BG3’S offers a rich tapestry of companions to join your adventures across the Forgotten Realms. From stoic warriors to cunning rogues, each character brings unique abilities and personalities to the table. But nestled amongst these seasoned adventurers lies a far more unexpected companion option: the adorable (and potentially ferocious) Owlbear Cub.
This guide delves into everything you need to know about the Owlbear Cub in BG3’s, from its location and recruitment process to its functionalities and role within your party.
Encountering the Owlbear Cub: A Tale of Two Locations
The Owlbear Cub’s journey in BG3’s spans two key locations: the Owlbear Nest and the Goblin Camp.
The Owlbear Nest: A Fated First Meeting
Your initial encounter with the Owlbear Cub takes place within the Owlbear Nest, a cave nestled near the Blighted Village in Act One. Here, you’ll come face-to-face with both the mother Owlbear and her cub. This encounter can unfold in several ways:
- Animal Handling: Utilize your Animal Handling skills to observe the Owlbear’s behaviour and potentially avoid conflict.
- Survival: A successful Survival check allows you to back away from the encounter peacefully.
- Performance: Unleash your inner beast with a successful Performance check, involving puffing out your chest and roaring. This may intimidate the Owlbear.
- Combat: If all else fails, or if companions like Brynna and Andrick are present seeking revenge for a previous attack, combat with the mother Owlbear ensues.
Crucially, for the Owlbear Cub to become a potential companion, it must survive this encounter.
The Goblin Camp: An Unexpected Reunion
Following the events at the Owlbear Nest, you’ll cross paths with the Owlbear Cub again at the Goblin Camp, situated west of the Druid Grove and the Blighted Village. Here, the Goblins hold the cub captive, and use it as bait in a cruel “Chicken-Chasing” BG3’s game.
Here’s where your choices come into play:
- Freeing the Cub: You can attempt to liberate the Owlbear Cub through various means, such as:
- Persuasion: Convince the Goblin leader, Krolla, to release the cub. This requires a successful Persuasion check.
- Intimidation: Strike fear into the Goblins with a successful Intimidation check, forcing them to release the cub.
- Combat: Engage the Goblins in battle and free the cub in the ensuing chaos.
- Recruiting the Cub: After successfully freeing the Cub, you’ll have the option to recruit it as a camp follower. This involves interacting with the cub and offering it a place in your camp.
Keep in mind that failing these checks or resorting to violence might scare the cub away, hindering your chances of recruitment.
The Owlbear Cub as a Camp Follower: Perks and Considerations
If you manage to recruit the Owlbear Cub, it becomes a cherished member of your camp, offering unique benefits and adding a touch of cuteness to your adventuring party.
- Camp Presence: The Owlbear Cub adds a lively presence to your camp, providing heartwarming interactions and moments of respite between perilous quests.
- Passive Benefits: While the Owlbear Cub isn’t a traditional combat companion, it offers some passive advantages:
- Darkvision: The cub possesses dark vision, granting a wider field of vision in dimly lit areas during nighttime exploration.
- Opportunity Attacks: If an enemy attempts to disengage from melee range near the cub, it will make an attack of opportunity, potentially hindering their escape.
- A Moral Choice: Recruiting the Owlbear Cub presents a moral dilemma. Taking it away from its natural environment could be seen as an act of kindness or exploitation, depending on your roleplaying perspective.
Frequently Asked Questions about the BG3’s Owlbear Cub
Q: Can I miss out on recruiting the Owlbear Cub?
A: Yes. If you kill the cub during the Owlbear Nest encounter or fail to free and recruit it at the Goblin Camp, you’ll lose the opportunity to have it as a companion.
Q: Does the Owlbear Cub level up and gain abilities?
A: No. The Owlbear Cub functions primarily as a camp follower and doesn’t participate directly in combat or gain experience points.
Q. Where do I find the owlbear cub?
The owlbear cub isn’t out frolicking in the open. You’ll first encounter it with its momma in the Owlbear Nest, a cave located northeast of the Blighted Village
Q. Wait, what about the momma owlbear? Do I have to fight her?
The encounter in the cave can go a few ways. You can fight the momma, but that won’t bode well for getting the cub as a companion. The key is to avoid harming the cub. You can use Animal Handling to understand the momma’s behaviour, back away peacefully with a Survival check, or even try to intimidate her with a Performance check.
Q. Okay, I spared the cub in the cave. Now what?
Head to the Goblin Camp west of the Druid Grove and Blighted Village. You’ll find the lonely cub there being kept by some goblins. This is your chance to win its trust!
Q. How do I befriend the owlbear cub?
There are a couple of approaches here. You can buy the cub from the goblins, but there’s also a more interesting option. Talk to the goblin named Krolla and participate in her “terrible sport” called Chicken-Chasing. You can succeed at the chase or, interestingly enough, fail it! If you fail and the cub gets scared, you can offer it a safe haven at your camp.
Q. So the owlbear cub can just follow me around?
Yes! Once it joins your party, the owlbear cub becomes a camp follower, just like Scratch the Dog. It will stay at your campsite and provide some unique benefits.
Q. What are the benefits of having the owlbear cub?
The cub offers some helpful perks:
- It can attack enemies in the dark without penalty.
- It gets a free opportunity attack if an enemy leaves its melee range.
- It flees for a short time when badly hurt, but this might be preferable to losing it permanently!
Q. Is there anything else I should know about the owlbear cub?
Remember, the cub is still young and wild. It won’t fight alongside you in battles, but it provides a fun and unique companion experience in BG3’s
Q: Is the Owlbear Cub purely cosmetic, or does it offer tactical advantages?
A: While it doesn’t actively fight, the Cub’s dark vision and opportunity attacks provide minor tactical benefits.
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