Wow Classic Hardcore solo self-found rules explained: Taking the difficulty up a notch

If WoW Classic Hardcore isn’t hard enough for you, the solo self-found rules might be just what you need to take it up a notch. It was a popular ruleset for the Classic Era servers in World of Warcraft anyway, but players are starting to do it during their hardcore runs to add a bit of extra spice. Some players have felt the hardcore mode is a bit too easy, so this will add a little more to the game.

We’ll go over what exactly you have to do for Solo Self-Found in WoW Classic Hardcore and what exactly makes the game so much harder as a result of abiding by these rules. You won’t have an app to keep you in line - it’s a self-discipline ruleset to go by as you explore Azeroth.

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What are the Solo Self-Found (SSF) rules in WoW Classic Hardcore?

The Solo Self-Found ruleset speaks for itself in WoW Classic Hardcore, but here it is in essence. You cannot use anything other than what you find for yourself in the game. No asking people in Goldshire to make you bags or anything like that. With this in mind, make sure you have useful add-ons to help keep you safe.

SSF gives players the ultimate single-player challenge (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

It’s more than just things you find in the world. If it’s in the open world at all, you cannot interact with other players. You can talk to them, sure, but you cannot give or take items from them.

SSF restrictions

• Don’t group in the open world
• No trading with other players
• Do not use the Auction House
• No sending or receiving mail for any reason (unless NPCs send it)

The only real exception to this rule is dungeons. You can group up with other players to complete dungeons, which makes sense. Players can’t really solo dungeons at their level in WoW Classic Hardcore.

It would be far too dangerous. Besides, you can only complete each dungeon once a day on these servers, so it doesn't give you a serious advantage.

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What makes Solo Self-Found so much harder in WoW Classic Hardcore?

It's all up to you - nobody can help you in Solo Self-Found (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

Solo Self-Found rules in Classic Hardcore force a player to be completely self-reliant. You’ll often find crafters in low-level areas offering to make bags, craft wands, and things like that to help improve their levels. You can no longer accept these on an SSF character in World of Warcraft.

For now, you have to do this yourself without having an add-on or toggle in the game. However, according to content creator Savix in a recent interview with the WoW Classic Hardcore developers, Solo Self-Found will be added as another way to play at a later date.

Some players prefer to play this way, though. They find it unfair, or perhaps even cheating, to accept help from other players as they work through the single-life mode of hardcore. It’s entirely up to you whether you want to play that way - nobody can force you to do otherwise.

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WoW Classic Hardcore is already available on the Warcraft Classic Era servers. If you want to know which classes are the best, here’s our latest tier list.