Fighter Subclass - The Corpsman, a battle medic that carries their friends to safety

[eunwoler]

This is great! I think this has a ton of potential! I love non-magical healers and martial like this, and would also allow this in my game once it's finished. I have a few questions to help clear up some features and wording.



I feel like this should offer alternative Proficiency options to those fighters that already have Proficiency with Medicine, like the Purple Dragon Knight's similar class feature. Additionally, does the bonus action Healer's Kit use work with the Healer feat? As it is currently worded, it does not seem to allow the Corpsman with Healer to restore hit points as a bonus action using the Healer's Kit, and only allows them to stabilize creatures. Personally, I think that allowing Corpsman with the Healer feat to restore HP as a bonus action would be fun and and not too overpowered, considering it requires investment in a feat and a subclass.


That last feature may need a bit of clarification. how long does that Advantage last? Additionally, if it is only for their next Con Save, you might want to consider making it a bonus action (or reaction, though there may be a balance issue there), so that it does not compete with Triage's other ability and attacks in the Fighter's action economy.


This feature interacts strangely with the Combat Medic Feature, because the Corpsman can already take the Dash action and then stabilize a creature on a bonus action. Because Combat Medic is the only use for the Corpsman's bonus action, this feature is only useful if you need to stabilize 2 creatures in 1 turn. It may be worth considering allowing a limited, 15-feet-or-so Dash as part of the Combat Medic bonus action.



I like this a lot! As JNA Productions mentioned, it just needs a bit of clarification to make it clear that you move adjacent to the ally under attack (if that is the case).



As already noted, Fifth Edition typically phrases abilities like this as being "until the start of your next turn" to make sure the effect lasts for at least 1 round's worth of combat. Other than that wording, it seems great.

Thank you for your kind and descriptive feedback. My intention from the get go was to brainstorm and develop a non magical healing/support class that somehow felt differentiated and could perform differently to its caster alternatives. I am also developing a non magical Rogueish healing archetype themed around a Surgeon or 'Sawbones', which has a bit more of an offensive flavor, I hope you can enjoy this one down the line.

I have added two tool proficiencies in the place of Medicine if it has already been taken. Would something similar to the other ribbon Fighter features where other skill proficiencies are offered feel more natural?

On the note of interaction with the Healer's kit, I don't believe there is any interference with the Healer feat as written. The Healer feat would restore creatures to 1 hit point when stabilized and nothing is stated about duration when it comes to the stabilizing action. Under the subclass feature when used as a bonus action instead of being stabilized to 0 hitpoints, creatures would come up to 1.

I added a definite duration to both the Constitution saving throw feature and the capstone (Symbol of Mercy) saving throws. Since JDN noted the class may be a little underpowered I opted for a duration 'until the end of your next turn' rather than the start of the next turn. I intend for the Triage actions to compete with one another. The Triage feature is a level 7 feature which is generally a ribbon level for Fighters so I didn't want this level to be too strong, on top of it having use outside of combat, + its resourceless. I also like classes where there are various options to play with rather than a definitive winner every turn.

I changed Evacuate the Fallen's wording, it now requires players to move adjacent as originally intended. The flavor of this ability is indeed running in after allies and hoisting/tackling them away from danger.

Some last feedback thoughts, one potential issue I thought might spring up for this subclass is the total lack of offensive options. Every single fighter subclass has a something in the way of improving DPR, even the PDK with Inspiring Surge. Would you consider this an issue, and if so which subclass feats if any would you wish to see replaced with an offensive option?

Furthermore, the class has been intentionally left without any healing options that push hit points beyond 1. I have done this intentionally as to a) not step on the toes of the Healer feat or spellcasting healers, and b) create a different flavor for a Martial healing/support class as one that physically removes danger rather than outright healing it. Additionally, I wanted to not make this a resource dependent class. Do you prefer this direction or would you consider it necessary to have some healing options available? Thank you for the feedback.