So I want to try hardcore mode with all negative perks..

[Stallionista]

Hi! Just finished this game, 150 hours of playtime and I immediately want to jump back in on the hardest settings to 100% this game (i'm long addicted to this game now..). I've looked around for information on this game mode but I still have a couple of questions:

Is it true that you can no longer eat from cooking pots?! I read this somewhere and got irritated because I relied on cooking pots to manage hunger. With tapeworm enabled, I would have to rely solely on hunted game and looted/bought food instead, but that's nothing an adjustment in gameplay style can't handle.

I'm aware that autosaving pre-post quests is removed, but does the game still allow you to reload an older file if you hypothetically found yourself out of your depth two or three quests later?

One source I found stressed how important reading was as a skill for hardcore, but I was hoping to renew Pribyslavitz without the skill for the achievement during my upcoming run to hit two birds with one stone. I'd learn to read as soon as I get this achievement (I'd even hold the main story), but can I do without reading on hardcore until post-Runt?

I'd be grateful for any answers to my questions, and I've read around the negative perks on hardcore already but yet to experience them and adapt my playstyle so any other advice for tackling this challenge would be so appreciated. Cheers in advance!

[Vilab]

yessish : pots now barely refill your food need while reducing your energy, but it is not an issue since food is easy to find/buy

yes, you can reload old saves

can't say

[Brummbär]

yes you can just do Pribyslawitz BEFORE you continue the main story (ride to Merhojed) than it should be no biggy. So kill Runt and than do Pribyslawitz.

Food is no issue in hardcore. If i remember correctly bread was quiet good (giving energy and Hunger).

Only hard part in my book was the ride to Talmberg in the beginning and remember to take Savior Schnaps with you, always since there are no Auto Saves.

Good Luck!

[Velesianus]

Since you never have to actually eat or sleep even in hardcore you can completely ignore 3 of the neg perks; tapeworm, nightmares and somnambulism.

[DargonBlak]

Hardcore - i just finished all negative perks - it wasnt bad.

Food: Foodpots only give 5 instead of 25. Cabbage is the best deal - general traders and veggie traders sell it - most food for the silver. I always kept 4-5 in my inventory (i ate about 3-4 per day)

Saves from sleeping and Potions still work - Quest Start saves are not available

Enemies hit harder (get through your armor easier) - this was one of the big changes for me.

No Compass or Map Icon - the Map no longer shows you where you are or which way you are facing. You have to know time of day, and Sun angle, and what road you are on (hunting with Hans was interesting - since i go off road). THis can be brutal, but you gotta figure Henry doesn't know where he is anyway :)

One neg perk increases Shaky Lockpicks and Arrows - made this part much more difficult

One neg perk slows down progression - so i definitely did much more grinding for Lockpicking

There's one perk that causes negative buff for 2 hours after you wake up - so no more "quick naps" during the day

Another neg perk causes you to wake up someowhere else (about once every 5-6 sleeps) - so be sure to end sleep when it's daylight, or it might frek u out a bit - and have your armor on ;)

The fragile bones and extra bleeding didn't matter much at all for me - more potions.

Oh - and No Health bars, for you or opponent, or stamina for horse, or combat star

Have fun - good luck

[PafunaMT]

Originally posted by Stallionista:

Hi! Just finished this game, 150 hours of playtime and I immediately want to jump back in on the hardest settings to 100% this game (i'm long addicted to this game now..). I've looked around for information on this game mode but I still have a couple of questions:

Is it true that you can no longer eat from cooking pots?! I read this somewhere and got irritated because I relied on cooking pots to manage hunger. With tapeworm enabled, I would have to rely solely on hunted game and looted/bought food instead, but that's nothing an adjustment in gameplay style can't handle.

I'm aware that autosaving pre-post quests is removed, but does the game still allow you to reload an older file if you hypothetically found yourself out of your depth two or three quests later?

