I voted for otter, because otters are hardcore.
The easy solution is make it give 0 points. It giving 6 points is kind of… pointless (haha)
I, however, would prefer it be a separate mode. Why? Because then the hardcore mode can be further developed/modded. For example, when starting a new game, you could have custom/preset/random/HARDCORE character. Hardcore is the same as custom (no preset), but it also triggers a separate ruleset - this way, you could customize the hardcore ruleset.
Nevermind, I have a better idea. Have a second “Options” window with difficulty triggers. Have it so you can adjust preset difficulties (Easy/Normal/Hardcore) or use custom setting. This way, you could have a very variable and flexible ruleset that does not impact normal gameplay unless you want it to.