What is known about the latest major patch for Baldur's Gate 3

Baldur’s Gate 3’s highly anticipated Patch 8 entered closed stress testing on January 28th, encompassing PC and consoles. This final major update introduces a wealth of new content, including twelve exciting subclasses, cross-play functionality across all platforms, and a much-requested photo mode. Let's delve into how this transformative patch enhances one of gaming's most celebrated titles.

Table of Contents

• New Subclasses in Baldur’s Gate 3
• Photo Mode
• Cross-Play
• Gameplay, Combat, and Story Improvements

New Subclasses in Baldur’s Gate 3

Each of Baldur’s Gate 3's twelve classes receives a unique subclass, brimming with new spells, dialogue options, and visually stunning effects.

Sorcerer: Shadow Magic

Embrace the darkness with this subclass. Summon a hellhound to maul enemies and restrain them, or shroud yourself in a veil of darkness, leaving only you visible. At level 11, teleport between shadows becomes a reality.

Warlock: Pact Blade

Forge a pact with a Shadowfell entity, eschewing inherent dark magic. Enchant a weapon, making it magical from level 1, with the ability to re-enchant at levels 3 and 5, allowing for three strikes per turn. (This might seem… powerful!)

Cleric: Death Domain

Master of necrotic spells, bypassing enemy resistances. Resurrect the fallen or unleash devastating corpse explosions. Perfect for players who prefer a darker, less healing-focused religious role.

Wizard: Blade Song

Engage in melee combat with devastating effect. Activate Blade Song for ten turns, accumulating charges through attacks and spells, then unleash them to heal allies or obliterate foes.

Druid: Circle of Stars

Shift between constellations, gaining adaptive bonuses to excel in various battlefield roles. Unmatched versatility for the adaptable druid.

Barbarian: Path of the Giant

Enter a rage, growing in size and hurling weapons with enhanced damage, imbued with fire or lightning. Weapons magically return to your hand after each throw. Enjoy increased throwing skills and carrying capacity.

Fighter: Mystic Archer

Combine magic and archery. Launch enchanted arrows that blind, inflict psychic damage, or banish enemies to another dimension. A truly elven approach to combat.

Monk: Drunken Master

Forget mystical abilities; embrace the power of alcohol! Unleash devastating blows, leaving enemies vulnerable to follow-up attacks. Pure, unadulterated martial prowess.

Rogue: Swashbuckler

The quintessential pirate archetype—perfect for Astarion fans. Excel in close-quarters combat, employing dirty tricks like blinding sand, disarming thrusts, and demoralizing taunts.

Bard: College of Glamour

Become the rock star of the Forgotten Realms. Charm enemies into submission, making them flee, approach, freeze, fall, or drop their weapons. Command the stage (and the battlefield).

Ranger: Swarmkeeper

Command swarms of tiny creatures: bee swarms repel, honey swarms stun, and moth swarms blind. Switch swarm types upon leveling up.

Paladin: Oath of the Crown

The epitome of lawful good. Gain powerful abilities to bolster allies, draw enemy fire, and absorb damage for your team. A true tank-like subclass built for teamwork.

Photo Mode

The long-awaited photo mode arrives with extensive camera controls and advanced post-processing effects, ensuring stunning screenshots.

Cross-Play

Cross-platform multiplayer finally unites PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Windows, and Mac players. The closed stress test prioritizes refining cross-play functionality for a seamless experience.

Gameplay, Combat, and Story Improvements

Patch 8 introduces a host of enhancements:

• Improved item detection in Perception checks (mini-map and journal updates).
• Resolved display issues with ally abilities after dialogue (High Hall).
• In-conversation item usage from unlocked containers.
• Prevented unintended hostility from neutral/friendly NPCs.
• Fixed character-climbing issues involving companions.
• Resolved moving platform glitches in the Shan Trial.
• Corrected unintended combat initiation by neutral NPCs.
• Resolved Keris/Mintara conflict.
• Fixed a 0% loading screen freeze in modded multiplayer.
• Improved Adamantine Forge server performance.
• Addressed inconsistencies in dialogue with Astarion and Gandrel.
• Fixed Mintara's movement issues in Act 2.
• Corrected Shadohurt's status perception.
• Discovered merchants now appear on the world map regardless of distance.

Patch 8 is slated for release in February or early March 2025. Following this, Larian Studios will focus solely on bug fixes, with no further major content updates planned.