Remove the ability to cross over from HC until Level 60.

[Pozinian]

I think the current option allowing dead Hardcore characters to cross over to the normal PvE realm by walking to the Dark Portal is unintentionally weakening the Hardcore realm’s long-term population.

I know we have low numbers overall already, but hear me out.

Right now, a couple days after mass signups have been enabled, it is already very difficult to form groups for low-level dungeons on the HC realm.
At the time of writing, based on the community Discord’s #system-hc channel, I have seen 1,554 recorded Hardcore deaths, many of them at very low levels, including a large number under level 5. Meanwhile, 234 characters have crossed over, mostly level 10 and above. There are currently around 140 players online.

The concern is that the transfer option changes the psychology of the mode. Instead of committing to the Hardcore realm as its own ecosystem, many players will treat their HC character as a “one and done” attempt, knowing that if they die they can continue playing that same character on a fresh, recently launched PvE realm.

This risks slowly draining the HC realm of players who might otherwise reroll, rejoin the leveling pool, and keep dungeons and grouping alive. Hardcore depends heavily on population recycling - dead characters normally become new characters, and this keeps zones and dungeons at all levels, active. If too many of those deaths instead become transfers, the HC realm can stagnate very quickly, especially when we're already starting at low numbers.

A healthier compromise would be to restrict this option to level 60 characters only. This would allow players who finish their Hardcore journey, or who want to continue after dying in Inferno-style endgame play, to preserve their character afterward. This way it would function more like a post-mortem Hardcore deactivation, similarly to TurtleWoW.

Alternatively, disable crossover and reactivate it later as it is, only once the PvE realm is more established and the HC realm has had more time to stabilize its own population.

[Crimsonclaws]

This is all true, and a VERY valid concern, but THIS is not the solution I would want to see implemented.

The solution is NOT to punish failure, but to reward success!!!

We have to improve the incentives for staying so that re-rolling feels worth the effort!

For everyone:
1. Currently using the Dark Portal grants you a title when crossing based on your level.
Keep this, but change it. The immortal title should still be granted when crossing at lvl 60, but the other titles should be rewarded IMMEDIATELY upon reaching that level goal! Meaning the "Immortal" title should be the only one granted by crossing with all other titles becoming IMMEDIATE rewards!

For those who want to raid:
1. Give a title as a reward for clearing each and every raid.
2. Massively increase the rewards for inferno raiding.

For those who want PvP:
1. Make War mode more rewarding, and give it a buff. Change it from its current state of granting 5% more XP and honor, TO granting 10% more XP/honor, and increasing all the players stats by 5%.
2. Make BGs more rewarding. IDK how, because I don't do BGs at all.

For PvE players who just enjoy the leveling experience:
1. Introduce a prestige system similar to the one found on Ascension WoW servers.
While many of Ascension's ideas are trash, THIS ONE is fucking brilliant!!
A huge improvement over drowning myself at lvl 60, because im literally bored to tears!!!