Latest Major Patch for Baldur's Gate 3: Key Details Revealed

On January 28, the eagerly awaited closed stress test for Patch 8 of Baldur’s Gate 3 kicked off on both PC and consoles, marking the final significant update for this critically acclaimed game. This patch introduces 12 new subclasses, cross-play functionality across all platforms, and a comprehensive photo mode, significantly enhancing the gaming experience. Here's how this update is set to revolutionize one of the most celebrated games of recent times.

Table of Contents

• New Subclasses in Baldur’s Gate 3
  • Sorcerer: Shadow Magic
  • Warlock: Pact Blade
  • Cleric: Death Domain
  • Wizard: Blade Song
  • Druid: Circle of Stars
  • Barbarian: Path of the Giant
  • Fighter: Mystic Archer
  • Monk: Drunken Master
  • Rogue: Swashbuckler
  • Bard: College of Glamour
  • Ranger: Swarmkeeper
  • Paladin: Oath of the Crown
• Photo Mode
• Cross-Play
• Gameplay, Combat, and Story Improvements

New Subclasses in Baldur’s Gate 3

Each of the twelve classes in Baldur’s Gate 3 will now boast a unique subclass, each with distinctive spells, dialogues, and visual effects that enrich gameplay.

Sorcerer: Shadow Magic

Embrace the darkness with the Shadow Magic subclass, which allows sorcerers to summon a hellhound to immobilize enemies and cloak themselves in a veil of darkness, visible only to them. At level 11, they gain the thrilling ability to teleport between shadows.

Warlock: Pact Blade

Warlocks can now form a pact with a Shadowfell entity, enchanting their weapon to become magical from level 1. By level 3, they can enchant another, and at level 5, they can strike three times per turn, potentially making them a formidable force on the battlefield.

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Cleric: Death Domain

Clerics in the Death Domain can wield necrotic spells that ignore enemy resistances, capable of both resurrecting the dead and causing corpses to explode. This subclass is perfect for players interested in a religious character with a twist, focusing more on dealing damage than healing.

Wizard: Blade Song

Wizards adopting the Blade Song subclass gain enhanced melee capabilities, accumulating special charges over ten turns through attacks and spells. These charges can be utilized to either heal allies or deal extra damage to enemies.

Druid: Circle of Stars

Druids can now tap into the Circle of Stars, switching between different constellations to gain various bonuses, allowing them to adapt seamlessly to different roles on the battlefield.

Barbarian: Path of the Giant

Barbarians on the Path of the Giant can enter a rage that not only increases their size but also enhances their throwing abilities, dealing additional fire or lightning damage. Their weapons return to their hands after being thrown, and they benefit from improved carrying capacity.

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Fighter: Mystic Archer

Mystic Archers blend magic with archery, launching enchanted arrows that can blind enemies, inflict psychic damage, or even banish them to another dimension, epitomizing the elven art of combat.

Monk: Drunken Master

Monks of the Drunken Master subclass harness the power of alcohol to deliver devastating physical blows. Their attacks leave enemies more vulnerable to subsequent hits, making them exceptionally dangerous in combat.

Rogue: Swashbuckler

Perfect for fans of Astarion, the Swashbuckler subclass excels in close combat with tactics like blinding enemies with sand, disarming them with quick thrusts, or demoralizing them with taunts, embodying the essence of a pirate.

Bard: College of Glamour

Bards from the College of Glamour are the rock stars of the Forgotten Realms, using their charisma to charm enemies and support allies, making them flee, approach, freeze, fall, or disarm.

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Ranger: Swarmkeeper

Rangers as Swarmkeepers command swarms of tiny creatures to debuff enemies. The swarms come in three types: bee swarms to repel enemies, honey swarms to stun, and moth swarms to blind. Changing swarm types is only possible upon leveling up.

Paladin: Oath of the Crown

Paladins following the Oath of the Crown are the epitome of lawfulness and righteousness. They possess powerful abilities to boost allies, draw enemy attention, and absorb damage, making them essential in team-based strategies.

Photo Mode

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The much-anticipated photo mode comes with extensive camera settings and advanced post-processing effects, allowing players to capture high-quality screenshots of their adventures.

Cross-Play

Cross-platform multiplayer is now a reality across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Windows, and Mac. The closed stress test aims to refine cross-play functionality, ensuring a smooth and bug-free experience for all players.

Gameplay, Combat, and Story Improvements

Patch 8 brings a host of enhancements to the gameplay, combat, and story elements:

• Items detected through Perception checks are now marked on the mini-map and logged in the battle journal.
• Ally abilities are correctly displayed post-dialogue in the High Hall.
• Items like scrolls and potions in unlocked containers can now be used during conversations.
• Neutral and friendly NPCs no longer turn hostile upon stepping on combat-created surfaces.
• Characters no longer get stuck climbing stairs occupied by companions.
• Moving platforms in the Shan Trial location no longer cause characters to fall to their deaths.
• Neutral NPCs won't initiate combat without reason.
• Keris will no longer engage in unnecessary fights with Mintara.
• Fixed a loading screen freeze at 0% when joining modded multiplayer sessions.
• Improved server performance in the Adamantine Forge.
• Astarion can no longer be informed about Gandrel looking for him if Gandrel refused to reveal his target.
• Mintara no longer gets stuck while watching over Taniel in Act 2.
• Your character won't mistakenly believe Shadohurt is dead if she isn't.
• Discovered merchants now appear on the world map regardless of distance.

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Patch 8 for Baldur’s Gate 3 is slated for release in February or early March 2025. Following this update, Larian Studios will shift their focus to bug fixes, with no further major updates planned.