Hard mode

Hard Mode is a game mode that presents each mission and explorable area on a harder difficulty. A player must complete a campaign on normal mode before they can play it on hard mode. Hard mode exists for all PvE game content except for pre-Searing Ascalon.

While in hard mode, players earn 50% more experience points, and is returned to the last visited outpost if all party members die at 60% Death penalty.

Completing missions (with all bonus objectives) contributes to the Guardian title track. A player who completes all the missions of a campaign on hard mode is awarded the "Guardian of " title.

Completely clearing explorable areas of all creatures contributes to the Vanquisher title track. Creatures that hide under the ground until the party approaches also must be found and killed.

Accessibility
To access hard mode, a player must first complete the final mission of a campaign normally. As long as one character on an account has completed a campaign, all level 20 characters on that account will gain access to hard mode for that campaign. Hard mode is toggled by two buttons above the party display in an outpost; the Normal Mode button is standard mission emblem, and the Hard Mode button is a stylized red helm.

In order to unlock hard mode for a given campaign, a player must log in at least once with a character who has completed that campaign in normal mode.

Monsters
All hostile monsters in missions and explorable areas are significantly harder in hard mode. Their levels are all increased to be appropriately challenging for a group of level 20 players, usually between 22 and 30 depending on their original level and the size of the group allowed in the area.

Monsters attack 33-50% faster, recharge skills 33-50% faster, move 33-50% faster, and Cast 33-50% faster. Finally, all normal enemies have elite skills. Bosses that did not have an elite originally still do not have one, so you cannot capture elites from them.

Items
Drops from all areas correspond to a level 20 party, including max damage weapons and high quality upgrades. Both rare and uncommon items drop more often in hard mode. Certain area or monster-specific loot, like Globs of Ectoplasm, still drop normally.

There are certain items which only drop in hard mode:


 * Lockpicks are similar to keys but function on all chests and have a small chance to survive for reuse.
 * Skill Tomes allow your character learn skills that have been already unlocked on your account. The Elite Tomes and Non-Elite Tomes are available.
 * Passage Scrolls can be used to enter the Underworld or the Fissure of Woe without paying the entry fee. They must be used in the typical entry points for these locations, but do not require Favor. Passage scrolls can also be purchased in Cavalon and House Zu Heltzer (for Urgoz's Warren and The Deep) for 1000 faction.