Players You Don’t Want on Your Team: Whining Medic
Medics.
Murderous tendencies aside, there’s no doubt that medics have one of the most important jobs on a team. While the job isn’t glamorous, a good medic goes a long way toward winning a round. And to encourage people to play Medic, medics are rewarded with points. Lots of points.
Now, obviously a team needs a medic. If a team indeed has a medic, then it’s certainly good that some brave soul decided to step up to the bat (or is it bonesaw?), and play the rather unglamorous support class. Really, that’s great! But it’s not good that many medics take this as a license to whine.
Well, let me quickly run a quick disclaimer. I like playing medic, though I don’t play it very much. If ever I get bored of playing Demoman or Soldier (my favorite two classes), or if my team desperately needs a medic, then I play medic. Something is quite thrilling about staying alive when everyone is gunning for you.
Z-2 is “Thanks”, we know.
OK! Fine! You get the short end of the stick, we know. You don’t get the glamour of playing soldier or demoman or spy. You don’t get many kills. Sure. Fine. Your point?
HEALING IS YOUR JOB. It’s why you’re playing medic. Unless you’re an amazingly good battle medic (and actually, even if you are), you still should heal people who need it. You can’t hold a grudge against someone and refuse to heal them (Healers against Haloes, anyone?). It makes you the most useless player on the server. You’re even depriving yourself of points as a matter of principle. A really, really misguided principle. Congratulations, you.
Z-2 is a matter of courtesy. I always thank my medics, but I don’t need to. Hell, the game automatically thanks my medic for me!
While it’s good that many players take good care to protect their medics, that’s not their primary job. Their primary job is to kill the enemy. It’s the medic’s responsibility to watch their own back and the back of their patient, and to warn the patient of imminent danger – especially true in a competitive setting. The patient is doing the killing here. Let him concentrate on the killing. It’s considerably simpler to keep the medigun beam locked on the patient than to actually gun an enemy down. The medic, having only to hold the LMB down, should have plenty of time to check around and be completely aware of everything.
The Patient’s Responsibility
The patient has one responsibility regarding his medic: keep him alive. In other words, don’t go out of your medic’s healbeam range. Listen to your medic. Love him [sort of NSFW]. Remember, working with your medic will be beneficial to both of you.
Still no excuse to bitch. Medics, do your job, please.
Thank you.
Stumble it!
himmelstoss responded on 10 Nov 2009 at 1:51 pm #
Ahem, Rythyrix. Ahem.
Alexander responded on 10 Nov 2009 at 1:57 pm #
Not to mention the option that makes it so you don’t have to hold the mouse button down.
Francis Loves Bacon responded on 10 Nov 2009 at 2:07 pm #
I was just talking about this the other day.
I actually prefer that people don’t thank me most of the time. The split second of diverted attention for that z-2 could be just enough to delay someone’s reaction to an incoming attack.
Constantly using that also makes it pretty much meaningless. I thank medics in the same situations that I thank anyone else, when they’ve just saved my ass.
Connor Lonske/Battle Medic responded on 10 Nov 2009 at 2:19 pm #
I guess I am the inspiration for this rant.
Jackal responded on 10 Nov 2009 at 2:37 pm #
I still think it’s funny that at the end you say that there is no reason to bitch when your patient isn’t doing his job..but the entire article is about just that :/
PC Major responded on 10 Nov 2009 at 2:47 pm #
It kind of gets my annoyed when medics complain you’re moving too fast for them to heal you. If you honestly can’t aim your gun at a team mate and press m1 it scares me to think what kind of odds you would have against someone trying to kill you.
Bunni responded on 10 Nov 2009 at 4:15 pm #
Try playing “Heavy and medic get it on” with Thriller in the background.
MasterBirdy responded on 10 Nov 2009 at 4:29 pm #
Medic is just a W + M1 class anyways.
chipbuster responded on 10 Nov 2009 at 4:52 pm #
no, medic is a WASD + M1 class. just mash the four buttons and you’ll go far in dodging a lot of scout picks
hey, its worked for me so far
at any rate, if it’s a pug, I’ll agree
If I’m playing a pub and you repeatedly ignore my requests to escort me to a healthpack when I’m at 20 health and on fire and I KNOW you have sounds, and then while I’m trying to get there myself, a scout picks me, and I had 88% uber….yeah, I’m going to stop healing you for a while. This happened just 2 days ago
The Medik responded on 10 Nov 2009 at 5:14 pm #
Hey, I have thanks bound to “v”. Do I get fancy points?
Neuromante responded on 10 Nov 2009 at 6:30 pm #
It’s quite ironic how, over 2 years from launch, people still playing medic in a bad way (when they DO play as medic).
Battle medics, medic chains, sticky medics (Those who sticks to a player -usually clan-mate, friend or just a heavy-who-gets-lot-of-points)… but always server with class limits have the scout/spy/sniper slots filled.
then you switch to medic and have to heal 3 scouts attacking in badwater, or those happy snipers, standing still.
pweh -_-
Guru responded on 10 Nov 2009 at 11:32 pm #
I will continue to yell at bad players.
