Path of the Medical Shinobi FAQ
How do you build and play a Medical Shinobi?
Prioritize Wisdom, keep Dexterity and Constitution healthy, and treat healing as one part of the character rather than the only job. Use First Aid and condition removal when they prevent an ally from losing meaningful turns, while Chakra Scalpel lets you contribute direct melee pressure without abandoning the support role.
Wisdom first or very high
Wisdom powers Shinobi technique DCs and attacks and becomes the attack and damage ability for Chakra Scalpel unarmed strikes. It also improves the healing of Regenerative Seal.
Dexterity still matters
Dexterity remains important for Armor Class, initiative, saving throws, movement-oriented play and weapon attacks outside Chakra Scalpel.
Use healing at the right time
Restoring a small amount of hit points to a safe ally may be less valuable than removing paralysis, reviving an endangered ally's buffer, or preventing an enemy from healing through Chakra Scalpel.
Plan the Regenerative Seal target
The seal is placed after a long rest, so choose the creature most likely to need a powerful emergency recovery. A front-line ally, fragile objective carrier or the Medical Shinobi themself may be the best target depending on the day.
Keep offensive techniques too
Support does not mean selecting only healing. The base class expects techniques to provide offense, defense, control, movement and utility, and Chakra Scalpel gives the Path another way to contribute when healing is unnecessary.