So a friend of mine wants to play a character based around the medical skill and he can't figure it out so I told him I would help him.

Character Concept: He wants to be a man who lived with a disease since he was younger that weakens his immune system leaving him a bit more fragile, his whole life he has been searching for a cure learning about all the medical secrets he could find and along the way helping those who suffer of their own medical conditions. (short I know but he wants to build the classes and stuff before fleshing it out any further)


So far I have come up with this
Mandatory Proficient Skills: Medicine (wis), Slight of hand (Dex), Nature and/or investigation (Intelligence)
Mandatory Tool Proficiency: Herbalist Kit and possibly Alchemy Kit

As for class I am debating what is better and narrowed it down to Rogue for the dex and allowing him to dip between wisdom and intelligence while getting expertise in his chosen options, Druid for the wisdom focus with dips of intelligence and dex and the theme of using nature (still not sure which subclass would be best for this theme though), I would say cleric but he doesn't like clerics play style so that is out of the picture, I could see monk being used for the fact that they have a dex and wisdom focus for primary stats, and ranger could be used but he has always been worried about not having fun on ranger.

He also wants me to give him a list of races that he may like to look through that would fit well with his concept and build and I was thinking Kenku, Halfling, Human, Kalashtar from what he wants and what I will allow in my current setting out of what he liked the looks of.

Any help or advice on this? I really like his idea for a unique character he wants to play which is why I am all for helping him out with this a lot, he doesn't want to multiclass btw because this is only his second campaign the first one lasted like 2 months before the DM ghosted everyone at their table...

I bet the Way of Mercy UA monk would fit nicely there. I once played a character who had also had a lifelong illness, so they joined a monastery to learn to train their body to reflect the illness (I think there's an ability that makes you immune to disease or something). I had them become a Sun Soul monk because the Mercy UA wasn't out, but if i made that character again I'd probably go Mercy.

Artificer Alchemist

Love this idea will have to run it by him, can't wait to hear advice from others because sometimes people pull shit out that wasn't anywhere near what you would have thought of XD

This is how my campaign usually goes lol the main plot I started with is completely different with some things recycled thanks to my players saying something and I am like "That would be cool as shit".

I looked into that and showed him we both feel it's just a bit too underwhelming kinda like the four elements monk and the spore druid... great concepts, great ideas, but they just function very badly I feel.

He could spin the disease into a reason for becoming a Bloodhunter, Order of the Mutant.  He learns that the disease is not natural, bur created by magical means and deliberately released upon the world for evil.  And that the Order of the Mutant's mutagens are able to stabilize the disease within himself, freeing him from it's debilitating effects so he can search for a way to end it and destroy the one who created it.  Potential stumbling block I see, though, is that Bloodhunter is Intel, not Wis, and if you go with Dex instead of Str, you kind of get pigeonholed into ranged attacks and a Rapier.

As for race...  Perhaps he's an Aarakocra, but the disease prevents him from flying.  Should the story unfold such that he succeeds in curing himself, he gets his flight speed back.

I've used that as an origin for a Necromancer Wizard before. Undying Warlock would also work. 

Gotta say a lizardfolk necromancer still sounds fun on a side note lol

Quote from Tyrs16 >>

Artificer Alchemist

I'll second this. Make him a variant human with the Prodigy Feat (Expertise in Medicine, proficiency in herbalism kit) and Cloistered Scholar background who has taken up alchemy in order to research cures for diseases.

Thief Rogue with the Healer Feat.

You can heal with a healer's kit as a BA and can get expertise in Medicine and Insight.

Monk Way of the Long Death, looking for a way to postpone his own death, hermit background.  Variant human with either Skilled or Prodigy to get all the proficiencies he wants.

Maybe a little outside the box given the original post but what about a more Jerkyll & Hyde approach, In order to try and cure themselves they indulge in self experimentation with alchemy throughout their adult life which leads to a bit of a split personality, could be some good roleplay oppotunities...especially as this is a Barbarian build:

definition: Jekyll: the act of self experimentation involving alchemical substances.

definition: Hyde: an alternate, hidden and psychotic personality.

Jekyll & Hyde's are highly intelligent individuals that have used self experimentation with alchemy and have suffered some unforeseen side effects. They have developed a psychotic alternate personality. They often have a potion they drink to allow this personality to take over their body and perform super human levels of physical prowess and resistance to damage (enter a rage) and most feel unable to enter a rage without taking this potion. This potion only works with the barbarians alchemically altered physiology and to anyone else tastes like stagnant water. A side effect of this process is that the Jekyll side of the characters personality often "blacks out" and does not know what their Hyde side does when it is in control of the body but it is also apparent that the Hyde side remains fully aware even when it is not in control of the body and knows what the Jekyll side does when it is in control. The Hyde personality can also take over control if the Jekyll personality fails at something, in essence if the Jekyll personality rolls a natural one on any d20 roll, the Hyde personality takes over but still needs to drink a potion in order to rage.

Background wise, they come from highly educated backgrounds where alchemy and/or medicine has been their focus of study, such as Acolyte, Charlatan, Guild Artisan, Sage and Noble and they usually have above average Intelligence. Alignments for the Jekyll personality are often Lawful and those of the Hyde are Chaotic, however over time, due to the stresses and strains of slipping between personalities, both alignments often drift towards Chaotic and without an external guiding influence they may end up Evil as well. In addition to be psychotic, the Hyde persona is a deeply secretive individual and will often masquerade as the Jekyll persona.

