Baldur’s Gate III Patch 9 Adds Paladins

Larian Studios held a new Panel from Hell stream for Baldur’s Gate III, during which it unveiled its Patch 9 major update for the game’s Early Access version. Highlights of the update, which is available now, include the addition of the Paladin class, a rework of the Reactions system, and the ability to progress characters to level five.

Paladins are able to unleash combos on enemies while providing protection to their allies. While they have different missions, all of them have sworn an Oath to stand for good. Baldur’s Gate III has two Subclasses for Paladins: Oath of Devotion and Oath of the Ancients. Oath of Devotion Paladins value honour and virtue to protect the weak and the greater good, while Oath of the Ancients Paladins vow to protect the sanctity of life. However, there is also a hidden Subclass for those who forsake their vows, Oathbreaker, which comes with its own advantages and disadvantages.

Reactions are actions that can trigger on certain conditions, such as Attacks of Opportunity on combatants that run away when in melee range. The game will now let players choose whether or not they wish to use a Reaction when the opportunity presents itself. In addition, the spell Fly is now available, letting players reach otherwise inaccessible treasure or escape enemies. Finally, the developer announced that returning character Minsc, originally voiced by Jim Cummings, will be voiced by Matthew Mercer in Baldur’s Gate III.

Baldur’s Gate III is based on the latest fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons ruleset and is currently available on Early Access for PC and Mac through Steam and GOG.com. Its story sees the customisable player character and some others captured and forced to host a Mindflayer tadpole before the airship they are on crashes. The game is planned to fully release in August 2023, with a Collector’s Edition available to pre-order now.