Baldur’s Gate 3 gets earthy with upcoming Druid patch

Druids are undeniably one of the best classes in Dungeons and Dragons. They’re just so versatile, being able to deal disgusting amounts of damage as well as provide support for when the party’s in danger. That’s why I’m so excited to hear that Larian Studios is patching Druids into Baldur’s Gate 3!

Patch 4, titled Nature’s Power, was announced last night during a livestream event and confirmed that Druids should function exactly as they do in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition. Not only will Druids have their own list of spells and abilities to choose from, you’ll also need to determine your Druidic Circle.

The Druidic Circle is one of the key aspects of roleplaying for this particular class as it not only determines your move set but should also govern how you roleplay. They’re a great class and I’m pleased to see it arrive in the game relatively early during the early access period. So what new spells are being added for those green-thumbed heroes? Well, we’ve got a full list here (Thanks, VG247!):

• Entangle – Trap your enemies with creeping vines to ensure they can’t move in battle
• Flame Blade – What it says on the tin. Summon a flaming scimitar, which also acts as source of light.
• Moonbeam – Burn foes with a scorching ray of moon light.
• Produce Flame – Not a damaging spell but produce flame is useful for lighting up a dark path or burning through thick foliage
• Shillelagh – Fail that roll on your spell attack? No matter, just pump magic into your weapon and swing way harder.
• Thorn Whip – Again, fairly self-explanatory. Grab enemies with a thorny vine and pull them closer.
• Barkskin – Turn skin into a hard bark and take less damage.
• Destroy Water – Fog blocking your path? Maybe some kind acidic puddle? This is your spell.
• Enhance Ability – Give an ally or yourself Bear’s Endurance, Bull’s Strength, Cat’s Grace, Eagle’s Splendor, Fox’s Cunning or Owl’s Wisdom to improve their abilities for a short period of time.
• Flaming Sphere – Just a big ball of fire that Druids can yeet at enemies or have it roll around for… reasons.
• Goodberry – Pop one of these tasty boys when you need a very small but very quick heal.
• Heat Metal – Think of all the applications of hot metal! Especially if your foe is in armour!
• Protection From Poison – No sneaky drink spikes will be affecting you or friends at the tavern tonight.
• Spike Growth – Personal opinion, I think this is one of the best spells in the game. Summon an area of horrific spikes that do damage to anyone trying to move it. This D4s really add up over time.

Beyond the Druid class addition, a number of other tweaks and improvements are coming to Baldur’s Gate 3. These include overhauled contextual cinematics, perfect for anyone casting Speak with Dead or conducting conversations as an animal.

Lighting and animations have been improved across the board, multiplayer has had some adjustments in the form of viewable inventories, equipment and character sheets between players and the final addition is an optional “loaded dice” which helps eliminates instances where you’re rolling very badly or very well just a little too consistently.

Larian Studios hasn’t provided a solid release date for the Nature’s Power update but it will be out when it’s ready which is reportedly soon.

Last Updated: February 18, 2021