Patch 8 for Baldur's Gate 3 and 12 New Subclasses Release Date Announced

Larian Studios has officially announced that the much-anticipated Patch 8 for Baldur's Gate 3 will be released on Tuesday, April 15. After being available in stress test form for some time, this update is now ready for all players to enjoy.

Patch 8 introduces a significant amount of new content to the critically acclaimed Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. Players can look forward to 12 new subclasses, a photo mode, cross-play functionality, and split-screen support on Xbox Series S. For a detailed overview, be sure to check out the [Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 8 patch notes](Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 8 patch notes).

Here's a breakdown of the new subclasses introduced in Patch 8:

Bard - College of Glamour
As a College of Glamour Bard, you can heal your allies and command your enemies effectively. Use Mantle of Inspiration to give your allies 5 temporary hit points, and if an enemy attacks during this time, they'll be Charmed. With Mantle of Majesty, you can then command these Charmed enemies to flee, move closer, freeze, drop to the ground, or disarm themselves.

Barbarian - Path of Giants
Choosing the Path of Giants enhances your strength and size through the Giant’s Rage passive, allowing you to deal additional damage with Throw attacks and carry more weight.

Cleric - Death Domain
As a Death Domain Cleric, you'll have access to new spells dealing necrotic damage and three necromancy cantrips, including Toll The Dead, which scales damage based on the target's prior damage. You can also explode nearby corpses to damage enemies.

Druid - Circle of Stars
Circle of Stars Druids draw power from the stars through Starry Forms - the Archer, Chalice, and Dragon. Each form offers different strategic advantages, from dealing radiant damage to healing and enhancing constitution rolls.

Paladin - Oath of the Crown
Sworn to uphold the law, Oath of the Crown Paladins can use Righteous Clarity to guide companions, Divine Allegiance to absorb damage and restore health, and taunt enemies to disrupt their attacks.

Fighter - Arcane Archer
Arcane Archers blend magic and archery, with unique skills like banishing foes to the Feywild or causing Psychic damage that can blind enemies.

Monk - Drunken Master
Drunken Master Monks can drink alcohol to recover Ki and use Intoxicating Strike to boost their Armour Class and hit chance against drunk targets. They can also sober up drunk enemies with Sobering Realisation, dealing physical and Psychic damage.

Ranger - Swarmkeeper
Swarmkeeper Rangers can summon different swarms - 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 enables teleportation.

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.

Sorcerer - Shadow Magic
Shadow Magic Sorcerers thrive in darkness with Superior Darkvision, Shadow Walk to move between dim light or darkness, and the ability to summon the Hound of Ill Omen. Strength of the Grave helps prevent them from being downed.

Warlock - Hexblade
Hexblade Warlocks can curse enemies, raise their spirits from corpses for ten turns, and use these summoned spirits to deal necrotic damage and heal themselves.

Wizard - Bladesinging
Bladesinging Wizards merge swordplay with spellcasting, featuring new animations, a Bladesong ability for enhanced speed and agility, and a bonus to Constitution saving throws.

Patch 8 marks the final major update for Baldur's Gate 3, concluding an impressive chapter for Larian Studios. The game, which launched to widespread acclaim and strong sales in 2023, has continued its success into 2024 and 2025.

In a surprising move, Larian has announced its departure from the Baldur's Gate and Dungeons & Dragons franchise to focus on a new, undisclosed project. Meanwhile, Hasbro, the owner of D&D, has expressed interest in continuing the series. At the recent Game Developers Conference, Hasbro's SVP of digital games, Dan Ayoub, mentioned that with Larian moving on, "a lot of people [are] very interested in Baldur's Gate." He hinted at upcoming announcements but did not specify if these would involve a new Baldur's Gate game or another related project.

Larian will celebrate the release of Patch 8 with a Twitch livestream hosted by senior systems designer Ross Stephens, who will discuss the new changes and additions.

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