Larian Studios has officially announced that the much-anticipated Patch 8 for Baldur’s Gate 3 will launch on Tuesday, April 15. This update, which has been in stress testing for some time, is now ready for all players to enjoy next week.
Patch 8 brings a substantial amount of new content to the critically acclaimed Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. Players can look forward to 12 new subclasses, along with exciting features such as a photo mode, cross-play, and Xbox Series S split-screen support. For a detailed overview, you can 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 member of the College of Glamour, Bards can wield the power to both heal allies and manipulate enemies. The Mantle of Inspiration spell grants allies 5 temporary hit points, and if an enemy attacks during this effect, they become Charmed. With Mantle of Majesty, you can command these charmed enemies to perform various actions, such as fleeing or dropping their weapons.
Barbarian - Path of Giants
Choosing the Path of Giants grants Barbarians enhanced strength and size through the Giant’s Rage passive, allowing them to deal additional damage with Throw attacks and increase their carry capacity. No more struggling with heavy pockets!
Cleric - Death Domain
Clerics of the Death Domain gain access to spells that deal necrotic damage and three new necromancy cantrips, including Toll The Dead, which can cause 1-8 damage, scaling with the target's prior damage. Additionally, they can now explode nearby corpses to damage enemies.
Druid - Circle of Stars
Druids in the Circle of Stars harness celestial power through three Starry Forms: the Archer, Chalice, and Dragon. Each form caters to different play styles, from dealing radiant damage with astral arrows to restoring hit points and enhancing constitution rolls.
Paladin - Oath of the Crown
Paladins sworn to the Oath of the Crown can guide their allies with Righteous Clarity, taunt enemies with strategic interrupts, and bolster their party's resilience with Divine Allegiance, absorbing damage while restoring health.
Fighter - Arcane Archer
Arcane Archers blend magic and archery, using unique skills to banish foes to the Feywild or unleash Psychic damage that can blind enemies.
Monk - Drunken Master
Drunken Masters can consume alcohol from their inventory or around the Sword Coast to recover Ki. With Intoxicating Strike, they can share a drink with enemies, boosting their Armour Class and chance to hit drunk targets, and use Sobering Realisation to deal physical and Psychic damage to sober up foes.
Ranger - Swarmkeeper
Rangers with the Swarmkeeper subclass can summon three deadly 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 grants teleportation capabilities.
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 combat.
Sorcerer - Shadow Magic
Shadow Magic Sorcerers thrive in darkness with Superior Darkvision and the ability to Shadow Walk between dim light or darkness. They can summon the Hound of Ill Omen and use Strength of the Grave to prevent being downed, perfect for Honour Mode runs.
Warlock - Hexblade
Hexblade Warlocks form pacts with Shadowfell entities, manifesting magical weapons. They can curse enemies, raise spirits from slain foes to deal necrotic damage, and heal themselves by ripping away enemy souls.
Wizard - Bladesinging
Bladesinging Wizards combine swordplay with spellcasting, featuring new animations and a Bladesong ability that enhances 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, which launched to widespread critical acclaim and commercial success in 2023, has continued to thrive into 2025.
Larian has surprised the gaming community by announcing its departure from Baldur’s Gate 3 and the Dungeons & Dragons universe to focus on a new, undisclosed project, entering a media blackout to concentrate on development.
Meanwhile, Hasbro, the owner of D&D, has hinted at continuing the series. In a recent interview with IGN at the Game Developers Conference, Dan Ayoub, SVP of digital games at Hasbro, expressed interest in the future of Baldur's Gate, stating, "We're kind of working out our plans for the future and what we're going to be doing with that. And actually, in pretty short order, we're going to have some stuff to talk about around that." While specifics remain under wraps, Ayoub mentioned a potential interest in a Baldur's Gate 4, though he emphasized a cautious approach to its development.
To celebrate the release of Patch 8, Larian will host a Twitch livestream featuring senior systems designer Ross Stephens, who will discuss the update's changes and additions.
