As I prepare my first campaign I know one of my players will be a Doctor as playing the healer has always been her thing. As I familiarize with the healing mechanics and what not I have come up with a couple questions and would like to get a feel of what others are doing.

Emergency medpac vs medpac

I'm a search and rescue volunteer and a conceal carrier, as such I carry on me every day a pocket sized trauma kit that has: gloves, hemostatic gauze, compression bandage, tourniquet, occlusive bandage, nasopharyngeal airway tube, and trauma shears. I consider this the "emergency medpac." It's a one time use kit (maybe two if the subjects have injuries in different areas) just to get the subject through until better help arrives.

The medpac would include multiple emergency medpacs and an AED (or the star wars version which would be similar in size but include far more capabilities than just being an AED).

The "emergency medpac" I carry (when I carry it in field) easily fits in my pack and I still have the capacity to include my other SAR gear. Our dedicated EMT carries nothing but med gear and relies on team members for other field gear. This dynamic translates well into the adventuring part make up.

My question is that the RAW don't really (that I have seen) talk about the consumable aspect of the gear. How is everyone playing these mechanics?

Also, the Stim Application talent does talk about medical components. Are stimpacs required to perform this action? Does the target get the healing benefit of the stimpac on top of the characteristic boost? I'm inclined to believe that because of the desired effect of the action the Dr. should have to use a different kind of stim to make the action. The players inventory will have to differentiate between stimpacs and booster stims.

What are others doing?

The Talent is not a stimpack healing application.

I charge upkeep to my players and that would encompass more band aids for the medkits imo. I don't need it crunchier than that. Unless they're shipwrecked for months I've no interest in ticking off #of uses.

As I prepare my first campaign I know one of my players will be a Doctor as playing the healer has always been her thing. As I familiarize with the healing mechanics and what not I have come up with a couple questions and would like to get a feel of what others are doing.

Emergency medpac vs medpac

I'm a search and rescue volunteer and a conceal carrier, as such I carry on me every day a pocket sized trauma kit that has: gloves, hemostatic gauze, compression bandage, tourniquet, occlusive bandage, nasopharyngeal airway tube, and trauma shears. I consider this the "emergency medpac." It's a one time use kit (maybe two if the subjects have injuries in different areas) just to get the subject through until better help arrives.

The medpac would include multiple emergency medpacs and an AED (or the star wars version which would be similar in size but include far more capabilities than just being an AED).

The "emergency medpac" I carry (when I carry it in field) easily fits in my pack and I still have the capacity to include my other SAR gear. Our dedicated EMT carries nothing but med gear and relies on team members for other field gear. This dynamic translates well into the adventuring part make up.

My question is that the RAW don't really (that I have seen) talk about the consumable aspect of the gear. How is everyone playing these mechanics?

What you are describing, in the much higher tech world of Star Wars, simply sounds like a stimpack. They don't have to worry about contamination, so gloves aren't needed, and they don't need to worry about all the other fiddly bits of real trauma. They just need to stab you and heal you up a bit, to, as you put it "get you through until better help arrives". That's exactly what a stimpack is. It doesn't fix Critical Wounds, but it does prevent the person from dying, until they can get to a more stable situation, where the real medical help (read: the medkit) can start working on them with it's boosted dice pool for medicine checks.

Also, the Stim Application talent does talk about medical components. Are stimpacs required to perform this action? Does the target get the healing benefit of the stimpac on top of the characteristic boost? I'm inclined to believe that because of the desired effect of the action the Dr. should have to use a different kind of stim to make the action. The players inventory will have to differentiate between stimpacs and booster stims.

What are others doing?

I don't have my books handy so I can't really say. Can you post the details of the talent in the thread for review of wording? And if you can, pull the text from the full description of the Talent, not the little bubble on the Specialization page. That almost always leaves out important details in it's summary.

As a player this is how these things are handled in our campaign.

1) the Stimpaks are an auto-injector that restores Hit Points (as described in the rules).

