Larian Studios basically just dropped a nuke on the Faerûn we thought we knew. Honestly, it feels like the end of an era. With the release of BG3 Patch 8, the development team is officially bowing out of major updates to focus on their next big thing, which we now know is a return to the Divinity universe. But they didn't exactly go out with a whimper.
This update is massive. We’re talking 48 pages of patch notes massive. If you’ve been waiting for a reason to start your tenth playthrough—or if you’ve been holding out for crossplay so you can finally play with your friends who refuse to buy a PC—the time is officially now.
What's actually in BG3 Patch 8?
The headline grabber is the 12 new subclasses. Larian gave every single core class one new toy to play with. For the build-crafters out there, this is basically Christmas. We’re getting legendary archetypes like the Hexblade Warlock and the Bladesinging Wizard.
If you aren't a D&D nerd, here is the quick version: Hexblades let you use your Charisma for melee attacks. It’s the ultimate "spellsword" fantasy. No more choosing between being smart and being strong. You just hit things with your personality.
The New Subclass Breakdown:
- Barbarian: Path of the Giant (Yes, you get bigger).
- Bard: College of Glamour.
- Cleric: Death Domain (Finally, a truly edgy healer).
- Druid: Circle of Stars.
- Fighter: Arcane Archer.
- Monk: Way of the Drunken Master.
- Paladin: Oath of the Crown.
- Ranger: Swarmkeeper.
- Rogue: Swashbuckler.
- Sorcerer: Shadow Magic.
- Warlock: Hexblade.
- Wizard: Bladesinging.
It’s not just about the classes, though. They added spells that have been missing since launch. Booming Blade and Green-Flame Blade are finally here. These are "melee cantrips," which means your Eldritch Knight or Arcane Trickster just got a huge power spike.
The Crossplay and Photo Mode Revolution
Let’s talk about crossplay. It’s finally live. PC, PS5, and Xbox players can all jump into the same party now. It took them a while to get the backend stable, but it's here. If you’ve been stuck in Act 3 alone while your buddy is on console, those days are over.
Then there's the Photo Mode. People have been modding this in for years, but the official version is way slicker. You can pause the action mid-fireball, adjust the lighting, and even change character poses. It’s going to ruin productivity for anyone who likes taking digital screenshots. You can even hide NPCs or party members to get that perfect "lonely wanderer" shot.
Weird Fixes and "The Squirrel Incident"
Larian’s patch notes are always a little unhinged, and Patch 8 is no exception. They fixed a bug where Scratch could apparently "escape the kennels through the power of fetch." Good for him, honestly.
They also nuked a very specific trade exploit. You used to be able to steal from traders by moving their items into a bag inside their inventory and then dragging that bag onto a corpse in your own inventory. Larian’s note on this was basically: "No more packing dead squirrels with goods." They’re onto us.
Another big one? Tavern Brawler works with Wild Shapes in Honour Mode again. Druid fans, rejoice. You can go back to being a crushing bear-machine without the game nerfing your math.
Why this update is bittersweet
Kinda sad, right? This is the "final" major content drop. Swen Vincke and the team are moving on. During a recent AMA, they mentioned that they’ve learned a lot from BG3 that they're taking into the next Divinity game—specifically that hand-crafted loot is better than randomized stuff.
📖 Related: Why Everyone Is Obsessed With the Chicken Jockey Popcorn Bucket
But while Larian is moving on, the community isn't. The Official Modding Toolkit got a huge upgrade in this patch too. They've added native support for UI scrolling for heads, passives, and equipment. This means modders can add even more races and classes without breaking the game's menus.
Things people are still complaining about
Even with 48 pages of notes, you can't please everyone. The "Dark Urge" players are still a bit salty about the lack of reactions in Act 3. There’s a famous scene where your character can literally die and come back, and some companions still just call it "twee" or barely acknowledge it. Patch 8 fixed some dialogue triggers, but it didn't fundamentally rewrite the ending for the Durge.
Also, Arcane Trickster fans are still waiting for a proper fix to Mage Hand Legerdemain. Larian actually removed the mention of "additional tasks" from the tooltip rather than making the hand do more stuff. A bit of a cheeky move, if you ask me.
📖 Related: Finding Every Rampage Map GTA Vice City Location Without Losing Your Mind
Actionable Next Steps for Your New Playthrough
If you're jumping back in today, here is how you should handle the new content:
- Try the Hexblade/Paladin Multiclass: It’s the "Padlock." Since Hexblade lets you use Charisma for your weapon, and Paladins use Charisma for spells/auras, you only need to focus on one stat. It's broken. In a good way.
- Test the Crossplay Early: If you're planning a long campaign with friends on different platforms, do a "stress test" in the prologue. Crossplay can be finicky with mods, so make sure everyone has a clean install first.
- Check the "Gilded" Chests: Some items that were previously bugged or missing from specific Act 3 vendors have been redistributed.
- Update Your Mods: If you use Nexus Mods, almost everything will break with Patch 8. Check the "Posts" tab on your favorite mods to see if they've been updated for the new build.
Patch 8 is basically Larian's love letter to the fans before they head off into the sunset. It’s huge, it’s buggy in that charming Larian way, and it’s probably the best version of the game we’re ever going to get. Time to go roll some dice.