Originally posted by Hobo Misanthropus:

The problem I have with such a hardcore mode in this game is that you're already dead. Valheim is Viking Purgatory. So like, permadeath doesn't really make in-lore sense. And I'm normally a Hardcore gameplay enjoyer.

I agree that permadeath breaks Valheim's fantasy premise and therefore is a modification of the strict RPG game.

In some games our ability to come back to life is inexplicable, purely a QOL mechanic, but in Valheim it's part of the story.

Still, I think strict RPG is something players deviate from a lot. I have used turf-nerfing without even thinking about it, even though it degrades the fantasy right in front of your eyes and has to be invoked via graphics settings, which is not part of the game's play interface. (But it's so useful! I wish there was a mead we could brew that had a similar effect)

OP has the right idea. You can extract many games from Valheim and play it your way.