Secret Santicore: The Ship's Doctor

How about a new class for tonight's Santicore gift?

THE REQUEST:  A low- or no-magic healer class for LotFP.

The beauty of Santicore is that other gamers come up with things you might never have considered.  Here, courtesy of Connor, is a very different take on a healer class indeed...

The Ship's Doctor

by Connor Uber

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HD: 1d6/level

Saves: as Cleric

Experience: as Fighter

Whether through some malfunction with a teleporter, wormholes, encounters with strange monoliths or other space-time anomalies the ship's doctor has somehow found his way to a time where man is still bound to the earth that spawned him.

A Ship's Doctor (SD for short) typically begins play with some sort of technological gizmo that aids in medical practices. The size of such item determines its effectiveness, as well as how easy it is to repair and refuel or recharge.

Character Creation

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When creating a Ship's Doctor, roll on the table below for his medical device's size:

1d4

1 Minor (non-encumbering; Ex. Glove of flesh restoration)

2 Small (normal encumbrance; Ex. Medical "Flashlight" raygun)

3 Medium (normal encumbrance; Ex. One-handed Medi-gun)

4 Great (oversized; Ex. Large Medi-gun with backpack battery)

Minor Medical Devices heal base 1d4 HP per application.

Small Medical Devices heal base 1d6 HP per application.

Medium Medical Devices heal base 1d8 HP per application.

Great Medical Devices heal base 1d10 HP per application.

The Medical Device requires recharging/refueling based on its size, and the cost is shown below:

Minor 5sp per charge, 2 base charge limit

Small 10sp per charge, 2 base charge limit

Medium 20sp per charge, 1 base charge limit

Great 40sp per charge, 1 base charge limit

NOTE: This is the cost of materials sufficient to be used as fuel. It generally would not be "buying extra batteries" or whatnot, unless the Referee deeps such possible.

Upgrades

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As the SD rises in level, he can make upgrades to his medical device. Starting at level 3, and every other level afterward, the Ship's Doctor can choose one ability for that level. Each time an upgrade is applied, it costs the Ship's doctor 200sp per upgrade level. Each effect other than normal healing must be separately applied, and takes 1 charge.

SD Level	Upgrade Level
3	1
5	2
6	3
9	4
11	5

Level 1 upgrade: +1d6 Hit point recovery +1 charge Options: Duplicate cleric spell REMOVE FEAR. Duplicate cleric spell HEROISM. Duplicate cleric spell DELAY POISON.

Level 2 Upgrade +1 charge Options: Duplicate cleric Spell CURE DISEASE. Duplicate magic-user spell ARMY OF ONE Duplicate magic user spell PROTECTION FROM NORMAL MISSILES. +1 AC on target for 1d4 rounds (always in effect, no extra charges needed)

Level 3 Upgrade +1d6 Hit Point Recovery +1 Charge Options: Split Healing: split amount healed between two targets. Duplicate cleric spell NEUTRALIZE POISON. Duplicate magic user spell HASTE.

Level 4 Upgrade +1 Charge Options: Duplicate magic-user spell PROTECTION FROM NORMAL MISSILES. Duplicate negative condition removal of cleric spell CURE SERIOUS WOUNDS. +1 AC on target for 1d4 Rounds (stacks with level 2 upgrade, always in effect, no extra charges needed)

Level 5 Upgrade +1d6 Hit Point Recovery +1 Charge Options: Add level to hit points recovered. (Always in effect, no extra charges needed) Duplicate negative condition removal of cleric spell CURE SERIOUS WOUNDS. (stacks with level 4 upgrade; if both are taken, 2 conditions are removed for 1 charge) Regenerate Limb or Organs (takes 2 charges, and 1d4 turns per use)

Ship's Doctor Activities

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Should the SD's medical device be lost, destroyed, or stolen, he can create another such device - of the same type he previously had - with a sufficiently stocked place to work and custom tools equating to at least 1000sp, plus an additional 500sp per upgrade level. He may change his upgrades for an additional 500sp per level of each upgrade swapped out. Though such materials used a said device are 'futuristic' they are actually common materials put through strange mathematics and reality-warping processes that are virtually indistinguishable from magic. Creating such materials without the aid of advanced machinery is taxing for the SD, and he must pull all-nighters frequently during the process. He cannot go on adventures or do little more than walk, eat, and take occasional naps while creating, repairing or upgrading his device.

Due to lack of scientific and medical reference points to compare to in your typical medieval world, it is extremely difficult - but not impossible - for the SD to teach others how to use his device. At a minimum it would take 2d6 months for the SD to gather enough information and books to even know where to start teaching, with a cost of 1500sp per month spent consulting sages, travel expenses, paying for the temporary use of libraries, and so on. This must only be done once, after which he may begin teaching.

Teaching a student the requisite knowledge for operation of any single medical device the ship's doctor can use takes a minimum of 4d4 months and 400sp per year in teaching supplies and books per student. However, teaching a person how to build such a device is beyond his ability, as -stated above- it involves processes that are utterly alien concepts to a medieval world (though the Referee is free to ignore this restriction if he truly wishes.)