Patches the Hyena

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Patches has a scheming, cowardly personality, preying on the player's trust by pretending to be a helpful comrade pointing the player in the right direction, before suddenly betraying them when their guard is down. If the player escapes and confronts him, Patches shamelessly denies all wrongdoing, but attempts to make amends with a token gift. Patches is nevertheless shown to have a certain moral code, not resorting to wanton murder and only going after those he believes are greedy and corrupt, generally followers of that universe's prevailing organized religion, such as the Way of White in Dark Souls and the Golden Order in Elden Ring. Patches is commonly seen performing the "Patches Squat" or "Patches Crouch", a resting pose that resembles the Slav squat and which is learnable by the player.

In Their Own Story

Patches reappears in Demon's Souls and its 2020 remake under the name "Patches the Hyena", a scavenger of corpses. He attempts to lure the player into two different deadly traps, but, if spared, will return to the game's hub area, the Nexus, to serve as a merchant. His next appearance, in Dark Souls, is as "Trusty Patches", with a nigh-identical appearance and role, springing two traps on the player in the game's Catacombs area, then returning to the game's hub, Firelink Shrine, as a merchant. In this game, he largely sells the stolen weapons, armor, and items of clerics.

Reader's Guide

Patches is a recurring merchant archetype defined by his betrayal of trust. Initially appearing as a friendly NPC offering aid, he quickly reveals his true nature by trapping players in pits or ambushes. Despite this, he remains one of the most valuable allies in the game once spared. His skills lie not in combat prowess but in survival and commerce. He possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of rare items, selling unique weapons, armor, and consumables that are unavailable elsewhere. His defining moments include his initial trap in the Undead Asylum, his betrayal in Sen's Fortress, and his eventual redemption as a companion who aids the player against the final bosses. To survive Patches, players must exercise extreme caution when meeting him for the first time. If spared after his initial ambush, he often moves to new locations like Firelink Shrine or Drangleic Castle, continuing his trade with a mix of sarcasm and genuine utility.

Did You Know?

• Patches is voiced by British actor William Vanderpuye in English and Naomi Kusumi in Japanese.
• Patches first appeared in the 2008 game Armored Core: For Answer as 'Patch the Good Luck', a mecha pilot who prefers to fight from afar using a sniper rifle.
• Patches does not appear in Dark Souls II due to Miyazaki's lack of involvement in the game, being replaced by Mild-Mannered Pate.
• In Dark Souls III, Patches uses and drops the Horsehoof Ring, a magic ring that increases the power of kicks.
• Patches has been described as a self-insert character for Miyazaki himself, who shares the tendency to spring traps on unsuspecting players.