Summary
Baldur’s Gate 3is drawn fromDungeons and Dragonsand specifically draws its spells, classes, and subclasses from theDungeons and Dragons' 2014Player’s Handbook. The 2014Player’s Handbookserved as the basis of all gameplay for an entire decade ofDungeons and Dragons, and its gameplay and classes served as the baseline forBaldur’s Gate 3’s own classes, spells, and mechanics, including encounters.
2024 saw a new release of thePlayer’s Handbook, which brought a number of significant changes to classes and subclasses, as well as gameplay. Bards received an entirely new subclass in the College of Dance, which has the potential to completely overhaul encounters, while other popular subclasses were streamlined and improved. These changes mean thatBaldur’s Gate 3’s successor will likely see some significant changes merely by following the 2024PHBrather than the 2014 version, setting it apart fromBaldur’s Gate 3and giving it a distinct identity even before considering its setting and story.
New Class Rules and Subclasses Could Bring Big Changes to Baldur’s Gate 3’s Sequel
The changes introduced with the 2024PHBincluded new classes and subclasses, upgraded and streamlined the existing ones, shuffled the spell lists, and changed some vital gameplay rules to improve the game’s quality of life. Most of the classes in the 2024Player’s Handbooklook very different from their 2014 counterparts, and in many ways are more true to the original spirit of that class. An example is theBard’s College of Dance, which specializes in unarmed combat, much like the Monk, but also makes more use of Bardic Inspiration to draw in party members. Just this subclass could change encounters, introduce more magic items that improve unarmed combat, and give players more builds for their characters and party.
Two New Paths for Clerics
Another example is the Cleric, a class that now has two paths to choose from, between specializing in magic and specializing in weapons training. This single change to theCleric already grants them more flexibility than inBaldur’s Gate 3, but changes to the Cleric’s subclasses take this further by improving the Cleric Spell List, and their Channel Divinity, in particular the effects of Turn Undead.
How the 2024 PHB Could Change Gameplay in Baldur’s Gate 3’s Sequel
Overhauling Subclasses to Equalize Them
One of the changes that could most affect aBaldur’s Gate 3sequel is the change to when subclasses are applied to a class. Rather than subclassing at different levels, all classes now subclass at Level 3, and all classes now only have four subclasses. This gives some classes like Rogue andBard an additional subclass, but dramatically reduces the subclass options for Wizard and Cleric. This equalizes the classes across the board and gives the other classes more subclasses to play with, such as Soul Knife for Rogues and the completely new subclass, the College of Dance, for Bards.
Some gameplay characteristics ofBaldur’s Gate 3that differed in the 2014Player’s Handbookmade it into the 2024PHB, such as the length of short rests, and taking potions as a bonus action. Undead and constructs can now be healed with potions and spells, which will make a dramatic change in gameplay andcombat strategy for necromancers who use summons, as well as Clerics with necromancers in the party. This will also likely change the versatility of the types of enemies and encounters inBaldur’s Gate 3’s sequel.
