The Hounds are Hunting...

[Aelonwy]

This almost feels exactly like what SSG is aiming for, agree with it or not. To be a bit of a jerk, the C in HCL doesn't mean "casual."

That said, I usually cook in a frying pan at around 70%-80%, which is well above the 50% mark. But if I cook at 90%-100%, I'm going to burn the food.
SSG might want to consider that analogy.

Its Hardcore League not Hardcore Reaper ONLY, which is what it feels like when Reaper-like mobs get shoe-horned into normal difficulty.