Introduction
Baldur’s Gate 3 allows players to recruit a dog companion named Scratch early in the game. Finding Scratch can be very rewarding for characters who want an animal companion by their side during their adventure. Having Scratch join your party opens up unique opportunities, as he can assist in battles, exploration, and more.
Start the Search in the Druid Grove
Scratch the dog can first be found in the Druid Grove area near the beginning of Baldur’s Gate 3. The Druid Grove is located east of the starting beach where your character washes up after the shipwreck opening sequence.
To find Scratch, carefully explore around the various ruined buildings and structures within the Druid Grove. Check the ground near the large tree in the middle of the encampment as well as near the temple ruins and smaller huts. Scratch can often be found wandering around this main area of the Druid Grove upon first visiting the location.
According to this guide, Scratch’s precise location may vary but he tends to spawn somewhere within the boundaries of the Druid Grove when players initially reach this area.
Take your time searching the camp and interacting with the environment. Scratch should appear sniffing around the ground or resting near one of the structures. Locating him in the Druid Grove is the first step to recruiting him as a companion.
Interact with the Scratching Sound
One of the first steps to finding Scratch the dog in Baldur’s Gate 3 is to listen for a scratching sound outside a house in the Druid Grove area. As you explore the Grove, be on the lookout for a cutscene trigger. When you hear a repeated scratching noise coming from behind a building, examine the source to activate a cutscene.
As described in this Reddit thread, some players have reported hearing random dog scratching sounds as a bug or glitch in certain cave areas: https://www.reddit.com/r/BaldursGate3/comments/15wu8ru/anyone_else_getting_dog_sounds_in_a_cave_bug/. However, near a house in the Grove, the scratching sound consistently triggers a cutscene related to finding Scratch.
Approach the area the scratching is coming from and inspect it to activate a cutscene introducing Scratch. This officially starts the side quest to recruit Scratch as a companions in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Meet Scratch the Dog
After leaving the Emerald Grove and crossing the bridge to the west, head north until you come across a small dilapidated house where you’ll have a short cutscene introducing you to Scratch the dog.1 Scratch can be heard scratching and whimpering on the other side of the blocked door, but is unable to get out. It’s clear that Scratch is trapped outside the house and that you’ll need to find a way to free the poor dog before you can recruit him as a companion.
Interacting with Scratch triggers a short cutscene where your character calls out to the dog. Scratch responds excitedly, confirming that he is stuck outside the house and needs help getting free. This sets you on the path to locate whatever is blocking Scratch and find a way to remove it so he can join your party.
Locate the Wooden Beam
After finding Scratch and hearing him whining behind the decrepit house, the next step is to locate the fallen wooden beam trapping the dog. Search around the back of the house and you’ll discover a large beam has collapsed, barricading Scratch inside what used to be the kitchen.
Examine the beam and the game will indicate it’s too heavy for your character to move alone. You’ll need help from the nearby ogres or come back later once you’ve leveled up your Strength attribute. For now, interacting with the beam cues Scratch to let out another whimper, confirming he’s stuck on the other side.
Clearly this beam has to be moved before Scratch can safely get out. But brute force isn’t the only option. A careful search of the surroundings reveals a weakened section of the beam. Targeting that with attacks could destroy it without needing to overpower the entire heavy wooden structure.
Lift the Beam
Lifting the beam keeping Scratch trapped requires succeeding on a Strength check. Your character’s Strength score determines the difficulty of the check. Lift attempts require a DC15 Strength check for average Strength scores.
If you fail the initial attempt, you can consume Strength potions found throughout the game to temporarily increase your Strength score and make lifting the beam easier. Strength potions provide a +2 bonus to Strength checks for a short duration.
With a high enough Strength score from leveling up or consuming potions, any character can eventually lift the beam. Party members with naturally high Strength like Lae’zel may succeed on the first try. Use Strength boosting items if your character lacks the raw power to lift the beam initially.
Once the check succeeds, an animation plays showing your character lifting the heavy wooden beam and freeing Scratch. The dog emerges happily from the rubble, ready to join your adventure.
Recruit Scratch
After lifting the wooden beam and freeing the dog, you now have the option to recruit Scratch to join your party. Interact with him and select the dialogue option to ask him to join you. Scratch will happily accept and can now accompany you on your journey.
As a Ranger class companion, Scratch excels at exploration, survival, and dealing damage from afar. He has abilities like Hunt Prey which enhances his damage against a chosen enemy. Scratch can also track enemies to prevent them from becoming hidden. With his loyal companionship and wilderness skills, recruiting Scratch provides a fun and useful ally.
Having Scratch join your party opens up effective duo strategies. His mobility allows him to flank enemies for sneak attack damage. Meanwhile his ranged attacks can provide supporting fire for your frontline fighters. Consider pairing Scratch with a Rogue or Fighter to maximize combat potential.
Scratch’s Abilities
Scratch can be a valuable companion in battle with his ability to attack enemies and provide buffs to the party. As a dog, Scratch has a bite attack that deals piercing damage. With his Fierce Loyalty ability, Scratch can knock enemies prone who move within 5 feet of you, potentially giving you advantage on attack rolls against them
Scratch’s skill tree provides several useful bonuses for the party. At the start, Scratch learns Guard, which allows him to impose disadvantage on attack rolls against you if he is within 5 feet of you and conscious. As Scratch levels up, he gains access to more skills:
- Fetch increases Scratch’s movement speed and allows him to retrieve items from the ground or treasure piles.
- Play Dead makes Scratch appear dead, giving him advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
- Distract lets Scratch distract enemies, giving allies advantage on attack rolls against distracted enemies.
- Sniff reveals hidden or invisible enemies within 30 feet of Scratch.
Prioritizing skills like Guard, Distract, and Sniff can make Scratch a key ally in combat and exploration. With his loyalty and combat prowess, Scratch is a welcome companion for any adventuring party.
Effective Use of Scratch
Scratch can be an effective ally in combat if utilized properly. Here are some tips for getting the most out of Scratch in battle:
Position Scratch behind enemy lines or off to the side. He can move around during combat without provoking attacks of opportunity, allowing him to flank enemies for sneak attack damage. Make sure to keep line of sight on Scratch so he can stay within command range.
Pair Scratch up with party members that can buff him or benefit from his presence. Spells like Barkskin can dramatically improve his AC and save him from enemies focusing fire. Casters with crowd control abilities like Web or Hypnotic Pattern can disable groups so Scratch can clean up stragglers.
Use Scratch’s ability to knock enemies prone to gain advantage on attack rolls against them. This combos nicely with allies that have sneak attack damage. Be careful not to overload Scratch with too many targets though.
Scratch has vulnerabilities to fire damage, so keep him away from enemy casters or ranged attackers using fire attacks. Healing Scratch during combat can keep him fighting longer.
Overall, Scratch excels at maneuvering around the edges of the battlefield, supporting allies, and contributing damage where he can. Proper team coordination and positioning is key to maximizing his disruption and damage potential.
Conclusion
In summary, finding Scratch the dog companion in Baldur’s Gate 3 starts in the Druid Grove. Listen for a scratching sound near the corpses east of the grove, then interact with Scratch trapped under a wooden beam. After lifting the beam, Scratch will join your party at camp after the next long rest. As a companion, Scratch provides bonuses to Perception and several unique abilities like Growl and Alertness to detect enemies. While he can’t directly participate in combat, recruiting Scratch as early as possible gives you a loyal companion for your journey through the game.