Doctor

This article is about the type of merchant. For other uses, see Doctor.

"Bring me your sick and wounded!"

―A doctor to passing civilians.

Doctors were health care providers who practiced in the profession of medicine. Found on the streets of every European city and wearing black robes, they often wore a mask with a beak-like shape. The Assassin Ezio Auditore could purchase medicine vials from doctors for a fee during the Renaissance period.

Appearance and background

The clothes of the doctors were as usual for those in their profession, particularly after the occurrence of the Black Death, one of the deadliest pandemics in human history. This plague peaked in Europe during the 14^th century, and is said to have killed 30% to 60% percent of Europe's population. Subsequent to it, the world's population dropped from an estimated 450 million to between 350 and 375 million in 1400.

To protect themselves from this pandemic, the doctors dressed in a long black cloak covered with a coating of wax, and a very primitive beak-shaped plague mask, although not all doctors wear the mask. Within this Medico Della Peste mask, there were usually flower petals or burning herbs to rid of bad smells since it was believed that the virus was transmitted though "bad air". This mask was occasionally worn during Venice's Carnevale.

The specific mask that doctors wore during the Renaissance period is called the Maschera Dello Speziale (where speziale refers someone who sells every kind of medicinal herb). The "beak" of the mask was often filled with various spices and herbs, as many doctors thought that this was a viable method to avoid infection by various diseases. The eyes of the mask were also made out of glass, as it was believed that sicknesses could be caught by face-to-face contact with patients, or by touching infected objects.

Services

File:AC2 Doctor.jpg

A Renaissance-era doctor

Healing

Doctors would replenish all health after being paid a sum of 50 florins. The Doctor in Monteriggioni decreased the prices of his healing services after renovations of his store.

Medicine

Doctors also sold Medicine (for 75ƒ each), a healing item that could be carried portable pouches. These were identified as smelling salts, and were used as painkillers. The number of Medicine vials Ezio could carry at one time increased when a larger Medicine Pouch was purchased from a Tailor shop.

Poison

"In high enough doses, that which cures can kill."

―Leonardo da Vinci on poison.

Doctors sold Poison vials for a sum of 175ƒ. The use of poison became available only after Leonardo upgraded Ezio's Hidden Blade with the Poison Blade. Poison was useful for discreet assassinations and for the creation of distractions, as it briefly caused victims to go berserk, flailing their weapons around and drawing the attention of nearby guards.

Trivia

• The doctors in the games are based on real-life plague doctors, who only aimed to cure the bubonic plague.
• Ezio cannot harm doctors, but the first doctor encountered in Assassin's Creed II (with Federico), is the only one that can be attacked and killed (only with blades). Doing so does not alert guards, and does not cause or alert you of desynchronization. Also, when killed, the doctor rises again. A video of this "bug" can be found at this link.
• When you engage in a fight with guards in the presence of a doctor, he will often kneel before Ezio and beg not to kill him.
• On occasion, blacksmiths will also be able to restore some health when they repair damaged armor.
• In the novel Assassin's Creed: Renaissance, the doctor that Federico introduces to Ezio is their family doctor, Dottore Ceresa. Also, instead of having a small stand like other doctors in Assassin's Creed II, he operates in an actual store.
• The doctor located in Monteriggioni is the only one to own a store in Assassin's Creed II.
• In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, players can complete the Doctor's quest to upgrade poison sold by doctors to Fast Poison, so that Ezio's victims will become berserk immediately upon infection.
• In Brotherhood, Doctors may occasionally say, "Auf Wiedersehen" (German) and then exclaim, "That's French!" after exiting the purchase screen.

Gallery

• A Doctor's shop.
  A Doctor's shop.
• A Doctor's stand.
  A Doctor's stand.
• 
  Ottoman Doctor.