Publisher and developer Larian Studios announced Baldur’s Gate III has just received a big new update, adding a Paladin class and more.

The new “Patch 9: Holy Knight” is now available for the game’s early access release. Larian also teased Matt Mercer is going to voice the newly revealed character Minsc.

The game has been available as an early access title for Windows PC (via Steam and GOG). In case you missed it, you can read our hands-on preview of the game here.

Here’s the full update notes and info:

Baldur’s Gate Patch 9

Patch 9 for Baldur’s Gate 3 is, in essence, a response to the player community’s feedback throughout early access – including the Paladin class, a reworked Reactions system, and the ability to progress to Level 5.

Paladins vary in their specific missions and ideals, but all Paladins have sworn an Oath to stand with goodness against the encroaching evils of the world. Whether they’ve sworn an Oath of Devotion, an Oath of the Ancients, or an Oath of another kind, their ultimate goal is to uphold justice and righteousness above all else.

But what happens to a Paladin who forsakes that sacred promise? Can there be redemption? A hidden Paladin subclass, Oathbreaker, gives players the opportunity to explore this path. Will they seek a return to grace, or will they find that their Oath was worth breaking after all?

D&D players will recognize Level 5 as a significant power boost for all classes – a moment where your party is finally able to take on formidable, previously insurmountable challenges. Spellcasters do especially well at Level 5, gaining access to 3rd-level spells like Fireball, Counterspell and Animate Dead – play your cards right and you may just raise your very own zombie army.

Here are a few of the highlights from Patch 9:

• New Class: Paladin
  • Bursting with noble spirit and ardent reverence, the Paladin class is marked by the ability to unleash devastating combos in combat while providing aid and protection to their party when necessary.
  • Two Subclasses:
    • Oath of Devotion
      • Following the ideal of the knight in shining armor, these Paladins act with honor and virtue to protect the weak and pursue the greater good.
      • Holy Rebuke: Call upon your Oath to grant an ally a vengeful aura that deals 1d4 Radiant damage to anyone who hits them with a melee attack.
    • Oath of the Ancients
      • Paladins who walk this path fight on the side of light in the eternal struggle against darkness, vowing to preserve the sanctity of life and the beauty of nature.
      • Healing Radiance: Call upon your Oath to let nature heal all nearby allies.
  • Divine Smite: When using a melee attack, you may choose to spend a spell slot to deal radiant damage to your target in addition to your weapon damage.
  • Hidden Subclass: Oathbreaker
    • Paladins who stray from their sacred oaths become Oathbreakers, which comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages.
    • Embrace your newfound powers for good or ill, or start down the path of redemption.
• Level 5
  • Players can now progress to Level 5. This makes for a significant power boost for all classes, opening up 3rd-level spells like Fireball to those with spellcasting abilities.
• Revamped Reactions System
  • Reactions are a unique type of combat action that can be triggered by various combat circumstances – for example, an enemy in melee range running away can trigger an Attack of Opportunity.
  • Players can now choose whether or not to use a Reaction when one is triggered, allowing for more strategic combat!
• Flying
  • The ‘Fly’ spell can be used in and out of combat to do just that – fly. Spread your wings and fly to otherwise out-of-reach treasure, or out of reach of enemies.

Here’s an archive of the livestream reveal for the new update:

Baldur’s Gate III hits full release in August 2023, though a specific date wasn’t confirmed. The RPG was announced nearly three years ago in June 2019 and launched via early access in 2020.