Hardcore setup & Tutorial Island

Before you log in

Account security and client setup.

Secure the account (Jagex Account + authenticator)

Use a Jagex Account with two-factor authentication. Never share your login with anyone offering "help".

Why: A hijacked account can be killed. The Varrock Medium diary also requires a Jagex Account or authenticator (wiki diary data).

Install RuneLite and enable safety plugins

Enable: Quest Helper (Plugin Hub), Opponent Information, NPC Aggression Timer, Status Bars, Prayer, Idle Notifier (set low-HP and low-prayer alerts), Item Charges, Ground Items, Special Attack Counter.

Why: Low-HP notifications and opponent HP bars catch mistakes before they become deaths.

Read the Hardcore Worlds death rulesPreparation

Read the Safety page of this app: unsafe minigames (Pest Control, NMZ, Fight Caves, POH and more), the Reset/Transfer choice, and the escape crystal.

Why: Several activities that are safe on normal worlds are real deaths here. Nightmare Zone and Pest Control are the ones that surprise people.

Set your account name and starting levels in this app

Dashboard → edit the account name. Skills page → leave levels at 1 (Hitpoints 10) for a new character.

Why: Level requirements for upcoming tasks are highlighted from these numbers.

Tutorial Island & Death's Office

Finish the tutorial, then speak to Death's Delegate to start on Hardcore Worlds.

Complete Tutorial Island (Learning the Ropes)

Follow the instructors. Learning the Ropes is started with the Quest Guide on Tutorial Island; the two giant rats are level 3.

Why: Unlocks the mainland. Free quest point.

Talk to Death's Delegate and enter Hardcore Worlds

Speak to Death's Delegate to reach Death's Office and accept the challenge, then hop to a Hardcore World.

Why: This is how a character joins Hardcore Worlds (per the 22 Oct 2026 newspost). Death's Office stays reachable later.

Confirm you have your free escape crystalPreparation

Check your inventory for the escape crystal. It only auto-teleports you out of a few activities (Barbarian Assault, Chambers of Xeric, the Inferno, Pest Control, Theatre of Blood, Tombs of Amascut, TzHaar-Ket-Rak's Challenges). Everywhere else it only helps when worn and toggled to work like a ring of life. The Safety page has the details.

Why: Your emergency exit. Keep it on you during every fight.

Bring: Escape crystal

Set game settings for safety

Turn on: Hitpoints/Prayer orbs, "Hide roofs", NPC attack option "Depends on combat level", Player attack option "Hidden". Set a bank PIN.

Why: Prevents accidental attacks on high-level NPCs and makes HP easy to read.