One source I found stressed how important reading was as a skill for hardcore, but I was hoping to renew Pribyslavitz without the skill for the achievement during my upcoming run to hit two birds with one stone. I'd learn to read as soon as I get this achievement (I'd even hold the main story), but can I do without reading on hardcore until post-Runt?

I'd be grateful for any answers to my questions, and I've read around the negative perks on hardcore already but yet to experience them and adapt my playstyle so any other advice for tackling this challenge would be so appreciated. Cheers in advance!

On cooking pots - they don't fill you up nearly as much, but you can still get a little nourishment from them. Just keep extra food on your horse, hunt when you need to, you'll be fine. You'll be able to figure out the timing of when you need food pretty quickly, too.

As mentioned above, all saving methods are still there (sleep, schnapps, exit save). You still can reload previous saves, no change there.

On reading - in my experience, yes, you certainly can do without reading until you restore Prib. Some quests will be a little harder to do without the reading skill (Money for Old Rope, Reeky, etc.), but there are work-arounds for those. For the optional quests, you can put those off until your reading skill is sufficiently raised.

[AfLIcTeD]

It's only really difficult at the beginning. Once you have leveled up and gained some perks (which they should have halved in hardcore) to counter most of the negatives. It will be just as easy as normal. Perk wise.

Food is not an issue even with tapeworm. Human Dustbin perk is a godsend for this. You can eat spoiled food without being poisoned. Get it as soon as it opens. Makes food a non issue.

Saving isn't really an issue and doesn't change much from normal. Just spend 30 mins at the alchemy table and you should be set for the rest of the game.

On the reading, I think you should ignore that source as it is no different to normal mode.

The only part that you may struggle with is the navigation. If you are familiar with the map this may be a non issue, but you may still get lost occasionally. I still do and I have been playing it for 800+ hours.

[Stallionista]

Thank you all for the very helpful responses, I'm much more confident going into this now. God be with you!

[theo]

I have no idea why reading must be more important on hardcore. Sure it's handy to level up skills with books but I don't think it's necessary

[Stallionista]

Originally posted by theo:

I have no idea why reading must be more important on hardcore. Sure it's handy to level up skills with books but I don't think it's necessary

That's what I'm thinking now too! I think the source I watched/read (honestly can't remember what it was now) spoke about how learning to read very early on helps both with skill acquisition and easier progression through main quests, but as PafunaMT mentioned already there are workarounds for all of these.

[Carlos]

This is my thread about my recent Hardcore/All Perks run. Some useful info for everyone interested.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/379430/discussions/0/2260188150872323710/?tscn=1588590619

[Stallionista]

Originally posted by Carlos:

This is my thread about my recent Hardcore/All Perks run. Some useful info for everyone interested.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/379430/discussions/0/2260188150872323710/?tscn=1588590619

Loved that read, thank you!

[Stallionista]

Hans: we'll start hunting at dawn
Henry: ok *sleeps till 6am and wakes up in a large field with a long generic road offering little clues as to current location

Just made it back to camp, beating this game mode is going to feel incredible lol

[Paul]

Originally posted by Stallionista:

Hans: we'll start hunting at dawn
Henry: ok *sleeps till 6am and wakes up in a large field with a long generic road offering little clues as to current location

Just made it back to camp, beating this game mode is going to feel incredible lol

I freaking love Somnambulant perk. Such an awesome idea for a gameplay element.

[theo]

Agreed. And it can take you to some secret locations inaccessible by normal means

[breversa]

Originally posted by Stallionista:

Hans: we'll start hunting at dawn
Henry: ok *sleeps till 6am and wakes up in a large field with a long generic road offering little clues as to current location

Just made it back to camp, beating this game mode is going to feel incredible lol

That's when I learned to love the Safe Passage Drinking perk : quaff two moonshine potions, wait an hour or two for the effect to kick in, and you'll wake up in your nearest best.

I call this "Alcoholic Teleportation". ^^