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<blockquote data-quote="ECMO3" data-source="post: 8468610" data-attributes="member: 7030563">When it stops a sneak attack not to mention advantage and any other actions.&nbsp; Darn right it is smart and attacking a familiar is never a waste if it hits.&nbsp; If you hit it almost always takes down the familiar ..... and if it doesn't hit it probably would not have hit a player anyway.A few points to consider:1. Down low hp enemies first:&nbsp; Typically the most effective tactic in any battle is to concentrate on wounded and low hp enemies first.&nbsp; Take them enemy off the battlefield eliminating actions from that character for the entire rest of the fight.&nbsp; With 1 or 2hps a familiar is normally the lowest hp creature in the party.&nbsp; Hitting him once takes away its action that turn and every turn thereafter for the entire battle.&nbsp; Choose to attack someone else and unless you down him/her you lose no actions.2. No Whack a Mole:&nbsp; A familiar can't be healed from 0.&nbsp; If you take the familiar to 0 it is done, no healing word to get it back in the fight.&nbsp; Again in terms of action economy, it loses its action for the entire fight.&nbsp; Depending on the initiative order, bringing a familiar to 0 can be a bigger benefit in terms of action economy than bringing a party member to 0.3. Severely cuts into party member attacks:&nbsp; Advantage is a huge boost even without the SA it comes with.Now I am not saying they will always target a familiar.&nbsp; If&nbsp; the familiar is hanging back and doing nothing in the battle I might not specifically go after it (unless it is really easy and&nbsp; the opportunity presents itself), but if the familiar is up in melee and giving someone advantage every turn, or if it has Dragon's breath cast on it and it is strafing the bad guys for 3d6 every turn .... darn right I am going to go out of my way to kill it.Finally a familiar is VERY vulnerable.&nbsp; If you have him out all the time he is going to die often.&nbsp; He will die from almost any AOE.&nbsp; If your enemy decides to use freaking sword burst your familiar is going to die.&nbsp; Should I choose not to use it just because the cat is up there next to the tank and helping by scratching at the enemies legs and I don't want to &quot;hose a player&quot;.They will also die from traps just skulking through the dungeon on the Rogue's shoulder, it is not just enemy attacks.&nbsp;&nbsp; If he is not out all the time then he often is not going to be out on the first turn of combat meaning it costs an action to summon him.&nbsp; If he is out all the time he is going to die a lot.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="ECMO3, post: 8468610, member: 7030563"] When it stops a sneak attack not to mention advantage and any other actions. Darn right it is smart and attacking a familiar is never a waste if it hits. If you hit it almost always takes down the familiar ..... and if it doesn't hit it probably would not have hit a player anyway. A few points to consider: 1. Down low hp enemies first: Typically the most effective tactic in any battle is to concentrate on wounded and low hp enemies first. Take them enemy off the battlefield eliminating actions from that character for the entire rest of the fight. With 1 or 2hps a familiar is normally the lowest hp creature in the party. Hitting him once takes away its action that turn and every turn thereafter for the entire battle. Choose to attack someone else and unless you down him/her you lose no actions. 2. No Whack a Mole: A familiar can't be healed from 0. If you take the familiar to 0 it is done, no healing word to get it back in the fight. Again in terms of action economy, it loses its action for the entire fight. Depending on the initiative order, bringing a familiar to 0 can be a bigger benefit in terms of action economy than bringing a party member to 0. 3. Severely cuts into party member attacks: Advantage is a huge boost even without the SA it comes with. Now I am not saying they will always target a familiar. If the familiar is hanging back and doing nothing in the battle I might not specifically go after it (unless it is really easy and the opportunity presents itself), but if the familiar is up in melee and giving someone advantage every turn, or if it has Dragon's breath cast on it and it is strafing the bad guys for 3d6 every turn .... darn right I am going to go out of my way to kill it. Finally a familiar is VERY vulnerable. If you have him out all the time he is going to die often. He will die from almost any AOE. If your enemy decides to use freaking sword burst your familiar is going to die. Should I choose not to use it just because the cat is up there next to the tank and helping by scratching at the enemies legs and I don't want to "hose a player". They will also die from traps just skulking through the dungeon on the Rogue's shoulder, it is not just enemy attacks. If he is not out all the time then he often is not going to be out on the first turn of combat meaning it costs an action to summon him. If he is out all the time he is going to die a lot. [/QUOTE]

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