Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 8 Arrives April 15 With Massive Content Update

Larian Studios has announced that Patch 8 for Baldur's Gate 3 will launch on Tuesday, April 15. This major update brings a wealth of new content to the popular Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, including 12 new subclasses, photo mode, cross-play capabilities, and split-screen functionality for Xbox Series S.

The highly anticipated update has been available in stress test form for some time, but next week all players will finally get access to these exciting new features. This patch represents the final major update for the game, marking the end of Larian's remarkable journey with the title.

New Subclasses Coming to Baldur's Gate 3

The patch introduces 12 new subclasses that significantly expand player options:

• Bard - College of Glamour: These bards can heal allies and command enemies with abilities like Mantle of Inspiration, which gives temporary hit points to allies and can charm attacking enemies. With Mantle of Majesty, players can command charmed enemies to flee, move closer, freeze, drop to the ground, or drop their weapons.

• Barbarian - Path of Giants: This subclass grants increased strength and size through the Giant's Rage passive ability, allowing players to deal additional damage with throw attacks and carry more items.

• Cleric - Death Domain: Death clerics gain access to necromancy cantrips like Toll The Dead, which causes damage when the cleric "rings the bell of impending doom." They can also explode nearby corpses to damage enemies.

• Druid - Circle of Stars: These druids can take on three different Starry Forms—Archer, Chalice, and Dragon—each offering different tactical advantages for combat, healing, or strategic play.

• Paladin - Oath of the Crown: Sworn to uphold the principles of law, these paladins can guide companions with Righteous Clarity, taunt enemies with interrupts, and absorb damage from allies through Divine Allegiance.

• Fighter - Arcane Archer: Combining magic and marksmanship, Arcane Archers can banish enemies to the Feywild or deal psychic damage that may blind opponents.

• Monk - Drunken Master: These monks can consume alcohol to recover Ki points and share drinks with enemies using Intoxicating Strike, generating buffs to armor class and hit chance against drunk targets.

• Ranger - Swarmkeeper: Rangers of this subclass control deadly swarms of jellyfish, moths, or bees that deal different types of damage and provide teleportation abilities.

• Rogue - Swashbuckler: Perfect for pirate-style play, Swashbucklers can blind enemies by tossing sand, disarm foes, and use Fancy Footwork to avoid opportunity attacks.

• Sorcerer - Shadow Magic: These sorcerers gain superior darkvision, the ability to move between areas of darkness, summon a Hound of Ill Omen, and potentially prevent being knocked down in combat.

• Warlock - Hexblade: Making a pact with an entity from the Shadowfell, Hexblade Warlocks can curse enemies and raise defeated foes' spirits to fight for them, dealing necrotic damage and providing healing.

• Wizard - Bladesinging: This subclass combines swordplay with magic, featuring new spellcasting animations, the Bladesong ability for increased speed and agility, and bonuses to Constitution saving throws.

The Future of Baldur's Gate

Patch 8 concludes Larian's work on Baldur's Gate 3, which has been an enormous critical and commercial success since its 2023 launch. The game has continued to sell well throughout 2024 and into 2025.

Larian has previously announced they're moving on from Baldur's Gate and Dungeons & Dragons to focus on a new mystery project. However, D&D owner Hasbro has hinted at plans to continue the series without Larian.

For fans of the record-breaking RPG, Patch 8 represents both an exciting expansion of gameplay options and a bittersweet conclusion to Larian's involvement with the beloved franchise.