Baldur’s Gate 3 patch 8’s new subclasses add a sneaky pirate and a very good boy
Baldur’s Gate 3 patch 8 is starting to feel ever more real, as Larian rounds out its deep dive into the new BG3 subclasses coming with the next update. The long-awaited patch 8 brings a wealth of features to the table including crossplay and a photo mode, but I’m most excited to try out the dozen new class variants that are being introduced. From the Swarmkeeper Ranger and its legion of bees to the Drunken Master Monk, they’re some of the most creative options the DnD RPG has seen yet, and we’ve got a final four to dig into today.
As it polishes up Baldur’s Gate 3 patch 8, Larian has been conducting extensive community tests – so if you’ve been taking part in those, you’ll already have some idea of what to expect. The twelve subclasses being added to the RPG pull from some particularly inventive Dungeons and Dragons creations, and are set to completely transform how you play your favorite Baldur’s Gate 3 classes. In its last of a three-part series, the developer explores the new options for Rogues, Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards.
The Swashbuckler Rogue is perfect for anyone who’s fancied themselves a suave master of derring-do, or perhaps a Jack Sparrow type that stumbles serenely to success. They bring dirty tricks to the table, such as pocket sand to blind enemies, and can toss their weapons at targets to disarm them. Their ‘Fancy Footwork’ prevents their foes from retaliating with opportunity attacks after they strike with a melee attack, while ‘Rakish Audacity’ grants them a scaling bonus to Initiative rolls and allows them to make sneak attacks without advantage.
Shadow Magic Sorcerers can step into the very darkness itself, allowing them to cast spells that benefit from the distant spell bonus without costing sorcery points. They have superior vision in the dark, and ‘Strength of the Grave’ prevents them from being downed when they reach zero hit points, being set to just one health instead. Perhaps their most valuable trick, and certainly my favorite, is calling upon a ‘Hound of Ill Omen,’ a pup forged from the shadows that Larian has included “a few homebrewed features” for to help them secure victory.
Hexblade Warlocks have a pact with an entity from the Shadowfell, which manifests in the form of “sentient magic weapons carved from the stuff of shadow.” Their victims fall under the ‘Hexblade’s Curse,’ causing them to take additional damage and allowing you to raise them after death as Accursed Spectres that can fight alongside you for up to ten turns, tearing away chunks of your opponents’ souls to provide you with healing.
As a long-time spellblade enjoyer in everything from Skyrim to Elden Ring, the Bladesinging Wizard might just be the pick for my next playthrough. By invoking the eponymous ‘Bladesong,’ they gain a big AC boost, more movement speed, advantage in Acrobatics, and a bonus to Constitution saving throws. Their proficiency in many melee weapons is amplified with new spell animations, the ability to earn an extra attack, and the ‘Song of Defense,’ which allows them to expend spell slots to lower the damage they take while in Bladesong.
We may not have a date for Baldur’s Gate 3 patch 8 quite yet, but with all the previews out in the wild and a third update now live for playtesters, I’m hopeful that we might hear some more concrete news very soon. For now I’ll content myself with theorycrafting some fresh Baldur’s Gate 3 builds to put these new skills to the test.
If you simply can’t wait until then, you can get even more experimental with the best Baldur’s Gate 3 mods. For something a little different, try another of the best games like Baldur’s Gate 3 instead.
Which of the new subclasses are you most eager to try? Let us know on Discord. You can also follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides.