Last week I tried Hardcore mode, and my feelings are quite mixed. I know NRFTW, and after 15 years of playing Diablo HC only, I understand what to expect and how to prepare. However, here it feels different.
I’ve lost 8 out of 10 characters due to fall damage — the last one was level 19, just yesterday. Jumping in heights is a major part of the game, not only for finding hidden rewards but also for progressing through the story. Because of that, I’m not sure whether this should be considered challenging or simply poorly designed. These two aspects seem to be in direct conflict.
For example, to find the key that opens Finley’s cell, I created a new character because I didn’t want to risk losing my main one. I play using a keyboard, and accidental jumps off cliffs occur far too frequently. Another issue is monsters waiting near cliffs that can immediately push your character off as soon as you climb up, giving you little chance to react. There are too many moments where survival depends on already knowing monster positions or exactly where the water is so you don’t hit the ground instead.
I’m not sure whether this experience is intended or not. I could imagine adding a potion (or buff) that prevents fall damage for a limited time, or perhaps a ring similar to the Woven Ring.
I would like to add one more thing. World exploration is probably the most exciting aspect of your game for me. It’s truly impressive how much effort you’ve put into it — especially how players can discover new paths and figure out how to reach certain places from the other side.
However, this is directly connected to narrow pathways, jumping, and climbing. And honestly, as an HC player, you should avoid doing these things as much as possible because they are simply too risky. Fall damage discourages engaging with this otherwise amazing part of the game. For HC players, fall risk effectively takes away one of the game’s strongest features.
After 150 hrs I installed the “no fall damage” mod because to me, a death caused by the character moving slightly off center while walking on a fallen tree trunk, has never been in any way meaningful.
