Baldur’s Gate 3 players now have a new batch of content to go through, as the cRPG’s sixth patch, called Forging the Arcane, is now live. Detailed during today’s Panel from Hell live show, this is the largest content update the game has received since it entered Early Access, its highlights including the addition of the Sorcerer class, Grymforge region, and updated visuals.
Live now, the Forging the Arcane patch gives those with a preference for magic a pretty strong incentive to start a new playthrough. The Sorcerer class brings powerful new tools to use in Baldur’s Gate 3, such as its signature ability, Metamagic, which enables it to adapt spells during combat, increasing their range, duration, or making them hit two enemies simultaneously.
Baldur’s Gate 3’s Sorcerer class comes with two subclasses: Wild Magic and Draconic Bloodline. The former has access to the Tides of Chaos ability, which “allows them to gain advantage on attack rolls, ability checks, or saving throws, boosting their powers during combat.” At the same time, the ability can also set everyone around you on fire or summon a hostile mephit, which can be both terrible or fun, depending on how many other things want you dead when these effects occur.
Draconic Bloodline Sorcerers gain one extra hit point every level, are easy to spot thanks to the colored scales etched into their faces, and gain bonuses and abilities depending on the color of its dragon ancestor. “A Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer whose blood has mingled with a Red Dragon will gain additional benefits for fire spells, while dragon ancestors of other colour-types can offer abilities relating to Acid, Lightning, Cold, and Poison,” reads an emailed press release.
The Sorcerer also comes with a bunch of new spells, including these five:
- Horrific Visage: A new Tadpole Action that makes your enemy bleed and allows the Sorcerer to leech a Sorcery Point off of them.
- Enlarge/Reduce: This new spell alters a character's size, affecting their physical stats in the process.
- Chromatic Orb: A powerful new single-target nuke that allows Sorcerers to hurl a sphere of energy at their foes.
- Cloud of Daggers: This spell protects the caster, surrounding them in a cloud of flying daggers.
- Crown of Madness: As the name suggests, this spell sends an enemy mad, and can cause them to attack their nearby allies.
Baldur’s Gate 3’s Forging the Arcane patch also adds new weapon actions for non-magic wielders. Heartstopper targets an enemy’s chest reducing the number of actions they can take, Weakening Strike attack is a non-lethal attack that targets the hands, while Concussive Smash dazes foes.
The new region of Grymforge is described as “an ancient Sharran fortress accessible through the Underdark, where rivers of lava and fire illuminate its darkened halls and chambers.” Players venturing through it can find new questlines, cinematics, characters, and battles, offering “hours of new content.”
Faerun also looks better now thanks to the addition of directional and volumetric lighting, fresh color grading, new particle effect techniques, real-time clouds, volumetric fog, and other visual improvements.
We’re also getting equippable salami, cosmetic damage based on a character’s HP, new music and plenty of other things detailed in Forging the Arcane’s patch notes, which span almost 11 pages and should be available on the game’s Steam page.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is available now in early access on PC and Google Stadia.
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