Dungeons & Dragons Online launched its eighth Hardcore season, with new rewards and a new scavenger hunt mechanic to find the Dragon’s Hoard.
2023 marks the 17th Anniversary of the longest-running MMO officially licensed with the Dungeons & Dragons brand from Wizards of the Coast. The game itself uses a modified version of the D&D 3.5 Edition ruleset released under the Open Gaming License, although it has also adopted some 5th Edition content such as races, character class abilities, feats, and spells.
Standing Stone Games held a month-long celebration earlier this year, giving away a ton of adventure and quest packs with the code DUNGEONCRAWL. But while that anniversary event is over, the game recently started its newest Hardcore season featuring a new twist to the mechanics.
Hardcore Season 8 of Dungeons & Dragons Online started on May 17, with the subtitle The Dragon’s Hoard.
Hardcore Season 8: The Dragon's Hoard is now underway! There are secrets to discover and permadeath challenges to overcome. Learn more on https://t.co/GnxzXgfRWV: https://t.co/5Um8InuNkG #DDO pic.twitter.com/AMIRJUQiMe
— DDO Unlimited (@DDOUnlimited) May 21, 2023
While the game already features a lot of exploration and looting treasures as with any fantasy MMORPG, DDO’s Hardcore Season 8 adds a new flair to it during the event. There will be a special treasure chest that can be found in certain optional areas in various quests. While these optional areas are usually ignored when parties are "zerging" the quests, these will be the only places that will spawn the eponymous Dragon’s Hoard treasures on the Hardcore server for the duration.
The list below features the quests discovered to have the optional Dragon’s Hoard treasures and what character level they are in. Some quests have both a Heroic and Epic version, as indicated:
- Sacrifices – Level 1
- Immortality Lessons – Level 6/Epic Level 32
- The Pit – Level 7
- Into the Deep – Level 9/Epic Level 21
- An Invitation to Dinner – Level 10/Epic Level 32
- The Chamber of Raiyum – Level 12/Epic Level 22
- Mired in Kobolds – Level 13
- Madstone Crater – Level 14/Epic Level 24
- Search and Rescue – Level 15/Epic Level 31
- Servants of the Overlord – Level 16/Epic Level 21
- Roll Call – Level 16 /Epic Level 32
- A Study in Sable – Epic Level 26
- Desecrated Temple of Vol – Epic Level 29
Note that quest areas in Hardcore have a lockout of +2 levels. This means if your character has more than 2 levels higher than the quest level, you cannot enter it. It should also be noted that this is not the final list of quests where the Dragon’s Hoard chests might be found.
On that note, finding the optional paths to get the Dragon’s Hoard is just the first part. Players still need to beat the boss enemies found at these locations. Given that the Dungeons & Dragons Online Hardcore server features perma-death, survival is of the utmost importance. And the current Hardcore Season makes this second part more difficult, as mobs will have additional magical resistance and elemental spell power than their regular counterparts.
Plus, Kobolds and Dragons will have double the bonuses. These enemies tend to throw Lightning Bolts and Fire Breath at pesky adventurers, so get your Reflex saves as high as you can!
The rewards for Hardcore Season 8 of Dungeons & Dragons Online are as follows:
- 1750 Favor: Glittery Golden Eyes Toggle
- Reach Level 20: Death Walkers Sash VIII
- Gain 10 Reaper Enhancement Points: Death Walker's Cloak VIII
- Gain 20 Reaper Enhancement Points: Solid Gold Mimic Creature Companion
Unlike previous Hardcore seasons on DDO, there is no special reward for reaching 5000 Favor. Instead, the treasure hunt for the Dragon’s Hoard effectively replaces it. On that note, the exact reward for turning in the required 7 treasures has not been specified, although there are speculations that it is Golden Footprints (similar to the Blood Red Footprints cosmetic).
Once a character reaches the capstones required, they can claim their Hardcore season rewards via the special NPC found at the Hall of Heroes, The Grotto, Shipwreck Shore, or in Korthos Village. For this season, the NPC is Zazerbaxk, the Not Yet Terrible.
At the end of DDO Hardcore Season 8, two leaderboards will be permanently added to the Hall of Heroes. One leaderboard will identify the top 100 characters who gained the highest total Favor. The other leaderboard will indicate the top 100 characters who accumulated the highest Reaper XP. Note that the character must survive to the end of the Hardcore season. If they die prior to it, they will be removed from the leaderboard tracking.
For more details about the Dungeons & Dragons Online Hardcore Season 8, check the official DDO website. Hardcore Season 8 - The Dragon’s Hoard will run until 9:00 AM EST July 19, 2023.
