[RPG] Does a character need to add Weapon Specialization bonus damage when shooting a needle full of medicine at an ally

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At 3rd level, all the Starfinder classes grant Weapon Specialization feat for their proficient weapons, which states:

[…] you add your character level to damage with the selected weapon type, or half your character level for small arms or operative melee weapons. […]

(Starfinder Core Rulebook, p. 163)

And all classes grant proficiency with small arms.

There is a small arm called the "Needler Pistol" which is "a favorite of assassins and battlefield medics alike" and "can be fitted with cartridges containing medicine or poison".
(Starfinder Core Rulebook, p. 189)

The Needler Pistol does 1d4 piercing damage, which is pretty bad, but adding up to 10 damage from Weapon Specialization is even worse.

The description of darts states that they can be used to deliver healing serums (Starfinder Core Rulebook, p. 190), but the healing serums only heal 1d8, 3d8, or 6d8 (Starfinder Core Rulebook, p. 225).

This healing could outweigh the Needler Pistol's weapon damage enough to be situationally useful, but with the Weapon Specialization bonus damage, it seems like it would always be an incredible waste.

Is it required to add this bonus damage?

Or are these "battlefield medics" either under 3rd level or colossally desperate?

Best Answer

Weapon Specialization does not appear to allow a choice (which would be with language such as 'you MAY add your character level...'). So yes, you will add your level to any damage done with a weapon you are specialized in, strange as that may seem.

At low levels, not a concern for battlefield medics, but even at higher levels, the amount of healing being delivered will hopefully outweigh the damage being applied. It would certainly appear to be more efficient to just apply medicine by hand, but in combat, you do what you need to survive.

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