First off "Hard Core" is as abused a word in the MMO industry as "Potential" is in Baseball.
I define hard core two ways. Hard Core from a time standpoint, which I am, and Hard Core in pushing the limits of end game, which I am not, yet.
I have not set foot in Hyjal or BT, so I can't even CONSIDER calling myself hard core.
However, after spending the last week doing something I NEVER thought I would do, I can see myself getting setup to be "Harder Core" than I am.
I have about 100-125 pages of compilation from EJ, Theorycraft and my own notes I compile (every bit the same as notes I compile while pitching) on Prot Warrior tanking and WoW raid/combat mechanics.
At first it was mind numbing, but after a few vicodin and some sleep, and a VERY long talk with one of the smartest game mechanics people on the planet, I feel better about my chances.
First step was to get "Un-crittable", a term I had never heard two weeks ago. Now armed with the "Suneater" and sporting a defense of 533, I can resocket for Stamina, focus on block and dodge and crank the stamina up through badge, honor and heroic loot.
I have a listing of gear, top 10, for each slot, for a TPS and MA set. I've got some purples that are actually ON these lists, which is nice. I'll shield up once I hit exalted with SSO (which I screwed up by trying to get my 2nd Drake at the same time as) and I now know where the items I want are.
Been into Kara as DPS Hunter, Healer, and a MA/MT Prot Warrior and finished. I have at least 20 pages of notes now on bosses and tactics (damn that sounds as geeky as I thought it would) but that's kind of how I work.
If I don't have a shot to be REAL good at something, it's not worth my time. So no, I am not Hard Core in an end game content sense, but I have a shot at getting there. In our office I'm FAR from the decked out gear wise compared to the guys on the design team who are ALWAYS pushing the end game stuff, but I think I could roll with them soon.
I swore I'd never be this guy, but I think the game really left me with no other choice. It was go this route or quit for me I think. I have a 4th 70 waiting to level up (30 Mage, though I think I am going to make this one a BE and re-level).
I know the math behind a 73 Boss and what the die looks like based on my stats, that's a hell of a lot more than I could have said a month ago.
That being said I can assure you I am in no position to design and end game raid......
Yet!