Skill Wise, Jekyll's initially focus on Medicine, Nature and Alchemical Supplies but their Hyde personality often has a focus on Deception, Intimidation and Survival.

Advancement wise, Jekyll & Hyde's are difficult to pin down as the personalities are often in conflict with each other. The Hyde persona often wants to explore more combative ways of life and explore their psychotic drives (taking more levels of Barbarian or multiclassing Ranger or Fighter) whilst the Jekyll persona tries to remain logical and may even try to find a way to exorcise the Hyde personality or undo their alchemical mistake (taking levels of Wizard). On some occasions their split personality may draw the attention of Demogorgon who may offer a Pact to allow them to serve as a Warlock.

Feat selection is like wise split between the two personalities as they struggle for dominance.

Equipment wise, they carry many alchemical supplies and enough components to manufacture the potions they drink to enter a rage. Armour and weapons are oddly refined compared to those of other Barbarians.

I know I am late to the party but I been wanting to build a doctor and see what others had come up with.

If you're still figuring it out let me give some of my thoughts.

Start with Druid it gives you healing spells, medical skill, at lvl 2 wild shape to spiders to make webs to turn to string or rags. You also can used Herbalism kit. You also take the Fail Merchant background. It will give you connection for items or information with shops and stores. You also get to know one more tool. So picking Alchemists Kit is a easy choice and you get 10 gold which a Herbalism Kit is five gold. So right off the bat you have both kits and skill in using them, healing magic, skill medical and all this at lvl 1.

Rogue is very skill in dex and slide of hand but Expertise will boost yours skills and that is important.

I like the idea of a way of mercy monk.

A Lore Bard could also be very fitting, since they have expertise, healing spells, the theme of the subclass is to gather knowledge, and they can cherry pick healing spells with magical secrets. Song of Rest is thematic and would show that the bard has researched a myriad of ways to heal.

Aid was added to the Bard spell list through Tasha's and Inspiring Leader can be used as an additional way to "heal" people 

I think some people are missing the point of this. This is a doctor build, if they want to be a healer there tons of better builds. The way I see it is healing magic is costly so are potions and if you have a town that is hurt you'll find keeping those spell slots open is very important.

At first I was going dismiss Way of Mercy but that I read it. It has some nice ability, however it also fail in a few ways. You need to used ki and ki points will be costly to used like spell slots, an other issue is you can't start your doctor journey at lvl 1 with monk. 

Bard is a nice choice, expertise to boost skills and Inspiring yourself for medical rolls would be good. Issues is getting to your your Colleague of Lore lvl 3 once you get it and get expertise now what will you do? You wasted time to get expertise that you might as well be a healer.

If you ask me there are a few things you can do to be the best DnD-MD.

1. Ranger could actually make great expertise doctors. No I mean it, at lvl one you gain favorite enemy which you let you choose 2 enemies to gain wisdom on and learn there language. Being a doctor that is handy to know.

2. Divination Wizard is not to bad at 2nd lvl you gain the power to know the out come of a roll. ((Yet again this is costly but worth it))

Right now in my campaign we are starting at level 3 so I focus on the two skills I need. Medical and Slide of Hand. I choose Circle of the Moon Druid and 1 lvl Rogue with background Fail Merchant. I choose Moon cause you get access to the good beast and before going to bed if you didn't wildshape than you can used it to make supplies. Spider web is silk that can be used for bandages or rags, venom you can sell or turn to antidotes. You also skill in herbalism kit. With Rogue you get Expertise at lvl 1 and know how to used thieves tools. Fail Merchant you can learn one tool of your choice why not learn Alchemists Supplies. So right off the bat at lvl 3 I know how to used 3 tools, I can make some supplies for free at night. I have some healing spells but there not the focus. I do want to get more lvls in druid so I can learn Plant Growth, growing your own herbs to make potions will speed up your role nicely. Once I get that I might go monk.. I do like healing hands.

I’d go Banneret.  Before you mock me… let’s compare the total healing you can pull off with no use of magic:

2 extra feats, one at level 6 and one at level 14.  Use these to take Chef and Inspiring Leader.

So you have:

- Second Wind/Rallying Cry: Heals self 1d10+(level), and 3 others for (level) HP for a bonus action.  Usable once every short rest.

- Chef: An extra 1d8 HP when people use their short rest to roll Hit Dice.  And treats that add (prof bonus) Temp HP.

- Healer: 1d6+4+(level) HP per person per short rest.

- Inspiring Leader: (level)+(Cha mod) Temp HP to your party.

Let’s assume a level 10 Fighter with 20 Charisma and 4 PCs in the party:

- At the beginning of the day you get 15 temp HP each from IL (total of 60).

- Every short rest you can heal 17.5 HP from Healer to each party member and 45.5 HP from SW/RC (total of 115.5).

- You also have a supply of 4 treats that give you 4 Temp HP each (total of 16), usable once per long rest.

Result: In a typical day with 3 short rests, that’s 346.5 + 16 + 60 = 422.5 HP that doesn’t depend on magic at all.

Monk Way of the Long Death: a recluse with a history who looked for ways to postpone his own death. Variant human with the ability to acquire all needed proficiencies using either Prodigy or Skilled skills.

Anything with the Healer Feat and the Chef Feat.

Quote from Tyrs16 >>

Artificer Alchemist

 

 And playing an Artificer means you can get a sonic screwdriver all-purpose tool...