On January 28, the closed stress test for Patch 8 of Baldur’s Gate 3 kicked off on both PC and consoles, marking the final major update for this critically acclaimed game. This patch introduces 12 new subclasses, cross-play functionality across all platforms, and a highly anticipated photo mode, significantly enhancing the player experience. Let's delve into how this update elevates one of the most celebrated games of modern times.
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, enriching the gameplay experience.
Sorcerer: Shadow Magic
This subclass delves into the darkest corners of magic, allowing sorcerers to summon a hellhound to immobilize enemies and create a veil of darkness where only they can see. At level 11, they gain the ability to teleport between shadows, adding a strategic layer to their gameplay.
Warlock: Pact Blade
Warlocks with the Pact Blade subclass forge a pact with an entity from the Shadowfell, enchanting their weapon to become magical from level 1. By level 3, they can enchant another weapon, and at level 5, they can strike three times per turn, a feature that might seem overpowered but adds thrilling combat dynamics.
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Cleric: Death Domain
Clerics specializing in the Death Domain wield necrotic spells that bypass enemy resistances, capable of resurrecting the dead or causing corpses to explode. This subclass is perfect for players who prefer a more aggressive approach to religious characters.
Wizard: Blade Song
Wizards with the Blade Song subclass excel in melee combat, gaining ten turns to accumulate special charges through attacks and spells. These charges can be used to heal allies or deal damage to foes, making them versatile in battle.
Druid: Circle of Stars
Druids in the Circle of Stars can switch between constellations, gaining bonuses that enhance their adaptability on the battlefield, making them a versatile class.
Barbarian: Path of the Giant
Barbarians on the Path of the Giant enter a rage, growing in size and throwing weapons with increased damage, adding fire or lightning effects. The weapon returns to their hand after throwing, and they gain improved throwing skills and higher carrying capacity.
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Fighter: Mystic Archer
Mystic Archers blend magic with archery, firing enchanted arrows that can blind enemies, deal psychic damage, or banish opponents to another dimension, embodying traditional elven combat techniques.
Monk: Drunken Master
Monks following the Drunken Master path harness alcohol-induced strength to deliver devastating physical blows. Enemies hit by the monk become more vulnerable to subsequent attacks, making them formidable in combat.
Rogue: Swashbuckler
The Swashbuckler subclass is a true pirate archetype, excelling in close combat with dirty tricks like throwing sand to blind enemies, quick thrusts to disarm them, or taunts to demoralize, perfect for fans of 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 and support allies. They can enchant foes into submission, making them flee, approach, freeze, fall down, or drop their weapons.
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Ranger: Swarmkeeper
Rangers as Swarmkeepers command hordes of tiny creatures, debuffing enemies with three types of swarms: bee swarms that repel, honey swarms that stun with shock, and moth swarms that blind opponents. Switching swarm types is only possible upon leveling up.
Paladin: Oath of the Crown
Paladins following 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, focusing on team-based play.
Photo Mode
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The long-awaited photo mode comes with extensive camera settings and advanced post-processing effects, allowing players to capture high-quality screenshots of their adventures.
Cross-Play
Cross-platform multiplayer is now available across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Windows, and Mac. The closed stress test primarily focuses on fine-tuning this feature to ensure a seamless gaming experience across all platforms.
Gameplay, Combat, and Story Improvements
Patch 8 brings several enhancements to gameplay, combat, and story:
- Successfully detecting items during Perception checks will now mark them on the mini-map and log 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.
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Patch 8 for Baldur’s Gate 3 is expected to release in February or early March 2025. Following this update, Larian Studios will shift their focus to bug fixes, with no further major updates planned.
