On January 28, the closed stress test for Patch 8 of Baldur’s Gate 3 commenced on both PC and consoles. This monumental update marks the final major patch for the game, introducing 12 new subclasses, cross-play functionality across platforms, and an enriched photo mode. Here's how this update elevates one of the most acclaimed 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 receive a unique subclass, each offering new spells, dialogues, and visual effects, enriching the gameplay experience.
Sorcerer: Shadow Magic
Embrace the darkness with this subclass, which allows the summoning of a hellhound to pin down foes and cast a veil of shadows where only the sorcerer can see. At level 11, teleportation between shadows becomes possible, adding a thrilling layer of strategy to your gameplay.
Warlock: Pact Blade
Warlocks can now forge a pact with an entity from the Shadowfell, enchanting weapons to make them magical from level 1. By level 3, they can enchant another, and at level 5, they gain the ability to strike three times per turn, a feature that might seem overpowered but adds significant depth to combat.
Cleric: Death Domain
For those who favor the darker aspects of religion, the Death Domain offers necrotic spells that bypass resistances, along with the ability to resurrect or cause corpses to explode, providing a unique twist on the cleric role.
Wizard: Blade Song
Transform into a melee combatant with the Blade Song, gaining ten turns to accumulate charges through attacks and spells. These charges can be utilized to heal allies or damage foes, making wizards versatile in battle.
Druid: Circle of Stars
Enhance your druid's adaptability with the Circle of Stars, which allows switching between constellations to gain various battlefield bonuses, making them incredibly versatile.
Barbarian: Path of the Giant
Rage and grow in size with the Path of the Giant, enabling you to throw weapons with increased damage and elemental effects. The weapon returns to your hand, and you gain additional throwing skills and carrying capacity.
Fighter: Mystic Archer
Combine magic with archery as a Mystic Archer, firing enchanted arrows that can blind, deal psychic damage, or banish enemies, embodying traditional elven combat techniques.
Monk: Drunken Master
Harness the power of alcohol with the Drunken Master, delivering devastating physical blows that make enemies more vulnerable to subsequent attacks, turning you into a formidable fighter.
Rogue: Swashbuckler
Embrace the pirate life with the Swashbuckler subclass, perfect for Astarion fans. Excel in close combat with dirty tricks like throwing sand, quick thrusts, and demoralizing taunts.
Bard: College of Glamour
Be the rock star of the Forgotten Realms with the College of Glamour, charming enemies and supporting allies with your charisma, making foes flee, freeze, or drop their weapons.
Ranger: Swarmkeeper
Command swarms of tiny creatures as a Swarmkeeper, debuffing enemies with bee swarms to repel, honey swarms to stun, or moth swarms to blind. Switching swarm types occurs upon leveling up.
Paladin: Oath of the Crown
Uphold law and righteousness with the Oath of the Crown, gaining abilities to boost allies, draw enemy attention, and absorb damage, making you a tank-like presence focused on team play.
Photo Mode
The much-anticipated photo mode comes with extensive camera settings and advanced post-processing effects, ensuring players can capture high-quality screenshots of their adventures.
Cross-Play
Cross-platform multiplayer is now available across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Windows, and Mac. The closed stress test primarily focuses on fine-tuning cross-play functionality to eliminate bugs and ensure a seamless gaming experience.
Gameplay, Combat, and Story Improvements
Patch 8 brings a host of enhancements:
- Perception checks now mark detected items on the mini-map and log them in the battle journal.
- Ally abilities are now properly displayed after dialogue in the High Hall.
- Items in unlocked containers can be used during conversations.
- Neutral and friendly NPCs no longer turn hostile when stepping on combat-created surfaces.
- Fixed characters getting stuck on stairs occupied by companions.
- Resolved moving platform issues in the Shan Trial location to prevent falls.
- Corrected a glitch where neutral NPCs would initiate combat without cause.
- Keris will no longer engage in unnecessary fights with Mintara.
- Resolved loading screen freezes at 0% when joining modded multiplayer sessions.
- Improved server performance in the Adamantine Forge.
- Fixed an issue where you could tell Astarion about Gandrel even if Gandrel refused to reveal his target.
- Mintara no longer gets stuck watching over Taniel in Act 2.
- Your character will no longer mistakenly believe Shadohurt is dead if she isn't.
- Discovered merchants now appear on the world map regardless of distance.
Patch 8 for Baldur’s Gate 3 is slated for release in February or early March 2025. Following this update, Larian Studios will shift focus to bug fixes, with no further major updates planned.
