Skip to main content
Ugaris

Game Info

Hardcore vs Softcore

Two ways to walk the realm. One earns more experience and pays for it with negs on death; the other earns less and keeps the safety net.

The two paths

Softcore is the default. By definition, every character in Ugaris is Softcore unless thou hast knowingly and willingly changed thy path to Hardcore. There is no way to wander into Hardcore by accident — the switch only happens if thou deliberately opt into it (see the Becoming Hardcore section below).

Every character in Ugaris walks one of two paths: Softcore (SC) or Hardcore (HC). Both paths share the same world, the same monsters, the same drops, the same orbs and SU/GU. The difference is what happens around experience and death.

  • Hardcore earns 30% more kill experience and 10% more MilExp. In return, Hardcore characters cannot hold saves, and Hardcore deaths give negs.
  • Softcore earns the standard rate. In return, Softcore can stockpile saves (up to 10), use Security shrines and Security potions, and cash the stash for experience at an LOE shrine.

What changes on Hardcore

See Death, Saves & Negs for the full death mechanic. The short version:

  • +30% kill experience and +10% MilExp. These are the current Hardcore experience bonuses.
  • No saves. Hardcore characters cannot hold a save under any circumstance.
  • Security shrine refuses thee with "Thou shalt never be secure." Security potions likewise have no effect.
  • LOE shrine refuses thee with "Thou art already living on the edge." Hardcore has no saves to cash.
  • Hardcore deaths give negs. Standard death drops still apply: inventory, gold and two random equipped items are left on thy body and can be looted from it.
  • Current bases. HC/SC bases are currently set at 125, while Seyan is currently set at 110. These values are expected to be balanced further over time.

What stays the same

  • The world. Areas, quests, NPCs, drop tables, prices, transporters, dungeons — identical on both paths.
  • Gear and progression. Orbs, anti-orbs, SU and GU all behave the same. Skills, attributes, ranks and the experience curve match.
  • Trade. Auction, banking and clan structures work the same way.
  • Death drops. When a death penalty lands, Hardcore and Softcore both lose inventory, gold and two random equipped pieces onto the body, where they are lootable.

Becoming Hardcore

One-time choice, level 1, Cameron Fort

Hardcore is opted into, not chosen at character creation. Every character starts as Softcore. To switch to Hardcore:

  1. Make a brand-new character. Thou must still be at level 1 with zero earned experience.
  2. Travel to Cameron Fort and find the starter NPC there.
  3. Speak the required sentence to the NPC. Confirmation flips the character to Hardcore.

Once thy character has earned any experience — even a single kill — the door closes. The character is locked into Softcore for life. The opposite path is also closed: a Hardcore character cannot become Softcore.

Choosing thy path

Stay Softcore if…

  • This is thy first character in Ugaris.
  • Thou intend to push deep content (Long Tunnels, RWW, Teufelheim) where deaths are frequent and expensive.
  • Thou rely on the LOE shrine for steady experience between hunts.
  • Thou prefer the save system as protection through the rough patches in a build's growth.

Go Hardcore if…

  • Thou hast already played Softcore and want a sharper game where caution is rewarded.
  • The 30% kill experience bonus and 10% MilExp bonus are worth the Hardcore death negs for thy playstyle.
  • Thou want the bragging rights of a high-level character with no save-buffer in their record.

Practical advice for Hardcore

  • Banking is not optional. Without saves, every death costs gear, gold and bag. Whatever thou would mourn losing belongs in the vault before any push.
  • Carry recall scrolls one tier above thy level. See Recall Scrolls. The half-second between trouble and the recall is the difference between a story and a tombstone.
  • Skip the save-shrines. Security and LOE will refuse a Hardcore character. Plan a route that does not rely on either; LOE in particular is the steady experience tap that Hardcore must replace with longer hunting and the current Hardcore bonuses.
  • Group up where thou can. A second pair of eyes turns a death into a near-miss. Hardcore parties are a real thing.