Which is the best mystic theurge?

[NecroDancer]

I want to build a mystic theurge for a future campaign still in the making (I was going to go bard but I didn't want to be the party face again). The DM doesn't allow the UA version or the favored soul. So far my ideas are....

Arcane cleric X: seems like the best choice with a little reflecting and I really like the spell list.

Cleric 2/wizard X: seems like the strongest option but I would hate to delay my casting by 2 levels.

Cleric 2/sorcerer X: I heard that a tempest cleric with a draconic sorcerer is amazing but once again I don't want to delay my casting.

[Arkhios]

I want to build a mystic theurge for a future campaign still in the making (I was going to go bard but I didn't want to be the party face again). The DM doesn't allow the UA version or the favored soul. So far my ideas are....

Arcane cleric X: seems like the best choice with a little reflecting and I really like the spell list.

Cleric 2/wizard X: seems like the strongest option but I would hate to delay my casting by 2 levels.

Cleric 2/sorcerer X: I heard that a tempest cleric with a draconic sorcerer is amazing but once again I don't want to delay my casting.

Technically you only delay your levels of spells known by combining two casters, but your effective spell slot level progresses as normal.

A cleric 2/wizard 1 (for example) would know and be able to prepare 1st-level spells from both cleric and wizard, but his spell slot level would be as high as 2nd. (two full casters (cleric 2/wizard 1) would have a total full caster level of 3rd)

That said, I'd say that as long as Theurgist Wizard sub-class (from UA) isn't officially published, Arcana Cleric would be best Mystic Theurge.

[NecroDancer]

I haven't played a cleric before but I assume I'm going to be casting buffs and healing after battle. At 5th level I get the feeling that dispel magic always prepared will be great. I also like that I have magic missle to deal a bit of damage.

[Arkhios]

I haven't played a cleric before but I assume I'm going to be casting buffs and healing after battle. At 5th level I get the feeling that dispel magic always prepared will be great. I also like that I have magic missle to deal a bit of damage.

To heal would depend whether or not you prepared any healing spells. You don't have to, if you don't want to :smallwink:
Clerics do have a bit less blasty spells, this is true, but they do have their own heavy hitting spells as well. Consider taking at least one ranged damage cantrip (such as Fire Bolt) so that you won't be sitting on your hands throughout combat encounters, and instead be able to contribute somehow on each turn that you're not casting a buff or a heal, if you chose to prepare mostly buffs and heals.

[Deleted]

To heal would depend whether or not you prepared any healing spells. You don't have to, if you don't want to :smallwink:
Clerics do have a bit less blasty spells, this is true, but they do have their own heavy hitting spells as well. Consider taking at least one ranged damage cantrip (such as Fire Bolt) so that you won't be sitting on your hands throughout combat encounters, and instead be able to contribute somehow on each turn that you're not casting a buff or a heal, if you chose to prepare mostly buffs and heals.

HERETIC! BURN THE WITCH!

Nah, but seriously, this is why Life domain is pretty sweet, you can prepare all the cool cleric spells while keeping the healing ones in your back pocket.

[Drackolus]

HERETIC! BURN THE WITCH!

Nah, but seriously, this is why Life domain is pretty sweet, you can prepare all the cool cleric spells while keeping the healing ones in your back pocket.

And get all the healing you were going to have to do anyway and having more slots left over to do other cool spells.
Since there's really only so much healing to be done, ironically a life cleric can spend LESS on their specialization. Which is rad.
Speaking of which, yes, the theurge is really the closest thing to an official theurge (go figure). The knowledge domain, especially, feels very much like the archivist/wizard (one of my favorite things in 3.5). If it's balance your dm is concerned about, offer to drop the silly +2 channel divinity option and keep the domain's. And if it's the idea of them getting the cleric's subclass keystone sooner... Just point out that the campaign prrobably won't go that long anyway :smallbiggrin:
If they won't be swayed, arcana cleric works great too. Don't underestimate sacred flame, either. D8 radiant that ignores cover is great. Firebolt can cover the slack. Booming blade can be amusing.
A dip n intp druid can give you shillelagh to go with your bb, and gives you goodberry, which, with your lvl 6 domain feature, can turn one slot into 10 edible dispel magics of the appropriate slot. The dip does, however, ruin your ac.