On January 28, the closed stress test for Patch 8 of Baldur’s Gate 3 kicked off on both PC and consoles, heralding the final major update for this critically acclaimed game. This monumental patch introduces 12 new subclasses, cross-play functionality across all platforms, and a detailed photo mode, significantly enhancing the gaming experience for fans around the world.

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, offering players even more ways to tailor their characters and strategies.

Sorcerer: Shadow Magic

This subclass taps into the darkest corners of magic, enabling sorcerers to summon a hellhound to attack and immobilize enemies. They can also create a veil of darkness, visible only to themselves, and at level 11, gain the ability to teleport between shadows, adding a thrilling layer of stealth and surprise to their gameplay.

Warlock: Pact Blade

Warlocks opting for the Pact Blade form a bond with a shadowy entity, enchanting weapons to become magical from level 1. By level 3, they can enchant another, and at level 5, they can unleash three strikes in a single turn, a feature that might seem overpowered but adds a thrilling combat dynamic.

Cleric: Death Domain

Clerics in the Death Domain wield necrotic spells that ignore enemy resistances, with the power to resurrect the dead or cause corpses to explode. This subclass is perfect for players who enjoy a darker twist on the religious character archetype, without the focus on healing.

Wizard: Blade Song

Blade Song wizards are a force in melee combat, gaining ten turns of enhanced abilities upon activation. They can accumulate charges through attacks and spells, which can then be used to heal allies or deal devastating blows to enemies, adding depth to combat strategy.

Druid: Circle of Stars

Druids of the Circle of Stars can switch between constellations, each granting unique bonuses that enhance their adaptability on the battlefield, making them incredibly versatile in any combat scenario.

Barbarian: Path of the Giant

Barbarians on the Path of the Giant enter a rage that increases their size, allowing them to throw weapons with added fire or lightning effects. The weapon returns to their hand after throwing, and they gain enhanced throwing skills and increased carrying capacity, making them formidable on the battlefield.

Fighter: Mystic Archer

Mystic Archers blend magic with archery, firing enchanted arrows that can blind, deal psychic damage, or banish foes to another dimension, embodying the elegant combat style of elven warriors.

Monk: Drunken Master

Drunken Master monks harness the power of alcohol to deliver devastating physical attacks, making enemies more vulnerable to follow-up strikes. This subclass offers a unique and entertaining combat style.

Rogue: Swashbuckler

Swashbucklers embody the pirate archetype, excelling in close combat with dirty tricks like blinding opponents with sand, disarming with quick thrusts, or demoralizing them with taunts, ideal for fans of characters like Astarion.

Bard: College of Glamour

Bards from the College of Glamour are the rock stars of the Forgotten Realms, using their charisma to charm enemies into submission, making them flee, approach, freeze, fall, or drop their weapons, adding a fun and dynamic element to social encounters.

Ranger: Swarmkeeper

Swarmkeeper rangers command hordes of tiny creatures, each type offering unique debuffs: bee swarms repel enemies, honey swarms stun with shock, and moth swarms blind opponents. Switching swarm types is tied to leveling up, adding strategic depth to their playstyle.

Paladin: Oath of the Crown

Paladins who swear the Oath of the Crown are the epitome of lawfulness and righteousness, gaining abilities that boost allies, draw enemy attention, and absorb damage for teammates, making them essential in team-based strategies.

Photo Mode

The long-awaited 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 will now be available across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Windows, and Mac. The closed stress test primarily focuses on fine-tuning this feature, ensuring a seamless gaming experience across all supported platforms.

Gameplay, Combat, and Story Improvements

Patch 8 brings several enhancements to the game:

• 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.

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 bug fixes, with no further major updates planned, ensuring the game remains polished and enjoyable for all players.