Mystic theurge vs pure wizard/cleric

[Brain]

Youhave to get practiced spell caster. Though I think getting it at 9th and 12th for your classes works well enough.

Consider divine metamagic with the reach metamagic feat. Touch spells at 30 feet make a significant advantage both offensively and defensively. Dropping a heal or stone skin on your tank from the back ranks at a critical moment makes all the difference. As well as a harm from behind a meat wall on the bad guy is also nasty.

Later

What I do with my mystic theurge is cast spectral hand, and then use cleric touch spells with it. Bestow curse has been great, as well as healing from a distance.

 

[Michael Tree]

The reason I want to play a mystic theurge is that I often become bored as a player (I almost always DM). If I play someone who has to keep track of both arcane and divine spells I'm bound to keep myself occupied..

If it's diversity of abilities you're interested in, then an Arcane Hierophant might be a better choice. Druid 3/ Wizard 2/ Mindbender 1/ Mystic Theurge 2 / Arcane Hierophant 7. You'll have the spellcasting of a 12th level druid and wizard, wild shape as a 10th level druid, and the abilities of a 10th level familiar and animal companion wrapped up in a single beastie.

If you really want the Mystic Theurge, then a dwarven Cleric 3 / Wiz 2 / Runesmith 1 / Mystic Theurge 9 is a good choice, as you'd be able to cast all his spells while wearing full plate armor, helping your survivability.

 

[Someone]

I´ve been playing a rather "classic" wiz/cle/MT from level 6 to 12. I don´t feel he´s underpowered, though that depends on what you call "power". Even with Practiced spellcaster, a pure wizard can always blow up stuff better than you, but you have so many spells and so diverse that you have guaranteed you´ll always have something useful to do. I specialized on divination and utility spells, and I have to say that my character steals the spotlight a lot, even when he´s not the most powerful in battle (but still quite effective)

 

[Shallown]

Spectral hand is a nice spell and one to have but the reach thing is for the middle of battle gotta save someone sort of thing. Spending a round to cast spectral hand may not be available.

Just a thought

Later

 

[Trellian]

Both the arcane hierophant and the runesmith options intrigues me... anyway, I'll probably have to wait to see the rest of the group to make my final decision. If the rest of the 5 players somehow misses a pure arcane or divine spellcaster, I might play that.. if not.. one of these builds may be extremely interesting... full plated arcane caster? Way cool..

BTW, how much is the cost for a rune? I can't find it..

 

[Shard O'Glase]

at the level your talking about you'd have to really make poor spell choices to be underpowered. Mystic theureges are on the suck side at the low levels. When they are taking the 3 levels of the other class they are falling behind and sucking the first 5 levels or so of MT they are on the suck side, but by 15th level where your a 9th level MT they be bad assed. Also that 2 level gap is there for 1 level back for one level then gone, so unless this is a one shot you wont be feeling that 2 level gap much.

For every poly any object spell you lose you gain something like heal which can turn the tide of the battle just as easily.(as long as you dont abuse poly any object, if you do well your all dead the 1st time you face a wizard anyways. Hey joe throw a rock over there heads, ok i poly any object that rock when its over them into a 1000' tall x and y wide block of granite . oh the fun and power of a poorly written spell)

 

[Mistwell]

The Ur-Priest trick doesn't work quite as well as some folks have said in this thread. I know the full analysis over at Wizards.com finally came to the conclusion that you cannot in fact get 9th level spells in both Wiz and Cleric spell lists by level 20 (I don't recall why, but the logic was very sound and backed up).

 

[IcyCool]

at the level your talking about you'd have to really make poor spell choices to be underpowered. Mystic theureges are on the suck side at the low levels. When they are taking the 3 levels of the other class they are falling behind and sucking the first 5 levels or so of MT they are on the suck side, but by 15th level where your a 9th level MT they be bad assed. Also that 2 level gap is there for 1 level back for one level then gone, so unless this is a one shot you wont be feeling that 2 level gap much.

For every poly any object spell you lose you gain something like heal which can turn the tide of the battle just as easily.(as long as you dont abuse poly any object, if you do well your all dead the 1st time you face a wizard anyways. Hey joe throw a rock over there heads, ok i poly any object that rock when its over them into a 1000' tall x and y wide block of granite . oh the fun and power of a poorly written spell)

You seem to be confused about a couple of things.

1. A 15th level Cleric 3/Wizard 3/Mystic Theurge 9 can cast 6th level spells, a 15th level cleric or wizard can cast 8th level spells. So you are two spell levels behind, even then.

2. I'm fairly sure you can't ready an action to cast a spell on a missile mid-flight.

 

[Storm Raven]

Spectral hand is a nice spell and one to have but the reach thing is for the middle of battle gotta save someone sort of thing. Spending a round to cast spectral hand may not be available.

Spectral hand lasts for 1 minute per caster level. If you want to make use of the trick, you should stock up on a variety of touch spells, and cast spectral hand at the start of combat. That way you can use the touch spells almost at will, over a wide range (100 feet + 10 feet per level).

When I played a mystic theurge, my most favored tactic was to cast spectral hand and find the most distant location from which I could view the battle and toss in touch spells.

 

[mzsylver]

Just a note...

I dont think anyone has mentioned it. But if you go Mystic Theurge DEFINITELY TAKE QUICKEN SPELL. You have more spell slots than man. Only a favoured soul can compare. What you have over a straight caster is the ability to cast a HUGE variety of spells all day long. Rapid Spell isnt bad either for things like restoration or enlarges.

Until you get to higher levels, a straight caster is more powerful. So it all depends on your party makeup, stats, and what you would enjoy best. Good luck!