RimWorld has grown massively in popularity since its original 2017 release, buoyed up by a combination of mods and official expansions. The indie colony-management sim is a game of survival against the odds, as players try to keep their remote colony alive through harsh weather, pirate raids, and rampaging mechanoids.

No matter if they've got the best traits in RimWorld, the player's colonists face danger on a daily basis. Injury, disease, and death are inevitable. Whether it's in the aftermath of a bandit raid, a wild animal attack, or an outbreak of disease, having good supplies of Medicine can make the difference between life and death for a colony. Medicine is the standard healing item in RimWorld, more potent than Herbal Medicine, but less effective than Glitterworld Medicine. However, acquiring it on a remote colony can be difficult.

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How to Get Medicine in RimWorld

RimWorld injured colonist in attack

Players who choose the default RimWorld game mode, Crashlanded, will always start with 30 Medicine, but getting more can be very difficult. The less effective Herbal Medicine is much easier to acquire, and can be harvested from mature Healroot bushes in many biomes. Players with a sufficiently skilled Growing colonist can even grow their own Healroot bushes, for a permanent supply of Herbal Medicine. However, acquiring standard Medicine will require players to either purchase, loot, or craft it.

Many of the traders that visit a player's colony will offer Medicine for sale, along with rarer items like RimWorld's best melee weapons. Additionally, players who have built a Comms Console will be able to buy Medicine from trading ships in orbit. Alternatively, raiders have a chance to arrive at the player's colony carrying Medicine, which they'll drop on death. This method isn't reliable, but can be handy if the player's colonists have taken serious injuries fending off the raiders.

Finally, Medicine can be crafted at a Drug Lab, a table unlocked through the tech tree that can also help keep RimWorld colonists in a good mood through drugs. Crafting Medicine in the Drug Lab requires a colonist with level 4 Intellectual and Crafting, as well as 3 Cloth, 1 Herbal Medicine, and 1 Neutroamine. Neutroamine can only be bought from traders, but is significantly cheaper than buying Medicine directly. Likewise, Glitterworld Medicine can only be acquired through trading or as a quest reward.

How to Use Medicine in RimWorld

RimWorld battle against raiders

Colonists assigned as doctors will automatically use Medicine when treating an injured colonist, preventing bleeding and tending to their needs. Players can set which grade of Medicine each person is allowed to benefit from on their character page. Colonists are allowed Medicine by default, while visitors, captured raiders, and animals default to Herbal Medicine only.

Despite this difference, it's sometimes sensible to also restrict colonists to Herbal Medicine. With a decent doctor, Herbal Medicine is more than adequate for smaller injuries and bruises. This will save player's limited stock of standard Medicine for more important treatments, like surgery, warding off disease, or major injuries. RimWorld's powerful ranged weapons can easily take off a limb, and players will be glad not to have wasted their Medicine when that happens.

RimWorld is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

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