Medic (Final Fantasy XIII)

Medic (ヒーラー, Hīrā, Healer) is a Paradigm role in Final Fantasy XIII. The role's main function is to focus on restoring HP and removing status ailments. Medic is symbolized with the initials MED and the color Green. While in the Medic role the character's healing abilities are boosted, and the bonus extends to other party members in lesser degree. The amount of bonus depends on the role level.

Abilities
The right-side columns show the Crystarium Level when the character can learn the skill, if at all.

Character Analysis
''Note: this section mostly applies to the point after the player can freely choose party members. Member limit and role restrictions in the game's earlier stages makes much of the analysis moot.''

Vanille
Vanille learns every spell and has an excellent magic stat, arguably making her the best Medic factoring in her superior HP to Hope. In a tight situation, her and Hope in a Salvation, or Combat Clinic Paradigm may be the player's only chance for survival, but she is also great alone. One advantage Vanille has over Hope is that she learns spells at an earlier time. Her healing rod weapon is handy early, but is useless lategame.

Hope
Hope learns every Medic spell in the game and has the highest magic stat. However, he is more likely to be knocked out by a powerful attack, due to his low HP, which is the lowest out of all the characters.

Snow
Despite not majoring as a Medic and not having high natural magic (which is remedied by his weapon choice) Snow is an excellent Medic due to having Curasa and a fast magic casting animation. He lacks Raise, but as that spell should rarely be needed and Renew/summoning/Phoenix Down are all good options, this is not a major problem.

Sazh
Like Snow, Sazh lacks the ability to Raise. However, Sazh has a slower animation and less magic making him an inferior Medic.

Lightning
Lightning is a good healer through most of the game, but is badly outclassed by the end. She lacks Curasa, and despite having Raise it does not make up for it. Her stats and animation support her being a good Medic, but her lack of abilities hurt.

Fang
Fang is essentially Lightning with less magic and more HP. Not a useful Medic.

AI Mechanics

 * When choosing a target, Medics prioritise healing the party leader's health. Healing the Sentinel is their next priority, followed by themselves, then finally other characters.
 * Medics also prioritise healing depending on how low a party member's HP is. If a party member's HP bar turns red, they are given top priority. If a party member's HP bar turns yellow, they are given second priority.
 * If the Medic has Curasa, they will only cast that spell on party members whose HP is below fifty percent.
 * When raising HP on characters whose HP bars are yellow or red, they heal when their ATB bars are approximately filled to the halfway point. The only exception to this rule is if the Medic's ATB gauge is already completely filled, which may occur after a paradigm shift or if the Medic has been idle due to characters not needing any healing.
 * If at least two party members have HP in the yellow zone, the Medic will use Cura. If at least two party members have HP in the red zone, the Medic will use Curaja or Cura. If the Medic does not know Cura or Curaja, they will prioritise healing as stated on the first bullet point.
 * If a character is knocked out, the Medic will cast Raise on that character, but only if the other characters have greater than 50% HP.
 * Usually the Medic only removes status ailments with Esuna when all characters' HP bars are green. However, if a Medic has started using Esuna and a character's HP falls into the yellow zone, the Medic will continue using Esuna and will only restore HP once all status ailments are removed, or if the character in question falls further into the red zone. Medics always cast Esuna one at a time, even if they have at least four ATB bars.
 * If all characters' HP bars are green, and are not suffering from status ailments, the Medic will use one Cure spell at a time to heal party members whose HP is not full. If all characters' HP is full, the Medic will not take action.

Other Languages

 * Spanish: Sanador - Healer
 * Italian: Terapeuta - Therapist
 * French: Soigneur - Healer
 * German: Heiler - Healer
 * Chinese: 回復者, Huifuzhe - Healer