Medic base class
The Medic is a spontaneous, fixed list, full casting healing class. Unlike the Healer, Medics do more than just patch people up after they've been smashed to a pulp. The Medic spell list has numerous spells that can buff allies, prevent damage from being dealt, and even debilitate enemies. The Battlefield Treatment ability, based on the Bard's Bardic Music, gives a little extra longevity and utility, reinforcing the themes of aiding allies and preventing injury before it becomes an issue. Also possibly of interest is the fact that the Medic is a Wisdom-based arcane spellcaster, a break from the tradition of only divine spellcasters having the full suite of healing spells, and of arcane spellcasters never using Wisdom.
Also included are five new, non-traditional spells of the healing subschool. These new spells use the concept of healing in unusual ways, such as cauterizing wounds with a blast of flame, creating a short-lived cancer through an overdose of restorative magic, or resurrecting a soul into an already-living body with disastrous results.
Combat Medic by Eric Polak (Heroes of Battle, pg. 100)
Creating a MedicMedics are arcane spellcasters specialized in medicininal and healing magic. Their focus on the study of life and how to preserve it gives them unparalleled mastery of healing magic, but also reveals unusual uses for healing magic, including effects more traditionally associated with the darker side of Necromancy.
Abilities: A high Wisdom is vital to Medics. It controls their spellcasting and enhances many of their other abilities. A good Constitution score is also important to let the Medic survive on the battlefield.
Races: Medics come from all sorts of cultures. Many come from cultures that place a high value on life and its preservation. Military and warrior cultures also produce significant numbers of Medics to patch up the wounded and send them back into battle.
Alignment: Medics can be of any alignment. While most Medics are good- or neutral-aligned, some are evil, including many who focus more on analyzing the death part of life and death.
Starting Age: As Cleric.
Starting Gold: As Cleric.
Hit Die: d8
Table: The Medic Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | Spells Per Day |
0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
1 | +0 | +0 | +2 | +2 | Armored Mage, Battlefield Treatment (anesthetize, first aid 1, inoculate), Healing Hands | 5 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
2 | +1 | +0 | +3 | +3 | Remote Healer | 6 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
3 | +2 | +1 | +3 | +3 | Battlefield Treatment (stimulant) | 6 | 5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
4 | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Advanced Learning | 6 | 6 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
5 | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Battlefield Treatment (first aid 2) | 6 | 6 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
6 | +4 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Battlefield Treatment (psychiatry) | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
7 | +5 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Universal Healer | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
8 | +6/+1 | +2 | +6 | +6 | Advanced Learning, Battlefield Treatment (first aid 3) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
9 | +6/+1 | +3 | +6 | +6 | Battlefield Treatment (metabolic boost) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
10 | +7/+2 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Rapid Healer (+2 levels) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
11 | +8/+3 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Battlefield Treatment (first aid 4) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
12 | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Advanced Learning, Battlefield Treatment (kinesiology) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | -- | -- | -- |
13 | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Armored Evasion | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | -- | -- | -- |
14 | +10/+5 | +4 | +9 | +9 | Battlefield Treatment (first aid 5) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | -- | -- |
15 | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +9 | +9 | Battlefield Treatment (medical miracle) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | -- | -- |
16 | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Advanced Learning | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | -- |
17 | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Battlefield Treatment (first aid 6) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | -- |
18 | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Battlefield Treatment (true healing) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 |
19 | +14/+9/+4 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Rapid Healer (+1 level) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
20 | +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +12 | +12 | Advanced Learning, Battlefield Treatment (first aid 7), Master Healer | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
Class skills (4 + Int modifier per level, x4 at 1st level): Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Heal, Listen, Knowledge (all skills, taken individually), Profession, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Spot
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Medics are proficient with all simple weapons. Medics are also proficient with light and medium armor and with shields (other than tower shields).
Spellcasting: A Medic spontaneously casts arcane spells like a Sorcerer, except that she uses Wisdom to determine the maximum spell level she can cast, the save DCs of her spells, her bonus spells per day, and other spellcasting characteristics that a Sorcerer normally uses Charisma for. The Medic's amount of spells per day are indicated on the table above. A Medic's spells are drawn from the Medic spell list, and she is considered to know all spells on her Medic spell list.
