Sorry for another build question post, but I had a related question to my Unity Assault question earlier. I am pretty new to the game and inexperienced at building characters, and I am trying to figure out how to build the best Force-sensitive combat medic that I can. Originally, I thought the Heal power was the way to go, but after listening to the Order 66 podcast on the Medic specialization (old, I know, but I am still catching up), it seems like Stimpack Specialization with the Enhance Force Leap upgrades might be a better way to go.

I realize they both have their advantages, with Heal having the Mastery upgrade to bring people back from the brink of death, the Control upgrades to heal extra wounds based on Medicine and strain equal to wounds healed if spending no dark side Force points, etc. However, to get all of those advantages seems like it would require a HUGE amount of XP, and perhaps some lucky dice rolls without a large Force rating. Consequently, I started looking instead at the Guardian Protector spec with a second spec in Soldier Medic. Between the two, that's 5 ranks of Stimpack Specialization, meaning my character could jump to anyone within medium range, take 2 strain and jam them with a stimpack for 10/9/8/7/6 wounds healed, and still be able to attack a target within Medium range of my Dragoon blaster carbine (or Long range with the Marksman Barrel attachment).

I am curious to hear your thoughts on how the Heal power stacks up against other forms of healing in the game, and especially the mobile combat medic concept I laid out above. Thanks!

So this is complex, but for reference those 5 Stimpack Specialisation talents will cost you 150xp minimum. Along the way you get some cool stuff, in particular the Stim Application talent.

So what can Heal get you for the same XP? Well I'll stick to the Protector for simple comparison, but there are better choices when you are not trying to get the Stimpack Spec talents - Warleader, Navigator, Pathfinder, Artisan are all good in their own way. There is also the limitation that you need to have an Intellect of 4 with at least 1 rank in Medicine, preferably 2.

Getting the Force Rating up to 2 will cost 75xp, leaving 75 for the Heal Force Power, and possibly some Skill ranks.

For Heal there are a couple of options, I would go with this: Basic Power, 1 Magnitude, 2 Range, Control: Medicine.

Assuming 1 free rank of Medicine only this lets you use 1 FP to Heal 5 Wounds to an engaged target. 2 FP can Heal 5 to a target at Medium range. 3 can either Heal 2 targets at engaged for 5 or 1 at Extreme for 5. So 5,5,5,5,5 on any given character, but sometimes you don't have to be next to them or Heal 2 at once.

But where the Stimpack option is maxed out, that's just the beginning for Heal. With 25 more XP for 2 more ranks in Medicine all those numbers go from 5 to 7, that's 7,7,7,7,7 compared to the 10,9,8,7,6 which is getting close, but the Range and Magnitude upgrades tip it for me to Heal.

With 4 Intellect, 4 Medicine and both Strength upgrades that's 2 FP for 10 Wounds healed, if both are Light Side then your also healing 10 Strain on the target...

Oh and did I mention all this can be turned on your enemies whenever you want with Harm!

Both are interesting paths with different mechanical advantages. The way I see it however, is that if you start out as the Guardian career, it will cost 85 xp to snag those three Stimpack Specialization talents in Medic. Unlocking the Medic specialization alone is 30xp as a second specialization for out of career. That also distracts from building on Force-sensitive capability, which is a heavy xp investment as is. The Heal power is expensive but also coming with excellent capability that Stimpacks do not have, but as noted does not overlap with Stimpack Specialization. Honestly I still like Enhance for Force Leap, but think the two Stimpack Specializations alone is good enough boon for a protective melee character. Your plan to Force leap, stimpack, then shoot is fairly solid with out going crazy on crossover into Medic. Instead I would recommend using your xp to hit your Force Rating talent while filling out the Protector specialization. Or branch into another Guardian specialization. Hit Warleader for bonuses for ranged combat.

I prefered the Variant of Sage with Heal the power.

Int 4 Human (1 Rank medicin as racial bonus)

70 Exp to hit the first FR+1

Heal - Basic (15 // or 10 with mentorbonus) - both Control (rightside each 20) - 2x strength (each 15)

= 85// 80 Exp

Right now on enganged the char can heal constant 6-8 points (+ Strain if no dark pips, or doing 6-8 damage while heal himself or an engaged allie)

next 50 Point for one Range (left 15) and magnitude (for 5 and 10) and control (crit 20)

further 65 EXP for the second FR+1 in the sage tree.

so for 270// 265 Points you've got quite the healer (that also can do damage... as long as you don't mind the conflict here and there)

On engaged he'll may heal 4 - 14 points and a crit (4 for the first pip and 2 for each further pip)

while having a lot of variation possibilitys (strain, damage, higher range or more at once)

Personally my people have an okay healer who has medicine and heal power. I don't see much heal stuff though

I'm a big fan of Stimpack Specialization, but it has the obvious drawback that it is totally useless with a supply of stimpacks. That may not come up too often, but there are times when having a bundle of stimpacks on you is going to draw suspicion. As a Force user, drawing added suspicion is something you're probably trying to avoid.

[...] there are times when having a bundle of stimpacks on you is going to draw suspicion. [...]

I never considred this. But you have a point.

It really makes me wonder what the social norms are surrounding stimpacks. We know from a metagame standpoint why the exists, but how does society treat them?

Carrying stimpacks says you plan on being around people getting hurt. If you're an EMS worker or a soldier, that makes sense. For anybody else, it's a little weird. If you have somebody packing a bunch of stimpacks along with armor and weaponry, then they look like they're heading into trouble, possibly of their own making. That's enough to make a lot of people nervous.