Baldur’s Gate 3is getting an eighth major patch, this one revolving around the addition of twelve new subclasses lifted fromDungeons & Dragons5th edition. These subclasses will give players new options when designing their characters, but alsoopen up some new avenues for the companions that will join them on their questto defeat the Absolute. One in particular seems like a perfect fit for a certain denizen of the player’s camp: Astarion.
Astarion is a rogue by default, and while his class and ability scores can be changed like any other player character, the deception and cunning of the rogue class definitely fits him best. Butnone of the existing subclass options for rogue, such as the thief and arcane trickster,match exactly with Astarion’s personality. Luckily, the Swashbuckler will be added toBG3with this new update, and its features and focuses really mesh well with this vampire spawn.
Astarion Feels Like A Charisma-Based Character
This Spawn’s Personality Reflects The Stats Of A Swashbuckler
Most rogues focus their ability score improvements on dexterity and intelligence, and while Astarion is certainly a dextrous fellow, intellect has never been his strong suit. Despite his 13 in the stat, he is rather shortsighted and narrow-minded in his approach to most things, and whileability scores don’t have to dictate personality,it definitely creates a bit of a disconnect.
Baldur’s Gate 3: All 12 New Subclasses In Patch 8
With the release of its final major update Patch 8, Baldur’s Gate 3 has added a strong lineup of fan-favorite Dungeons & Dragons subclasses.
Astarion makes much more sense asa charisma-focused character, given his talent for deception and seduction, as well as his charlatan background. It’s odd that the character only has a 10 in the stat by default, but if his charisma was raised to more accurately reflect his way with words, he would be well-suited for a swashbuckler’s features.Swashbucklers in D&D gain an initiative bonus equal to their charisma score, and at higher levels, can use their persuasion skill to hinder opponents during combat.
Swashbucklers Don’t Need To Fight On The Seas
Swordplay And A Suave Attitude
While the word “swashbuckler” may invoke images of pirates and suave sailors, mechanically, it need not be nautical at all. Rather,the subclass is all about using one’s inherent confidence and swagger to outmatch opponentsin melee combat, methods that make a lot of sense for thisdagger-happy vampire.
BG3 has a level cap at 12, meaning only the 3rd and 9th level features of any rogue subclass need to be considered. Given that, a swashbuckler’s Fancy Footwork, Rakish Audacity, and Panache abilities are the only ones that bear discussion.
Of course,the exact mechanics of the swashbuckler inBaldur’s Gate 3are open to change, as many subclasses have already been altered from their originalD&Dversions. But it’s likely that the swashbuckler will at least retain the core parts of its identity, provided in its features at 3rd and 9th level. It will be exciting to see players able to try out using Astarion with this new subclass, as well as experiment with theeleven other new optionsavailable to their party members.