Armored Mage (Ex): You can ignore the arcane spell failure chance of your Medic spells caused by wearing medium or lighter armor and by wearing a shield (other than a tower shield). Arcane spell failure caused by other sources (such as tower shields and armor heavier than medium) still applies as normal.
Battlefield Treatment: Once per day per Medic level, you can use your medical talent to produce magical effects on those around you (usually including yourself, if desired). While these abilities fall under the category of battlefield treatment and the descriptions discuss tending to a patient, they can all be activated even if you are unable to directly act upon the subjects of your ability as long as you are capable of casting spells with somatic components. Each ability requires both a minimum Medic level and a minimum number of ranks in the Heal skill to qualify; if you do not have the required number of ranks in the Heal skill, you does not gain the battlefield treatment ability until you acquire the needed ranks.
Starting a battlefield treatment effect is a standard action. Unless otherwise stated, you need only spend a free action, maintain line of sight, line of effect, range (as indicated in the ability in question), and the ability to provide somatic components to maintain the ability and continue treating your patients. Some battlefield treatment abilities require concentration, which means you must take a standard action each round to maintain the ability. Even while using battlefield treatments that don't require concentration, you cannot cast spells, activate magic items by spell completion (such as scrolls), spell trigger (such as wands), or command word. Just as for casting a spell with a somatic component, you cannot perform a battlefield treatment while paralyzed, grappled, or otherwise unable to move (although arcane spell failure does not apply). Unless otherwise stated, you can stop using a battlefield treatment at any time, even when it is not your turn (this does not take an action).
Battlefield treatments use a blend of both magic and medicine. As such, they do not function on nonliving creatures or on creatures with no discernible anatomy. However, despite providing healing and other effects normally associated with positive energy, battlefield treatments do not use either positive or negative energy; they affect all valid subjects equally.
Anesthetize (Sp): If you have at least 3 ranks in Heal, you can attempt to disable one or more creatures with anesthetic magic. Each creature to be anesthetized must be within 90 feet, and must not be threatened or engaged in stressful or strenuous activity. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents the ability from working, as the subject's increased adrenaline counteracts the anesthetic effect. You can target one creature with each use of this ability, plus one for every three Medic levels beyond 1st.
To use the ability, you make a Heal check. Your check result is the DC for each affected creature’s Fortitude save against the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, you cannot attempt to anesthetize that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature suffers nonlethal damage equal to its normal maximum hit points +1. This nonlethal damage remains until healed (naturally or magically), or for as long as you continue to tend to your subjects (up to a maximum of 1 round per Medic level), requiring concentration. Once you cease tending to the subjects of this ability, they immediately heal half of the nonlethal damage caused by this ability (rounded up), and continue to heal half of the nonlethal damage currently remaining (rounded up) each round until none remains. Any potential threat requires you to make another Heal check and allows the creature a new saving throw against a DC equal to the new Heal check result.
Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a ranged weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect (even if the subject would not recognize it due to unconsciousness), immediately allowing them to heal the nonlethal damage. Anesthetize is an enchantment (healing) ability equivalent to a 1st-level spell.
First Aid (Su): If you have at least 3 ranks in Heal, you can use your talent to rapidly heal the wounds of others. You or a single ally within 30 feet gains fast healing 1 for as long as you continue to treat it. When you stop treating the subject, whether involuntarily or by choice (which may be declared with no action even if it is not your turn or you are unable to act), the it immediately heals an additional amount equal to your Medic level plus your Wisdom modifier. As long as you are not interrupted, you may maintain First Aid as long as you are willing and able. At 5th level and every three levels thereafter, the fast healing provided by this ability increases by 1, you add your Wisdom modifier an additional time to the final healing, and you can affect up to one additional ally with each use of this ability.
Inoculate (Su): If you have at least 3 ranks in Heal, you can use your medical skill to counter the effects of diseases and poisons. Each round of the inoculation, you make a Heal check. Any ally within 30 feet of you (including yourself) that would be required to make a saving throw against a disease or a poison may use your Heal check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Heal check result proves to be higher. If an ally within range of the inoculation is already under the effect of a disease or poison, it gains another saving throw against the effect when you begin the inoculation, but it must use your Heal check result for the save. Inoculate has no effect against effects that don’t allow saves. You may keep up the inoculation for up to 10 rounds.
