Baldur's Gate 3 confirms new sub-classes: Patch 8 update for 2025 explained

As patch 8 is such a major update, it needs stress-testing, and therefore its release date is a little way off. Expect it to drop in 2025.

This is a big update introducing a load of big new features in a game already chock-full of them. We can’t wait.

Keep reading to find out when the Baldur’s Gate 3 patch 8 release window is and for the full list of expected patch notes.

When is Baldur's Gate 3 patch 8?

The Baldur’s Gate 3 patch 8 release date is sometime in 2025, Larian has revealed.

Unfortunately, we don’t know the exact date the major update is due to arrive, but we do know that it is being stress-tested in early January.

You will be able to join in the patch 8 stress test on Xbox, PlayStation and PC. More details will be shared about how to join in a future development update.

What's changing in the Baldur's Gate 3 patch 8 update?

The Baldur’s Gate 3 patch 8 update is bringing in 12 new playable sub-classes, a photo mode and cross-platform play.

This major update is adding three massive new features to the game, Larian has revealed in a blog post on Steam.

If photo mode and cross-play weren’t enough for you, those 12 brand new sub-classes just might be.

Expect a new sub-class for each playable class in the game: Bard, Barbarian, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Fighter, Monk, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Warlock and Wizard.

"Expect new abilities, animations, VFX, summons and cantrips, and unique voiced dialogue lines for the Oathbreaker Knight with written reactivity for Oathbreakers, along with a touch of homebrewing on certain actions to enhance your role-playing experience."

Read on for the full list of expected patch notes.

Full expected patch notes for Baldur's Gate 3 patch 8

While Larian won’t unveil the full list of Baldur’s Gate 3 patch 8 update patch notes until it is released in 2025, the developer has revealed a lot about the update ahead of time.

We will update this page with the full list of patch notes once they are revealed.

For now, though, here is the full list of expected patch notes for Baldur’s Gate 3 patch 8 (as per Larian):

Cross-play

• Baldur’s Gate 3 multiplayer will soon feature full cross-platform progression, including cross-play
• Once the update is live you’ll be able to invite your friends to join your cross-play lobby directly, regardless of platform and find available multiplayer lobbies with friends on other systems using the Larian Network

Twelve new sub-classes

• One new subclass for each of the existing Bard, Barbarian, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Fighter, Monk, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Warlock and Wizard classes in the game
• Expect new abilities, animations, VFX, summons and cantrips, and unique voiced dialogue lines for the Oathbreaker Knight with written reactivity for Oathbreakers, along with a touch of homebrewing on certain actions to enhance your role-playing experience

Bard – College of Glamour:

• As a College of Glamour Bard, you’ll find you have the power to heal friends and command enemies in equal measure
• Cast Mantle of Inspiration to bestow your allies with 5 temporary hit points. And should an enemy attack while it is cast, they’ll find themselves Charmed
• Play your hand correctly and you’ll be able to use this to your advantage with Mantle of Majesty
• Target Charmed enemies and you can command them to flee, move closer, freeze, drop to the ground, or drop their weapon

Barbarian – Path of Giants:

• Forget chugging potions to pump those muscles, these Barbarians benefit from the Giant’s Rage passive that grants both strength and size - allowing you to deal additional damage with Throw attacks
• Pockets weighing you down? Not for you and your increased carry capacity!

Cleric – Death Domain:

• Three new necromancy cantrips, including Toll The Dead, a cantrip that causes 1~8 damage when your cleric rings the bell of impending doom
• The homebrewed ability to explode nearby corpses, damaging enemies

Druid – Circle of Stars:

• Taking on one of three Starry Forms for their power - the constellations of the Archer, Chalice, and Dragon
• The Archer dealing radiant damage with astral arrows, the life-giving Chalice restoring hitpoints to you and others nearby, and the wise Dragon, allowing you to deal damage with an added bonus to constitution rolls
• The Starry Forms offer not just a celestial aesthetic, but practical, powerful options to enhance your role as a healer, fighter, or strategist

Paladin – Oath of the Crown:

• Guide your companions in battle with Righteous Clarity, taunt enemies with strategic interrupts, and keep your party standing strong with Divine Allegiance, absorbing their damage while restoring their health

Fighter – Arcane Archer:

• The Arcane Archer subclass offers unique skills on top of new shooting animations
• Banish foes to the Feywild, removing them from the battlefield for a turn, or unleash Psychic damage that forces enemies to make a Wisdom saving throw or be blinded until the start of their next turn

Monk – Drunken Master:

• As the Drunken Master, you have the ability to consume alcohol straight from your inventory, as well as drink from bottles you see around the Sword Coast, in order to recover Ki
• By sharing the bottle with your enemies using Intoxicating Strike, you’ll generate a buff towards your Armour Class and your Chance to hit Drunk targets
• Drunk enemies are also susceptible to the Drunken Masters' other abilities, like Sobering Realisation - which sobers up drunk targets, dealing physical and Psychic damage

Ranger – Swarmkeeper:

• The Cloud of Jellyfish deals extra lightning damage - potentially shocking your enemy
• The Flurry of Moths deals Psychic damage, giving you the potential to Blind your enemy
• The Legion of Bees deals piercing damage and forces the enemy to make a strength-saving throw or be knocked back 15ft
• Each swarm also has the ability to provide you with teleportation capabilities!

Rogue – Swashbuckler:

• Play dirty by tossing sand at enemies to Blind them. Flick your weapon at a target to Disarm them. Or use your new Fancy Footwork passive while meleeing your enemy to ensure they can’t make opportunity attacks against you for the rest of your turn

Sorcerer – Shadow Magic:

• This subclass gives its sorcerer Superior Darkvision, as well as the ability to Shadow Walk between places of dim light or darkness
• It also lets you call forth the perfectly homebrewed Hound of Ill Omen to harass your foes, and use Strength of the Grave to prevent you from being downed - ideal for those attempting Honour Mode runs

Warlock – Hexblade

• Curse your enemies and force their souls to do your bidding. Slay any enemy that isn’t generally an element of nature, construct, giant blob, or already dead, and you’ll be able to raise their spirit from their corpse for ten turns
• This new summon can deal necrotic damage and will rip away a chunk of your enemy’s soul to provide your Hexblade Warlock with healing

Wizard – Bladesinging:

• The Bladesinging subclass merges swordplay with wizardry
• Expect new spellcasting animations when casting spells with your weapon, a new Bladesong ability to grant you supernatural speed, agility, and focus, plus gives you a bonus to any Constitution saving throw you make

Photo mode

• Photo mode is being added to Baldur’s Gate 3!
  • Camera and Lens settings
  • Scene settings
  • Post-processing effects
  • Frames
  • Stickers

Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.