Which New Subclass Should You Choose in Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 8? (Full Guide with Pros, Cons & Class Synergies)

April 2025 marked a major milestone for Baldur’s Gate 3 with the release of Patch 8—the game’s final large-scale content update. While the patch delivered performance tweaks and quality-of-life improvements, its biggest legacy is clear: 12 brand-new subclasses, one for every class in the game.

Whether you’re returning to Faerûn for another Honour Mode run, planning a roleplay-heavy campaign, or hunting for the strongest endgame builds the community has uncovered, choosing the right subclass can completely redefine your experience. Some excel at raw damage, others reshape battlefield control, and a few blur the line between spellcaster and frontline tank.

This Patch 8 subclass guide breaks down every new option in plain English, explaining:

What each subclass is best at
How it performs after months of player testing and hotfixes
Where it shines—and where it struggles
Which party compositions bring out its full potential

If you’ve been staring at the class selection screen wondering “Which one should I actually pick?”, you’re in the right place.

🧠 Quick Overview: The New Subclasses at a Glance

Class	New Subclass	Primary Role	Best Party Synergy
Barbarian	Path of the Giant	Tank / Thrower	Fighter, Paladin
Bard	College of Glamour	Support / Crowd Control	Sorcerer, Druid
Cleric	Death Domain	Damage / Debuff	Rogue, Necromancer
Druid	Circle of Stars	Hybrid / Healer	Everyone
Fighter	Arcane Archer	Ranged / Utility	Barbarian, Monk
Monk	Way of the Drunken Master	Mobile Chaos	Bard, Rogue
Paladin	Oath of the Crown	Tank / Protector	Wizard, Warlock
Ranger	Swarmkeeper	Ranged / Control	Sorcerer, Warlock
Rogue	Swashbuckler	Duelist / Agile	Bard, Monk
Sorcerer	Shadow Magic	Burst / Control	Rogue, Ranger
Warlock	Hexblade	Melee / Curses	Paladin, Fighter
Wizard	Bladesinging	Spellblade / Tank	Fighter, Druid

🛡️ Barbarian – Path of the Giant

What’s the Vibe?
You’re not just big—you’re giant-sized. This subclass turns you into a walking siege engine who can throw enemies, allies, and anything not nailed down across the battlefield.

What Changed Since Launch?
The core fantasy remains gloriously intact. A key hotfix (Hotfix #35) reinstated the full synergy between the Tavern Brawler feat and thrown attacks in Honour Mode, solidifying this as one of the game’s most reliably powerful builds.

Pros

Colossal Throws: Use enemies as projectiles or reposition allies safely
Extended Reach: Increased size grants wider melee range
Excellent Crowd Control: Prone effects and forced movement dominate fights

Cons

Cramped Quarters: Tight dungeons can be awkward
Ranged Limitations: Fully committed to melee and throws

Party Synergy:
Pairs perfectly with a Battle Master Fighter for lockdown combos or any backline spellcaster who appreciates a massive, distracting frontline.

🎤 Bard – College of Glamour

What’s the Vibe?
A fey-touched performer who bends the battlefield with charm, authority, and supernatural presence.

What Changed Since Launch?
This subclass arrived essentially perfect. Mantle of Majesty, granting a powerful non-concentration Command, remains one of the strongest support tools in BG3.

Pros

Peerless Support: Temp HP and free movement for allies
Incredible Control: Charm and command effects shut down encounters
Dialogue King/Queen: Ideal for persuasion-heavy runs

Cons

Limited Direct Damage: Power comes through allies
Positioning Matters: Auras require smart placement

Party Synergy:
Spellcasters like Sorcerers or Wizards who can punish controlled enemies with devastating AoE.

☠️ Cleric – Death Domain

What’s the Vibe?
A cleric who embraces necrotic power, focusing on damage, debuffs, and exploiting the moment of death itself.

What Changed Since Launch?
A fix to Potent Spellcasting ensured cantrips like Toll the Dead scale correctly, cementing this subclass as a deadly mid-range threat.

Pros

Powerful Necromancy: Strong damage from early levels
Tactical Reaper: Can hit two targets with necromancy cantrips
Dark Roleplay Flavor: Perfect for morally complex characters

Cons

Reduced Healing Options
Necrotic Immunity Issues: Some enemies resist your core damage

Party Synergy:
Assassin Rogues or Evocation Wizards who capitalize on weakened enemies and kill zones.

🌌 Druid – Circle of Stars

What’s the Vibe?
A celestial guide who channels constellations to adapt to any role—healer, blaster, or concentration powerhouse.

What Changed Since Launch?
Minor clarifications around Wild Shape interactions, but its flexibility was always its greatest strength.

Pros

Unmatched Versatility: Three Starry Forms for every situation
Resource Efficient: Free Guiding Bolt and Archer attacks
Always Useful: Improves any party composition

Cons

High Decision Load: Requires constant tactical evaluation
Wild Shape Reliant: Core features consume charges

Party Synergy:
Everyone. This is one of the best universal subclasses in the game.

🏹 Fighter – Arcane Archer

What’s the Vibe?
A magical marksman who controls the battlefield from extreme range.

What Changed Since Launch?
Curving Shot ensures your limited Arcane Shots are rarely wasted, making this the top control-focused archer.