Stimulant (Su): Starting at 3rd level, if you have at least 6 ranks in Heal, you can use psychology and a small dose of stimulating magic to improve an ally's reactions and concentration for a short time. The subject gains a +2 competence bonus on all skill checks, a +1 competence bonus on all saving throws, and a +5 foot competence bonus to all of its movement speeds. The effect lasts as long as you tend to the subject, up to a maximum of 2 minutes. You cannot affect yourself with this ability. Stimulant is a mind-affecting ability.
Psychiatry (Su): Starting at 6th level, if you have at least 9 ranks in Heal, you can use your knowledge of the mind's workings to counter the effects of charms and compulsions. This functions as Inoculate, except that it functions against charms and compulsions instead of diseases and poisons. Psychiatry is a mind-affecting ability.
Metabolic Boost (Su): Starting at 9th level, if you have at least 12 ranks in Heal, you can provide a surge of life-giving energy to one or more allies, filling them with energy. You or and single ally within 30 feet gains immunity to fatigue and exhaustion (existing conditions are removed), a +2 competence bonus to all ability scores, a +1 competence bonus on all attack rolls and damage rolls, a +1 competence bonus to caster level, manifester level, initiator level, meldshaper level, and effective Binder level, and a +1 competence bonus to essentia capacity. When this ability ends, all subjects are fatigued. This lasts as long as you tend to the subjects and for 5 rounds thereafter. As long as you are not interrupted, you may maintain Metabolic Boost as long as you are willing and able. You can affect up to one additional ally per three Medic levels after 9th.
Kinesiology (Su): Starting at 12th level, if you have at least 15 ranks in Heal, you can use your knowledge of the body's movements to counter the effects of movement-impairing effects. This functions as Inoculate, except that it functions against movement-impairing effects instead of diseases and poisons. Similarly, a subject can use the result of your Heal check in place of an Escape Artist or grapple check to resist or escape a grapple, and can attempt a new Escape Artist or grapple check (using the result of your Heal check) to escape a grapple when you activate this ability.
Medical Miracle (Sp): Starting at 15th level, if you have at least 18 ranks in Heal, your mastery of health and healing allows you to fend off even death itself. You can return to life a single creature within 30 feet that died within the past 1 round. This functions as per the
resurrection spell, except that no material components are needed, no level loss (or Constitution loss) is incurred, the subject is revived even if its soul is trapped or destroyed, and the subject cannot refuse to return to life. If the subject died more than 1 round ago, you must expend additional Battlefield Treatment uses, as indicated below.
Table: Medical MiracleTime Since Death | Total Uses Expended |
1 round | 1 |
up to 1 minute | 3 |
up to 10 minutes | 6 |
up to 1 hour | 10 |
up to 1 day | 15 |
True Healing (Su): Starting at 18th level, if you have at least 21 ranks in Heal, you can use your knowledge and magic to ablate even the most grievous wounds. A single ally within 30 feet other than yourself gains regeneration equal to your Wisdom modifier (not bypassed by any damage type) and cannot die. However, whenever the subject converts damage to nonlethal damage through the regeneration granted this way, you suffer one quarter that amount of nonlethal damage, even if you are immune. This effect lasts as long as you continue to tend the subject and for 5 rounds thereafter, or until your hit points are less than your nonlethal damage (even if you are still conscious and able to act), whichever comes first. As long as you are not interrupted, you may maintain True Healing as long as you are willing and able. You can affect up to one additional ally per three Medic levels after 18th.
Healing Hands (Ex): Whenever you cast a Medic spell from the healing subschool that heals damage, you may choose to add your Wisdom modifier to the amount of healing provided.
Remote Healer (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, you can cast Medic spells from the healing subschool with a range of Touch on willing targets as though their range was 30 feet instead of Touch.
Advanced Learning: At 4th and every 4 levels thereafter, you may choose a single spell of a level no greater than the highest level Medic spell you know. This can come from the Cleric or Sor/Wiz spell lists, but must be either a spell from the healing subschool, a spell that can provide healing or deal damage through positive or negative energy, or a non-damaging Necromancy spell. Add this spell to your Medic spell list and your Medic spells known. Once selected, this choice cannot be changed except through effects that allow you to change which spells you know. You do not gain additional spells known through Advanced Learning for classes and abilities that increase your effective Medic level for spells known unless they also improve your effective Medic level for this class feature. You may still be allowed to select higher level spells when you gain this ability due to your increased Medic spellcaster level.
