What use is a standard familiar -really-?
Familiars are pretty similar (for the most part and to varying degrees) in the fact that they are squishy, are about as useful as a sack of caltrops in combat, and in 90% of the games I play anyone with a familiar forgets they even have them half the time, or just stick the talking raven on night watch so everyone can regain their spells in exactly 8 hours instead of having to take turns.
And if you send it into combat against anything with a decent attack bonus?
So...what am I missing? What good are they? What are they truly useful for? Are there any 'nonstandard' uses of familiars that don't get a lot of screen-time, so to speak?
I always just use mine for RP, or for something to post about when I have nothing to add and it's my turn to post (feed it, pet it, send it on trivial missions like chasing the inn's cat or doing tricks for bar patrons to cover my beer tab, etc). So I'm begging here...someone please list their redeeming mechanical qualities.
And if you send it into combat against anything with a decent attack bonus?
So...what am I missing? What good are they? What are they truly useful for? Are there any 'nonstandard' uses of familiars that don't get a lot of screen-time, so to speak?
I always just use mine for RP, or for something to post about when I have nothing to add and it's my turn to post (feed it, pet it, send it on trivial missions like chasing the inn's cat or doing tricks for bar patrons to cover my beer tab, etc). So I'm begging here...someone please list their redeeming mechanical qualities.