Larian Studios has officially announced that the highly anticipated Patch 8 for Baldur’s Gate 3 is scheduled for release on Tuesday, April 15.

While a stress test version of Patch 8 has been available for a while, Larian has now confirmed it is ready for a full launch to all players next week.

This major update introduces a wealth of new content to the award-winning Dungeons & Dragons RPG, featuring 12 new subclasses. Additionally, players can look forward to a photo mode, cross-play functionality, and split-screen support for Xbox Series S. For full details, consult the official Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 8 notes.

New Subclasses in Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 8:

Bard - College of Glamour
As a College of Glamour Bard, you wield the power to inspire allies and enchant foes. Cast Mantle of Inspiration to grant your companions 5 temporary hit points. Any enemy attacking a charmed target under this effect becomes Charmed themselves. Use this to your strategic advantage with Mantle of Majesty, commanding charmed enemies to flee, advance, freeze, fall prone, or drop their weapon.

Barbarian - Path of the Giants

Choosing the Path of the Giants unlocks immense strength, letting you hurl both allies and enemies with ease. Instead of relying on potions, these Barbarians gain the Giant’s Rage passive, boosting their strength and size for extra damage with Throw attacks. You'll also enjoy a significantly increased carrying capacity, so inventory management becomes a breeze.

Cleric - Death Domain

As a cleric devoted to death, you gain access to dark new abilities, including spells focused on necrotic damage and three new necromancy cantrips. One such cantrip is Toll The Dead, which inflicts 1~8 damage by ringing a spectral bell of doom—increased if the target is already injured. A unique, homebrewed ability also allows you to detonate nearby corpses, damaging surrounding enemies.

Druid - Circle of Stars

Druids of the Circle of Stars draw power from celestial bodies, surpassing the limits of traditional wildshapes. They can assume one of three Starry Forms, each aligned with a different constellation: the Archer, the Chalice, and the Dragon. Each form supports a distinct playstyle—the Archer deals radiant damage with astral arrows, the Chalice restores hit points to you and nearby allies, and the Dragon enhances your damage output while providing a bonus to Constitution saving throws. These Starry Forms offer not only a cosmic aesthetic but also versatile, potent options for healers, fighters, and tacticians.

Paladin - Oath of the Crown

Sworn to uphold justice and order, your loyalty to this oath grants you powers to support allies and disrupt enemies. Guide your party in combat with Righteous Clarity, taunt foes with strategic interrupts, and protect your companions using Divine Allegiance, absorbing damage directed at them while restoring their health.

Fighter - Arcane Archer

Merging arcane arts with precise archery, the Arcane Archer subclass introduces unique skills alongside new shooting animations. Banish adversaries to the Feywild, temporarily removing them from the fray, or unleash Psychic damage that forces a Wisdom saving throw—failure blinds the target until their next turn begins.

Monk - Drunken Master

Embracing a brewed-up combat style, the Drunken Master can consume alcohol directly from their inventory or from bottles found across the Sword Coast to replenish Ki. Using Intoxicating Strike, you can share your drink with enemies, gaining a buff to your Armor Class and accuracy against inebriated targets. Drunk enemies are also vulnerable to abilities like Sobering Realisation, which sobers them up while dealing both physical and Psychic damage.

Ranger - Swarmkeeper

The Swarmkeeper Ranger commands one of three deadly swarms to turn the tide of battle. The Cloud of Jellyfish deals bonus lightning damage and can shock enemies. The Flurry of Moths inflicts Psychic damage with a chance to blind foes. The Legion of Bees deals piercing damage and forces a Strength saving throw; failure knocks the enemy back 15 feet. Each swarm also grants you limited teleportation abilities.

Rogue - Swashbuckler

This piratical Rogue subclass brings a host of new actions to the table. Blind enemies by throwing sand, disarm them with a swift weapon flick, or utilize the Fancy Footwork passive during melee to avoid opportunity attacks for the rest of your turn.

Sorcerer - Shadow Magic

Shadow Magic Sorcerers thrive in darkness, harnessing its power to become more formidable. This subclass grants Superior Darkvision and the ability to Shadow Walk between areas of dim light or shadow. Summon the homebrewed Hound of Ill Omen to harass opponents, and rely on Strength of the Grave to avoid being downed—an excellent tool for Honour Mode attempts.

Warlock - Hexblade

Hexblade Warlocks forge pacts with entities from the Shadowfell, which manifest as enchanted weapons. Curse your enemies and command their souls. When you slay a foe that isn't an elemental, construct, ooze, or undead, you can raise their spirit as a summon for ten turns. This spectral ally deals necrotic damage and siphons fragments of enemy souls to heal your Hexblade Warlock.

Wizard - Bladesinging

The Bladesinging subclass elegantly combines swordcraft with wizardry. Experience new spellcasting animations while wielding a weapon, activate the Bladesong ability for enhanced speed, agility, and concentration, and receive a bonus to Constitution saving throws.

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As Larian has indicated, Patch 8 is the final major content update for Baldur’s Gate 3, marking the end of an extraordinary chapter for the studio. The game launched in 2023 to widespread critical acclaim and massive commercial success, maintaining strong sales through 2024 and into 2025.

The gaming community was taken by surprise when Larian announced it would be moving on from Baldur’s Gate 3 and the Dungeons & Dragons universe to focus on an entirely new project. After several teases, the studio entered a media blackout to concentrate on developing this mystery title.

However, Hasbro, the owner of D&D, has hinted at plans to continue the series. In a recent interview with IGN at the Game Developers Conference, Dan Ayoub, SVP of Digital Games at Hasbro, noted that with Larian stepping away, the company has "a lot of people very interested in Baldur's Gate."

"We're currently finalizing our future plans for the franchise. Very soon, we'll have some exciting news to share on that front."

Ayoub did not specify whether these plans involve a brand-new Baldur's Gate game or perhaps a crossover, similar to previous collaborations with Magic: The Gathering. He did express a personal desire for a Baldur's Gate 4, while acknowledging that such a project would require significant development time.

"It's a challenging position to be in, in a way," he commented. "But we're not rushing this. We intend to take a careful, measured approach. We have numerous ideas and potential directions. We're just beginning to explore our options and will have more to announce shortly."

To mark the launch of Patch 8, Larian will host a special Twitch livestream. Senior systems designer Ross Stephens will walk viewers through all the key changes and new features.