Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of the most detailed and expansive games of its time. You can find secrets around just about every corner, and even years after release, fans are still discovering details that they’ve never seen before. After 400 hours and counting in the game, I’m always amazed when I come across a new cutscene or exclusive dialogue.

I’ve recently noticed a strange pattern when it comes to the mysteries of BG3. Oddly enough, a lot of interesting details seem to be linked to swarms of rats. This might be a huge coincidence, or perhaps it could be some kind of deliberate choice to keep players on their feet.

Rats Often Aren’t What They Seem To Be In Baldur’s Gate 3

There's A Suspicious Number Of Rats Who Aren't Actually Rats At All

Saying not to trust the rats in Baldur’s Gate 3 sounds like an extremely random piece of advice, but after my many campaigns in the game, I’ve realized there is always something fishy going on with the rats. I’d be willing to brush off two instances of rats ending up as being part of some big secret, but there’s one significant group of rats in every act. Rats aren’t exactly known for being trustworthy, but with so many similar situations, I’ve come to the conclusion that rats usually aren't what they seem in this game.

Sure, they carry disease, but there's something inherently gossip-laden about the expression of a rat, as if they know all your secrets. - Baldur’s Gate 3 Rat Description

In Act One, there are a few seemingly innocent rats hanging around the Inner Sanctum. Interacting with them will reveal nothing suspicious, but if you find the letter in the Putrid Bog and reveal Kagha's allegiance to the Shadow Druids, then you can uncover that these rats were wildshaped druids the whole time, waiting for the right moment to strike. Since their rat forms can be defeated in one attack, you can't even get much of an upper hand on them if you choose to attack first, since it will just restore them to their default appearance.

There are also two separate instances of rats actually being people trapped in rodent bodies. The obvious example of this is Lyrthindor in the Gaunlet of Shar, whose consciousness was split across a swarm of rats, but you can also find the “Eternal Rat” in the House of Hope who was turned into a Rat by Raphael. On top of this, you can find examples of actual rats being deceptively powerful - I’m still embarrassed about finding the cranium rats at the end of Act Three a harder fight than the Netherbrain.

These Interactions Show That Speak With Animals Is A Must-Have Spell In BG3

You Can Miss Out On So Much Without This Spell In Your Roster

I think some of these interactions are a great example of the find a rat vendor called Skittles in Heapside Prison, and you’ll need the spell in order to speak and trade with him.

The Shadow Druids won’t talk to you if you use speak with animals on them while they’re disguised as regular rats. This is easy to brush off at the time, but it’s quite a neat detail considering most animals will have something to say, and they're likely taking extra care not to give away their true identities.

The game is full of secrets and minute details, and I find it quite funny how many of them are hidden behind rats. Talking to the rat in the Emerald Grove will lead you to where Pandirna is stuck in front of the chest containing the key to the Druid’s storage building after being paralysed by Auntie Ethel’s Potion - since the room she’s in is locked, you may not have an incentive to enter it otherwise. The attention to detail in Baldur’s Gate 3 is phenomenal - even the smallest, insignificant creature can lead you to discovering something bigger.