Route guide
Hardcore Worlds progression guide
From level 3 after Tutorial Island to endgame: 22 chapters, 82 bank trips and 714 steps, in the order you walk them, with every dangerous step marked.
Before you start
Hardcore Worlds give each character one life. Three rules matter from the first step; the rest are on what Hardcore Worlds are and Hardcore safety.
If you die, you choose
Reset wipes the character completely: levels, quests and every item. Transfer moves it to the main game for good, keeping your bank and the items you protected. Either way, anything that would go to your gravestone is deleted. Player Support will not restore hardcore status.
Your escape crystal
Every character starts with one, and more cost 10,000 coins from Death, Rick at the Wizards' Tower or the Mysterious Stranger. It does not save you everywhere. Its teleport, and the auto-teleport when you take damage after being idle for the time you set under Configure, only work in Barbarian Assault, Chambers of Xeric, the Inferno, Pest Control, Theatre of Blood, Tombs of Amascut and TzHaar-Ket-Rak's Challenges. It never triggers while you are moving, and right after you log in or hop it fires on the first hit. Out in the world, wear it and toggle it to act like a ring of life instead, but in that mode it stops working in the activities above. Its teleport works up to level 30 Wilderness, where most teleports stop at 20.
Never go AFK in combat
Do not rely on idle tricks to keep you safe. One moment away from the screen can cost the character, so log out properly whenever you step away.
How the guide works
The guide takes a Hardcore Worlds main account from level 3, straight off Tutorial Island, to endgame. Most chapters are bank trips in walking order: where to start, what to bring, then numbered steps that move several quests at once as you pass through an area. The idea comes from B0aty's Hardcore Ironman guide, rebuilt for a main account that can use the Grand Exchange.
Safety first
Every step that can kill an unprepared account says so. High-risk steps stay locked in the app until their preparation checklist is ticked.
Requirement checks
The guide never suggests gear you can't wield yet or a quest you haven't unlocked: it checks your levels and finished quests first.
Play mode
One step at a time in a big card, made to sit next to RuneLite. Space marks a step done, U undoes it.
Your progress, synced
Levels come from the official Hardcore hiscores and quests from WikiSync, so the guide knows where you are.
The chapters
Each chapter has its own page with every trip and step. Open the app to tick them off as you go.
1. Hardcore setup & Tutorial Island
A secure account, a configured client, and a clear understanding of what kills hardcore characters.
2. Lumbridge, Draynor & Varrock
Novice quests in walking order, your first 10k coins, 20 melee stats and a few dozen quest points.
3. Ice Mountain, Falador, Taverley & Port Sarim
Asgarnia’s quests, Herblore unlocked, a big Smithing jump and bolt spells for safespotting.
4. Skill foundations
Only the levels the next three chapters need that quests won’t give you.
5. Kandarin: Ardougne, gnomes & Seers’
Plague City, the gnome quests, Waterfall and Merlin’s Crystal: tens of thousands of combat XP from quests.
6. Desert, Kourend & Varlamore
Desert access, the Kourend novice quests, early Varlamore and the first half of Bone Voyage.
7. Morytania & fairy rings
Morytania access, the ectophial, the Dramen staff and fairy rings.
8. Training block & the quests that pay
60 melee, 50 Ranged, 59 Magic, 43 Prayer, Dragon Slayer I, Monkey Madness I, the 40–55 skills the RFD and Legends chains need, and a start on Sailing.
9. Fremennik, dwarves & Kandarin II
Rellekka, Keldagrim, the Fremennik quests and the medium Kandarin quests.
10. Legends & the master quests
The Legends chain and Desert Treasure I.
11. Medium diaries
The medium diaries for their teleports and quality-of-life rewards.
12. Recipe for Disaster & Barrows gloves
All RFD subquests, the Culinaromancer and Barrows gloves.
13. Mid-game quest progression
Lunar spellbook, Mourning’s End Part II, Barrows access, Miscellania, Fairytale II and the Varlamore mid-tier quests.
14. Base 70s, Piety & mid-game gear
Base 70s in combat, the 70s Song of the Elves needs, Piety, and solid mid-game gear.
15. Dream Mentor & Dragon Slayer II
Dream Mentor, 200 quest points, Dragon Slayer II and Vorkath access.
16. Song of the Elves & Prifddinas
Prifddinas and everything it opens.
17. Desert Treasure II & its prerequisites
Swan Song, Making Friends with My Arm, Secrets of the North and Desert Treasure II.
18. Quest Cape
Every remaining quest.
19. High-level combat, Slayer & bossing preparation
85+ combat stats, high Slayer, the Fire cape, and a ladder of bosses from safest to hardest.
20. Hard & elite achievement diaries
The hard diaries, then any elites you want.
21. Raids & endgame PvM
Chambers of Xeric, Tombs of Amascut, Theatre of Blood and the modern endgame bosses.
22. Completionist & long-term goals
Infernal cape, Combat Achievements, the Achievement Diary cape and maxing.