Pros

Fight-Winning Control Effects
Reliable Fighter Damage
Exceptional Range Utility

Cons

Limited Arcane Shots per Rest
Weak in Melee

Party Synergy:
Frontliners like Barbarians or Paladins who give you space to operate.

🥋 Monk – Way of the Drunken Master

What’s the Vibe?
Chaotic, mobile, and wildly entertaining—turning intoxication into a combat resource.

What Changed Since Launch?
The “Drunk” condition is now well understood, revealing a niche but highly creative playstyle.

Pros

Extreme Mobility
Alcohol-Based Ki Recovery
Top-Tier Fun & Roleplay

Cons

Inventory Management Required
Lower Consistent Damage Than Open Hand

Party Synergy:
Swords Bards or Swashbucklers for nonstop skirmishing chaos.

⚖️ Paladin – Oath of the Crown

What’s the Vibe?
A living shield who protects allies by forcing enemies to focus on you.

What Changed Since Launch?
Its oath mechanics add strong roleplay consequences, including the path to Oathbreaker.

Pros

Elite Tanking Tools
Enemy Lockdown Auras
Classic Paladin Support Kit

Cons

Lower Burst Damage
Strict Oath Roleplay

Party Synergy:
Glass-cannon casters like Wizards and Sorcerers.

🐝 Ranger – Swarmkeeper

What’s the Vibe?
A ranger bound to a supernatural swarm that controls space and enemies.

What Changed Since Launch?
QoL improvements smoothed pet and swarm management.

Pros

Distinct Visual Identity
Consistent Damage & Forced Movement
Strong Thematic Spell List

Cons

Positioning-Dependent
Split Power Budget

Party Synergy:
Area-control spellcasters who exploit forced movement.

⚔️ Rogue – Swashbuckler

What’s the Vibe?
A charismatic duelist who thrives in melee without hiding.

What Changed Since Launch?
Fancy Footwork eliminated the Rogue’s classic mobility problem.

Pros

Reliable Sneak Attacks in Melee
Exceptional Hit-and-Run Playstyle
Great Party Face

Cons

Less Stealth-Oriented
Encourages Frontline Risk

Party Synergy:
Monks or Bards for speed-focused teams.

🌑 Sorcerer – Shadow Magic

What’s the Vibe?
A shadow-infused sorcerer built for survival, debuffs, and darkness synergy.

What Changed Since Launch?
The Hound of Ill Omen is now widely considered one of the strongest debuff summons in the game.

Pros

Emergency Survivability
Save-Debuffing Summon
Excellent Darkness Synergy

Cons

Counters by Truesight
Sorcery Point Intensive

Party Synergy:
Gloom Stalker Rangers and Assassin Rogues.

🪓 Warlock – Hexblade

What’s the Vibe?
A Charisma-based melee warlock bound to a sentient weapon.

What Changed Since Launch?
A ring enabling concentration-free Shadow Blade created one of Patch 8’s strongest builds.

Pros

Single-Ability Dependent (CHA)
Devastating Hexblade’s Curse
Excellent Melee–Caster Hybrid

Cons

Limited Spell Slots
Less Armor Than Paladins

Party Synergy:
Paladins for Hexadin builds or frontline tanks.

🧙 Wizard – Bladesinging

What’s the Vibe?
An elegant spellblade combining extreme defense with lethal precision.

What Changed Since Launch?
Item synergies like Elven Chain unlocked absurd durability, especially in multiclass builds.

Pros

Massive AC & Concentration Bonuses
High Skill Ceiling
Excellent Solo Potential

Cons

Limited Bladesong Uses
Vulnerable Without Setup

Party Synergy:
Clerics, Druids, or Fighters—or infamous Paladin multiclass builds.

⚔️ Community Spotlight: Three Powerhouse Builds

Pure Hexblade (Warlock 12): Concentration-free Shadow Blade, massive CHA scaling
Bladesinging “Wizardin” (Wizard 10 / Paladin 2): Defense + Divine Smite burst
Control Archer (Fighter 11 / War Cleric 1): Banishing Arrow lockdown with bonus action attacks

🎯 Final Verdict: Which Subclass Should You Choose?

Power Gamers: Hexblade Warlock, Path of the Giant Barbarian
Tacticians: Arcane Archer Fighter, Circle of Stars Druid
Roleplayers: College of Glamour Bard, Swarmkeeper Ranger
Jack-of-All-Trades: Bladesinging Wizard, Swashbuckler Rogue

Patch 8’s subclasses ensure Baldur’s Gate 3 still feels fresh in 2025. Every option offers a distinct fantasy, mechanical identity, and replay value. Choose the path that fits your style, build your party with intent, and carve your legend across Faerûn—one final time.

🐛 Check out cool Swarmkeeper builds on BG3 Builds subreddit.

🐺 The Shadow Hound is chef’s kiss. Check it out in action on the BG3 subreddit.

📖 For dark pact tips, browse Hexblade loadouts on the Steam BG3 forums.

Got a favorite subclass combo? Let us know in the comments below!

🎮 New to Baldur’s Gate 3 or looking to fine-tune your visuals? Don’t miss our Beginner’s Tips to Get Started in BG3 — perfect if you're just jumping into Faerûn for the first time. And if you want buttery smooth performance, check out the Best Baldur's Gate 3 Graphics Settings for Nvidia & AMD to tweak your visuals for low, mid, or high-end PCs.

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