2) The Medpack is a kit with the tools a medic needs to treat a wounded character in a safe and quiet area. The cost of the medpack was fixed and the GM doesn't charge upkeep costs. In short, this medpack lets the medic put together a dice pool when treating wounded characters.

Here’s the text of the Emergency Medpack from E-CRB, page 176:

EMERGENCY MEDPAC

Medpacs are common even on those ships that do not engage in activities of dubious legality, for even those with little medical training can use the contents to treat injuries and save lives. Most ships carry sev­eral, and they are a common component in most sur­vival gear. Standard medpacs contain field dressings, bacta patches, basic drugs, antiseptics, medical tools and knives, blood coagulators, synthflesh applicators, and more, all designed for ease of use and fast pa­tient stabilization. The GLiS (General Life-Sustaining) also has a limited diagnostic scanner to monitor a pa­tient's vital signs, and a computer that can provide treatment options. The intention of this medpac is to allow for basic first aid in the field.

Medpacs allow characters to attempt to heal others using Medicine checks without penalty, as detailed on page 219.

Models Include: Athakam MedTech Survival Med­ pac, Chiewab GLiS Emergency Medpac.

Here’s the text for the Medpack from E-CRB, page 177:

MEDPAC

Slightly larger and infinitely more advanced than a stan­dard emergency medpac, the FastFlesh is a good exam­ple of a medpac carried by a trained medic. The med­pac carries instruments for emergency field surgery, a better diagnostic computer and mediscanner, advanced synth-nutrient replicators for sustaining a patient's vital nutrients, spray splints, and counter-radiation and bio­logical poison drugs.

This medpac allows the user to perform relatively complicated medical procedures in the field, and can rival the infirmaries on smaller starships. It allows characters to attempt to heal others using Medicine checks without penalty as described on page 219, and additionally grants a [bOOST] on all attempts. In ad­dition, the internal stim storage grants the user the equivalent of one stimpack per scene (although the GM can rule the device has run out of stims if the sup­plies are used continuously).

Models Include: Athakam MedTech First Responder, BioTech FastFiesh Medpac.

So, an Emergency Medpack counts as “The Right Tools for the Job”, and allows you to use the Medicine skill without setback. This costs 100 credits.

The main Medpack is one step above the Emergency Medpack, and grants you a [bOOST] when using the Medicine skill, and costs 400 credits. It also gives you one free Stimpack you can apply per scene. These stimpacks would otherwise cost you 25 credits each.

I’ll detail other medical equipment in another post.

Here’s the text of the Emergency Medpack from E-CRB, page 176:

EMERGENCY MEDPAC

Medpacs are common even on those ships that do not engage in activities of dubious legality, for even those with little medical training can use the contents to treat injuries and save lives. Most ships carry sev­eral, and they are a common component in most sur­vival gear. Standard medpacs contain field dressings, bacta patches, basic drugs, antiseptics, medical tools and knives, blood coagulators, synthflesh applicators, and more, all designed for ease of use and fast pa­tient stabilization. The GLiS (General Life-Sustaining) also has a limited diagnostic scanner to monitor a pa­tient's vital signs, and a computer that can provide treatment options. The intention of this medpac is to allow for basic first aid in the field.

Medpacs allow characters to attempt to heal others using Medicine checks without penalty, as detailed on page 219.

Models Include: Athakam MedTech Survival Med­ pac, Chiewab GLiS Emergency Medpac.

Here’s the text for the Medpack from E-CRB, page 177:

MEDPAC

Slightly larger and infinitely more advanced than a stan­dard emergency medpac, the FastFlesh is a good exam­ple of a medpac carried by a trained medic. The med­pac carries instruments for emergency field surgery, a better diagnostic computer and mediscanner, advanced synth-nutrient replicators for sustaining a patient's vital nutrients, spray splints, and counter-radiation and bio­logical poison drugs.

