Improved Familiar VS Animal Companion

[Snig]

I'm trying to figure out which would be a better choice for combat. Would it be a regular Druid Animal companion, or the Druid Urban Companion ACF buffed up with Improved Familiar.

Basically i'm looking to compare say a 10th level Riding Dog animal companion vs a 10th level Worg Improved Familiar.

[eggynack]

I'd say the riding dog, It seems to be more damaging, less fragile, and in a manner important for buffing purposes, an animal. The fact that the comparison is entirely unfair to the animal companion tilts the comparison towards that side as well. You're using a riding dog as the comparison point, despite the fact that picking up a replacement at high levels is generally beneficial, and you're using a feat to get the worg, and no feats to get the riding dog. In place of improved familiar, you can use natural bond on the animal companion side, which can be very useful. You're at 10th level, so let's go with a polar bear for no reason. Those guys run around with fully twice the HP of a worg, and that's before the two HD from natural bond. For those reasons, for combat purposes, I'd go with the animal companion.

[Andvare]

Depends a bit on what animal companion and what familiar.

A full decked out Fleshraker is a combat monster.
But an Imp is a tool user, and if you have a good UMD, can also use several nice magical items.

[Snig]

well the familiar granted from Urban Companion uses 3/4 of my players HP and my full BAB if that makes any difference.

Also if were comparing at level 10 the more powerful version I would have to mention the Winter Wolf which is available as an improved familiar.

[Chronos]

In general, animal companions are better in combat, and familiars are better out of combat. The main difference is that animal companions are bigger, more combat-oriented creatures to begin with, but familiars are intelligent.

Improved familiar expands your combat options to something comparable to what an animal companion has, but you're spending a feat to get it.