The Paladin class has been added, the level cap has been raised, there is a new "reaction system," and who will voice Mince, the reassuring companion from the original Baldur's Gate that will return in BG3?

The Paladin class is a formidable opponent of evil, capable of dropping the hammer in melee combat or providing aid and support to other members of the party. the Paladin in Baldur's Gate 3 has two subclasses, each with unique abilities: the Paladin has an "aura of vengeance can be invoked to damage those who attack them, the Oath of Devotion, and the Ancient Oath, which gives them the power to heal nearby allies.

However, there is also a hidden subclass, the Oath Breaker, which is never chosen rather than given to those who stray from their oath. Oath-breakers are given new powers, which they can use as they wish (an advantage of not having an oath). Also, if they begin to truly regret the choices they have made, they can always begin walking the path of redemption.

The new patch also raises the level cap to 5, giving Baldur's Gate 3 players more power. This is especially beneficial for magic types, who will now have access to level 3 spells, including the classic (and very destructive) Fireball spell, as well as other useful ones like Counterspell and Animate Dead.

Players will also have the opportunity to perform special actions during combat, such as attacks of opportunity, thanks to the update's reaction system: spellcasters will be able to use the "Fly" spell, literally going places they would not otherwise reach, in or out of combat. They can fly.

As for Minsk's reappearance, the mad ranger is played by Matt Mercer. Matt Mercer is probably best known these days as the chief DM of the very popular D&D streaming company Critical Role. But he is also a prolific voice actor, having appeared in "Marvel's Midnight Suns," "Return to Monkey Island," "Ruined King," "The Last of Us," "Death Stranding," "Metro Exodus," "Star Wars: Jedi - Fallen Order, God of War, Red Dead Redemption, World of Warcraft, and many others.

Larian did not say why the original Minsk voice actor, Jim Cummings (open in new tab), did not return for the new film. I reached out to ask why (I'm an old BG fan, so I'm curious), but it's possible he simply couldn't squeeze it in: Cummings is still doing voice work, and his 2022 schedule includes "Multiversus" and the film "Puss in Boots" (new Open in new tab), as well as work on The Last Wish and Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers. He is a busy man! As for who will be voicing Jaheira, that remains a secret for now.

Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 9 is available now. The full patch notes are available on Steam (opens in new tab).