Bring back CMO in the pharmacy

[DekserBecauseILostMyAccoun]

If this reads like a rant, that's because it is, but it is also a genuine suggestion backed by experience as a medical main.

Having the CMO pick between being capable in Surgery or Chemistry is dumb, every CMO will go Surgery and its what we've seen since this rule was re-enforced, I know it was always a rule, but this is coming down to round enjoyment. Lets look at the positive of having CMO needing to pick between Surgery and Chemistry:

Allows Pharmacists to have something to do if they latejoin, since CMO will nearly always go Surgery.

This makes sense and is very important, however

Nobody plays Pharmacist, so there are many rounds with no meds, this leads to players dying needlessly and being removed from the round when they could have been saved.
 

I know there are other reasons that this rule is enforced however, I think ultimately it comes down to this. Are we more for allowing a single role or two to enjoy the game more? Roles that are very rarely played, or are we going to starve medical of half of their tools. Another note, is that MOST departments play in a way that if you join late, you miss out. That's the case with Engineering and setting stuff up, its the case with Research, its even the case with Mining and to an extent Operations. Why are we specifically guarding Pharmacists ability to do their job 1.5 hours into the round instead of joining at roundstart?

Sidenote, yes I know Medicals current tools can be used to fully save someones life if you include surgery but its harder and slower, no pharmacist also means recovery times are significantly longer, no buta/bicard or dermaline is BRUTAL For severe injuries and I have seen suggestions for perma injuries rejected because "Nobody wants to wait around" so I do know that this is an issue aside from just my perspective of having a patient in a sleeper for 20 minutes while their kidneys heal, or having a patient in cryo for just as long.

Another sidenote, I wont argue further on this, I've said my piece, I don't want to argue.

[Melariara]

1 hour ago, DekserBecauseILostMyAccoun said:

this leads to players dying needlessly and being removed from the round when they could have been saved.

Could you please provide some examples of people dying when they could have been saved? What could have saved them? In this particular scenario, what was in the round? Surgeons? Physicians?

 

Edited to add: There are pills around the place within medical. Kelotane and bicard, and there are some other things within the first aid kits. If operations is doing their job correctly as well, they can send medical a supply of things.

[Lordnesh]

It is always nice to have a Pharmacist join, but it is hardly necessary. We have all the tools we need to handle most cases. Sadly, a lot of these tools go underutilized for some reason. We have stasis beds that are ignored in favor of shoving every IV into the GTR. We have Cryotubes that not only have a stasis affect, but can heal organ damage AND brain damage AND massive amounts of brute and burn damage. We have sleepers that have infinite Dexalin and ALSO have stasis. A lot of factors contribute to whether or not someone will die. One of the biggest contributors is simple lack of communication. Having first responders on site, before things escalate, can contribute massively to whether or not people die. Medical having a Pharmacist on staff is not one of them. They make medical better at what they already do. Making CMOs Super Doctors, or having Super Doctors in general, is something that should be avoided at all costs. Besides, the CMO can just order medicine from operations.

[Jasorn]

Can you try to elaborate what you're looking for, because I do not understand? Do you want CMOs to be able to do everything?

People play pharmacist, a lot.

People play CMO as pharmacist, a lot too.

I do not know what the whole "this leads to players dying needlessly and being removed from the round when they could have been saved." means? Plenty of medical players do a great job with the standard equipment

[wowzewow]

I feel like this can be easily solved by adding some more medications to the Cargo Order manifest and then having the CMO use the department account to purchase them if a Pharmacist's unavailable.

You don't even need a CMO, you just need to plan ahead and purchase them on your own accord if it's that much of a problem.

Speaking of - there's already an alternative to Pharmacist - Botanists can grow plants which produce some T2 meds like Bicaridine and Kelotane.

 

I suggest you open a PR adding these medications to the Cargo Order program if they aren't already in the game.

 

Voting for dismissal.

 

[Shimmer]

As far as I remember, if your CMO has a pharmaceutical background, you are allowed to do chemistry when absolutely necessary and no pharmacists are available. An admin can correct me on that if I am wrong.

 

The purpose behind this rule is that no CMO is pressured (and allowed) into a position of being a super doctor. A single character shouldn't be able to do chemistry, triage, and surgery just because they're command. We already did this before and it was just a net negative overall.

 

As Wezzy had mentioned - you can always make a PR to add certain chems to the cargo list if you really feel like they're missing. But overall, medical at a baseline can treat anything with the proper know-how. With a surgeon, there is nothing incurable in medical, and even a paramedic can get pretty far with the cryochambers. You'll just have to learn to adapt to scarce supplies and make do.

[Bots]

On 07/08/2025 at 09:19, Jasorn said:

People play pharmacist, a lot.

Nah like ive rarely seen any pharmacist mains besides alek(me) which is bad. Even 1 hour into the round. I also have some opinions on current chemistry like poisons could use some changes, explosives could use some changes and add ons and wiki IS ABSOLUTELY in need of precise effect numbers so I can understand muh drugs more. Oh and a section somewhere where it lists EVERY cartridge possible.

Oh and after some experience with chemist on another server I really appreciate how the drugs there are INCREDIBLY more CONCENTRATED compared to here. Like a bottle is 250ml and 15ml is dermaline OD so you DONT have to keep resupplying the fridge.