Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch Adds Color-blind Mode, Scratch Update

The new Baldur’s Gate 3 patch 4 is now available, and the update adds color-blind accessibility options and changes regarding Scratch and other characters. No new gameplay content appears.

The biggest change is the accessibility issue. There are three possible color-blind options in Baldur’s Gate 3 after the patch 4 update is applied. When applied, the colors will change for certain UI elements. Larian noted this will apply to characters’ map markers, outlines, and portraits. 

Here’s the gif showing the differences with the protanopia, deuteranopia, and tritanopia color-blind modes compared to the base Baldur’s Gate 3 game.

As for Scratch, the Baldur’s Gate 3 dog has a number of fixes tied to him. One is that his ability to fetch items is adjusted. Also, an issue that meant his ball would disappear is gone. 

Here are the full Baldur’s Gate 3 patch notes from Steam. Note there are some spoilers.

• You can now dismiss dead avatars to Withers’ Wardrobe. Withers will now also explain how the wardrobe works.
• You can now customise hirelings’ appearance when recruiting them.
• Color-blind mode: We’ve added a setting to the Accessibility tab that will allow you to choose protanopia, deuteranopia, or tritanopia. This affects the colours used to distinguish factions and relations: map and minimap icons, portrait frames, and character outlines and circles.

• Refined Scratch’s fetch behaviour. He will now fetch… pretty much everything.
• Archfey warlocks now get a choice of cantrip at Level 4 as intended.
• Updated the mechanics of Speak with Dead so that you can cast it again if you didn’t ask any questions the first time. (For example, if you’re told the corpse doesn’t want to speak to its killer, and then you cast the spell again in Wild Shape.)
• At Level 6, Knowledge Domain clerics will now correctly gain ‘Channel Divinity: Read Thoughts’, Nature Domain clerics will now correctly gain ‘Dampen Elements’, and Trickery Domain clerics will now correctly gain ‘Channel Divinity: Cloak of Shadows’.
• When you purchase a statue from Boney in the circus, you can now choose to make it look like you in full equipment, in camp clothes, or naked.
• Scratch’s ball will now be harder to lose. If you lost his ball, go see him at camp and he might give it back. (Ball warranty voided for chasm-related accidents.)
• Added a controller option so that, if you want, you can have the End Turn button require a hold instead of a tap.
• Fixed the Enemy of Justice condition sometimes applying when it shouldn’t.
• Fixed an issue where assaulting someone while Invisible would still cause a guard to spot you and start a dialogue with you if there was a civilian nearby.
• Halsin will no longer spontaneously decide it’d be fun to turn into a bear before he talks to you in Act I.
• Added more autosaves in the Shadow-Cursed Lands and to several Wyrm’s Crossing and Lower City locations, including the Steel Watch Foundry, Iron Throne, and Rivington.
• Licking the hunk of spider meat in the Gauntlet of Shar might make you sick. You should have listened to Gale.
• You can now read the recipe for the Emperor’s favourite soup.
• You can now use sponges and soaps to clean up your party members, removing grime, blood, and bad odors!

Combat

• Cazador suddenly remembered he can turn into mist and fly, so he’ll no longer give up the ghost if he falls into a chasm.
• Fixed an inconsistent issue where enemies wouldn’t do anything during combat except Dash and move.
• Fixed some NPCs being able to shoot through floors and ceilings. They’ve said they’ll play fair.

• We’ve told Mol to be more polite and thank you if you saved Mirkon from the harpies. This will close up the quest correctly.
• Added better multiplayer support for the post-celebration night in Act I. Now all avatars can choose which companion they want to get jiggy with.
• Lae’zel was having trouble getting over Act I and Act II. She’ll no longer make certain comments in Act III as though you’re still in the earlier stages of your adventure.
• Blocked some quest updates for Jaheira’s quest when you skip certain parts of it to avoid spoiling big reveals.
• The Gur will now support you in the endgame if their questline was peacefully resolved in Cazador’s lair.
• If Avatar Gale or a Tav with Gale as a recruited companion is nearby to witness the Cazador’s lair. elder brain in the colony, they will be preferred as the active speaker in the dialogue for Gale’s origin moment.
• Added new dialogue options for Minsc when he learns about the connection between the Dark Urge and Gortash.
• Now Connor will disappear if Mayrina decides to destroy the hag wand in Act III. You can also talk to him if you resurrect him with the wand.
• Yenna now correctly returns to camp after a companion is abducted.
• Gale should no longer complain about you making a deal with Raphael if you haven’t.

• Tweaked the color of the Potion of Mind Reading to distinguish it from Potions of Healing.

• Added some new idle animations and behaviours for Minthara, Halsin, Shadowheart, and Lae’zel at camp.
• Karlach will now feel more alive while idle in camp rather than just standing there doing nothing.

• You can now customize which solution is selected in the second slot of the Alchemy panel.
• Added map markers for when characters want to talk to you.
• Added unique map icons for the Magic Mirror and Withers’ Wardrobe.
• Improved the Skills section of the Character Sheet: Added icons for the individual skills, added stars to indicate Proficiency and Expertise in certain skills, and improved the skill tooltips.
• Combat rounds are now displayed under separate headings in the Combat Log so it’s easier to distinguish when things happened.

Baldur’s Gate 3 is available for the PS5 and PC, and an Xbox Series X version is on the way in 2023.