D&D 5E Can we add some meaning (power) behind the Skill "Medicine"

[iserith]

Player: I'd like to try a fast medical procedure to restore some of Ragnar's vitality mid-battle. I'll use some specialized tools from my healer's kit to realign his humors!

Player: "Ragnar's not dying on my watch!" I try to awaken him from unconsciousness by binding the worst of his wounds and holding smelling salts from my healer's kit under his nose.

Player: Being in good health myself, I won't rest as my companions are doing. Instead I'll break out my healer's kit and try to fix them up in time for the next challenge.

Player: I give advice and set up a restful environment for my companions so they can rest in a way that will relieve their exhaustion.

Player: I grab a tourniquet and tie it above the snakebite. Then I apply antitoxin to the wound to try and stop the poison from spreading.

The player has stated his or her goal and approach in each of the above examples. Now adjudicate. If the outcome of those actions is uncertain, it seems reasonable to call for a Wisdom (Medicine) check. On a success, the goal is achieved. On a failure, progress toward the goal is achieved (with a setback) or is not achieved.

So I'm not sure why we'd need "stock" applications for the Medicine skill. All players need do is take fictional actions with a clear goal and approach. If the outcome is uncertain and seems "Mediciny," then they'll get to roll an ability check and apply that skill. (Though, of course, they should hope for success without a roll at all, right?)

 

[Rune]

Hit Dice can only be used in a Short Rest

That would be why he said, "if."

Personally, I don't see the need to attach mechanical effects to the medicine skill (but then, I don't think any of the skills needed mechanical effects). The difference between someone using a healer's kit and proficiency with medicine is the difference between a medic and a doctor. Where the fiction of the game would call for a distinction, the distinction is useful.

 

[Warmaster Horus]

In D&D magic trumps science. My healer cleric don't need no stinking Medicine skillz when he is granted Spare the Dying and Detect Poison and Disease by his god.

 

[Athinar]

That was the problem, no one in my group want to run a stinking cleric, too weak

250 days and 250 Gold is in the DMG for learning Languages, so we use it for everything the DM does not wants to do, like refit Platemail, etc...



what, wrong post, sorry

 

[Athinar]

The Problem with the Medicine Skill and My DM is, "If it is not written in the Players Handbook you can not do it"!!!!!!

So the only thing that the Medicine Skill is used for is Stabilize creatures

 

[iserith]

The Problem with the Medicine Skill and My DM is, "If it is not written in the Players Handbook you can not do it"!!!!!!

Yes, that is a problem. But it's not a problem with the game...

 

[Athinar]

There are no "specialized tools" in the Healer's Kit
at this point You can do that only with the "Healer's Feat"
and the only way to fix his "humors" is to "Blood" him to remove the bad humors

"smelling salts" is not listed in Kit, (Bandages, salves and splints, small splints at that, the kit does not carry a splint for a broken leg, the Kits Weight is 3 lbs)

Only value of the Healers kit is with the "Healers Feat" and to stop some one from dying

And the Dumb Barbarian tells you to stop talking he is trying to sleep

Player: I grab a tourniquet and tie it above the snakebite. Then I apply antitoxin to the wound to try and stop the poison from spreading.

Sorry nothing in the book about aiding a Poison Save with Medicine or antitoxin; by the time the creature with the medicine skill and or the antitoxin has her/his turn the damage is done

 

[Athinar]

medic (Corpsman) is from today's Medicine, they carry around gear to stabilize on the battlefield and then MedVac out the wounded to a Hospital with Nurses and Doctors

Doctor's in the olden days carried around his or her black bag of goodies to include alcohol to sterilize wounds and cutting tools, etc..

So in game terms there is no difference between Medic/Corpsmen and Doctors, that is the reason we have Clerics, but if we don't have a Cleric then we need a some one with Medicine, that is the reason the Medicine skill needs more information in it.

 

[iserith]

It's really easy to see how to say "Yes" when you stop looking for reasons to say "No." You're doing exactly what you say your DM is doing. Try imagining how something can work rather than why it can't. Then you will see how all of the fictional actions I suggested are easily adjudicated using existing rules.

 

[Athinar]

I will try these "fictional actions" next game; to see if we can use the Medicine Skill + Healing Kit to aid in the short rest, but I'm not hold my breath