Theurge wizards and arcane domain

[ko_sct]

I was checking the UA archetype of Theurge for wizards that allow them to gain the features of a cleric domain and was wondering how it interacted with the arcane domain.

Specifically, the last ability of the arcane domain, which I say :



ARCANE MASTERY
At 17th level, you choose four spells from the wizard
spell list, one from each of the following levels: 6th, 7th,
8th, and 9th. You add them to your list of domain spells.
Like your other domain spells, they are always prepared
and count as cleric spells for you.


Now, the theurge doesn't normally automatically know his domain spells and they aren't always prepared, he can simply select them among his spell learned at every level. They way this ability his worded, does all of the theurge's domain spells count as alway prepared once he get arcane mastery or only the 4 spells he chose ?


Additionally, since theurges get this feature at lvl 14 and not 17, what does it mean to have lvl 9 spells prepared but not have the slots to cast them ? I cant see it doing anything special.


Also, link the the UA theurges are in : http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/faithful

[Vorpalchicken]

People on here are interpreting it in basically two ways:

1) It doesn't do anything. Nothing at all. (Except perhaps delay your ability to pick up miscellaneous cleric spells that aren't on your list of potential domain spells.)

2) It adds them to your list of prepared spells.

The first way is reading that you add the spells to your list of potential domain spells that you would gain as you level up.

The second (unpopular) reading is that they are now on your list of current domain spells. You still can't cast a ninth level spell without a ninth level slot but maybe you are a 14/3 multiclass Theurge/Sorcerer. Now you have something to do with your ninth level slots that you would otherwise have to waste on powering up lower level spells..

Ask your DM.

[Citan]

People on here are interpreting it in basically two ways:

1) It doesn't do anything. Nothing at all. (Except perhaps delay your ability to pick up miscellaneous cleric spells that aren't on your list of potential domain spells.)

2) It adds them to your list of prepared spells.

The first way is reading that you add the spells to your list of potential domain spells that you would gain as you level up.

The second (unpopular) reading is that they are now on your list of current domain spells. You still can't cast a ninth level spell without a ninth level slot but maybe you are a 14/3 multiclass Theurge/Sorcerer. Now you have something to do with your ninth level slots that you would otherwise have to waste on powering up lower level spells..

Ask your DM.
Well, my reading of "RAW" (if we only can speak of RAW with UA, considering they clearly don't have the same level of writing) is indeed that the Theurge Wizard would only get 4 spells added to the spell domain list, which he could then pick as a choice later.
Said otherwise, it just expands his choice for when he reaches the relevant level but it does not make him learn these spells automatically.

And, well, I think it's fine as is. I mean, why would a Theurge Wizard want to pick up the Arcana Domain which main benefit is to allow a Cleric to pick up Wizard spells? It's basically making a detour to reach the same goal.

So indeed, in this particular case, the 14th level feature has very little interest, especially considering that "If you add all of your domain spells to your spellbook, you can subsequently opt to add any spell from the cleric spell list instead. The spell must still be of a level for which you have spell slots." So the Wizard could learn any Cleric spell anyways once he gets to the required level if he's dedicated enough.

I don't see in what way this interaction should be considered a problem, apart from the fact that it leaves a sad taste of "metagaming" in mouth (fluff-wise, I wonder how a Wizard which only knows 6th level spells could be aware of and choose higher-level spells already).
But my take on it is that WoTC waived the problem away as having very low chance to occur (if they just didn't see it, it would be a bit problematic).

[Giant2005]

It is actually a penalty.
It adds spells to the domain list which is useless enough for the Wizard, considering that he would have access to them anyway; but more importantly it stops him from being able to continue learning Cleric spells that aren't on his domain list until he has learned all of those added to it via the level 14 ability.

[Citan]

It is actually a penalty.
It adds spells to the domain list which is useless enough for the Wizard, considering that he would have access to them anyway; but more importantly it stops him from being able to continue learning Cleric spells that aren't on his domain list until he has learned all of those added to it via the level 14 ability.
Hey, you're right, good catch. :)
The "bright" side though is, because he's a Wizard, he may have a chance to learn the actual Wizard spells through other means (if he IS lucky).

Good thing that... 1) It's UA (so still time to improve it) and 2) Probably no more than 0,0001% players will be concerned.

Because, even for thematic reasons justifying a particular Cleric / Theurge Wizard multiclass, I don't see much reason to choose the Arcana domain if you plan on being a full caster Wizard. ;)