Universal Healer (Ex): Starting at 7th level, when you cast a Medic spell from the healing subschool on a willing subject, you may cause it to heal the subject for the full normal amount, even if the subject would normally be unaffected or damaged by it. This has no effect upon spells that do not normally provide healing, with the exception of effects that use positive or negative energy to deal damage.
In addition, you can use your battlefield treatments on nonliving creatures and those without discernible anatomies. You must still obey all other restrictions of the battlefield treatment you use.
Rapid Healer (Ex): Starting at 10th level, you can expend a spell slot of two levels higher than normal when casting a Medic spell from the healing subschool, targeting only willing allies, to cast it as a swift action instead of a standard action or a full-round action. This has no effect (other than increasing the level of the spell slot used) on spells with other casting times, or if any of the creatures that you target are not willing. Beginning at 19th level, you need only expend a spell slot one level higher to cast a Medic spell faster this way.
Armored Evasion (Ex): Starting at 13th level, you gain the ability to avoid the damage of explosive spells and other effects that require a Reflex save. This functions as the Monk's Evasion ability, except that it can be used regardless of your armor worn.
Master Healer (Ex): Starting at 20th level, you can continue tending to creatures with Battlefield Treatment while casting spells and activating magic items. You can begin a battlefield treatment as a swift action instead of a standard action. Finally, you can expend 20 uses of your Battlefield Treatment ability to restore a creature to life with Medical Miracle as though with
true resurrection instead of
resurrection and regardless of how long ago it died. When you revive a creature in this way, you must still possess a part of its body (as normal for the
resurrection spell) or be near the location at which the creature died.
Medic Spell List0-level (Cantrips): Create water, cure minor wounds, daze, deathwatch, delay disease (SpC), detect magic, detect poison, guidance, light, mending, purify food and drink, read magic, resistance, touch of fatigue, and virtue.
1st Level: Bless, command, cure light wounds, daze monster, delay poison, endure elements, goodberry, healthful rest (SpC), lesser restoration, lesser vigor (CD), obscuring mist, protection from chaos/evil/good/law, remove fear, remove paralysis, sanctuary, shield of faith, sleep, and stabilize (SpC).
2nd Level: Aid, barkskin, bear's endurance, bull's strength, calm emotions, cat's grace, close wounds (SpC), consecrate, cure moderate wounds, death knell, deep slumber, eagle's splendor, fog cloud, fox's cunning, gentle repose, ghoul touch, heroism, hold person, hydrate (Sa), make whole, owl's wisdom, rage, remove blindness/deafness, remove disease, resist energy, shield other, and status.
3rd Level: Blindness/deafness, cauterizing flame*, contagion, create food and water, cure serious wounds, dispel magic, haste, helping hand, insignia of healing (RoD), magic circle against chaos/evil/good/law, magic vestment, mass lesser vigor (CD), neutralize poison, prayer, protection from energy, ray of exhaustion, remove curse, restoration, slow, vigor (CD), and water breathing.
4th Level: Air walk, cancerous regeneration*, cure critical wounds, death ward, delay death (SpC), enervation, freedom of movement, mass cure light wounds, modify memory, panacea (SpC), poison, repel vermin, spell immunity, and stoneskin.
5th Level: Atonement, break enchantment, greater command, greater dispel magic, greater heroism, greater vigor (CD), heal, hold monster, mass cure moderate wounds, mind fog, overcure*, raise dead, revivify (MH), spell resistance, stone to flesh, true seeing, and waves of fatigue.
6th Level: Eyebite, greater status, greater restoration, heroes' feast, mass bear's endurance, mass bull's strength, mass cat's grace, mass cure serious wounds, mass eagle's splendor, mass fox's cunning, mass owl's wisdom, regenerate, slay living, and vigorous circle (CD).
7th Level: Fortunate fate (SpC), mass cure critical wounds, refuge, repulsion, resurrection, sequester, spirit nova*, and waves of exhaustion.
