Baldur's Gate 3 is getting an eighth major patch, this one revolving around the addition of twelve new subclasses lifted from Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition. These subclasses will give players new options when deg their characters, but also open up some new avenues for the companions that will them on their quest to defeat the Absolute. One in particular seems like a perfect fit for a certain denizen of the player's camp: Astarion.

Astarion is a rogue by default, and while his class and ability scores can be changed like any other player character, the deception and cunning of the rogue class definitely fits him best. But none of the existing subclass options for rogue, such as the thief and arcane trickster, match exactly with Astarion's personality. Luckily, the Swashbuckler will be added to BG3 with this new update, and its features and focuses really mesh well with this vampire spawn.

Astarion Feels Like A Charisma-Based Character

This Spawn's Personality Reflects The Stats Of A Swashbuckler

Most rogues focus their ability score improvements on dexterity and intelligence, and while Astarion is certainly a dextrous fellow, intellect has never been his strong suit. Despite his 13 in the stat, he is rather shortsighted and narrow-minded in his approach to most things, and while ability scores don't have to dictate personality, it definitely creates a bit of a disconnect.

Astarion makes much more sense as a charisma-focused character, given his talent for deception and seduction, as well as his charlatan background. It's odd that the character only has a 10 in the stat by default, but if his charisma was raised to more accurately reflect his way with words, he would be well-suited for a swashbuckler's features. Swashbucklers in D&D gain an initiative bonus equal to their charisma score, and at higher levels, can use their persuasion skill to hinder opponents during combat.

Swashbucklers Don't Need To Fight On The Seas

Swordplay And A Suave Attitude

While the word "swashbuckler" may invoke images of pirates and suave sailors, mechanically, it need not be nautical at all. Rather, the subclass is all ing one's inherent confidence and swagger to outmatch opponents in melee combat, methods that make a lot of sense for this dagger-happy vampire.

BG3 has a level cap at 12, meaning only the 3rd and 9th level features of any rogue subclass need to be considered. Given that, a swashbuckler's Fancy Footwork, Rakish Audacity, and Panache abilities are the only ones that bear discussion.

Of course, the exact mechanics of the swashbuckler in Baldur's Gate 3 are open to change, as many subclasses have already been altered from their original D&D versions. But it's likely that the swashbuckler will at least retain the core parts of its identity, provided in its features at 3rd and 9th level. It will be exciting to see players able to try out using Astarion with this new subclass, as well as experiment with the eleven other new options available to their party .