Baldur's Gate 3 Netherbrain The climactic boss fight against the Netherbrain is one of the stand-out moments in Baldur’s Gate 3. Allies you made along the way will come to your aid, helping you dispatch its minions. While it makes for quite a spectacle, the actual fight with the Netherbrain itself requires a bit of tactical maneuvering. You need to deplete its health while also making sure you don’t fall into the abyss due to the crumbling platforms.

It’s one of the more unique combat sequences in the game, making you balance movement and offense. So, it’s not surprising that a lot of players trip up during this sequence, even after bulldozing through previous encounters. However, it seems there’s a way to cheese this final battle, and it involves the goodest boy in Baldur’s Gate.

Who’s A Good Boy?

As revealed by Valqir on Reddit, one character can solo the Netherbrain without even taking a hit. It’s not the all-powerful Gale or the Mighty Karlach, but everybody’s favourite pet, Scratch. It seems that pets do not enter combat if you bring them along for the fight. So, while your party is taking hits and platforming for their lives, Scratch can slowly beat the Netherbrain, one bite at a time.

“Girlfriend brought in Scratch to the very final fight against the Will of the Netherbrain , and it turns out, he never joins combat,” they explained. “So as Scratch, she goes to Bite the enemy and it never adds Scratch to the turn order. Slow and steady, the goodest boi saves Baldur’s Gate.”

A pure white dog called Scratch in a forest in Baldur's Gate 3 Scratch the Dog barking happily Baldur's Gate 3 Tav pets Scratch by the site where his former master perished. Baldur's Gate 3 image showing Scratch Hiding Behind the Player. A pure white dog called Scratch in a forest in Baldur's Gate 3 Scratch the Dog barking happily Baldur's Gate 3 Tav pets Scratch by the site where his former master perished. Baldur's Gate 3 image showing Scratch Hiding Behind the Player.

Of course, the comments were filled with adulation for Scratch, calling him The Hero of Baldur’s Gate. However, others explained that this is also the case with summons. Another comment noted how while all their party members were busy battling other enemies, they took control of a summoned Air Mymidon and slowly withered down the Netherbrain’s health without ever being targeted.

It seems the best way to defeat a world-ending enemy is to simply bring along a pet or a summon. Unfortunately, this is probably a bug of some kind, and Larian will probably patch it sooner or later. Until then, feel free to sic Scratch on that giant, evil, floating brain.