Mike Spike's Psychologist Tier List

[RangerYote]

So, the psychologist! Medbay's most misunderstood resident, often found in their little domicile in some far flung corner away from all the chaos in the lobby. The little role has been a mainstay of mine for a while because of the unique type of roleplay it offers, and in this guide I aim to explore the types of colourful players you'll likely find donning the turtleneck and labcoat.

F Tier : Greytide with Medical Acess

• These are the psychs who belong in an isolation ward and break server rules off the bat.
• Straightjackets and/or ethers random people with the syringegun, or just beats people up.
• Overdoses on ALL of his psych pills at the start of the round, lying in a jibbering and shaking mess on the office floor.
• Breaks into medical chemistry to produce metric tonnes of meth, much to the ire of the CMO.
• Single handedly responsible for the terrible reputation that Psychs have.

 

E Tier: Dr Purnell

• These guys at least ATTEMPT to be a psychologist but in a very LRP "ohoho im a 60s asylum doctor" kinda way.
• Will still straitjacket random patients and give them ether, but will go "SIR YOU ARE CRIMINALLY INSANE" before doing so.
• Will "lobotomize" people by dragging them kicking and screaming to OR 1 to be debrained.
• Has the sense to not get high on his own supply and instead hands out drugs to random people at the bar.
• Is the reason the CMO hates their job, and will get pulled aside to be demoted if sec doesn't  arrest them for manslaughter first
• (OPTIONAL) Wears a gasmask.

 

D Tier: "We have a psychologist???"

• These are psychologists that exist on the manifest but are never heard from at all, nor are they ever in their office for any length of time.
• Doesn't act like a shitter but also may not really exist, truly a cryptid.

 

C Tier: The Giver of Weed

• CONGRATULATIONS! If you've made it to this tier then you technically do the BARE MINIMUM that a psychologist is expected to do!
• Generally just exists in their office and around the department awaiting patients.
• Most people who show up just want weed or are antags looking to apply stunprod to forehead for that sweet, sweet greentext.
• Occasionally, will actually see a patient and attempt true psych RP.
• Has the potential to be B or even A tier provided they take the initative that the role requires.

 

B Tier: "Thanks Doc!"

• Unlike C tier, B tier psychs understand they need to take the initative with their role.
• Will use the medical records to identify patients with  edgy troubled backstories and use the PDA system to ask how they're feeling.
• More generally, will leave the office and actually walk about the station, meaning more people will see them leading to potential RP.
• Actually does proper RP, knows they need to set an example and conduct themselves in a professional manner. They are kind, compassionate and actively listen.
• When talking to patients asks questions that are in context and get to the root of the issue ( e.g. "Why did [Event] make you feel that way?").
• Only perscribes medication when roleplay appropriate (e.g. Weed for patients with anxiety).

 

A Tier: Frontier Psychiatrist

• A true master of RP. The main difference between this guy and B tier is the extent to which they will go for truly memorable and sometimes round affecting RP.
• A B tier psychologist will use the PDA system to obtain patients, an A tier one makes use of station wide annoncements from the Captain, CMO or AI and Newscasters to advertise their services in addition to PDAing.
• An A tier psychologist will bookmark sessions and obtain a cast of regular clients who they RP with, asking the right kind of questions to help flesh out their patients backstories.
• An important distinction to note is that psychologists are NOT expected to perform medical duties. A tier psychologists will ACTIVELY REFUSE to help patients with medical trauma outside of basic first aid, as IC, they lack true medical knowledge. While this is optional, doing so adds so much more flavour to the role and cements them as an actual character, not just a walking healer build like most of medical.
• A tier psychs will write perscription forms for patients, wether for RP or to obtain actual in game chemicals.
• These are the kind of psychs that CentCom keep on call for when the Captain starts acting weird.