Sandman responded on 11 Nov 2009 at 3:08 am #
I’m fine if you refuse to heal bad players that always lead you to your death. I mean, heal them when everything is clear (of course), but don’t buddy up with them during a push.
But I’m glad to hear someone finally say that looking for baddies is the medic’s responsibility, not the target’s. It’s common sense.
FWIW, “thanks!” is F2 for me. Second only to “spy!” at F1.
Arthur responded on 11 Nov 2009 at 3:32 am #
I think this is a bit degrading for a uber charged post… this seams like more of a steamforums type thing. That said you make a point, but this isn’t nearly as bigger problem as people bitching about there medic.
wafer responded on 11 Nov 2009 at 3:33 am #
I hate medics that scream at you for everything. Many seem to think by ubercharging you, you automatically wipe out a quarter of the other team even if your in the middle of nowhere.
I protect my medic as a pyro but I expect them to watch the flank and whip out their syringe gun (surprisingly powerful at close range) when necessary.
Laerin responded on 11 Nov 2009 at 7:17 am #
Nice article. I think the disappreciated medics has become scarce on even most pub servers now anyway and we are just left with what you describe here.
Z-2 has become habit to me as both a genuine ‘thank you’ and a sarcastic one >_>
Although it is the patients role to kill, it is also in a way, their duty to attempt to protect their healer instead of taking advantage of the regenerating overheal.
Oh and there is nothing more annoying than getting happy at the sight of a medic and then having them explode into the numerous bits that compose of your corpse:
No medic is a disadvantage. A battle medic is killer.
‘(Healaers against Haloes, anyone?)’
Spelling error?
ExAstris responded on 11 Nov 2009 at 7:46 am #
I will not heal players who (a) act like douchebags and (b) don’t look out for me after they’re done or when I’m vulnerable.
Sobchak responded on 11 Nov 2009 at 7:54 am #
’bout goddamn time we got a new article.
Nessmk2 responded on 11 Nov 2009 at 9:05 am #
I agree. As a medic, I will heal anyone until they prove themselves unworthy of my time/effort. If you’re ‘The boxing heavy” and I have someone else to heal, don’t expect much love.
I usually have 2 mental ‘lists’ in a server. 1st list is ‘No uber” which you get put on for seriously blowing an uber, and it is most certainly your fault. For example, I uber a pyro I just saw get some ammo, and rather than rushing in he stands back and flaregun-snipes, or a heavy who I know has ammo goes in to try to KGB people. Or even a pyro/demo running PAST a set of enemy guns to burn/explode someone that happens to be dominating them. At that point, I’ll heal you all you need, but probably give my uber to someone who will use it better.
My no-heal list is reserved for special idiots. I’ve put maybe 3 people on it ever. 1st was a soldier that, once I ubered him, stood still and tuanted. And taunted. And taunted. 2nd was a very obnoxious scout that KNEW he was the captain of our team and that WE were all failing because we wouldn’t all drop what we were doing and all rush to defend him whenever he found a level 1 guarding E on Steel. 3rd was a griefer.
Limiting myself? Maybe. But in extreme cases, I think I reserve that right.
Gus Chiggins responded on 11 Nov 2009 at 9:24 am #
I will do my time as medic on pub servers, but about the third time that a scout runs directly past the group I am healing and two-shots me without so much as a bullet on him, I will switch to another class.
If you know your medic is being attacked, it is your responsibility to throw yourself in the way and defend him. If you don’t see that scout or hear me on the mic saying “scout coming at me, scout on me, scout is on me!, SCOUT ON ME, SCOU- FUCK!” then you don’t deserve a medic or a win.
Alien Rope Burn responded on 11 Nov 2009 at 11:10 am #
I don’t know how many times I’ve had to abandon a patient to a pyro because they don’t understand the patient’s responsibility. Hint, once that pyro can hit you, chances are he’s going to hit me half a second later. A lot of people will charge into where half the enemy team is standing without an “out” plan, or realize when I’m done with the uber, I’m getting back to a safe spot, even if you’re filled with that divine wind.
As a medic, there’s always somebody that needs your help, and you don’t need to cling to patients if they’re going to take your help for granted. If somebody dies over and over under my care, I’m going to turn to a guy who’ll actually benefit.
Mr. Noobinator responded on 11 Nov 2009 at 11:43 am #
if i got healed by this kind of medic, i would actually lead him to the crossfire and get him killed, or do nothing when ubered. and when he ragequit, i go medic and do better job.
lmao
EchelonThree responded on 11 Nov 2009 at 1:10 pm #
I’m going to have to totally disagree with this post in a big way.
The responsibility of the patient is to protect his medic, if the patient is not doing his job, it’s not the fault of the medic for whining.
