Source: Larian Studios
Baldur’s Gate 3 is getting tons of new content for 2025.
In an official community update, Baldur’s Gate 3 developer Larian Studios has surprised fans with the announcement of an upcoming Patch 8 update for the hit Dungeons & Dragons game.
The update, which will begin stress testing in January 2025, will feature an all new Photo Mode, a Cross-Play feature, and 12 new subclasses. Here’s what Larian revealed.
Cross-Play
Gather your party and have the multiplayer run of your dreams with the long-awaited cross-play feature! Players will now have the chance to play with friends from different platforms without any worry, as Patch 8’s cross-play feature will allow them to invite their friends to join their journey across Faerun with the help of the Larian Network.
12 new subclasses
If you think you’ve exhausted all possible class and multi-class builds after spending hundreds of hours in Baldur’s Gate 3, well, think again. Get ready to add another 800 hours to your playtime, as Patch 8 will include 12 new subclasses for each existing class for players to try out. These 12 subclasses are:
- Bard - College of Glamour
- This subclass will allow you to take on a healer/support role by giving you the ability to heal your party members and command enemies in equal measure. Nothing short of glamorous.
- Barbarian - Path of Giants
- If you loved the ‘Throwbarian’ build, then this subclass will be perfect for you. The Path of Giants subclass will provide you with newfound giant strength, making yeeting enemies and friends a breeze. No more “too heavy to throw” text on your screen!
- Cleric - Death Domain
- Gone are the days where clerics are relegated to healer roles. With the Death Domain subclass, you will specialise in both spells and 3 new cantrips dealing necrotic damage. Larian will also add a cool new ability where you can cause nearby corpses to explode. You won’t need to go to the oubliette in act 2 to get that juicy blood and gore shower!
- Druid - Circle of Stars
- This new druidic subclass will allow players to access powers beyond the classic wildshapes. Circle of Stars will introduce 3 Starry Forms in the Archer, Chalic, and Dragon. Each of these forms will have their own strategy to take advantage of.
- Paladin - Oath of the Crown
- Everyone knows how powerful the Paladin class is, and with the addition of the Oath of the Crown Subclass, players will have the power to aid allies and disrupt foes.
- Fighter - Arcane Archer
- Archery is getting a massive upgrade with the Arcane Archer subclass. Players who opt to utilise this new subclass will have the ability to both dish out devastating damage with magic and arrows.
- Monk - Drunken Master
- The Drunken Master subclass puts the “Tavern” in Tavern Brawler by providing the ability to restore Ki when consuming any alcoholic beverage within your inventory or all around Faerun. You can also get enemies drunk!
- Ranger - Swarmkeeper
- For the Ranger subclass Swarmkeeper, there’s power in numbers. Rangers who choose this path will have the ability to summon three kinds of deadly swarms to aid them in battle. Those being: Cloud of Jellyfish, The Flurry of Moths, and Legion of Bees. Each swarm has different effects, but all of them provide you with teleportation abilities.
- Rogue - Swashbuckler
- If you’re lamenting the fact that you can’t become a Pirate in Baldur’s Gate 3, well, the wait is over! With the Swashbuckler subclass, your Rogue will get a new range of actions fit for the piratical life.
- Sorcerer - Shadow Magic
- Shadow Magic has been a part of the game since its release, being introduced in the Shadow-Cursed Lands of act 2. Sorcerers who choose to specialise in Shadow Magic thrive in the darkness, and will gain Superior Darkvision, Shadow Walk, Hound of Ill Omen, and Strength of the Grave. Larian also recommends this subclass for the brave souls attempting to complete an Honour Mode run!
- Warlock - Hexblade
- Warlocks who are seeking some excitement will be able to form a pact with an entity from the Shadowfell, allowing them to summon a variety of magical weapons. The Hexblade subclass will also provide the ability of raising slain enemies’ spirits as a summon for ten turns.
- Wizard - Bladesinging
- Wizards will no longer be soft and easily downed with the Bladesinging subclass. Merging the art of swordplay and magic, Wizards within this subclass will have the power to deal melee attacks besides their roster of devastating spells.
Photo Mode
Astarion fans will surely have a blast with this upcoming feature. I can already see the multitudes of photo edits that are going to swarm the internet come 2025. No judgement here, as some of those photo edits are going to come from me!
Baldur’s Gate 3’s Photo Mode is described as akin to a photo booth that lets players set up any shot they want to take. The feature will introduce options to allow players to customise and edit their in-game photography, from choosing the best pose, removing unnecessary NPCs in the background, and even adding stickers and frames for your own kind of purikura!
