Everything You Need To Know About Black Desert Online's Hardcore Server Launch Today

If you're looking for a bit more hardcore action in Black Desert Online and you don't mind your class selection being limited to a particular list each season, today's the day to try your luck. The MMORPG's Hardcore Server launches today. Upon character creation, you'll only be able to create a character using one of four classes: the Warrior, Sorceress, Ranger, or Berserker. You'll immediately be level 63, have 3,000 skill points, and be able to choose between Succession or Awakening. However, skill add-ons are not available.

Once you've taken to the desert, you'll only be allowed to adventure for 2 hours per day. Your clock resets 23 hours after logging in.

So what's the goal? Gain as many quest points and Survival Points as you can in each two hour chunk then escape. You gain quest points by completing quests that change each day. Death won't hurt you on this front. You may find random quests from monsters, too. Survival points are earned by killing monsters and players. Should you die, though, you will lose a portion of your points if you are above 3,000 points.

Got your desired points? Good. Turn them in to light portals on the map. You can spend these points on gear. Just be careful. If you die, there is a chance your gear's durability could drop right to zero. However, you may get lucky out there and gain special gear with special boosts, things like bonus human damage gives you the gist.

Better gear means you can venture deeper into the desert to take on more difficult foes for greater rewards. Just look out for special boss spawns, wandering merchants, and the "Dark Fog." That last one creates a "battle royale" event when there's enough players wandering around near each other.

The video below breaks down everything you should know before you venture forth. Careful out there!