Easily-Missed New Baldur's Gate 3 Feature Should Let It Win GOTY Two Years In A Row

Patch 7 for is here, at least for PC players, and with it has come a slew of fun new features. One of the more subtle changes made to the game is the addition of new idle animations for companions at camp. A moment from one of those new animations has captivated fans online, showcasing why this game deserves to remain in the spotlight for a while longer.

The new idle animation belongs to Shadowheart, the group's standoffish cleric with a mysterious past, whose fear of wolves pops up early in the game. Despite this, she now seems to have some affinity for Scratch, the camp dog and best boy of the party, as she can be seen petting Scratch beside her tent. This change is minute and will likely go unnoticed by many players, but it illustrates how well the developers pay attention to small details and provide the Sword Coast with plenty of life.

Scratch and Shadowheart can both be recruited to camp early, at the beginning of Act 1. The cleric can be found along the beach beside the wrecked nautiloid, whilethe dog waits by his friend's corpse outside the blighted village of Moonhaven. Once both are at camp, it's just a matter of time and RNG before they end up interacting.

Many players will remember how, in earlier patches of the game, the player's camp felt somewhat lifeless, with only a few idle poses available for companions and little movement besides the player character running around. The game has gone through several iterations since then, with Patch 7 the latest and likely the last major one, adding small scenes like Jaheira communicating with a rat messenger, Gale practicing his cantrips, and Karlach's famous dance moves. But rarely have these animations seen camp members interact – until now.

As stated, Shadowheart has a fear of wolves, due to circumstances from her background that are explored throughout the course of the game. The ones in the Emerald Grove and Githyanki Crèche can cause her to become frightened, and ask the player to avoid them moving on.