I’ve spent over 500 hours in Baldur’s Gate 3, and honestly, the first spell I always take is Speak with Animals. You haven’t truly lived until you’ve heard a random ox philosophize about the Absolute or listened to a cat deliver a soliloquy worthy of the stage – and that’s still one of the most magical parts of this game, even in 2026. Scratch and the owlbear cub are permanent fixtures in my camp, but every playthrough I find myself aching for more. There are so many furry, feathered, and scaled souls out there with full voice acting, heartbreaking backstories, and nowhere to call home. It’s like Larian dangled these perfect little companions in front of us and then went, “Nah, you can’t keep them.” So here are ten animals that absolutely deserve a spot by the campfire. I’m still not over it.
10. Shadow-Whiskers the Displacer Beast 🖤
The tragic story that never gets a happy ending.
Shadow-Whiskers is the angry displacer beast in the Circus of the Last Days, and the first time I cast Speak with Animals on her, I had to pause the game. Her mate was killed by hunters, her cubs were stolen, and she’s trapped in a cage, forced to perform. She’s seething with rage, but she’s also just… broken. The worst part? There’s no way to free her. Sure, you can save her without starting a fight by using Invisibility or breaking the locks without letting her out, but she never really gets closure. Her living cubs are never found – Nessa in the Gauntlet of Shar doesn’t seem related – and Shadow-Whiskers just disappears from the story. I wanted so badly to give her a home in my camp, maybe a corner where she could finally rest. She deserved that, and so did we.
9. Sparky the Dog ⚡
The over-excitable pupper who deserved to become Scratch’s best friend.
Found in Bloomridge Park, Sparky is a bundle of pure, uncontainable energy. If you calm him down with a successful check (much easier when you can actually talk to him), he and his owner head off to the Upper City. And honestly, the fact that the Upper City content was drastically cut makes me suspect Sparky was meant to have more. Like, imagine if he showed up later with a little quest, or even just trotted into camp one day to visit Scratch. “Scratch & Sparky” – even the names fit perfectly. What stings is that if the park gets ambushed before you send him home, Sparky will fight alongside his owner and almost certainly die. A temporary companion flag or even a simple buff would have saved countless good boys from an early grave. It’s just… ugh, so frustrating.
8. Biscotti the Dog 🎀
The most fashionable pooch in Faerûn just wants to hear two words.
Biscotti is the light-brown dog with an adorable little bow sitting with refugee owners in Rivington. Talk to him, and you quickly learn his entire existence revolves around a single, pure desire: to be called a “good dog.” That’s it. When you tell him, he absolutely melts with joy. And if you don’t? The disappointment in his bark is unbearable. I’ve tested this (save scumming just to see), and it ruins my day every time. What makes Biscotti so perfect is that his dialogue loop can be repeated infinitely and still feel natural. He could sit in camp, and every long rest I’d walk over, pet him, and tell him he’s the best boy. Over and over. Simple. Beautiful. Necessary.
7. Ormn the Bear 🐻
Halsin’s actual pet who throws infinite fish but stays behind.
You meet Ormn in the Emerald Grove, mournful and waiting for his master Halsin. Once you rescue the big druid, Ormn perks right up and starts throwing fish on the ground like furry little loot drops. This bear is an infinite camp supply dispenser! But when Halsin joins your party permanently, Ormn stays behind in the grove, and that has never made sense to me. If you raid the grove with Halsin recruited, the bear fights alongside his master against you – so why can’t he just, you know, come to camp with us? Halsin talks about nature and balance and all that, but apparently remembering to bring his own animal friend is too much. Ormn more than any other character on this list felt like a natural camp companion. The logic is already there, Larian. Please.
6. His Majesty the Cat 👑
A sphinx so regal you can only admire him. I want to pet him so bad.
His Majesty resides in the Last Light Inn, and yes, from Patch 3 to Hotfix 8 he had fur, but Larian famously “shaved” him. He’s hairless, imperious, and will only allow you to admire him. If you try to pet, he recoils with utter disgust. Admiring him nets approval from every companion except Lae’zel, and Shadowheart gives a double bonus. His distrust of Isobel (“she promised me milk and never delivered!”) is peak cat behavior. Imagine His Majesty in camp, slowly breaking down his walls over a dozen long rests. Eventually, you’d earn the privilege to pet him once. I’d grind for that moment. He’s a tiny feline king, and every playthrough I whisper to my screen, “One day, your majesty. One day.”
