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

on

Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 8 dropped like a magic missile, and with it came 12 brand-new subclasses—one for each class! Whether you're a roleplay enjoyer or a power-gamer looking to min-max, this guide breaks down each subclass in plain English. We’ll look at what makes them shine, where they struggle, and which party members they love hanging out with.

Let's help you figure out which subclass you should pick for your next playthrough!

New Subclass Guide, Baldur’s Gate 3, Patch 8

🧠 Quick TL;DR

Class    Subclass                                Role        Best Synergy
Barbarian        Path of the GiantTank / Thrower        Fighter, Paladin
Bard    College of GlamourSupport / CC        Sorcerer, Druid
Cleric    Death DomainDamage / Debuff        Rogue, Necromancer
Druid    Circle of StarsHybrid / Healer        Everyone!
Fighter    Arcane ArcherRanged / Utility        Barbarian, Monk
Monk    Way of the Drunken MasterMobile Chaos        Bard, Rogue
Paladin    Oath of the CrownTank / Protector        Wizard, Warlock
Ranger    SwarmkeeperRanged / Control        Sorcerer, Warlock
Rogue    SwashbucklerDuelist / Agile        Bard, Monk
Sorcerer    Shadow MagicBurst / Stealth        Rogue, Warlock
Warlock    HexbladeMelee / Curses        Paladin, Cleric
Wizard    BladesingingSpellblade        Fighter, Druid

🛡️ Barbarian – Path of the Giant

What’s the vibe? Big. You grow in size and start tossing goblins like beanbags.

  • Pros:

    • Massive throws (enemies or allies!)

    • Bonus reach and melee damage

    • Excellent crowd control

  • Cons:

    • Limited ranged options

    • Not great in tight spaces (doorways be warned)

  • Best With: Fighters for tank synergy or spellcasters who love a walking meat shield.

🎤 Bard – College of Glamour

What’s the vibe? Fey-powered smooth talker with charm for days.

  • Pros:

    • Excellent support and healing

    • Charm and inspire on the fly

  • Cons:

    • Light on offensive abilities

    • Needs good positioning to shine

  • Best With: Sorcerers or Warlocks who can lock enemies down while you dazzle them.

✨ Glamour Bard shines in dialogue-heavy campaigns or diplomatic playthroughs.

☠️ Cleric – Death Domain

What’s the vibe? You're not just a healer—you're a corpse exploiter.

  • Pros:

    • Strong necrotic damage

    • Area control via corpse explosions

  • Cons:

    • Undead enemies laugh at you

    • Less healing than other Clerics

  • Best With: Rogues (for sneak-kill setups) or other necro-leaning spellcasters.

🌌 Druid – Circle of Stars

What’s the vibe? You’re basically a celestial shapeshifter. Astrology but deadly.

  • Pros:

    • Switch between damage, healing, and support

    • Powerful ranged and aura spells

  • Cons:

    • More complex to manage than other Druids

  • Best With: Literally any party comp. Star Druids are flexible AF.

🏹 Fighter – Arcane Archer

What’s the vibe? Magic + arrows = battlefield control sniper.

  • Pros:

    • Cool magical arrows (banish, blind, etc.)

    • Long-range battlefield control

  • Cons:

    • Needs ammo

    • Underwhelming in melee

  • Best With: Paladins or Barbarians that frontline for you.

🥋 Monk – Way of the Drunken Master

What’s the vibe? Wobbly but deadly. The Jackie Chan build.

  • Pros:

    • Insane mobility

    • Regain Ki using alcohol

  • Cons:

    • Relies on booze in inventory

  • Best With: Bards and Rogues that play fast and loose.

🍺 Pro tip: Bring kegs. Drunken Master needs 'em to stay buzzed and busted.

⚖️ Paladin – Oath of the Crown

What’s the vibe? King’s guard meets divine protector. It’s all about holding the line.

  • Pros:

    • Tanky as heck

    • Can absorb damage for others

  • Cons:

    • Less damage output than other Oaths

  • Best With: Wizards, Sorcerers—anyone squishy.

🛡️ Larian Forums have solid Paladin theorycrafting threads worth checking out.

🐝 Ranger – Swarmkeeper

What’s the vibe? Bees. Or jellyfish. Or moths. Nature’s weird.

  • Pros:

    • Unique visual and mechanical flavor

    • Great control and movement abilities

  • Cons:

    • Swarm requires positioning

  • Best With: Casters who can capitalize on swarm debuffs.

🐛 Check out cool Swarmkeeper builds on BG3 Builds subreddit.

⚔️ Rogue – Swashbuckler

What’s the vibe? Dashing, dueling, and disengaging like a boss.

  • Pros:

    • No sneak attack restrictions

    • Super mobile

  • Cons:

    • Less stealthy than other Rogues

  • Best With: Monks and Bards—team up for stylish chaos.

💃 Bonus points if you roleplay like a pirate. Just sayin’.

🌑 Sorcerer – Shadow Magic

What’s the vibe? Shadowy teleportation, darkness manipulation, and spooky hounds.

  • Pros:

    • Superior darkvision

    • Strong in low-light encounters

  • Cons:

    • Weak if enemies resist fear/shadow

  • Best With: Rogues or Rangers who thrive in dim light.

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

🪓 Warlock – Hexblade

What’s the vibe? Bond with a cursed weapon and slash your way to power.

  • Pros:

    • Melee-focused Warlock

    • Summons undead helpers

  • Cons:

    • Still suffers from limited spell slots

  • Best With: Paladins or Fighters who let you take a breather between fights.

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

🧙 Wizard – Bladesinging

What’s the vibe? Sword-dancer casting spells mid-spin. High skill, high reward.

  • Pros:

    • Fast, tanky, magical

    • Bladesong boosts AC and movement

  • Cons:

    • Needs careful balance of melee and magic

  • Best With: Druids, Clerics, or other midline supporters.

🎼 Great for solo play too. You can tank and blast without help.

Final Thoughts – So, Which Subclass Should YOU Choose?

If you're into:

  • Big hits & big throws → Barbarian – Path of the Giant

  • Dazzling support → Bard – Glamour

  • Dark magic vibes → Sorcerer – Shadow Magic

  • Style + mobility → Rogue – Swashbuckler or Monk – Drunken Master

  • All-around power → Druid – Stars or Wizard – Bladesinger

Patch 8 has something for every kind of adventurer.

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

Related Articles:

🎮 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.

Comments

Post a Comment