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

Larian Studios has exciting news for fans of *Baldur’s Gate 3*: the much-anticipated Patch 8 is set to launch on Tuesday, April 15. After being available in a stress test form for some time, this update is now fully polished and ready for all players to enjoy next week.

Patch 8 brings a wealth of new content to the critically acclaimed Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. Among the highlights are 12 new subclasses, each offering unique abilities and playstyles. Additionally, players can look forward to a new photo mode, cross-play functionality, and split-screen support on Xbox Series S. For a detailed breakdown of what’s included, be sure to check out the Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 8 patch notes.

Bard - College of Glamour
As a member of the College of Glamour, Bards can now harness the power of charm and inspiration. With the Mantle of Inspiration spell, you can grant your allies 5 temporary hit points, and any enemy attacking during its duration will be Charmed. Use Mantle of Majesty to command these Charmed enemies to flee, move, freeze, drop to the ground, or disarm themselves.

Barbarian - Path of Giants
Choose the Path of Giants, and your Barbarian will gain incredible strength and size thanks to the Giant’s Rage passive. This allows you to deal extra damage with Throw attacks and carry more weight, making you a formidable force on the battlefield.

Cleric - Death Domain
Clerics of the Death Domain gain access to new necrotic spells and three necromancy cantrips, including Toll The Dead, which deals 1~8 damage and scales if the target is already hurt. You can also use a new homebrewed ability to cause nearby corpses to explode, damaging enemies.

Druid - Circle of Stars
Druids of the Circle of Stars can tap into celestial power through Starry Forms, choosing from the Archer, Chalice, or Dragon. Each form enhances different aspects of play, from dealing radiant damage to healing allies, offering versatile options for combat and support.

Paladin - Oath of the Crown
Paladins sworn to the Oath of the Crown can guide their allies with Righteous Clarity, taunt enemies, and use Divine Allegiance to absorb damage and restore health to their party, embodying the principles of law and loyalty.

Fighter - Arcane Archer
Arcane Archers blend magic with archery, featuring new shooting animations and abilities like banishing foes to the Feywild or inflicting Psychic damage that can blind enemies, adding strategic depth to your combat choices.

Monk - Drunken Master
Drunken Masters can now drink alcohol from their inventory or around the Sword Coast to recover Ki. With Intoxicating Strike, you can share the bottle with enemies, gaining a buff to your Armour Class and hit chance against drunk targets. Use Sobering Realisation to deal damage and sober up foes.

Ranger - Swarmkeeper
Swarmkeeper Rangers can summon three types of 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 provides teleportation capabilities.

Rogue - Swashbuckler
Swashbuckler Rogues can now Blind enemies with sand, Disarm them with a flick of their weapon, and use Fancy Footwork to avoid opportunity attacks during melee combat, embracing the cunning and flair of a pirate.

Sorcerer - Shadow Magic
Shadow Magic Sorcerers thrive in darkness with Superior Darkvision and the ability to Shadow Walk. Summon the Hound of Ill Omen to harass foes and use Strength of the Grave to stay in the fight longer, perfect for Honour Mode runs.

Warlock - Hexblade
Hexblade Warlocks can curse enemies and raise their spirits as summons to deal necrotic damage and heal themselves, forging a pact with an entity from the Shadowfell for powerful magical weapons.

Wizard - Bladesinging
Bladesinging Wizards combine swordplay with magic, featuring new spellcasting animations and the Bladesong ability to enhance speed, agility, and focus, along with a bonus to Constitution saving throws.

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Patch 8 marks the final major update for *Baldur’s Gate 3*, closing a chapter on what has been a phenomenal journey for Larian Studios. The game, which launched to critical acclaim and massive commercial success in 2023, has continued to perform well into 2025.

In a surprising move, Larian announced its departure from *Baldur’s Gate 3* and the Dungeons & Dragons universe to focus on a new, undisclosed project. This decision has left fans curious about the future of the series. However, Hasbro, the owner of D&D, has hinted at continuing the franchise. Speaking at the Game Developers Conference, Hasbro's SVP of digital games, Dan Ayoub, expressed interest in future developments for *Baldur's Gate*.

"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," Ayoub stated, though he did not specify whether this would involve a new *Baldur's Gate* game or another form of collaboration. He did mention his long-term desire for a *Baldur's Gate 4*, but emphasized a measured approach to its development.

Meanwhile, Larian Studios will celebrate the release of Patch 8 with a Twitch livestream, where senior systems designer Ross Stephens will guide viewers through the new features and changes.