Can a blasty Mystic Theurge work?

[Phawksin]

So I'm joing a game that has already (but only just) started. They are running Yawning Portal, trading DMs for each dungeon. The DMs are playing a Ranger and an EK Fighter. The rest of the party is a Caster Druid, a Bard, and a Barbarian. So they have all the bases covered, and I can roll whatever I like.

However, it gets tricky between one of the DM's being the only Int caster, and the high probability of the Druid flaking out of the game. So I'm thinking I have always wanted to play a Cleric/Wizard and now might be a good time, to sure up holes for each DM. That being said, This group is mostly inexperienced and I imagine with 2 "support" casters I ought to bring a little more firepower.

So, can I build a Cleric/Wizard mystic theurge type character and still confidently murder all the things? If not, what does the Playground suggest?

[Flashy]

The biggest problem you're going to run into is that Cleric levels give you next to nothing for this concept. The base class has a strong support focus with only a few serious damage spells. You could pick Light as your domain, but all that does is grant you a reasonable AoE on your channel divinity and let you access a few of the wizard blasting spells. It's a way to tack a little blasting onto the Cleric chassis, rather than adding much of anything in its own right. If you want to dip Cleric I wouldn't do more than one or two levels.

Basically, if you want to play a straight blasting character it's pretty impossible to beat a single classed Evoker Wizard.

[Mortis_Elrod]

The biggest problem you're going to run into is that Cleric levels give you next to nothing for this concept. The base class has a strong support focus with only a few serious damage spells. You could pick Light as your domain, but all that does is grant you a reasonable AoE on your channel divinity and let you access a few of the wizard blasting spells. It's a way to tack a little blasting onto the Cleric chassis, rather than adding much of anything in its own right. If you want to dip Cleric I wouldn't do more than one or two levels.

Basically, if you want to play a straight blasting character it's pretty impossible to beat a single classed Evoker Wizard.

gonna go ahead and agree for the most part here. however Death is good if you can get the starter spell Toll the dead. Any grouped damaged enemies (happens more often than you think ) get hit for 1d12 necro and at 6th level you ignore resistance to necro damage. Not sure what level you're going into but being able to get Potent Cantrip from Evoker is pretty good with that.

Beyond that and maybe tempest...Not much Cleric will add.

[8wGremlin]

Do you have access to the Favoured Soul Sorcerer from Unearthed Arcana (UA)

I'm currently playing one and they are fun, pick up Eldritch blast, via feats or MC in to warlock.

[Flashy]

Beyond that and maybe tempest...Not much Cleric will add.

This is a really good point - a tempest dip DOES give you the ability to maximize a lightning or thunder damage spell once per short rest.

I'd still be hesitant to take it beyond 2nd level though. Delaying your max wizard spell level is pretty painful on a blaster.

[Waterdeep Merch]

The theurgy wizard is a good place to start. Even in its most updated form- found here (https://media.wizards.com/2017/dnd/downloads/MJ320UAWizardVF2017.pdf)- I think it's a bit overpowered, but at least it's no lore wizard. Shore up your cleric/wizard build by going high elf or half-elf with the cantrip addition from SCAG and picking a good support cantrip, grab Magic Initiate to get a few more and a basic heal spell, and you'd be a very useful teammate with a wide variety of helpful abilities.

You could do this in reverse with the SCAG arcana domain cleric, but it doesn't fit your current archetype of an intelligent caster. Still, for the sake of completion, I'd like to point out that it's a very powerful domain that allows you to pull off a cleric/wizard well, though far more cleric than wizard.

[Phawksin]

..Toll the dead. Any grouped damaged enemies (happens more often than you think ) get hit for 1d12 necro...

Does Toll the Dead affect a group?
Either way, a death/necro could be a lot of fun, not a path I had considered. What I was considering, and maybe its less optimal than I think, is Evocation/Light. The evo wizard's 6th level feature is half damage on saving throw cantrips not limited to wizard spells, and 8 into Light cleric is Wis mod to cantrips.

As for losing out on the top end wizard spells, we wont be playing past tomb of horrors and I doubt we will make it all the way though that, so Im not really concerned with levels 17+

[Scathain]

Does Toll the Dead affect a group?
Either way, a death/necro could be a lot of fun, not a path I had considered. What I was considering, and maybe its less optimal than I think, is Evocation/Light. The evo wizard's 6th level feature is half damage on saving throw cantrips not limited to wizard spells, and 8 into Light cleric is Wis mod to cantrips.

As for losing out on the top end wizard spells, we wont be playing past tomb of horrors and I doubt we will make it all the way though that, so Im not really concerned with levels 17+

Death domain let's you choose a second target for any necromancy cantrip you know.

I'd second evoker/tempest for maximum blasting. Another option, if you DM allows, is the Zeal Domain from Planeshift Amonkhet. Same as Tempest but you can maximize fire as well.

As a final thought, War Wizard has some fun AOE tools too.

[Specter]

Tempest Cleric 2/Evoker X. Max those Lightning Bolts and go crazy.

Sample stats for Variant Human:
ST8, DX14, CO14, IN16, WI13, CH8
Feat: Elemental Adept (LIGHTNING)

[Rhedyn]

If you want to cover holes, then DPR isn't a hole.

I would combo death and necromancy for blasting / army building.

I would go life/abur for a defensive support build. Things like hold person scale with spell level. If you grab good scaling spells, then you may not even notice your lack of higher spell levels.