Yeah, familiars are not much loved as they are not OP but also give critical weakness to a caster who has one. Only plus side is that they get high natural armor so physical attacks unlikely croak it. Evasion helps vs reflex save effects.<br/><br/>But improved familiar opens up lots of options; imps are so far superior pet because variety of spell-alike abilities they get and bunch of useful special qualities. Another useful is dark templated familiar. There are handful others but overall familiars can be useful, especially if you use polymorph or even alter self (turn yourself into ogre and then dismiss it while familiar keep ogre form). Also there is feat which allows add some spells to familiar (and so 'double' your casting actions per round).<br/><br/>Heck, simply even having a raven familiar which holds a wand and firing magic missiles gives lots of use for a familiar.