What are the differences between classic and LOD?

[LiquidDamage]

Standard - Otherwise that would allow things to be imported into the ladder and that defeats the object of it

What? Logic? This is Blizzard we are talking about here.

I just imported a level 2 hardcore D2C ladder character into the expansion, and it still shows him as a ladder character. He kept all of his items. I then made a game with him, and with my second computer, entered that game with one of my LOD ladder hardcore characters.

So, yes, D2C ladder characters become LOD ladder characters.