I was making a new character recently and I was thinking of using the medicine skill for my earned income. To my surprise I found that medicine cannot be used to earn income (normally at least). Is this correct or am I missing something? It would seem to me that using your medicine skills to heal and cure ailments during downtime would be an acceptable way to earn income.
I ask this mainly in context of Society play. I know normal play is up to the GM more or less and it seems that they made allowances for that in the wording and a possible increase in DC per the GM's decision. Is anyone aware of this would make since for society and if not why? Is there a good reason for this like balance of the skill?
Sorry if this was discussed before but I found no threads on it specifically when I searched.
I'd be surprised if you can use it in society. Medicine is already arguably the best skill in the game, so I don't really think it needs to become a Downtime income earner as well. Flavor wise, remember that earning income isn't just a function of being good at a task, it is a function of marketing it. You can heal sick poor people at the local church all day, but if you want to get money from them for it you'll need a little business savvy, AKA medical practice lore.
Same than Captain Morgan: Medecine doesn't allow you to earn income. The only non lore skills that earn income are Performance and Crafting.
I think it's a design choice, as most skills have jobs associated: acrobat, priest, burglar, magic item identifier, diplomat, medic, etc...
I'd be surprised if you can use it in society. Medicine is already arguably the best skill in the game, so I don't really think it needs to become a Downtime income earner as well. Flavor wise, remember that earning income isn't just a function of being good at a task, it is a function of marketing it. You can heal sick poor people at the local church all day, but if you want to get money from them for it you'll need a little business savvy, AKA medical practice lore.
That makes sense. I like that explanation of the lore aspect. I think it is just a bit odd that no wisdom based skill can earn income. The description of wisdom in the Core book even seems to indicate that it would be viable for that purpose.
Wisdom measures your character’s common sense, awareness, and intuition.
Maybe I am reading too much into it and as was said it could just be for balance purposes.
Thank you all very much for the explanation and clarification!
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Keep in mind, nothing prevents them from making a skill feat like Bargain Hunter that lets you use a wisdom skill to earn income. It just doesn't exist yet and you can't by default.
In some cases, the GM might let you use a different skill to Earn Income through specialized work. Usually, this is scholarly work, such as using Religion in a monastery to study old texts—but giving sermons at a church would still fall under Performance instead of Religion. You also might be able to use physical skills to make money, such as using Acrobatics to perform feats in a circus or Thievery to pick pockets. If you’re using a skill other than Crafting, Lore, or Performance, the DC tends to be significantly higher.
I would ask your GM if they would allow it and it would be open to you.
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Earn Income is for Downtime, if you're out adventuring, you're not in Downtime.I think their point was why waste your time earning money in downtime when you could just go adventuring and make bank.
*blink*
Because for whatever reason that may crop up you and the rest of the party are in Downtime. It's something to do in Downtime.
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Earn Income is for Downtime, if you're out adventuring, you're not in Downtime.I think their point was why waste your time earning money in downtime when you could just go adventuring and make bank.*blink*
Because for whatever reason that may crop up you and the rest of the party are in Downtime. It's something to do in Downtime.
For instance, when the plot indicates the characters have to go back to town and rent an alchemy lab, and put together the magical ingredients and craft the new custom magical item to take into the Tomb of Gygax which has been corrupted by some great evil. The magic crafter has to spend the minimum of 4 days. If the others want to pass some time and make money, rather than sitting. It is reasonable to want to use a skill that sounds like it makes sense to make money. Some campaigns may expect at least some small segments of downtime. That is why they have rules for it.
I think I agree that raw, it is not intended for medicine you can make an income rolls for the game balance reason, and the mention of Lore Medical Practice is a perfectly reasonable reason/alternative to allow medical income rolls.
It also is perfectly reasonable in circumstances where Medical care is specifically needed by the community, that one could make money with the Medicine skill without having the business acumen, since someone else will see the need, and make sure the practical aspects are dealt with, and the practitioner gets paid. But again, that's on the GM to decide there is the necessary call. Just like it might be hard to imagine a Dragon Lore skill being used for income in a small farmstead community with no interests in dragons.
There are similar lore skills. The herbalist backgroup gives you Herbalism lore, which you can certainly use. There may be other relevant lore skills linked to healing. The CRB mentions midwifery lore.
Offhand, I too would think the Medicine skill could be used to earn income. Seems like a no-brainer. People need medical attention, almost anywhere there are people. Even if the rules don't allow it as such, you and your DM might feel differently.
In some cases, the GM might let you use a different skill to Earn Income through specialized work. Usually, this is scholarly work, such as using Religion in a monastery to study old texts—but giving sermons at a church would still fall under Performance instead of Religion. You also might be able to use physical skills to make money, such as using Acrobatics to perform feats in a circus or Thievery to pick pockets. If you’re using a skill other than Crafting, Lore, or Performance, the DC tends to be significantly higher.
I would ask your GM if they would allow it and it would be open to you.
As a side note, please note when you are quoting the rulebooks. It looks better when arguing :)
Otherwise, this is pretty much it. Available jobs are by definition determined by the GM. 'Sorry, we don't need a medic. But how's your occultism? We need a few more chanters ... no? Aww.'