D&D = raising a kid hardcore? Um sorry to say you have no idea what hardcore is.
If you want to go on a complexity rating D&D, or any of the Palladium based games are Hardcore. To start off with you actually have to think and use your imagination while playing, no one has drawn out the world in front of you. The DM's descriptions only go so far and to truly immerse yourself your going to to have to fill in the blanks with your own mind.
As much as I like playing UO hitting 120 in a skill is nothing compared to hitting 15th level with a cleric, or you and a group taking down a dragon (well if the Dragon is played properly that is).
If you don't think D&D and similar Tabletop RPG's aren't hardcore you've been playing with the wrong group...let me give you an example...
Say you were setting out to kill a dragon...you'd need the following.
300 hired henchmen to exhaust the usage of breath weapons, and spell the dragon has, and to keep the dragons followers at bay while you do the deed.
A high level cleric to heal wounds throughout the battle, and a mage capable of casting defensive magic to counter items the dragon can use out of it's horde.
You'd have to pray the DM didn't either think of or he failed his check to see if the dragon was involved with the Cult of the Dragon and took steps to insure that upon death it would begin the transformation into a Draco Lich
When the Beast Dies, you'd have to hope you survive the death throws..something the size of the average house doing the funky chicken on the ground can quite the mess.
If it becomes a Draco Lich hope your far far away at that moment or have claimed the phylactery as if it has immediate access to it's original body it doesn't suffer the majority of the temporary penalties for transformation. If your not that lucky I hope you realize they don't have a limit on Breath Weapon usage per day after that.
Kinda makes hitting one 4 times with a kryss sound kinda lame huh.......