KF2 Field Medic Beginner Guide: Buffs First, Heals Second

This page is a cleaned-up translation of a Russian Steam guide, written in a deliberately rude, ironic style, for players who start on the Field Medic. The author's point is simple: at high difficulty the Medic's real contribution is buffs, not just healing. Below are the substance and advice without the swearing. For more complete Medic guides see Field Medic guide: weapons, skills, poison myths and the Field Medic survival manual (RU).

Why buffs come first

The Field Medic skill screen. The author builds around the self-buff for 125 HP.

On higher difficulties the main help a Medic gives is buffs: movement speed, damage for any weapon and damage absorption, delivered during Zed time by killing rather than by spraying an area effect, plus the 125 HP self-buff. Change the keybinds to suit you, because the defaults were awkward for the author, who also notes the mouse wheel is not recognized for them.

Start of the game

Starting out with the medic pistol and two grenades.

You spawn with a medic pistol and two grenades. As your level rises the hand syringe cooldown drops, which you need for the 125 HP build: the 6% healing you get from teammates will absorb all the damage you take. Shoot buffs at allies often, even at full health. Use grenades only in an emergency when you or the team are being crushed. Buffs greatly reduce the chance of the team wiping: on Hell on Earth without three buffs the team is usually in trouble, so heal often and use the help call (the Z key in the author's binds) when a big threat is coming at you. In the author's words, without three buffs you are in trouble on Hell on Earth.

Weapons

The Field Medic purchase list, with the author's picks highlighted in colored boxes.

• Early rounds: the starting pistol.
• Then the Hemogoblin (1100 dosh): the best healer among regular medic weapons. It debuffs ZEDs by slowing their movement and attacks and causing bleed, and one-shots two Berserkers (Brutes) in the head, or a Rioter when you are buffed.
• The HMTech-501 with grenades (2000 dosh): the author calls it overpowered. It heals 80 HP and buffs hard and long (only 10 darts), and the grenades poison ZEDs slightly. A ZED either turns sickly green or hits you hard; it is luck. It saves you and your team on Hell on Earth.
• The author's complaint is the vacuum-cleaner style flame medic gun, which many use by default: weak damage, weak darts, not enough fuel to heal unless the team is calm. Better to save for the Hemogoblin, or ask the team for dosh when low.

Playstyle

Three active buffs and 125 HP on the HUD. The original image caption says that with them you are invincible.

The Medic's real job is to read the game ahead of time and heal allies, not to run at ZEDs shouting and killing everyone. Buffs are the main and most important part of the gameplay, not a useless helper who gives one or two buffs with six players around and heals now and then. The summary the author gives, as a final joke: "Yes, a universal answer to all questions?"