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Players are getting a new year’s gift from the developers at Larian Studios – here is Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 8 Everything We Know!
In a recent community update, the developers at Larian Studios have announced the coming of a Patch #8 to the popular CRPG that became one of the most popular games of 2023. Over the course of the last year, the developers have been making bug fixes and technical adjustments, along with major new content patchs.
Patch #7, which released in September of 2024 was touted as the last major content update. However, to the delight of fans, it seems like Larian still has some plans for the game! The community update has details of what Patch 8 will contain, the upcoming beta, and when it might drop. Let’s look at everything we know about Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 8!
Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 8 Release Date
Currently, there is no set release date for Patch 8 of Baldur’s Gate 3. First, the developers plan to make the patch available as part of a beta Stress Test. This will allow them to test the patch and get feedback from players before they set a full release date.
According to the Patch 8 announcement, the Stress Test will begin in early January and it will be available to players on PC, Playstation, and Xbox! If you want to participate, you will have to register your interest beforehand. The details on how to do that have not yet been release, but should be revealed when Larian Studios posts Community Update #31.
Top 5 Highlights from the Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 8 Announcement
- Crossplay: Start a co-op playthrough with your friends, no matter what platform they play on.
- New Subclasses: Each of the twelve classes in Baldur’s Gate 3 will be getting one new subclass.
- Photomode: New settings, frames, and even stickers allow you to take cinematic screenshots and decorate them for fun.
- Stress Test: Patch 8 will get a beta trial during an early January stress test.
- 2024 Game Awards: After winning Game of the Year in 2024, Larian Studios has been nominated in 2024 for Best Community Support.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 8 New Subclasses
The exciting, unexpected feature of Patch 8 is the addition of new official new subclasses to Baldur’s Gate 3. Furthermore, in Patch 8 there will be a new subclass added in for each of the 12 main classes. Furthermore, each one will receive new abilities, animations, VFX, summons and cantrips. Additionally, Larian also reveled that this would also include unique voiced dialogue lines for the Oathbreaker Knight, along with written reactivity for Oathbreakers.
If you’ve been looking for a reason to start yet another Baldur’s Gate 3 playthrough, then Patch 8 will be a fantastic excuse!
The following is a brief description of each of the new subclasses, with text taken from Larian Studios write-up for Community Update #30. Check out the official post for the full write up of all the new developments coming in Patch 8.
Bard – College of Glamour
As a College of Glamour Bard, you’ll find you have the power to heal friends and command enemies in equal measure. Cast Mantle of Inspiration to bestow your allies with 5 temporary hit points. And should an enemy attack while it is cast, they’ll find themselves Charmed.
Play your hand correctly and you’ll be able to use this to your advantage with Mantle of Majesty. Target Charmed enemies and you can command them to flee, move closer, freeze, drop to the ground, or drop their weapon.
Barbarian – Path of Giants
Opt for the Path of Giants, and your newfound giant strength will make it easier for you to yeet friend and foe alike. Forget chugging potions to pump those muscles, these Barbarians benefit from the Giant’s Rage passive that grants both strength and size – allowing you to deal additional damage with Throw attacks. Pockets weighing you down? Not for you and your increased carry capacity!
Cleric – Death Domain
As a cleric of death, you’ll find a few dark new tricks up your sleeves – from spells that specialise in necrotic damage to three new necromancy cantrips. This includes Toll The Dead, a cantrip that causes 1~8 damage when your cleric rings the bell of impending doom – a number that scales if your target has already been damaged. We’ve also added the homebrewed ability to explode nearby corpses, damaging enemies.
Druid – Circle of Stars
These Druids look to the stars for answers, accessing powers beyond those offered through the classic wildshapes. Taking on one of three Starry Forms for their power – the constellations of the Archer, Chalice, and Dragon. Each one favours a different play style and strategy – the Archer dealing radiant damage with astral arrows, the life-giving Chalice restoring hitpoints to you and others nearby, and the wise Dragon, allowing you to deal damage with an added bonus to constitution rolls. The Starry Forms offer not just a celestial aesthetic, but practical, powerful options to enhance your role as a healer, fighter, or strategist.
Paladin – Oath of the Crown
You’ve been sworn to uphold the principles of law. Stay true to your oath and you’ll be rewarded with the power to aid your allies and disrupt your foes. Guide your companions in battle with Righteous Clarity, taunt enemies with strategic interrupts, and keep your party standing strong with Divine Allegiance, absorbing their damage while restoring their health.
Fighter – Arcane Archer
Mastering the dual arts of magic and marksmanship, the Arcane Archer subclass offers unique skills on top of new shooting animations. Banish foes to the Feywild, removing them from the battlefield for a turn, or unleash Psychic damage that forces enemies to make a Wisdom saving throw or be blinded until the start of their next turn.
Monk – Drunken Master
Putting the brew in homebrew, as the Drunken Master, you have the ability to consume alcohol straight from your inventory, as well as drink from bottles you see around the Sword Coast, in order to recover Ki.
By sharing the bottle with your enemies using Intoxicating Strike, you’ll generate a buff towards your Armour Class and your Chance to hit Drunk targets. Drunk enemies are also susceptible to the Drunken Masters’ other abilities, like Sobering Realisation – which sobers up drunk targets, dealing physical and Psychic damage.
Ranger – Swarmkeeper
The Swarmkeeper subclass provides Rangers with three kinds of deadly swarms to assist them in combat. The Cloud of Jellyfish deals extra lightning damage – potentially shocking your enemy.
The Flurry of Moths deals Psychic damage, giving you the potential to Blind your enemy. The Legion of Bees deals piercing damage and forces the enemy to make a strength-saving throw or be knocked back 15ft. Each swarm also has the ability to provide you with teleportation capabilities!
Rogue – Swashbuckler
This Rogue subclass introduces a range of new actions fit for the piratical life. Play dirty by tossing sand at enemies to Blind them. Flick your weapon at a target to Disarm them. Or use your new Fancy Footwork passive while meleeing your enemy to ensure they can’t make opportunity attacks against you for the rest of your turn.
Sorcerer – Shadow Magic
As a Shadow Magic Sorcerer, you deal in a form of magic that makes you deadliest in darkness. This subclass gives its sorcerer Superior Darkvision, as well as the ability to Shadow Walk between places of dim light or darkness. It also lets you call forth the perfectly homebrewed Hound of Ill Omen to harass your foes, and use Strength of the Grave to prevent you from being downed – ideal for those attempting Honour Mode runs.
Warlock – Hexblade
Hexblade Warlocks make a pact with an entity from the Shadowfell that manifests in the form of magical weapons. Curse your enemies and force their souls to do your bidding. Slay any enemy that isn’t generally an element of nature, construct, giant blob, or already dead, and you’ll be able to raise their spirit from their corpse for ten turns. This new summon can deal necrotic damage and will rip away a chunk of your enemy’s soul to provide your Hexblade Warlock with healing.
Wizard – Bladesinging
The Bladesinging subclass merges swordplay with wizardry. Expect new spellcasting animations when casting spells with your weapon, a new Bladesong ability to grant you supernatural speed, agility, and focus, plus gives you a bonus to any Constitution saving throw you make.
Conclusion
The 12 new subclasses coming to Baldur’s Gate 3 in Patch 8 is an unexpected and exciting addition to the game that players will see in 2025! Additionally, the new Cross-play and Photo Mode features are something that the developers have been working on for awhile. Their addition to the game will give fans new options for playing with friends and making fun fan-creations to share with the community. We don’t know how if there will be any major updates to the game after Patch 8, but Larian Studios continues to deliver!
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