Doctor


 * For the multiplayer character in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, see Doctor.

Doctors are one of the new features in Assassin's Creed II. Found on the streets of every city in black robes and a mask with a beak-like shape, they can either refill Ezio's synchronization Bar for a fee, or sell him Medicine that can be carried and used later. They also sell him vials of poison for his Poison Blade.

Doctors are perhaps the most vital service in Assassin's Creed II, as they sell medicine that will heal you wherever your current location is.

Appearance and historical relation
The doctors in Assassins Creed II, as usual for those in their profession after one of the deadliest pandemics in human history (known as The Black Death), dress in a long black cloak covered with a coating of wax, and a very primitive beak-shaped plague mask, although some doctors do not wear the mask.

The Black Death plague peaked in Europe during the 14th century, and is said to have killed 30% to 60% percent of Europe's population. That reduced the world's population from an estimated 450 million to between 350 and 375 million in 1400.

The mask is also known as a Medico Della Peste, and was sometimes even worn in Venice's Carnevale.

Heal
Doctors will replenish all the user's health after being paid a paltry sum of 50 florins. The price from the Doctor in Monteriggioni for his healing services however, decreases as his stall becomes renovated.

Medicine
Doctors sell Medicine (75ƒ each), a healing item that can be carried with you anywhere you go. The number of Medicine vials the user can carry at one time increases when a lager Medicine Pouch is purchased from a Tailor. In game, the medicine itself is said to be smelling salts that act as painkillers. This is the only way to heal the user, other than an automatic healing at the start of most memories.

Poison
Doctors sell Poison vials for a sum of 175 florins. When Ezio asks Leonardo why Doctors would sell Poison, he replies that, "when given in high doses, that which cures can kill." Poison is available only after upgrading Ezio's Hidden Blade with the Poison Blade. The Poison is useful for players who do not want to assassinate a target quickly, or for those who would rather create a distraction. Poison is a potent weapon. It only offers one-use kills, but it is easily used on any target, and runs less of a risk of exposing the user.

Trivia

 * Ezio can't harm doctors, but the first doctor encountered in the game (when with Federico), is the only one that can be attacked and killed, though only with blades, (sword, hidden blade, dagger, etc.). Doing so doesn't alert guards, doesn't cause or alert you of Desynchronization (due to Ezio killing civilians) and when killed, he rises again. A video of this 'bug' can be found on this link.
 * Sometimes blacksmiths will also be able to restore some health when armor becomes damaged. Repairing the armor will replace some health.
 * Not all doctors have a mask on their face. This could either be a glitch or intentional doing.
 * 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 the game, he has his own store.
 * More precisely the peculiar mask that the doctors carry was also called "Maschera Dello Speziale" (Speziale i.e someone who sells every kind of medicinal herbs). The mask was often filled with various herbs (the herbs were placed in the "nose" of the mask) because many doctors thought that this was a viable method to avoid to be infected by various diseases (mainly the Plague).