KF2 Medic: Why Damage-Dealing Medics Fail (Tests and Tips)

This is a translated Russian-language opinion guide (current as of 20 November 2017, so numbers may be outdated). The author noticed that on English-speaking servers most medics play pure support, while in the Russian-speaking community there is a cult of "pseudo-carrying" with classes not meant for it. He ran his own tests.

The numbers

Tests were run on a test map with the maximum number of fake players. The largest targets used for comparison, with the figures given by the author:

• Scrake: 3600 HP
• Fleshpound: 5200 HP
• King Fleshpound: 30,000 HP
• Patriarch: 18,000 HP
• Hans Volter: 28,000 HP

Damage per shot of medic weapons against a Scrake body with no ammo resistance (first value without, second value with the Battle Surgeon skill):

Weapon	Damage
Pistol	16 / 19
SMG	15 / 18
Shotgun	90 / 110 (all pellets hit)
Assault rifle	35 / 42
Hemogoblin	50 / 60 (25 damage per second, 3 to 4 ticks, about 100 total)
Grenade	12 / 14 (poison only)

For comparison, a level 25 Commando with a SCAR deals 86 per shot with damage skills, and with the Stoner 37. The conclusion: do not try to add to the team's damage pool; it will barely exceed 3 percent of the team's total, and only if the damage dealers are asleep.

Speed

The second pillar of the "radical" medic is run speed. The logic is "fast legs cannot die", but if you deal no damage and your team cannot run away or kill, your odds of winning drop. A solo medic cannot carry, even with perks.

Toxic rounds

The base damage from this perk is 1. The author concedes its true purpose is controlling large zeds and improving medic survival, but says in most cases it ruins plans more than it helps; the mechanic resembles a "toxic shock" panic. The ammo-increase perk is not worth considering: a recent patch sped up the medic's assault rifle reload.

Hemogoblin

Damage per shot is 50 / 60 (25 per second, 100 total per shot), so seven shots would be roughly 1000 damage. It costs 1100 Dosh and draws 0.3 seconds faster. Darts fired per minute:

Weapon	Darts per minute
Pistol	27
SMG	25
Shotgun	26
Assault rifle	61
Hemogoblin	31

The author asks why pay more for a 13 percent gain in dart-throwing over the pistol, plus screen clutter and the questionable damage.

Tips and observations

• Forget the MMO concept of overheal. The processing system cannot keep up with ten darts, so all the healing is counted until the ally reaches the HP limit, and healing is faster. Healing speed is the most important factor.
• Rotate your view. Pressing Tab to read HP is sound but not tactically ideal: you lose the picture of the fight and lengthen aim time.
• If you get pinned, throw a grenade: small zeds enter "toxic shock", Clot grabs break, and Clots and Stalkers try to dodge, giving you room.
• Close the distance to key players; healing is stronger at short range.
• Cover the "glass classes". With up to 175 armor it is a sin not to use it.
• Listen for Siren screams, Scrake growls at lunges and Fleshpound charges: these sounds mean someone is about to take a beating.
• Focus only on healing and last-resort self-defense. Example: in a nuke scenario with 3 players alive, the medic backs up and heals without caring about what is behind.
• Assess the situation: for instance throw 3 darts at a Berserker's back before a Fleshpound lunge. Priority choices come with experience.
• The Acidic Rounds skill does not combine with Hemogoblin: the poison shock chance remains, but the bleed tick falls from 25 to 13. If you use it, go all in.

Comments

Readers pushed back. One said a medic who goes fully down the right tree is effectively a better Survivalist with huge regeneration, a huge health pool and mobility. Another said that if a team lacks damage, that is the damage dealers' problem, not the medic's. One pointed out that the pistol should not fire more darts per minute than the shotgun, and the author did not change his figures.

For other medic guidance see Field Medic playstyles and medic etiquette.