While Baldur's Gate 3's Larian Studios has confirmed that they are moving on from the hit D&D RPG to focus on a new project, the studio is capping its support for the game with one final content update. Patch 8 brings with it a multitude of fixes and several highly requested features like cross-play and photo mode. If this wasn't enough to get players to return to Baldur's Gate 3, Patch 8 also introduced 12 exciting new subclasses.
With Patch 8, there is now a new subclass for each of Baldur's Gate 3's classes. These include:
- Path of the Giant Barbarian
- College of Glamour Bard
- Death Domain Cleric
- Circle of Stars Druid
- Arcane Archer Fighter
- Way of the Drunken Master Monk
- Oath of the Crown Paladin
- Swarmkeeper Ranger
- Swashbuckler Rogue
- Shadow Magic Sorcerer
- Hexblade Warlock
- Bladesinging Wizard
Every class now has four subclasses, meaning that there are now a whopping 46 total subclasses in the game. The new subclasses added in Patch 8 will feature new animations, VFX, and abilities that are sure to add even more variety to the player experience. The Way of the Drunken Master Monk in particular looks like it will provide a unique playthrough for Baldur's Gate 3 players, as it adds some surprising depth to an overlooked item in the game.
All Spells Added in Baldur's Gate 3's Patch 8
Patch 8 of Baldur's Gate 3 adds five new spells, each providing new utility and build variety, so here's how all of them work.
How the Way of the Drunken Master Makes Alcohol a Must-Have Item
Origin of the Way of the Drunken Master
The Way of the Drunken Master is a monk subclass that made its way into D&D 5e in Xanathar's Guide to Everything back in 2017. Inspired by Chinese drunken boxing, a Way of the Drunken Master monk uses the unpredictable movements of a drunkard to catch enemies off guard and gain the upper hand in combat. A monk with this subclass gains proficiency with performance, can regain Ki Points by drinking alcohol, and is even able to get their enemies drunk with the Intoxicating Strike ability. It's an incredibly unique subclass that offers plenty of levity and roleplay opportunities for anyone who chooses to play it.
The Role of Alcohol in Baldur's Gate 3
Various types of alcohol have always been present as lootable items in Baldur's Gate 3, but they were far from the most useful items that a player could obtain on their adventure. Consuming alcohol provides debuffs to a variety of rolls in the game, so unless a player was attempting to wield the niche Punch-Drunk Bastard weapon, alcohol was really only useful as a camp supply to help complete long rests. Alcohol could also be thrown to create flammable areas, but since there are other items and spells in the game that can accomplish this, there was never a reason to carry around alcohol specifically.
With the Way of the Drunken Master subclass, the uses of alcohol have been greatly expanded. Thanks to the Cheeky Tipple feature, a monk can regain Ki Points by consuming alcohol, which means that players will want to make sure that they always have alcohol on them in-game. The feature also makes the monk immune to any of the negative side effects of alcohol. This not only makes drinking a no-brainer for any scenario, but it opens the door for plenty of roleplay opportunities, as the player can have their character drink ridiculous amounts of alcohol at any point without having to worry about any downsides. Baldur's Gate 3 was already known for how many wild uses players had found for its various sandbox items, and now with alcohol being prioritized in Patch 8, players can approach the game with even more creativity.
Baldur's Gate 3
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 96 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- August 3, 2023
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Larian Studios
- Engine
- Divinity 4.0
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- Full cross-platform play.
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- RPG
