Baldur's Gate 3 recently introduced twelve new subclasses with Patch 8. Its new subclasses add more variety and potential for interesting builds that change the party dynamics and strategy. Another advantage to the new subclasses is how they give Baldur's Gate 3's players the chance to roleplay new kinds of characters, and more closely connect their backstories to their class.
Shadowheart is defined by her faith in Shar for most of Baldur's Gate 3, and so Cleric makes the most sense for her character in terms of lore and role in the party. The new subclass for Cleric is Death Domain, which deals necrotic damage and can raise the undead. These are all abilities related to Shar, who is also one of the few deities in the Forgotten Realms associated with the Death Domain alongside Kelemvor.
Baldur's Gate 3's Great Old Ones Explained
The Great Old One is a Warlock subclass in Baldur's Gate 3, featuring eerie powers, mind-bending psychic defenses, and an expanded spell list.
Shadowheart's Subclass Options
The new subclasses are available to the entire party. Because some of the new subclasses are closely connected to the lore of Baldur's Gate 3, some subclasses are more suited to certain characters than others. As the characters of Baldur's Gate 3 are well-written and have strong backstories, motivations, and morals, certain subclasses are more suitable for them, even though they can be subclassed into any of them.
Shadowheart's connection to Shar and the Shadowfell gives her several lore-friendly options. There are two new subclasses that are connected to the Shadowfell: Hexblade Warlock and Shadow Magic Sorcerer. The Hexblade Warlock gets their magic through a deal they made with a denizen of the Shadowfell, while the Shadow Magic Sorcerer gets theirs through an innate connection with the Shadowfell. Both the Hexblade Warlock and Shadow Magic Sorcerer can summon creatures from the Shadowfell, and their magic is closely connected to the darkness.
Shadowheart is Best as a Cleric
These are all abilities that would complement Shadowheart, thanks to her own close connections to the Shadowfell. However, there is one other subclass that would be even better suited to her. As a Cleric, Shadowheart gains her power directly from Shar because of her faith and devotion. Shadowheart's original subclass is Trickery Domain Cleric, which doesn't align perfectly with Shar's aims as a goddess. In contrast, the new Death Domain subclass for Clerics suits Shadowheart as it primarily deals necrotic damage. Shar is also one of the three deities associated with the Death Domain.
The biggest show of Shar's power in Baldur's Gate 3 is the Shadow Cursed Lands in Act 2. Shar's Shadow Curse turns anything living into undead, while the Shadow enemies and other enemies created by the Shadow Curse deal necrotic damage. As Shadowheart's faith is one of her defining traits and sets her story in motion, keeping her as a Cleric suits her better than reclassing her as a Warlock or Sorcerer.
This is also pertinent if she rejects Shar and instead embraces Selune. Shadowheart notes that her magic is granted by a different deity if she rejects Shar, keeping her abilities. Many players choose to change Shadowheart's subclass if they take this route, switching instead to the Light Domain. This makes sense if Shadowheart chooses Selune over Shar, but it only happens at the end of Act 2. For the majority of Baldur's Gate 3, having Shadowheart be a Death Cleric makes the most sense because it aligns with her beliefs, her role as a Cleric, and the abilities it grants her in and out of combat.
Baldur's Gate 3
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 96 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- August 3, 2023
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Larian Studios
- Engine
- Divinity 4.0
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- Full cross-platform play.
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- RPG
