyone has an objective reason behind why they play HC versus SC, I would love to hear it. Just not "....because it makes me feel good"
Thanks.
OP, thats an epic name, straight out of a 6th grade lunch table chat between a bunch of 12 year old boys
HC comes with it's own built in end game, exclusive to that mode. Death. ...or....avoiding death. Permanent death. Your character isn't rolling over to SC like in PoE, this is real HC.
HC has rewarded me endlessly. It saved D3 for me when the game was at it's lowest points early on. Now that D3 is a legit top-shelf ARPG (IMO), I am bound to HC mode. I simply couldn't enjoy the game without it.
Objectively speaking; HC adds an aspect to the game that it currently doesn't have outside of HC. It makes it possible for you to lose. It's a game, you should be able to lose. There is no PvP, so if you want to risk loss, hardcore is for you.
BurningRope#1322 (US~HC) Request an invite to the official (NA) <dfans> Clan
the rush u get when u know your is going to die character is enough. but I wouldn't mind if they gave us a bonus on paragon farming.
lol sry must be drinking now. the rush u get when u know your character is going to die is enough
HC in Diablo 3 doesn't really gives you any reward per say, as in, you get a free cookie for playing HC.
As someone who used to only play HC in Diablo 2, and a bit in Diablo 3, your reward of playing HC is the thrill, the rush you get by knowing that if you die, all of what you did with that specific character, will be lost.
While that might sound extreme to some people, others enjoy it tremendously.
The thing that made me stop playing HC in Diablo 3 was the little fact that sometimes Battle.net goes bananas and you lag in the middle of a fight and end up dead. And while i have no problem with dying in HC for my own fault, i do have a problem with dying because battle.net decided it would be hilarious to give me a bit of lag.
All in all, HC can be extremely fun, so i can only sugest you to play for a bit and see if you enjoy it as much as some people. You can always go back to SC.
Have fun.
This isn't a D3 v POE thread. I just chose POE as an example, because they are a successful ARPG that does things in contrast to D3.
Thanks.
This is what I am asking. What is that HC only built in end game? Could you give me an example?
Yes, I agree there is a rush, but the rush becomes moot since there is so much botting and cheating going on. If the ladders/rankings were legitimate, then I could see this as a viable answer.
I don't think anyone will be able to come up with an answer, because I couldn't. So I think I will switch to SC from now on in D3. SC gets to higher GRIFT lvls as well, so thats another thing SC players can brag about. HC players....great you are top 10 in botting, congratulations.
HC exists as an option for those players who get more enjoyment out of the concepts of increased risk due to permanent character death. SC is for everyone else. There does not need to be any additional incentive other than that.
If someone offered you some ice cream, you choose chocolate or vanilla based on which you think tastes better, not because one of them comes in a plain cup and the other comes in a waffle cone covered with hot fudge and sprinkles.
If you, like many people, don't find extra enjoyment from HC, then you should play SC. HC/SC, Season/Non, Bounties/Rifts - whatever is the most fun to you is what you should be doing in a game.
If botting is the issue for you, then don't play SC. I feel like botting is a lot more rampant in SC than HC. Because well, losing a character because your bot fucked up sucks.
TurboHud tho.. that's another issue.
I guess one benefit to playing HC is the sense of being an elitist prick you gain from thinking you're somehow better than anyone that doesn't play HC.
Say, let all mobs on any difficulty have 15% more damage and 25% more health. And you get only half of healing.
Surely, the softcore players won't complain - or will they? - about their mode being easier? And this will make hardcore more challenging. As it is right now, seasons' fresh start is the only thing there to remind you that you're not god-mode outside 35+ grifts
That's what POE's tempest (HC) league is like. It's more difficult. Monsters can do more damage, have more hp, have resists to certain types of damage, their mod system is very detailed. So it just makes playing HC a lot more fulfilling, because you look at the SC guys and think, "I did everything you did on a higher difficulty."
D3, from all of the responses I got, is not like that. HC, just means if you die you lose your toon. But difficulty wise there is no difference. I just asked because I thought I was missing something.
I just finished lvling a monk in Seasons HC to 70 and got to 84 paragon. Now I am going to switch to SC, and probably just play in SC. It's the same difficulty. Thanks to all for their input, and helping me make this decision.
it's not for you though if you are just in it for the epeen measuring.
http://eu.battle.net/d3/en/profile/Twoflower-2131/hero/47336841
The only benefit would be that it's easier to make the Leader-board because less people play that mode.
The community is probably tighter, so, it's probably easier to find a group that will play with you on consistent basis.
The game is exactly the same with the exception that there is a cheat death amulet. If you die, it consumes itself but you live.
Personally, I'm too chicken to play it. I haven't played HC since S1. I lost 4 dudes. But I will state that if you are going for the Achievements Leader-board, SC player can not complete a lot of them. I only played HC for the achievements. I still need to get a pair of Nemesis Bracers so I can spawn some Elite Bats. It's one of the few achievements that I still have yet to do.
Personally, I get why a lot of folks enjoy standard mode. It's kinda nice to be able to die and not have it be a big deal. But for me, I need a bit more excitement, especially without a sensible PvP in diablo 3.
One thing you'll never see in HC (something you hear a lot of complaints about in standard); You'll never see a paragon 5 with all yellows equipped trying to leech in t6-t10 games. That tells us a lot about the differences between these modes.
BurningRope#1322 (US~HC) Request an invite to the official (NA) <dfans> Clan
That being said, I know plenty of HC players that really suck at this game. So....take that for what it's worth.
BurningRope#1322 (US~HC) Request an invite to the official (NA) <dfans> Clan
HC in all diablo's has never had boosted drops/exp, cheaper items, etc. The point is to actually lose something when you die. Making things twice as fast to obtain or level contradicts this philosophy. If anything they should do the opposite.. I think drops should be lowered and prices increased, or add even harder difficulties (i.e. higher torments) only in HC.