On January 28, the closed stress test for Patch 8 of Baldur’s Gate 3 kicked off on both PC and consoles, marking a significant milestone for this acclaimed game. This final major patch introduces 12 new subclasses, cross-play functionality across all platforms, and a highly anticipated photo mode, revolutionizing the gameplay experience for fans around the globe.
Table of Content
- 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, complete with fresh spells, dialogues, and visual effects, enhancing the depth and variety of character development.
Sorcerer: Shadow Magic
Step into the shadows with the Sorcerer's new Shadow Magic subclass. Capable of summoning a hellhound to pin down foes and casting a veil of darkness visible only to themselves, these sorcerers become even more formidable at level 11 with the ability to teleport between shadows.
Warlock: Pact Blade
Warlocks with the Pact Blade subclass forge a pact with a Shadowfell entity, enchanting weapons to become magical from level 1. By level 3, they can enchant again, and at level 5, they can strike three times per turn, making this feature a potentially game-changing advantage.
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Cleric: Death Domain
Clerics in the Death Domain specialize in necrotic spells that bypass enemy resistances. They can resurrect the dead or even cause corpses to explode, offering a unique twist for players who prefer a darker, less healing-focused role.
Wizard: Blade Song
Wizards mastering the Blade Song subclass gain a powerful edge in melee combat. Activating Blade Song allows them to accumulate special charges over ten turns, which can be used to heal allies or deal devastating damage to enemies.
Druid: Circle of Stars
Druids of the Circle of Stars can switch between constellations, gaining bonuses that enhance their adaptability on the battlefield, making them incredibly versatile in combat scenarios.
Barbarian: Path of the Giant
Barbarians on the Path of the Giant enter a rage, increasing in size and throwing weapons with enhanced damage, adding fire or lightning effects. The weapon returns to their hand after throwing, and they also gain improved throwing skills and higher carrying capacity.
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Fighter: Mystic Archer
Mystic Archers blend magic with archery, shooting enchanted arrows that can blind enemies, inflict psychic damage, or banish them to another dimension. This subclass embodies the elegance of traditional elven combat.
Monk: Drunken Master
Monks of the Drunken Master subclass harness alcohol-induced strength to deliver devastating physical blows. Enemies struck by these monks become more vulnerable to follow-up attacks, making them a formidable force on the battlefield.
Rogue: Swashbuckler
Embrace the pirate life with the Swashbuckler subclass, perfect for fans of Astarion. Excelling in close combat, these rogues use dirty tricks like throwing sand to blind, quick thrusts to disarm, and taunts to demoralize opponents.
Bard: College of Glamour
Bards from the College of Glamour are the rock stars of the Forgotten Realms. With their enchanting charisma, they can charm enemies into fleeing, approaching, freezing, falling down, or dropping their weapons, making them invaluable in combat and social situations.
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Ranger: Swarmkeeper
Rangers of the Swarmkeeper subclass command hordes of tiny creatures, debuffing enemies with three types of swarms: bee swarms that repel, honey swarms that stun, and moth swarms that blind. Switching between swarm types is only possible upon leveling up.
Paladin: Oath of the Crown
Paladins sworn to the Oath of the Crown are the epitome of lawfulness and righteousness. They gain abilities that boost allies, draw enemy attention, and absorb damage for their teammates, making them essential in team-based play.
Photo Mode
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Players have eagerly awaited the addition of a photo mode, which now includes extensive camera settings and advanced post-processing effects to capture high-quality screenshots of their adventures.
Cross-Play
Cross-platform multiplayer is finally here, allowing seamless play across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Windows, and Mac. The closed stress test focuses on refining cross-play functionality to ensure a smooth and bug-free experience for all players.
Gameplay, Combat, and Story Improvements
Patch 8 brings several enhancements to Baldur’s Gate 3, including:
- Successfully detecting items during Perception checks now marks them on the mini-map and logs them in the battle journal.
- Fixed an issue where certain ally abilities weren’t properly displayed after dialogue in the High Hall.
- Items like scrolls and potions inside unlocked containers can now be used during conversations.
- Neutral and friendly NPCs no longer become hostile when stepping on surfaces created during combat.
- Resolved a bug causing characters to get stuck climbing stairs occupied by companions.
- Fixed an issue with moving platforms in the Shan Trial location, preventing characters from falling to their deaths.
- Corrected a glitch where neutral NPCs would initiate combat without cause.
- Keris will stop engaging in unnecessary fights with Mintara.
- Resolved a loading screen freeze at 0% when joining modded multiplayer sessions.
- Improved server performance in the Adamantine Forge.
- Fixed an issue where you could tell Astarion that Gandrel was looking for him, even if Gandrel refused to reveal his target.
- Mintara no longer gets stuck while watching over Taniel in Act 2.
- Your character will no longer mistakenly believe Shadohurt is dead if she isn’t.
- Discovered merchants will now appear on the world map regardless of distance.
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Patch 8 for Baldur’s Gate 3 is set to release in February or early March 2025. After this update, Larian Studios will shift their focus to bug fixes, with no further major updates planned.
