This may seem like a stoopid-noob question, but what good are familiars/animal companions? The manual doesn't really explain their benifits, but they cost something to summon, and there are penalties if they die. What's the point?
I think the rule book tells you the effects of having each type of familiar. Mostly they add bonuses to skills (I use hawk because it adds to my elf wizzy's search skill). I'm assuming they work, because I've not seen anything to say they don't. Druid and Ranger companions basically act as another member of the party. They give you a bit of extra melee strength. I've not noticed any impact from them dying, but then I confess that I have not been watching out for any.
Familiar's in this game are treated as inventory objects... so they can't die. Each offers a different benefit, and in my experience they do work as intended. A toad, for example, gives a few extra hitpoints. Other familiar's gave a bonus to a certain saving throw, etc.
Ok. i guess that works. but i still think they're more trouble than they're worth. If i want extra hitpoints/skillpoints/whatever, i'll just craft some items. on a completely unrelated note, i discovered something interesting just now. If you destroy the Orb of Golden Death before you visit the elemental nodes, you can use the gems to defeat Zooty-whats-her-name (can never remember how to spell it) and still get the "You killed her" ending. Not that she's so tough, but i think it's funny to stand back and let the Balor do the work. heh heh heh.
Making the point, you may have 2 kinds of stuff: animal companions and familiars Druid's animal companions are fine, but I think that there is something broken with the "upgrade" of the companion accordingly to the druid's level, so it is better to dismiss the animal and choose a new one whenever you can. Ranger's companions are weaker because, assuming that the animal companion is a druidical ability assigned to ranger, you have to consider that renger's druid level is 1/2 of the ranger level, so a 10th level ranger has the companions of a 5th level druid. Not a big deal, the die so often... and are not very cleaver, quite kamikaze. Familiars (Player Handbook): Raven: +3 to evalutate (I'll check the proper name later) Furret: +2 on reflexes Falcon (eagle): +3 on spot in lightened areas Cat: +3 on move silently Owl: +3 on spot in dark areas Lizard: +3 on climbs Bat: +3 on listen Toad: +3 HP Snake: +3 on Bluff Rat: +2 on Thoughness Of course, some are different