While having strong characters in your party is a must, Baldur’s Gate 3 also lets you recruit Scratch, the dog. This furry creature can offer a hand in battle while also raising the spirits in your camp. You can pet Scratch and play with him whenever you want but first, you will need to rescue him. Since his master was gruesomely murdered, it is not that easy to convince him to join your party. This guide will show you how to find and get Scratch as your companion in BG3.
How to Get Scratch the Dog in Baldur’s Gate 3
Scratch, can be found northeast of the Blighted Village exactly west of Emerald Grove. Here, you will see a dog walking next to the dead body of his owner. When you approach him, he will be hostile towards you. The dog assumes that his master Gomwick is sleeping and will try to protect him from strangers like you. To recruit Scratch in Baldur’s Gate 3 you will need to pass one out of three checks:
- Animal Handling check
- Persuasion check
- Intimidation check
Note: Don’t forget to save your progress before meeting Scratch. If things go south, the dog will run away and you will end up losing him forever.
Here is how to get Scratch in BG3, step-by-step:
- After reaching out to pet Scratch, choose the Animal Handling check. This will make your character kneel and prove to the dog that you mean him no harm.
- You can then find out the name etched on his collar by choosing the “Take a closer look at him” option.
- Then you will need to reveal to Scratch that his owner is dead. Do this by choosing the “Shake your head – the man is gone” option.
- The dog will start whimpering nervously and look at its owner with sad eyes.
- Finally, extend your hand so that Scratch can follow you back to camp eventually.
Additionally, you can also loot Gomwick’s dead body after your interaction with Scratch is complete.
What Does Scratch Do in BG3?
If you follow the above steps, Scratch will spawn at your camp two nights later. So, you can now go ahead and pet him all you like. You can also play fetch with Scratch by choosing a dog ball. However, the witty dog will make you go through skill checks before returning the ball back. Petting and playing will increase your bond with Scratch and also boost the approval ratings with several of your companions.
Scratch can also bring you random items like healing potions. As the game progresses, he can also turn into a fighting companion. Though not the strongest, Scratch is still a helpful addition to your party.
You May Lose Scratch in Act 3 if you do this
While you and your party are enjoying the time with Scratch in the camp, there’s a major decision regarding the Dog in Act 3. Once you reach the Baldur’s Gate in Act 3 and explore the town on Rivington, you will eventually end up visiting the Sword Coast Couriers Post Office. At the side of the post office, you can see several caged dogs getting trained by a lady known as Angry Mar’hyah.
After speaking to her, it is revealed that Scratch’s owner, Gomwick, who died in Act 1 worked for the post office. And Scratch actually belongs to the Sword Coast Couriers. Now here comes the major decision – whether or not to return Scratch to Mar’hyah. If it was real life, returning him would have been the right decision. However, Angry Mar’hyah is very harsh and abuses all the animals locked inside the kennel. So, I suggest you don’t return him back.
In case you choose to hand back Scratch to Angry Mar’hyah, she will definitely try to hurt him. Moreover, you will also earn the disapproval of all the party members. On the other hand, if you choose to keep Scratch, you will gain approval. Also, this is morally the right thing to do. And if you want to bring Angry Mar’hyah to justice, then I suggest you Intimidate her about all her wrongdoings.
That’s everything you need to know on how to recruit Scratch the dog in Baldur’s Gate 3. We hope that this guide helped you. For more such guides, visit our BG3 section.