5. Crimson the Alioramus 🦖
A starving dinosaur who just wants his circus family safe.
Crimson is another circus resident, and at first glance he’s terrifying – a whole dinosaur in a cage. But if you talk to him before the shapeshifter fight, you learn he’s starving, driven mad by hunger because the doppelgängers tormented him. Feed him, and when the cage opens, he stays put. If you break the locks and trap him inside, he thanks you for preventing him from hurting anyone. This dinosaur considers the circus his family and refuses to leave his tiny cage. He’s genuinely sweet. While I doubt he’d ever want to live in my camp permanently, being able to call on him as an ally after helping him would have been a lovely reward. He’s a gentle giant locked behind an easily missable interaction; more recognition is the least he deserves.
4. Malta the Cat 🗡️
The Puss in Boots-inspired street narrator who never fulfills his promise.
Behind the Central Watch tower in the Lower City you’ll meet Malta, a cat who dramatically narrates his every move like he’s swashbuckling his way through a story. His voice, his mannerisms – he’s clearly inspired by Puss in Boots, and I live for it. He gives you a test to see if you’re worthy of him joining you, and you have to play it cool or fail. Pass, and he says your paths will cross again when you’re “ready.” And then… nothing. He never shows up again. You can send him to Derryth Bonecloak for a quiet life, but the promise of a grand reunion is left dangling. It’s a classic Larian setup with no payoff. I’ve been carrying that invisible “readiness” for years, Malta. I’m still waiting.
3. Myshka the Cat 🐱
The kitten looking for his mother who will follow you forever (in a small radius).
Myshka speaks in Mriaer, a unique feline dialect, and the first word you hear is a soft, hopeful “Mermer?” He’s asking if you’re his mother. You can say yes – regardless of your character’s gender – and he’ll joyfully exclaim “MERMER!” and start following you. But only within a tiny area. Leaving him behind feels absolutely cruel. One of the first mods ever added to the official Mod Manager after Patch 7 was one that lets you bring Myshka to camp, and I’ve installed it on every run since. You can pet him infinitely, and he’s finally home. That mod’s popularity proves the demand; Larian, just make it official. I don’t want to tell a kitten I’m his mother and then vanish into the shadow-cursed lands.
2. Squire, Ketheric’s Undead Dog 🦴
The lost member of a cancelled companion arc.
Squire is a robotic undead dog, revived by Ketheric Thorm after she died trying to protect Isobel. You can find her in Moonrise Towers, and if you’ve received the Blessing of Selûne, she recognizes the magic and can be calmed. You can even pet her. She’s loyal only to Ketheric, not to the Absolute’s cause, and she can be persuaded not to join the rooftop fight. Originally, Ketheric was planned as a recruitable companion with a redemption arc, and Squire was almost certainly meant to come to camp with him. That content was cut, and Squire’s story ends abruptly after the battle. Reuniting her with Isobel – letting this undead dog finally rest with the person she died for – would have been a beautiful epilogue. Even without Ketheric as a companion, closing her loop is a missed opportunity that still haunts me.
1. Gustav & Zola, the Couriers Dogs 🐕🐕
Scratch’s siblings who suffer under an abusive kennel master.
Outside the Sword Coast Couriers, you meet Mar’hyah, the kennel master, and immediately every red flag goes up. She’s cruel, and Scratch, who used to live there, begs you not to let her take him back. You can also find two other dogs, Gustav and Zola, caged and terrified. You can offer to buy them, but Mar’hyah refuses. If you manage to drive her away, the two are overwhelmed with relief and gratitude. These dogs are the closest thing Scratch has to family. Bringing them to camp – watching Scratch reunite with his siblings, giving them all a safe place – would be the most emotionally satisfying reward in the game. It’s right there, Larian. The model interactions exist. The voice lines exist. I’d trade half my magical items just to see the three of them zoom around the campfire together.
Baldur’s Gate 3 gives us a world so rich that even the animals feel like real characters. Two permanent companions will never be enough when you’ve met His Majesty, wept for Shadow-Whiskers, and become Myshka’s “mermer.” Every playthrough, I load up on speak-with-animals potions and hope that maybe this time something will change. Mods have filled some gaps, but the official inclusion of even one more furry friend would make 2026’s definitive edition the perfect experience. I’m still holding out hope – and a fish for Ormn.
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