The medic is totally defenseless, as you said, the medic watches for targets, but as this article said “It’s considerably simpler to keep the medigun beam locked on the patient than to actually gun an enemy down”
The medic “only needs to hold the LMB down”, which means that he is STILL totally defenseless.
If the patient is too busy trying to blast away at that sniper 100 meters away with a minigun, it’s the fault of the patient.
If the patient blatantly grabs a health pack that he doesn’t desperately need (e.g. he’s at 3 health and actively fighting), while the medic is on fire and dying, then it’s the fault of the patient.
The medic has done his duty to the team, if he’s done all this, he has every damn right to whine about his incompetent pocket.
AlphaTM responded on 11 Nov 2009 at 2:05 pm #
HEY SHUT PEOPLE SHOULD THANK ME IF I WANT THEM TO
I never play much Medic (just slightly above both Soldier and Demo), but when I do, I try as hard as possible to make sure NOBODY dies. I always am sad when someone dies I could’ve saved. But I literally mash Z+2 whenever there’s a Medic in the general vicinity.
Tucky responded on 11 Nov 2009 at 6:51 pm #
Often I get lots of points on pubs as demo because it’s insanely easy and I’m pro at it but then a medic latches on to me and I have to protect him ._.
I don't hear voices I hear God responded on 12 Nov 2009 at 12:00 am #
for an added bonus, there’s an option that just lets you heal people automatically, you don’t even need to hold down that left mouse button or whatever you assigned it to.
Which is groovy considering that you can heal while TAUNTING LIKE AN UBERMENSCH
Connor Lonske/Battle Medic responded on 12 Nov 2009 at 1:09 am #
@Laerin
“Battle Medic is a killer”
Do you mean that in a good or bad way. I am a crazy killer, but you could mean that I am no help to my team.
I will just guess it is both.
2tone responded on 13 Nov 2009 at 5:02 pm #
1. Himmel…you joined Healers Against Halos.
2. Using the “Thanks” command in the heat of battle is a challenge, not a chore.
I thought hardcore kids liked adding challenges to their game…
Dismal responded on 13 Nov 2009 at 5:48 pm #
Get your head out of your ass and shut the fuck up.
Basilisk1991 responded on 16 Nov 2009 at 10:18 am #
Too true, I hate those guys who complain about playing medic, the only thing worse is a medic who waste ubers.
Zindaras responded on 17 Nov 2009 at 10:39 am #
Interesting read. I’m catching up to all the medic-related rants, and I find the debate very interesting. I was actually more on the medic-side before, but after reading some of the comments (mostly Devenger’s in the earlier rants), I’m kind of starting to feel that, sometimes, Medics do turn whiny.
Don’t get me wrong: I love it when people thank me for a heal. But, like Devenger said, it’s part of my job, like it’s the Soldier’s part to blast people. I don’t expect or need a thanks, but it never fails to bring a smile to my face when I do see a regular thank you in the voice box (yes, I know the game does it for you, but then it’s the game giving compliments and it’s really not the same).
But when you’re the only Medic on the team (usually because there were no Medics to begin with), fully healed Demomen are spamming, burning Scouts are trying to make it difficult for you to extinguish them (hopping around does not make healing easier, especially for Scouts), and some guy is complaining on the voice chat that there aren’t enough Medics, it can get pretty frustrating. And those are the cases that most Medics whine about. I think that’s an important difference. There are simply a lot of people that do not take their Medic into account. If you do, then these rants are not aimed at you (and, I should make clear, there are enough of those people. Half my friend list is filled with people I have had good Medic experiences with). But, just like a Medic is vital to the team (Just 1 or 2 Medics can change the entire flow of the match), so the team is vital to the Medic (a lone Medic usually does not live to tell the tale).
I do not expect flowers. I do not expect my healee to babysit me. I only expect my team to actually act like a team. Which includes keeping those who need you alive. On another note, it does not include selective healing. If a guy is dying, he’s dying, he gets healed in turn. If you have an uber, pick your best player to uber, but I’d rather pop an uber on a bad player than die.
Like I said, I do not expect a thank you, but it is gratifying, especially given the sometimes tedious job that Medics have.
Dr. Feelgood responded on 18 Nov 2009 at 8:30 am #
Medics who selectively heal are terrible and ought to have every insult tossed at them. However, if you suck hard enough it’s possible to dive down pretty far on the healing priority list. Yes Mr. Heavy at 100, I’ll get to you after I top up these scouts. They kill things and the last time I popped an uber on you you just ran back and forth like a confused kitten.
…Pubs suck.
Teatime responded on 25 Nov 2009 at 4:08 am #
“While it’s good that many players take good care to protect their medics, that’s not their primary job. Their primary job is to kill the enemy. It’s the medic’s responsibility to watch their own back and the back of their patient [...]”
“The patient has one responsibility regarding his medic: keep him alive.”
While I understand what you mean it presents itself as a contradiction at first.
Of course it’s situational, and as such a good patient has to shift priorities constantly. A good medic will be aware of that and hopefully react accordingly.