This article is out of date. Click here to return back to the opinions portal to find something newer. Thank you for
your patience in this matter!

There are a lot of items and abilities in World of Warcraft (WoW). Tons of things that we strive hard to obtain in order to be more unique than others. Just like in real life we strive to be richer and more powerful than others. We work and work to have better things that others do not have. The question is simple though: how hardcore are you really.

The following questionnaire should answer your questions to how hardcore you really are in PvE and PvP.

General

Are you level 70?

If you’re not level 70 you cannot be hardcore.

Do you have more than one level 70?

If you have two to three level 70s you’re moderately “cool”. You’re flexible enough that you can probably do anything. You can show off by saying that you’re switching to another character and people will be thankful for your flexibility.

Do you have more than three level 70s?

You’re hardcore.

PvE

Do you have any blue items from any of the instances in Outland?

Believe it or not, while you may not be close to hardcore you’re better than a good deal of players. A lot of players stop their personal progression once they hit 70 utilizing the green items from quests or just going straight to PvP gear. Many players have never set foot into any of the exciting instances contained within Outland.

Do you have any items from the heroic instances?

Entering heroic instances usually means you’ve entered the non-heroic counter-parts and farmed up a good deal of blue gear before taking on these instances which are much more difficult. You’re still not that unique snowflake but you’ve gotten yourself on the path to something fantastic. Consider yourself better than average but nothing to toot your horn about.

Do you have any items from Karazhan?

You’re now at the very tip of “hardcore”. Karazhan is considered more difficult than most any heroic instance and is a very difficult instance to go through for a ten man. Groups consisting of mostly random players have been known to enter and clear the instance but it’s still something that a lot of players don’t go through. You’re not hardcore, but you’re special. You’re still not going to take every mana wrym in Magisters’ Terrace though.

Do you have any items from Magtheridon’s Lair or Gruul’s Lair?

The first 25 man instances are still not hardcore but you’re way more special than most players who do not bother to set foot inside of these instances. You can flaunt some of the drops from these instances.

Do you have any items from Serpantshrine Cavern?

Yep, you’re small time hardcore. Serpantshrine Cavern is considered by many to be the first real raid instance. That doesn’t mean you’re going to have everyone impressed by your loot inside of Shattrath but it does mean you have better gear than most players. If you’ve got a lot of SC gear then you’re on the track of being someone.

Do you have any items from The Eye?

Have you downed Prince Kael’thas in his non-wretched form? If so you’re hardcore. You’re not Black Temple hardcore but you’re hardcore. Your gear will reflect just who you are and you’ll probably be able to easily apply for most raiding guilds out there. Enjoy your social status!

Do you have any items from Mount Hyjal, Black Temple, or the Sunwell Plateau?

Obviously having items from the Sunwell Plateau means that you’ve progressed further than those on Mount Hyjal but it doesn’t matter. You’re hardcore. You’re the elite of the game. At least until the next expansion. Even then you’re still hardcore for accomplishing something a good deal of players will never do or see.

PvP

There is no sound formula to judge how hardcore you are in PvP. Well, technically there is. However it’s pretty cut and dry. Do you have any weapons/armor bought with honor? You’re slightly special. Got the full set? You’re hardcore, but only in the sense of sticking with the battlegrounds long enough to farm up the honor.

Got an arena ranking over 2000? You’re hardcore. In the top .05%? You’re super hardcore. It’s pretty simple. To get over 2000 you’ve got to be really good and have played enough to win up to that high.

How do you compare to how you thought you were? Did you rank lower than you expected? Go to our forums and post your comments!


Comments or questions? Email us ([email protected]) or post on our forums!


To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our World of Warcraft Game Page.

Last Updated: Mar 29, 2016

About The Author

Get in the bush with David "Xerin" Piner as he leverages his spectacular insanity to ask the serious questions such as is Master Yi and Illidan the same person? What's for dinner? What are ways to elevate your gaming experience? David's column, Respawn, is updated near daily with some of the coolest things you'll read online, while David tackles ways to improve the game experience across the board with various hype guides to cool games.

Comments