Larian Studios has officially announced that the much-anticipated Patch 8 for Baldur’s Gate 3 will launch on Tuesday, April 15. After being available in stress test form for some time, Patch 8 is now ready for all players to enjoy.
This monumental update brings a wealth of new content to the critically acclaimed Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. Players can look forward to 12 new subclasses, a photo mode, cross-play, and Xbox Series S split-screen functionality. For a detailed breakdown, check out the Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 8 patch notes.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 8 New Subclasses:
Bard - College of Glamour
As a College of Glamour Bard, you gain the ability to heal allies and command enemies. Use Mantle of Inspiration to grant your allies 5 temporary hit points, and if an enemy attacks while it's active, they'll become Charmed. Leverage Mantle of Majesty to command these charmed enemies to flee, approach, freeze, drop to the ground, or disarm.
Barbarian - Path of Giants
Choose the Path of Giants for enhanced strength and size through the Giant’s Rage passive. This boosts your damage with Throw attacks and increases your carrying capacity, making it easier to move allies or foes.
Cleric - Death Domain
As a Death Domain Cleric, you'll master necrotic damage and gain three new necromancy cantrips, including Toll The Dead, which deals 1~8 damage and scales with prior damage. Additionally, you can now explode nearby corpses to damage enemies.
Druid - Circle of Stars
Star-focused Druids gain access to three Starry Forms: the Archer for radiant damage, the Chalice for healing, and the Dragon for added constitution bonuses. These forms not only enhance your aesthetic but also offer strategic advantages.
Paladin - Oath of the Crown
Sworn to uphold the law, Oath of the Crown Paladins can guide allies with Righteous Clarity, taunt enemies, and protect their party with Divine Allegiance, absorbing damage and restoring health.
Fighter - Arcane Archer
Arcane Archers blend magic and archery with unique skills and new animations. Use abilities to banish foes to the Feywild or deal Psychic damage that can blind enemies.
Monk - Drunken Master
Drunken Masters can consume alcohol to recover Ki and use Intoxicating Strike to boost their Armour Class and hit chance against drunk targets. They can also use Sobering Realisation to deal physical and Psychic damage to sobering foes.
Ranger - Swarmkeeper
Swarmkeeper Rangers command three swarms: Cloud of Jellyfish for lightning damage, Flurry of Moths for Psychic damage and potential blindness, and Legion of Bees for piercing damage and knockback. Each swarm also offers teleportation.
Rogue - Swashbuckler
Swashbuckler Rogues can Blind enemies with sand, Disarm them with a flick of their weapon, and use Fancy Footwork to avoid opportunity attacks during melee.
Sorcerer - Shadow Magic
Shadow Magic Sorcerers thrive in darkness with Superior Darkvision and Shadow Walk. Summon the Hound of Ill Omen to harass foes and use Strength of the Grave to stay in the fight longer.
Warlock - Hexblade
Hexblade Warlocks make pacts with Shadowfell entities for magical weapons. Curse enemies, raise their spirits from corpses for 10 turns to deal necrotic damage, and heal by siphoning enemy souls.
Wizard - Bladesinging
Bladesinging Wizards combine swordplay and spellcasting with new animations and the Bladesong ability, enhancing speed, agility, focus, and Constitution saving throws.
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Patch 8 marks the final major update for Baldur’s Gate 3, concluding a remarkable journey for Larian Studios. The game launched to critical acclaim and significant commercial success in 2023, maintaining strong sales into 2024 and 2025.
Larian has surprised the gaming community by announcing their departure from Baldur’s Gate 3 and Dungeons & Dragons to focus on a new, undisclosed project. This shift comes with a media blackout to prioritize their upcoming work.
Meanwhile, Hasbro, the owner of D&D, is planning to continue the series. SVP of digital games at Hasbro, Dan Ayoub, shared with IGN at the Game Developers Conference that, with Larian moving on, there is significant interest in Baldur's Gate. Hasbro is formulating future plans, hinting at upcoming announcements.
Ayoub expressed a desire for a Baldur's Gate 4 but emphasized a measured approach to its development, suggesting it would take time. He also mentioned that Hasbro is exploring various options and will soon share more details.
To celebrate the release of Patch 8, Larian will host a Twitch livestream where senior systems designer Ross Stephens will discuss the update's changes and additions.
