Getting healed by the party healer, through magical mean or the treat wound action (and restoring HP through rest) is the only way to heal the companion as far as I know. A healer's kit have unlimited uses, but you can't use it to treat someone more than once each hours. It takes 10 minutes out of combat, or one action in combat if you use the battle medecine feat (but you can only use battle medecine once per day for each target).
So keeping your companion healed in combat is going to be difficult unless you poach the druid focus spell by taking it's archetype. If you don't, you rely on the group healer to help your companion as well as you.
Medicine is the main class-agnostic means of non-resource-using healing. That's the same for animal companions PCs, anything. The healers kit is not a consumable, there is no number of uses limit.
Rangers have an in-class Focus Spell option for that for their companion. Warden spell feats are their only specific additional options for that inside of their class.
Healing focus spells are the most common source of renewable healing that isn't Medicine (with classes like bard, witch, champion and druid having options that are commonly also grabbed via multiclass archetype, or via the Blessed One archetype, which ranger could do if they like).
Kineticist also has some renewable healing impulses that are fairly appealing to pick up via archetype.
Having one or more of these tools in a party is basically essential. Relying on burning up spell slots or potions for healing when there isn't a pressing threat would be extremely unsustainable.
Whether the ranger is the one handling the healing or someone else in the party is, or some combination of dividing the load varies between groups
Rangers are able to get focus spells. That was added as feats in the Advanced Player's Guide. Heal Companion would do the job quite nicely.
You could also take an archetype such as Blessed One to get Lay on Hands, or Sorcerer archetype and Basic Spellcasting and get Heal or Soothe. Any of those would let you heal both your animal companion and yourself or your allies (though the spellcasting archetypes like Sorcerer would only let you do it a very few times per day).
Medicine skill and Treat Wounds also works nicely for healing your companion.
Medicine kits don't have a limit on uses. You can role-play having to restock your kit with bandages, gauze, and tape if you like, but there is no need to spend silver or gold in-game to do that.
Hey all,
Total noob so my apologies up front. I'm reading as much as I can and googling as well, but some times either my framing the question or lack of understanding gets in the way.
Have you tried the Archives of Nethys? That is my go-to site for quick Pathfinder reference. Some of my players use Hepaistos or Pathbuilder 2e, but I know Pathbuilder costs money.
Having that out of the way, how do Rangers heal their Animal Companion? I know the Druid gains a spell they can cast to heal them fairly well, but with Rangers lacking spells, are there no other means than a medical kit?
Rangers can get focus spells, which don't use spell slots. Instead, they recharge after a 10-minute Refocus activity. Focus spells cost class feats to acquire. The Heal Companion 1st-level class feat gives the Heal Companion focus spell.
However, healing an animal companion with Treat Wounds is fine, too. To gain Treat Wounds, simply train in Medicine skill and buy Healer's Tools. Treat Wounds does not provide emergency healing during the middle of combat like a spell would, but the Battle Medicine skill feat does that. Skill feats are easier to acquire than class feats; for example, the Field Medic background provides training in Medicine and the Battle Medicine feat.
Also, regarding healer/medical kit - how many uses do they provide?
Unlimited uses. My players like to pretend that the characters regularly restock their Healer's Tools with natural remedies harvested from the roadside.
Is this in Remaster? I've not seen anything about Focus Spells in Remaster yet.
Yes. Ranger has a level 1 feat "Initiate Warden" which gives one Initiate Warden spell of choice - any that are printed in Player Core or that are printed in later books that your character and the campaign have access to.
Initiate Warden spell is the lowest tier of Ranger Focus spells. The ones in Player Core are Gravity Weapon, Heal Companion, and Magic Hide.
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Some of my players use Hepaistos or Pathbuilder 2e, but I know Pathbuilder costs money.
Just as a quick heads up, Pathbuilder is free to use. They have a (very affordable) one-time payment if you want to use some optional stuff like free archetype.
Regarding healing your companion i think most options were already listed. Heal Companion is usable in combat, but as you already need a class feat to get an animal companion it is difficult to aquire alongside.