Familiars

[Pellinore]

I have come to the conclusion that familiars are not quite worth having (especially later on when they can be killed by any enemy sneezing). Does anyone here actually use familiars? Every time I have tried, they die...horribly (just like Pooky in the Den of the Seven Vales).

[Curdis]

Early in the game some of the theif type functions can be useful (Cat can be like a wizard eye), but the real advantage is the extra HP they give a magic user who is usually very short on these. Keep it safe in your pack. Asking your familiar questions can also sometimes be rewarding. - Curdis !

[Deadalready]

There's two ways of using Familiars somewhat cheesily.

1: Summon a familiar early, because that's when the sorceror has the least hitpoints. Then pack the familiar into the left most, top most, first most slot in inventory then go do a quest, which a npc rewards with items. If done right the familiar will be knocked out of the inventory and dropped onto the ground, leaving one with the choice of picking it back up or abandoning it.

I abandon it, don't like pets, but I do like health points.

2: Some familiars can pick pocket, though they have unlimmited carry space. Get them to pickpocket nearly stripped party members to carry items you just don't have space for.