How to disable self-found rules in WoW Classic Hardcore

Perhaps the extra rules were too much for you. Here's how to turn 'em off.

WoW Classic's Ironforge First Aid trainer
Screenshot by Dot Esports

A new way to play WoW Classic Hardcore is live with a completely solo version of the game—self-found mode—now available on Hardcore servers.

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This new game mode makes it so you can’t interact with players in most traditional ways, with trading, mailing, and using the Auction House all being disabled while this extra-difficult ruleset is active. Solo self-found mode turns the already difficult WoW Classic experience into an even harder one as it ensures everything you find and accomplish in the world will be done on your own. 

This ruleset is definitely a step up from your everyday WoW Classic Hardcore runs, and some players might be caught off-guard by the increased level of difficulty once they get out into the world. If you find yourself struggling with SSF mode after enabling it in character creation, you can always turn it off. Here’s how to disable solo self-found mode in WoW Classic Hardcore. 

How to opt out of self-found mode in Classic WoW Hardcore

You can disable the solo self-found ruleset barring you from trading and exchanging items with other WoW Classic Hardcore players at any time. But you must keep in mind that you can’t turn it back on once you’ve disabled it. 

The only way to turn the ruleset on is by applying it in character creation when making a new character. You can then only turn it off by speaking to an Apprentice Watcher in one of the game’s major cities. These NPCs will assist you in making the permanent decision of opting out of solo self-found mode during your Hardcore run. 

Apprentice Watcher locations in WoW Classic Hardcore

Apprenctice Watcher High Elf NPC in WoW Classic Hardcore, particularly and specifically found in the Ironforge Hall of Explorers
Apprentice Watchers will help you turn off the SSF ruleset. Screenshot by Dot Esports

Alliance

  • Hall of Explorers, Ironforge
  • Temple of the Moon, Darnassus

Horde 

  • Hall of Legends, Orgrimmar
  • The Apothecarium, Undercity

Players who participated in the WoW Classic Season of Mastery back in 2021 should be relatively familiar with Apprentice Watchers as these High Elf NPCs are the same folks you would talk to in order to activate the Soul of Iron buff that marked a deathless SoM run. 

Author
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Michael Kelly
Staff Writer covering World of Warcraft and League of Legends, among others. Mike's been with Dot since 2020, and has been covering esports since 2018.