Patch 8 for Baldur's Gate 3: 12 New Subclasses Released

Larian Studios has officially announced that the much-awaited Patch 8 for Baldur’s Gate 3 will launch on Tuesday, April 15. After being available in stress test form for a while, this update is now ready for all players to enjoy.

Patch 8 brings a massive wave of new content to the critically acclaimed Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. Players can look forward to exploring 12 new subclasses, along with exciting features like a photo mode, cross-play functionality, and split-screen support for Xbox Series S. For a detailed rundown of the updates, check out the Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 8 patch notes.

Bard - College of Glamour
As a College of Glamour Bard, you’ll harness the power to both heal your allies and command your enemies. With Mantle of Inspiration, you can grant your allies 5 temporary hit points, and if an enemy attacks while it's active, they'll be Charmed. Utilize Mantle of Majesty to manipulate these Charmed enemies, commanding them to flee, approach, freeze, drop to the ground, or disarm.

Barbarian - Path of Giants
Choosing the Path of Giants grants you immense strength, allowing you to throw both allies and enemies with ease. The Giant’s Rage passive not only boosts your size but also your strength, enhancing your Throw attack damage and increasing your carrying capacity.

Cleric - Death Domain
As a Death Domain Cleric, you'll master dark arts focused on necrotic damage, including three new necromancy cantrips. Toll The Dead deals 1~8 damage, scaling if the target is already injured. Additionally, you can now explode nearby corpses to damage enemies, adding a strategic layer to your gameplay.

Druid - Circle of Stars
Circle of Stars Druids harness celestial power through Starry Forms, choosing from the Archer, Chalice, and Dragon constellations. Each form caters to different strategies: the Archer inflicts radiant damage, the Chalice heals, and the Dragon enhances constitution rolls, providing versatile options for healers, fighters, and strategists alike.

Paladin - Oath of the Crown
Sworn to uphold the law, Oath of the Crown Paladins can guide their allies with Righteous Clarity, taunt enemies to disrupt their attacks, and use Divine Allegiance to absorb damage and restore health, keeping their party resilient in battle.

Fighter - Arcane Archer
The Arcane Archer combines magic with marksmanship, offering unique skills and new shooting animations. You can banish foes to the Feywild or deal Psychic damage that might blind enemies, adding tactical depth to your combat.

Monk - Drunken Master
As a Drunken Master Monk, you can consume alcohol from your inventory or around the Sword Coast to recover Ki. Use Intoxicating Strike to share the bottle with enemies, boosting your Armour Class and hit chance against drunk targets. Additionally, Sobering Realisation can sober up enemies while dealing physical and Psychic damage.

Ranger - Swarmkeeper
The Swarmkeeper subclass allows Rangers to summon three types of swarms in combat: Cloud of Jellyfish for lightning damage, Flurry of Moths for Psychic damage and potential blinding, and Legion of Bees for piercing damage and knockback. Each swarm also grants teleportation capabilities.

Rogue - Swashbuckler
Swashbuckler Rogues bring a pirate's flair to combat with actions like throwing sand to Blind enemies, flicking weapons to Disarm them, and using Fancy Footwork to avoid opportunity attacks during melee engagements.

Sorcerer - Shadow Magic
Shadow Magic Sorcerers thrive in darkness, equipped with Superior Darkvision and the ability to Shadow Walk between shadowy areas. They can summon the Hound of Ill Omen to harass foes and use Strength of the Grave to avoid being downed, making them ideal for challenging runs.

Warlock - Hexblade
Hexblade Warlocks forge a pact with a Shadowfell entity, gaining magical weapons to curse enemies and raise their spirits as summons. These spirits deal necrotic damage and heal the Warlock, adding a powerful ally to your arsenal.

Wizard - Bladesinging
Bladesinging Wizards blend swordplay with spellcasting, featuring new animations and the Bladesong ability for enhanced speed, agility, and focus. This subclass also boosts Constitution saving throws, making it a versatile choice for combat.

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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 widespread acclaim and strong sales in 2023, has continued to thrive into 2025.

In a surprising move, Larian announced its departure from Baldur’s Gate 3 and Dungeons & Dragons to focus on a new, undisclosed project. Despite this, Hasbro, the owner of D&D, has expressed interest in continuing the series. Speaking at the Game Developers Conference, Hasbro's SVP of digital games, Dan Ayoub, mentioned that with Larian moving on, there's significant interest in Baldur's Gate. He hinted at future plans but remained vague on specifics, suggesting that any new developments might not be immediate.

"We're not in a hurry," Ayoub stated, indicating a measured approach to future projects. He teased that more information would be forthcoming soon, though he didn't confirm whether it would involve a new Baldur's Gate game or a different project.

Meanwhile, Larian will celebrate Patch 8's release with a Twitch livestream featuring senior systems designer Ross Stephens, who will detail the changes and additions.