Vitality should be the number one stat increased.

Defense > Offense – There’s quite a bit of importance in not dying in hardcore because, well, that’s it.

The Embermage and Wastlander are ranged characters, so they get to sit back and shoot stuff from a somewhat safe distance. The Engineer heal bot helps a lot– but a lot LESS than you think early levels. The Berserker has the most exposure to damage and the most risk/reward when he goes berserk, so we’ve found that that class takes the dirt nap more than the others.

Choose your class carefully for Hardcore.

It’s not easy but with these tips and some conservative play, you may yet survive. Here’s stuff to help you get to level 20.

Only one of us has gotten beyond level 20 (sensless) and they died shortly after while heading back and farming ACT 1 (!?). We started with a blind run (well, those of us not in the beta) so we haven’t seen most of the game and every piece of content has had to be EARNED with hardcore deaths (sometimes piles of them). By Hardcore, I mean hardcore Elite– so the most damage to your character, the most hit points on monsters and whatever nastiness Runic wanted to throw deep inside the Elite hole. We’ve played hardcore since the release (and many of us in the beta back in May got on the Hardcore train) and lordy we have learned some harsh lessons and want to impart them to YOU dear reader (and Matt and Steve who are waiting for the Mac version). Torchlight hardcore is crazy tense awesome fun.

A list a list a LIST!!! Torchlight 2 is good fun.

Torchlight 2 max level