Patch 8 for Baldur's Gate 3: Release Date Set with 12 New Subclasses

Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 8 is officially launching on Tuesday, April 15, as confirmed by Larian Studios. This long-awaited update has been in stress testing for a while, and the developer has now declared it ready to roll out to all players.

This major update brings a wealth of new features and content to the critically acclaimed Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. Among the highlights are 12 brand-new subclasses, giving players even more depth and customization options. Additional enhancements include photo mode, cross-play functionality, and split-screen support for Xbox Series S users. For full details, check out the Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 8 patch notes.

Bard - College of Glamour
The College of Glamour Bard blends charm and healing into a powerful battlefield presence. With Mantle of Inspiration, you grant allies 5 temporary hit points. If an enemy attacks under this effect, they become Charmed—and with Mantle of Majesty, you can command those Charmed foes to flee, move closer, freeze in place, drop prone, or even drop their weapon.

Barbarian - Path of Giants
Embrace the might of giants with this subclass. The Giant’s Rage passive boosts both strength and size, increasing damage on Throw attacks and granting greater carrying capacity. Say goodbye to potions—you're already built like a beast.

Cleric - Death Domain
Darkness fuels your power as a Death Domain cleric. Your arsenal includes necrotic spells and three new necromancy cantrips such as Toll the Dead, which scales damage based on prior injury. You can also trigger corpse explosions, dealing area damage to nearby enemies.

Druid - Circle of Stars
These druids draw power from celestial constellations. Choose one of three Starry Forms: the Archer (radiant damage), Chalice (healing), or Dragon (buffs to constitution rolls). Each form offers unique combat and support capabilities, blending cosmic visuals with strategic versatility.

Paladin - Oath of the Crown
Bound by law, you wield divine power to bolster allies and disrupt foes. Righteous Clarity guides your party in battle, while Divine Allegiance lets you absorb damage and restore health, keeping your team resilient.

Fighter - Arcane Archer
Combining magic and archery, the Arcane Archer adds flair to ranged combat. Banish enemies to the Feywild temporarily or unleash Psychic damage that blinds foes unless they pass a Wisdom save.

Monk - Drunken Master
Bring chaos to combat with tipsy techniques. Drink from bottles to recover Ki, and use Intoxicating Strike to impair enemies’ defenses. Sobering Realisation then punishes drunk targets with physical and Psychic damage.

Ranger - Swarmkeeper
Harness the fury of nature’s swarms. Use Cloud of Jellyfish for lightning shocks, Flurry of Moths to blind foes with Psychic damage, or Legion of Bees to knock enemies back and pierce armor. Each swarm also enables teleportation.

Rogue - Swashbuckler
Channel your inner pirate with flashy moves. Blind enemies with sand, disarm them with a flick, or use Fancy Footwork to dodge opportunity attacks during melee engagements.

Sorcerer - Shadow Magic
Master darkness with Superior Darkvision and Shadow Walk, moving unseen between shadows. Summon the fearsome Hound of Ill Omen and survive longer thanks to Strength of the Grave, perfect for Honour Mode challenges.

Warlock - Hexblade
Forge a pact with the Shadowfell, manifesting weapons of pure soul energy. Curse foes, slay non-undead enemies, and raise spirits from corpses to fight alongside you for up to ten turns, delivering necrotic damage and self-healing effects.

Wizard - Bladesinging
Merge spellcraft with swordplay. New animations accompany spellcasting while wielding a weapon, and the Bladesong ability grants supernatural speed, agility, and focus, along with Constitution saving throw bonuses.

Every IGN 10 of 2023

18 Images

Larian Studios has confirmed that Patch 8 will be the final major update for Baldur’s Gate 3, marking the end of an extraordinary chapter in the studio’s history. Since its launch in 2023, Baldur’s Gate 3 has received widespread critical praise and sustained commercial success, continuing to attract players well into 2025.

Following this milestone, Larian has announced plans to step away from the Baldur’s Gate and D&D universe to focus on a new unannounced title. The studio has entered a media blackout to concentrate on development.

However, Hasbro—the owner of Dungeons & Dragons—has hinted at future plans for the franchise. During a conversation with IGN at the Game Developers Conference, Dan Ayoub, Hasbro’s SVP of digital games, revealed interest in continuing the Baldur’s Gate legacy.

"We're kind of working out our plans for the future and what we're going to be doing with that," he said. "In pretty short order, we're going to have some stuff to talk about around that."

Although specifics remain under wraps, Ayoub expressed interest in eventually developing a Baldur’s Gate 4, though he acknowledged that bringing such a project to life would take time.

Meanwhile, Larian Studios will commemorate the Patch 8 release with a Twitch livestream featuring senior systems designer Ross Stephens, who will walk through the latest changes and additions.