Familiar Damage

[DGRM44]

A bat does Melee bite +6 (1d3–5) and a cat does Melee 2 claws +4 (1d2–4), bite +4 (1d3–4).

Either way if a bat bites you or a cat bites you it only does 1 point of non-lethal damage. Correct?

[seebs]

DGRM44 wrote:

A bat does Melee bite +6 (1d3–5) and a cat does Melee 2 claws +4 (1d2–4), bite +4 (1d3–4).

Either way if a bat bites you or a cat bites you it only does 1 point of non-lethal damage. Correct?

Not quite sure where you're getting the "non-lethal" part from. Is there a rule I've missed which converts zero damage to one point of non-lethal? (Answer: Yes.)

In any event, keep in mind that there exist damage bonuses. If you've got a handful of buffs up, you can quite easily get those back into the positive numbers range. And if you aren't casting bull's strength on your familiar before sending it into combat, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will be after you.

[Mark Hoover]

Isn't there also a thing where, if your familiar makes a standard action out of delivering a touch spell, they can add their melee attack and then their damage into the touch attack? Therefore if you had your cat enlarged with a bull's strength AND gave it a Chill Touch, it could conceivably deliver a bite attack at 1d3+1d6?

[Dust Raven]

The rule is you can deliver a touch attack through a natural weapon, but at the natural weapon's bonuses and vs the target's normal AC. Given the weak BAB of most spellcasters with familiars and the negligible damage they deal, it's probably best to just go for the touch attack. Some improved familiars may make the tactic of delivering a touch attack through natural weapons more tempting.

[Mark Hoover]

Invisible charging cat attacking in a surprise round? Alright alright, I'll stick to the touch attacks...