We tuned into the LarianStudios live stream via Twitch, where we learned that the latest Baldur's Gate 3 update will bring the players up to level 5, and feature brand new level three spells. We also learned who will be playing the part of Minsc!
Patch nine will be the final content update coming to Baldur's Gate 3 early access, and there are several key features players have been asking for coming with this update. The first, and maybe the most important, is the ability to level your character up to five! That means we will now have level three spells to add to our spellbook. Iconic spells like Fireball have now been added in as a level three spell, giving you a powerful damage dealing spell to utilize in combat.
Beyond spells comes the addition of the Reaction system, so that players can make use of react actions now. One of those is Counterspell, which will let you counter opposing spells and is something fans have been begging to be implemented for quite some time. You can choose to have the game pause when a reaction is possible, or do it automatically.
Another fantastic feature being added is a brand new class; the Paladin! This is an extremely versatile class that allows the player to choose whether they want to be a healer, tank, or DPS. With the addition of the Paladin class comes new spells as well, as the Paladin has its own spell list. Smiting and other key abilities like Lay on Hands are also part of it, as you would expect. These abilities include searing smite, thunderous smite, magic weapon, and branding smite. The Paladin will choose an Oath to follow, either Ancients (protecting nature) or Devotion (general good), and will be expected to follow that Oath.
There is a hidden subclass that cannot be chosen at the beginning, and that is the Oathbreaker subclass. If players choose to break the oath that they have made, they will become an Oathbreaker Paladin, where the Oathbreaker Knight appears to ask why they have chosen this path. He then tells you a new power within you is awakening, and you have the choice to break the oath and see what's to come or attempt to redeem yourself.
Lastly, we finally learned who will be playing the part of Minsc, one of the legacy characters in the game. Matthew Mercer has been chosen as the voice actor and is extremely passionate about this role as we saw in the stream. He has been a longtime fan of the franchise, and that shows through in his voice lines. With that announcement, we learned that both legacy characters, Minsc and Jaheria, will be getting a brand new storyline to follow! When following those storylines, you will soon learn that they might not be as friendly as you thought if you make the wrong choices during your playthrough. This means that your choices will have a direct effect on whether they are your friends or your enemies when you attempt to recruit them.
Baldur's Gate 3 early access Patch 9 is live now, so take a long rest to level up your game and heroes to dive into the adventure. You can view the full patch notes on Steam for this update here. Baldur's Gate 3 will finally be leaving early access in August of 2023, after being stuck in this state for close to two years.