8th Level: Clone, destruction, discern location, greater spell immunity, mass heal, protection from spells, and temporal stasis.
9th Level: Energy drain, foresight, freedom, soul bind, soul nova*, and true resurrection.
*New spell, detailed below.
Note: The spell list provided here only fully covers spells found in the core D&D rules (ie: spells printed in the Player's Handbook). It includes only a few selected spells from additional sourcebooks, but many other spells from those books may be applicable.
Alternative Class Features and VariantsDomain Access
Your faith allows you to channel divine energy like a Cleric does, granting you access to a single domain.
Level: Medic 1
Replaces: If you select this option, you do not gain the Healing Hands or Advanced Learning abilities.
Benefit: Choose one Cleric domain. If you worship a specific deity, the domain you choose must be one to which your deity grants access. You gain the granted power of the chosen domain as a Cleric of your Medic level, stacking with any Cleric levels you may possess. In addition, add the domain's spells to your Medic spell list.
Morbid Fascination
Some Medics study life to learn how to preserve it. Some study life to learn how to break it.
Level: Medic 1
Replaces: If you select this option, you do not gain the Healing Hands or Rapid Healer abilities, and remove the following spells from your Medic spell list. You can still regain them through other methods, as normal (such as the Advanced Learning ability).
0-level (Cantrips): Virtue.
1st Level: Lesser vigor.
2nd Level: Close wounds and consecrate.
3rd Level: Mass lesser vigor and vigor.
4th Level: Panacea.
5th Level: Greater vigor and heal.
6th Level: Vigorous circle.
7th Level: Fortunate fate and resurrection.
8th Level: Mass heal.
9th Level: True resurrection.
Benefit: You gain the Wounding Hands ability at 1st level, and the Rapid Infliction ability at 10th level. In addition, add the following spells to your Medic spell list.
0-level (Cantrips): Inflict minor wounds.
1st Level: Inflict light wounds.
2nd Level: Desecrate and inflict moderate wounds.
3rd Level: Animate dead, command undead, and inflict serious wounds.
4th Level: Inflict critical wounds and mass inflict light wounds.
5th Level: Harm and mass inflict moderate wounds.
6th Level: Create undead and mass inflict serious wounds.
7th Level: Control undead and mass inflict critical wounds.
8th Level: Create greater undead and horrid wilting.
9th Level: Wail of the banshee.
Wounding Hands (Ex): Whenever you cast a Medic spell that deals damage through negative energy, you may choose to add your Wisdom modifier to the amount of damage dealt.
Rapid Infliction (Ex): Starting at 10th level, you can expend a spell slot of two levels higher than normal when casting a Medic spell that deals damage through negative energy to cast it as a swift action instead of a standard action or a full-round action. This has no effect (other than increasing the level of the spell slot used) on spells with other casting times. Beginning at 19th level, you need only expend a spell slot one level higher to cast a Medic spell faster this way.
Note: The spell list is probably missing a few things. I started with the Healer spell list, added everything I could think of that it was missing from the Cleric and Bard lists and a few BFC and buff spells from the Bard, Cleric, and Sor/Wiz spell lists. Most of the spells are from the PHB, since that's just about all I have, but I also included the Vigor line from CD and a couple of interesting spells from SpC (only what I saw on a quick look through IMarvinTPA's spell database). If you have any other suggestions, please say so.
Change Log
22/6/2017: Reposted to
Min Max Forum storm shelter. Adjusted the formatting of the ACFs.
22/10/2014: Revised the formatting. Altered the false soul results for the Soul Nova spell.
11/02/2013: Inoculation no longer refers to itself as countersong in one place. Clarified the wording of Armored Mage.
21/08/2011: Clarified how Advanced Learning interacts with increased level for spells known. Tweaked the spell list's formatting and moved Ghoul Touch to 2nd level.
20/06/2011: Tweaked Advanced Learning a bit. Now allows up to your highest level, rather than one less than that.
17/06/2011: Added the Domain Access and Morbid Fascination ACFs. Added the Battlefield Treatment, Extra Treatment, Improved Healing Hands, and Restorative Treatment feats. Renamed the Universal Healing class feature to Universal Healer.
15/06/2011: Added the Overcure spell.
10/06/2011: First posted.