This medpac allows the user to perform relatively complicated medical procedures in the field, and can rival the infirmaries on smaller starships. It allows characters to attempt to heal others using Medicine checks without penalty as described on page 219, and additionally grants a [bOOST] on all attempts. In ad­dition, the internal stim storage grants the user the equivalent of one stimpack per scene (although the GM can rule the device has run out of stims if the sup­plies are used continuously).

Models Include: Athakam MedTech First Responder, BioTech FastFiesh Medpac.

So, an Emergency Medpack counts as “The Right Tools for the Job”, and allows you to use the Medicine skill without setback. This costs 100 credits.

The main Medpack is one step above the Emergency Medpack, and grants you a [bOOST] when using the Medicine skill, and costs 400 credits. It also gives you one free Stimpack you can apply per scene. These stimpacks would otherwise cost you 25 credits each.

I’ll detail other medical equipment in another post.

Thanks!

The way I interpret this gear is that having the emergency medpack means I'm not wasting time improvising a tourniquette or splint that may or may not even work; doing so is most definitely a penalty. My own experience verifies that, haha.

But, the supplies are finite. I can only carry so many on me. I'm not worried about how many on are on the ship. The macro supply question is wrapped up in the overall ship consumables and few of us are willing micro manage to that extent. But going into the field is a different story. Maybe they weren't expecting to be off ship that long and things got complicated. The Dr. only grabed 1 emergency medpack and had to use it. Now she needs another. Destiny point! She forgot about the one she stowed in that pouch she hardly ever uses. Score. but after that she has to improvise and incur the penalty.

The Medpack is similiar except when leaving the ship, the standard medpack is comprised of the 1 stimpack and 5 emergency medpacks (arbitrary number) plus the electronics. For those five uses you get no penalty, and the boost die. After that you get the penalty because the consumables are used but you still get the boost die because the electronic equipment is still good and makes improvising materials a little easier because your diagnosis is more accurate.

Here’s the text of the Emergency Medpack from E-CRB, page 176:

EMERGENCY MEDPAC

Medpacs are common even on those ships that do not engage in activities of dubious legality, for even those with little medical training can use the contents to treat injuries and save lives. Most ships carry sev­eral, and they are a common component in most sur­vival gear. Standard medpacs contain field dressings, bacta patches, basic drugs, antiseptics, medical tools and knives, blood coagulators, synthflesh applicators, and more, all designed for ease of use and fast pa­tient stabilization. The GLiS (General Life-Sustaining) also has a limited diagnostic scanner to monitor a pa­tient's vital signs, and a computer that can provide treatment options. The intention of this medpac is to allow for basic first aid in the field.

Medpacs allow characters to attempt to heal others using Medicine checks without penalty, as detailed on page 219.

Models Include: Athakam MedTech Survival Med­ pac, Chiewab GLiS Emergency Medpac.

Here’s the text for the Medpack from E-CRB, page 177:

MEDPAC

Slightly larger and infinitely more advanced than a stan­dard emergency medpac, the FastFlesh is a good exam­ple of a medpac carried by a trained medic. The med­pac carries instruments for emergency field surgery, a better diagnostic computer and mediscanner, advanced synth-nutrient replicators for sustaining a patient's vital nutrients, spray splints, and counter-radiation and bio­logical poison drugs.

This medpac allows the user to perform relatively complicated medical procedures in the field, and can rival the infirmaries on smaller starships. It allows characters to attempt to heal others using Medicine checks without penalty as described on page 219, and additionally grants a [bOOST] on all attempts. In ad­dition, the internal stim storage grants the user the equivalent of one stimpack per scene (although the GM can rule the device has run out of stims if the sup­plies are used continuously).

Models Include: Athakam MedTech First Responder, BioTech FastFiesh Medpac.

So, an Emergency Medpack counts as “The Right Tools for the Job”, and allows you to use the Medicine skill without setback. This costs 100 credits.

