D&D: ‘Baldur’s Gate 3’ Patch 9 Adds Paladins and Raises the Level Cap
Paladins are officially in Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 9. With two official subclasses and a third, hidden dark knight option.
Baldur’s Gate 3 kicked off the last major update before an eventual August 2023 release yesterday. But what an update it is! Introduced at a Panel From Hell, Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 9 not only opens the doors to a new class entirely, it raises the level cap as well. It’s the last bend before we move into the runup to release. But what a ride it’s been.
Seriously, Baldur’s Gate 3 has been on such a journey from the initial early access release to now. And what they’ve added in Patch 9 feels absolutely magnificent. Because not only do they add the Paladin, they add a number of more extended roleplaying options. Let’s take a look.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 9 – O, Holy Knight
Paladins are a perennial favorite in D&D. They’re cool, they’re special, and if you play them right they don’t have to be lawful stupid. In fact, with the two subclasses added in Baldur’s Gate 3, Patch 9, we get some of the best of Paladins.
There’s the Oath of the Ancients, for you lovers of light and nature. And Oath of Devotion, which is about the most party-centric a Paladin can get. They’re very chill. The “secret” third subclass, however, is not.
Larian studios also added the Oathbreaker. You can only unlock this subclass by breaking an oath in the game. Which is among one of the new roleplaying triggers added to the overarching story. You’ll lose your Paladin Oath-powered abilities, in turn, however, you’ll gain darker actions. Actions like Control Undead.
There’s a plethora of Paladin paths to promenade upon. From new support spells and smite abilities, you’ve got a ton to play around with.
More Than Just Paladins
But it’s not just Paladins in the new patch. A number of substantive changes have been added, not the least of which is raising the level cap from 4 to 5. Early Access will now see you through to level 5, meaning you can unlock 3rd-level spells.
This means that 3rd-level spells have been added to the game, along with a number of other new features. Key 3rd-level spells include:
- Fireball
- Fly
- Haste
- Spirit Guardians
And of course, all the Paladin spells you need. Alongside that, we learned that none other than Matt Mercer will be giving a voice to the legendary Minsc in the game!
There are a number of other improvements, both to the quality of life and to the overall gameplay. You can find a full list by following this link.
Try Baldur’s Gate 3 on Steam in Early Access today!
