Baldur’s Gate 3 has an arsenal of spells spread out across several classes and scrolls. Every spell fulfills a certain purpose in the game and some of them can be used outside of combat to great effect.
Spells that have a purpose outside battle, such as Speak with Dead and Speak with Animals allow you to glean information from unexpected sources. This is because corpses and animals might have seen things that you might have missed. In our experience, we discovered 10 different animals that you can speak to throughout the game that will provide some meaningful insight, but there are plenty more you can converse with.
But just how do you speak with animals in the first place?
How to speak with animals in Baldur’s Gate 3
Entering a conversation with animals can be done through a variety of ways. Each one has its own merits and some methods are easily replenishable while others are not. So far, we know of three different methods that you can use to speak with animals.
- Speak with Animals (spell): This spell is a fairly common one that can be learned by numerous characters on your playthrough. It is a spell that Rangers can learn by default, although any spellcasting class can easily learn it through a scroll of Speak with Animals.
- Potion of Animal Speaking: This one can be trickier to get since there are limited Potions of Animal Speaking that you can find in the overworld. However, you can craft this potion using Alchemy if you have the ingredients and have unlocked the appropriate recipe.
- Beast Speech: This method is quite possibly the hardest one because only one class that we know of has access to it: Warlock. Beast Speech is a Warlock invocation that can be used frequently since it does not consume a spell slot.
Of these three methods, Beast Speech is the most ideal, although it is the hardest to acquire if you aren’t a Warlock or don’t have a Warlock character (Wyll) in your party. No matter the method you use, just click the spell or drink the potion and you should be able to interact with animals.
Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: How to speak with animals in BG3
Once you gain the buff, new conversation options open up to you and you can communicate fluently with the animals you talk to. Use this method to gain new insight into questlines as well as just enjoy some banter with animals through their perspective. There are a few choice animals that you can use this on.
10 best animals to speak to in Baldur’s Gate 3
Although you can speak with every animal in the game using this spell, not every animal will want to speak to you back. The ones that do, however, might have some stuff they want to get off their chest.
Addled Frog
The first peculiar animal on our list comes in act one when you’re on your way to Ethel the Hag’s hut. If you have Speak with Animals active as you traverse this path, you should come across a peculiar frog that speaks about green leaves and shallow water. While this might seem amusing at first, talking to the frog quickly indicates that the creature is extremely angry.
If you aggravate this unfortunate creature, you will have to engage it in battle. While it is not too difficult, you are better off talking to it in a more welcoming tone. Doing so will open up a side quest with the Hag that you would otherwise not gain access to. This should make your coming battle with Auntie Ethel even easier should you choose to go up against her.
Grub
Grub the Cat arrives quite late in the game, all the way in act three when you reach Wyrm’s Crossing. When you enter the outskirts of Baldur’s Gate, you should run into a young red-haired child named Yenna. She will be looking for her mother with her trusty cat Grub by her side. Talking to her will allow you to bring them both back to camp where you can have a conversation with the pair.
Talking to Grub will reveal mysterious details about Yenna’s mother. The cat also has a skittish nature and will not allow you to pet him, indicating past trauma in Grub’s life. Eventually, Yenna vanishes from the camp and Grub notices this. Talking to him will reveal more and hopefully give you some clues on how to save the little girl and her mother.
His Majesty
This regal cat makes his home in the Last Light Inn in Act Two. Talking to him is purely flavor-oriented and he will entertain you with his quips. On first contact, His Majesty will recoil at your attempts at petting him and will expect you to admire him from afar. Further conversation with him is nothing but a series of gossip where the cat tells you what he really thinks of the guests in the inn.
His Majesty’s patience is short, however, and he will quickly dismiss you if you attempt to get too friendly with him.
Owlbear (mother and cub)
When you enter the Owlbear den in Act One, either on a quest or through exploration, you will meet the Owlbear mother. Conversation with her will reveal hostility that no amount of coaxing will change. She will give you one chance to leave her den and her cub alone and will then go back to her duties. If you persist in goading her, a fight will ensue.
Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: How to get the Owlbear Cub in BG3
Defeating her in battle and sparing her cub will open up additional dialogue. The cub will then be captured by Goblins and you can save him from their camp. Doing this will ensure an Owlbear companion in your camp who will eventually grow up and be called to battle during the final fight.
Rothe (Grymforge)
You meet a group of Rothe when you visit the Grymforge in the Underdark. These Rothe have seen some harrowing things and one particular group is feeling rebellious. If you talk to the pair of Rothe near the top of the entryway of the camp, you should be able to incite them to fight against their captors. Stoke the fires of rebellion within the Rothe and they will be temporarily allied with you.
After you finish your business at the Grymforge, the Rothe presumably escape as well. The short-lived alliance will prove fruitful if you eventually turn against True Soul Nere and his soldiers.
Rats (Gauntlet of Shar)
Rats are a treat to talk to in any location that you find them. They divulge all sorts of information that you can’t otherwise get from NPCs so always talk to them when you find them. One particular group that resides in the Gauntlet of Shar feels extremely talkative and will show you the way through the area if you convince them to.
Eventually, you can corner the rats near the foot of the Shar statue and fight them in battle. After defeating them, they will reveal their true form and you can engage in conversation with them. What you do with them afterward is your prerogative.
Scratch
Your loyal canine companion can first be found in Act One when you’re exploring the wilderness. When you get to the west of the Emerald Grove, you should notice a scruffy white dog next to the corpse of his master. Talking to him will indicate that he doesn’t want to leave his master’s side. Once you convince him that his master is dead, he will join you in camp.
When in camp, you can talk to Scratch to pet him and he will occasionally bring you random miscellaneous trinkets, some of which might be important during your journey.
Spiders (Goblin Camp)
Spiders generally don’t say much to you, and in some cases, will be involved in violent acts towards each other (like in the Grymforge). One particular set of rats in Act One in the Goblin Camp will be the key to traversing the deeper reaches of the camp without needing to go through the hassle of convincing (or killing) Priestess Gut.
Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: How to kill Priestess Gut in BG3
Further conversation with them can also lead to a quicker escape route if you plan on betraying the Goblins and escaping back to the Emerald Grove.
Strange Ox
The Strange Ox can be found in the Emerald Grove in Act One. At first glance, you notice that the ox is not what it first seems to be. Further conversation with the ox will lead to him shunning you and telling you to stop questioning him about his identity. If you press him, he will stop talking to you and keep moo-ing at you instead.
The next time you meet the Strange Ox will be in the Last Light Inn in Act Two. Keep pressuring him here to reveal his true form and engage in battle with him. Defeating him here will lead to him dropping some good loot.
Squirrels (Emerald Grove)
Squirrels are found rarely across the lands of Faerun, but you will find quite a lot in the Emerald Grove. One of them has a foul temper and is quite territorial—it will defend its tree if you go near it. Persuading or intimidating the squirrel will prompt it to tell you more about the Grove’s inhabitants.
The second set of squirrels can be found to the east of the Emerald Grove near Alfira. Talking to them will show how annoyed they are with her off-tune playing and singing. If you’re a bard you can lead Alfira to play and sing better, thus relieving the squirrels’ torment.
