Baldur’s Gate 3's Newest Patch Adds Bards And Gnomes

gamespot.com:

Patch 8 dropped today in Baldur’s Gate 3, adding the Bard class, the Gnome race, and plenty of new fixes and features.

Bards can play a drum, flute, lute, lyre, or violin. The instrument acts as a spell casting medium, but you can also play the instrument for the listening pleasure of other players or NPCs. Party members and even other characters can join in with their own instruments. Additionally, if you pass a performance skill check, you can even earn money and distract NPCs with your musical prowess. If you're not keen on playing a bard, you'll be glad to know any class can play an instrument so long as they have their performer feat at level 4.

The footage shown in the announcement livestream shows bards pushing enemies off cliffs, setting combatants on fire, and inspiring allies toward better performance. Bards deal physic damage (usually), can cast control spells, and can mock enemies to weaken them while also boosting the rolls of their allies with Bardic inspiration. Bards also have the passive ability Jack of All Trades, which raises the chance of successful rolls across skills.

Gnomes can talk to animals, have dark vision, benefit from Gnome cunning, and gain +2 intelligence. Sub-races include dark, rock, and forest gnomes, which come with their own racial traits.

The patch also added new hair styles and lets every hair style be selected by any character, irregardless of race or gender. Hair can now be grey or have highlights. It also adds updates for afros and curly hair, giving those styles more perceived depth.

Full patch notes, including details on UI and crash fixes, are below.