The main Medpack is one step above the Emergency Medpack, and grants you a [bOOST] when using the Medicine skill, and costs 400 credits. It also gives you one free Stimpack you can apply per scene. These stimpacks would otherwise cost you 25 credits each.

I’ll detail other medical equipment in another post.

Thanks!

The way I interpret this gear is that having the emergency medpack means I'm not wasting time improvising a tourniquette or splint that may or may not even work; doing so is most definitely a penalty. My own experience verifies that, haha.

But, the supplies are finite. I can only carry so many on me. I'm not worried about how many on are on the ship. The macro supply question is wrapped up in the overall ship consumables and few of us are willing micro manage to that extent. But going into the field is a different story. Maybe they weren't expecting to be off ship that long and things got complicated. The Dr. only grabed 1 emergency medpack and had to use it. Now she needs another. Destiny point! She forgot about the one she stowed in that pouch she hardly ever uses. Score. but after that she has to improvise and incur the penalty.

The Medpack is similiar except when leaving the ship, the standard medpack is comprised of the 1 stimpack and 5 emergency medpacks (arbitrary number) plus the electronics. For those five uses you get no penalty, and the boost die. After that you get the penalty because the consumables are used but you still get the boost die because the electronic equipment is still good and makes improvising materials a little easier because your diagnosis is more accurate.

Well if you want to impose a limit of charges to the medpack, even though it doesn't state that in the description that's fine, but I'd make sure you run it by your players first to make sure they are ok with it. I would also make the cost to replenish those supplies significantly less than the 400 credits for the entire kit. You did mention though, that none of you are willing to micro manage that much, so I'm curious as to why you would want to then create something you have to micromanage that you don't? I mean, there is realism, and then there is nitpickiness.

Ammunition is not tracked in this game, but a Despair can be used to indicate a gun running out of ammo. Apply the same logic to the EMG Medpac and Medpac. If the Doc rolls a Despair on their medicine check to heal a critical injury then you could choose to have the basics run out, a 25cr expenditure will top it back up... if you have access to civilisation.

Here’s the write up for the Athakam Medtech Military Medpac (Untrained/Emergency) on page 57 of “Dangerous Covenants”:

And here’s the write up for the CAPC ECM-598 Medical Backpack on page 48 of “Enter the Unknown”:

The sort of kit you're carrying around IRL isn't necessarily comparable to what you're dealing with in Star Wars, particularly as regards the single-use aspect. Single-use is pretty much what stimpacks (and similar things like nullicaine) are for, and an emergency medpac is probably closer to having a real-world ambulance on hand (and the equipment you can carry inside it), in game and setting terms, partly due to the handwavy/cure-all nature of Star Wars technology.

Ammunition is not tracked in this game, but a Despair can be used to indicate a gun running out of ammo. Apply the same logic to the EMG Medpac and Medpac. If the Doc rolls a Despair on their medicine check to heal a critical injury then you could choose to have the basics run out, a 25cr expenditure will top it back up... if you have access to civilisation.

I agree with this sort of thinking. Just as your players are presumably reliading and recharging their weapons in between adventures, presumably they restock the medkits in between adventures. I wouldn't bother having them run out unless the dice indicate some kind of negative consequence occurs.

The only time I've ever bothered to keep track of how much stuff is actually left in a medpack was when my PCs were out exploring a vast gas cloud where astrogation was difficult and it was a 3-week trip to the nearest inhabited planet to restock. There were no combat encounters in the whole adventure, just lots of environmental hazards (storms, climbing, poisonous plants etc.) so I figured that a good way to raise tension would be to flip a Destiny point each time someone needed healing and then say that a Despair would see that medpack run out of supplies. After two Despairs on one session the group was left with one functioning medpack; there were some pale faces around the table that evening.

But other than that, I'd say it's just unnecessary paperwork. I charge them for buying stuff like stimpacks because those have a tangible effect during gameplay, but things like ammunition (except for things with the Limited Ammo quality) and medical supplies I just handwave as being refilled between adventures. I personally don't want to spend time tracking those things.