On January 28, the closed stress test for Patch 8 of Baldur’s Gate 3 kicked off, marking a significant milestone for both PC and console players. This monumental update is set to be the last major patch for the game, introducing an impressive array of new features including 12 unique subclasses, seamless cross-play across platforms, and a highly anticipated photo mode. Let's delve into how this update elevates one of the most acclaimed games of our time.
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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 0 0 Comment on this New Subclasses in Baldur’s Gate 3
Each of the twelve classes in Baldur’s Gate 3 will receive a distinctive subclass, enriched with new spells, dialogues, and stunning visual effects, enhancing the depth and variety of player experiences.
Sorcerer: Shadow Magic
Dive into the shadows with this subclass, where sorcerers can summon a hellhound to pin down enemies and create a veil of darkness visible only to them. At level 11, they unlock the thrilling ability to teleport between shadows, adding a strategic edge to their gameplay.
Warlock: Pact Blade
Warlocks can now forge a pact with a Shadowfell entity, enchanting weapons from level 1. As they advance, they gain the ability to enchant weapons at level 3 and strike three times per turn by level 5, a feature that feels both powerful and perhaps a touch overpowered.
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Cleric: Death Domain
Clerics specializing in the Death Domain wield necrotic spells that ignore enemy resistances, enabling them to raise the dead or cause explosive effects from corpses. This subclass is perfect for players seeking a darker twist on the traditional cleric role.
Wizard: Blade Song
Wizards with Blade Song can now engage more effectively in melee, gaining ten turns to accumulate charges through combat actions. These charges offer the flexibility to either heal allies or unleash damage on foes.
Druid: Circle of Stars
Druids can now harness the power of the stars, switching between constellations to gain versatile battlefield bonuses, making them adaptable to any combat scenario.
Barbarian: Path of the Giant
Barbarians embracing the Path of the Giant rage and grow, throwing weapons with devastating force, enhanced by fire or lightning effects. Their weapons return to them post-throw, and they enjoy improved throwing skills and carrying capacity.
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Fighter: Mystic Archer
Mystic Archers blend magic with archery, shooting arrows that can blind, deal psychic damage, or even banish foes to another dimension, echoing the elegance of elven combat.
Monk: Drunken Master
Monks channel the power of alcohol to deliver fierce physical blows, with each hit making enemies more susceptible to further attacks, turning them into formidable combatants.
Rogue: Swashbuckler
Embrace your inner pirate with the Swashbuckler, perfect for fans of Astarion. Excelling in close combat, they employ cunning tactics like throwing sand to blind, quick thrusts to disarm, or demoralizing taunts.
Bard: College of Glamour
Bards from the College of Glamour charm their way through battles, using charisma to manipulate foes, making them flee, approach, freeze, fall, or disarm themselves.
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Ranger: Swarmkeeper
Rangers as Swarmkeepers control hordes of tiny creatures, debuffing enemies with bee swarms to repel, honey swarms to stun, or moth swarms to blind, with the ability to switch types upon leveling.
Paladin: Oath of the Crown
Paladins upholding the Oath of the Crown are the epitome of lawfulness and righteousness, equipped with abilities that bolster allies, draw enemy attention, and absorb damage, making them invaluable in team play.
Photo Mode
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The long-awaited photo mode arrives with Patch 8, offering extensive camera settings and advanced post-processing effects for capturing stunning in-game moments.
Cross-Play
Cross-platform play is now a reality, connecting players across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Windows, and Mac. The closed stress test focuses on refining this feature, ensuring a smooth and bug-free experience.
Gameplay, Combat, and Story Improvements
Patch 8 brings a host of enhancements:
Items detected through Perception checks now appear on the mini-map and are logged in the battle journal.Ally abilities are correctly displayed post-dialogue in the High Hall.Scrolls and potions in unlocked containers can be used during conversations.Neutral and friendly NPCs remain unaffected by combat-created surfaces.Characters no longer get stuck on stairs occupied by companions.Moving platforms in the Shan Trial no longer cause fatal falls.Neutral NPCs no longer initiate combat without reason.Keris no longer engages in unnecessary fights with Mintara.Loading screen freezes at 0% in modded multiplayer sessions are resolved.Server performance in the Adamantine Forge is improved.A conversation bug with Astarion and Gandrel is fixed.Mintara no longer gets stuck while watching over Taniel in Act 2.False beliefs about Shadohurt's death are corrected.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. After this update, Larian Studios will shift focus to addressing bugs, with no plans for further major updates.
