Maybe it's for when you don't have access to more serums? A fall-back that doesn't get burned through so quickly.
Starfinder isn't Science Fiction, it's Science Fantasy/Fantasy in Space.
Well, I think the medkit can be used again and again, while the serum is a one-use item. Certainly, the serum is invaluable in combat for instant healing, but outside combat, the medkit would save money in the long run.
One use was brought up in another thread. Bleed damage. Bleeding doesn't bypass stamina. The damage is done to stamina until all of your stamina is gone then it starts doing HP. Bleed damage is cured by either a DC 15 medicine check or via something that heals HP. While a GM might rule that you can drink your serum to heal the bleeding even though you are not missing any HP it is still a partial waste.
I mean, assuming you're never going to use the Medicine skill otherwise, sure you could just ditch it for healing items
Do you think the Medicine skill would be used much otherwise?
Honestly wondering.
I mean, assuming you're never going to use the Medicine skill otherwise, sure you could just ditch it for healing itemsDo you think the Medicine skill would be used much otherwise?
Honestly wondering.
Depends on the type of campaign. I could see it be used as a type of forensics skill (wounds identification, autopsies, etc). So detective or murder mysteries in space. That strikes me more as a Medicine roll instead of say, Life Science. Or at the very least complementary.
It is also a way to get +4 bonuses to Poison/Disease saves, which are hard to come by. Given Medicine is going to be much higher than your saving throws, its a pretty save bet to get the +4 bonus. You also should be able to take 10 on it when not in combat.
Certainly many a Pathfinder scenario has used a not often used skill in an unusual way. Say if you come across a space freighter carrying a bunch of plagued refugees, you're going to want that skill and a medkit or two.
Lastly, its a great excuse to put "Doctor" in front of your name. :)
I mean, assuming you're never going to use the Medicine skill otherwise, sure you could just ditch it for healing itemsDo you think the Medicine skill would be used much otherwise?
Honestly wondering.
You'll probably want the Medicine skill for treating Poison and Diseases, since the serum of healing doesn't affect those. That and a Spell Amp that can cure them costs 3000cr and is only caster level 9. If you get the Cackle Fever (a DC 16 Disease) that Amp has only a 50/50 chance of curing it.
In the realm of Hit Point damage, consider that a 10th level Engineer who maxes out his Medicine skill ranks and has an INT of 24 will have a +20 to their Medicine check. Presuming they can roll a 5 with an Advanced Medkit, that's 17 points of healing to a 10th level character (probably about 1/4 of their total HP) which is about 200cr worth of serums and is not expended. If you have a party of four who gets wounded a lot, that Advanced Medkit might pay for itself in a little over three days.
If you can get the patient to a Medical Lab, you can use your Medicine skill to Treat Deadly Wounds *twice* a day. It would take a wee bit longer to pay off that 7000cr lab, but if you have a ship, you can buy one for BP instead of credits, making it an opportunity cost instead of an out-of-pocket one.
This looks much the same as in PF - just replace with the heal skill, a healing kit and a potion of cure light wounds as appropriate. Treat deadly wounds is faster than it was at 1 minute now of course.
If medkits don't have uses and there are no consequences for failing the medicine check then so long as you have the time and a bit of medicine skill you should use the medkit to heal for free. If any of those isn't true you'll want to have a briefcase full of serums.