Combat Medic Question

[Laurk]

Ive got a question about the Combat Medic PrC if anyone has played one.

Is the Sanctuary kicker at level 2 something you can choose to put on the spell, or does it always automatically apply sanctuary to your cure spells?

The reason I ask is that my healer Abby is "extremely" squishy. I could forsee getting killed a lot if the meatshield I just healed goes into sanctuary and all the monsters automatically agro her as their current target becomes unaccessable. That could be pretty dangerous if its auto-applied and not toggled.

Anyone know the answer to this?

[OnyxTigress]

It does it automatically with healing spells.

[Laurk]

Ouch... do you find the monsters come after you pretty often when you cast cure spells? If this is the case, is there any fix we can come up with, because I guarantee my healer will get killed a LOT if all the badies jump on her every time I use a healing spell on someone... esspecially given that her Sanctuary DC will be high.

In your experiance Tigress, how impactful has this been as a combat medic?

[wangxiuming]

I can confirm, auto application. I recommend a speed increasing spell such as longstrider so that you can outrun the enemies for a while.

[OnyxTigress]

I haven't actually played one, but I have played with other people who have. And they haven't had too much trouble, being clerics and all. The only issue has been that the combat medic has failed their own save and have been unable to heal the target again because of it.

But if you are worried, you can invest in ivis potions for a quick gtfo moment.

[Daimondheart]

I could be wrong, but I recall that using combat casting prevents you from drawing aggro from mobs. I may be thinking of another game, though.

[Laurk]

I play an Ilmateri healer with 8s in the physical stats and gear-by-donation. I may have to reconsider taking this PrC or else I have a feeling im going to spend a lot of time being dead.

drat!

I think ill give it a go and see what happens, but if I find that every time I cast a heal spell I get a boot party from all the baddies, is there any reasonable hope of asking for a modification to this effect so that it can be toggled, or else affect both the healer and the recipient? Obviously its only a big deal for me as most clerics can take the beating, but well, can't hurt to ask I guess.

[Kitsunestume]

For note, the Combat Medic heal-buffs are only applied to the single target of a Cure or Heal spell. Vigor and it's derivatives arn't affected, nor is Regeneration. The Mass spells target yourself (who can't get the buffs) and don't apply the buffs to any allies because they didn't specifically 'target' them.

I kinda lucked out in that my pacifistic Combat Medic has the Trickery domain. Invis FTW! Alternatively, ensure you use Sanctuary on yourself before applying any heal spells to an ally.

I'll see if I can recall any other properties of the class. Fezzik Might be able to answer it more.

[Edit]: an ally with a good Taunt or Distract roll is also very useful.

[Laurk]

I think needing to cast sanctuary on myself before I cast any heal spell just won't be reasonable. For one, the first level sanctuary spell is a very low DC whereas this effect will be pretty high DC. Also I don't want to have to dedicate all my first levels to sanctuary. Also when people need healing, they usually need it now and you don't get 2 rounds to sanctuary yourself first then heal them.

I guess im going to really have to have my healer beg for a lot of invisability potions.

It might be cool if a "Force Push" effect was placed on the recipient instead of Sanctuary. Ive seen this spell in action on other servers and any creature who closes into melee range is knocked back on a failed save. This would have a simliar effect, only it would knock back the baddies who were going to charge past the meat shield and go for the healer too. Wouldn't help for ranged attacks though.

Maybe like a shield spell for a round or two?

[Kitsunestume]

I think needing to cast sanctuary on myself before I cast any heal spell just won't be reasonable. For one, the first level sanctuary spell is a very low DC whereas this effect will be pretty high DC. Also I don't want to have to dedicate all my first levels to sanctuary. Also when people need healing, they usually need it now and you don't get 2 rounds to sanctuary yourself first then heal them.

I guess im going to really have to have my healer beg for a lot of invisability potions.

It might be cool if a "Force Push" effect was placed on the recipient instead of Sanctuary. Ive seen this spell in action on other servers and any creature who closes into melee range is knocked back on a failed save. This would have a simliar effect, only it would knock back the baddies who were going to charge past the meat shield and go for the healer too. Wouldn't help for ranged attacks though.

Maybe like a shield spell for a round or two?

In my experience, the Sanctuary effect can be a significant boon to the person you cast it on, because they stop being the target of a lot of attacks almost instantly, preventing someone in bleedout from requiring raise-dead. It works significantly better if you are in a good party, with two or three other people. Even if one person needs a massive healspam, the other player(s) can keep the mobs off you while you do so. Lesser Vigor also heals more than CLW, and won't initiate the Sanctuary. Best way to prevent combat going FUBAR is to keep everyone's HP topped up when you can.

Invisibility potions can be purchased at a decent number of stores, but (i'm pretty sure) Copper Quaffs is going to have them.

[Farmboy2003]

But, wouldn't a sooper buffed fighter type PC keep hitting on the foes, dispelling the sancturary? In effect making the player and npc roll for initiative once more, giving said player a flat-footed opponent? To me it seems like mostly you'll confuse the heck out of the npcs.

[Laurk]

Im hoping thats how it will pan out. I suppose there's only one way to find out.

[Lotus]

In execution, sometimes the very brief aggro break is enough to get the healer / other casters killed. However, in a party of 3+, it's much less of an issue.

[Laurk]

Another question about this PrC:

Field Healer (Ex): At 2nd level, you become adept at administering first aid quickly and while under duress. You gain a +5 to your heal skill.

Does this mean you can use heaing kits in combat, or only out of combat as per norm?

[wangxiuming]

There are no more healing kits in Sundren, I believe. There are only bandages, which can only be used out of combat. Bandages do receive a bonus from the heal skill though; every 10 points increases the amount of healing per tick by 1.