Blizzard Starts Testing WoW Classic’s Hardcore Permadeath Rules On The PTR
Blizzard Entertainment is gearing up for the release of its Hardcore Classic realms by allowing players to test out the permadeath ruleset on the public test realm. Classic Era 1.14.4 is now live on the PTR with various adjustments and new mechanics that set it apart from the self-imposed permadeath rules that the official hardcore mode was based on.
The developers are specifically testing mob leash distances, the new Duel to the Death mechanic, and the impact of death on players' mail and auctions, which will be lost upon death to facilitate transfers. Free character transfers, however, won’t be available during testing but will function just as it does on the live WoW Classic servers when the hardcore mode officially opens its doors later this summer.
One notable change being tested is the XP rewards in dungeons. “Dungeons currently save players after a boss is killed,” Blizzard explained. “As a result, we’ve moved all XP in dungeons to bosses only. The amount of XP granted by bosses is not final.”
Blizzard has also announced that a second round of testing will take place later this month. This testing phase will focus on the revamped Classic Era PvP honor system, giving players the chance to take it for a spin and provide valuable . For now, you can check out what the hardcore mode has to offer on the PTR.
