So I'm helping somebody else make some NPCs, and one of them has the following description:
[An elven noble that is] bookish and intelligent that dabbles in both the arcane and divine. Is in the process of deciding whether or not they truly believe in a higher power
Do I run Mystic Theruge with a divine caster of a concept/ideal, a more in-between caster like a Witch, a Medium, something else?
Shaman's are notoriously agnostical, maybe that?
It's a shame we don't have something with the 3.5 archivist's feel. I loved that class.
Witch is arcane, mind you.
And honestly, Mystic Theurge is... kind of a trap. It's requires you to be bad at two things, so that for a long time, you can get back to being okay at one of them again, but you can't do both at the same time.
It just takes way more than it gives. It's simpler, easier, and a much easier power curve for your GM to contend with to just play a single-classed caster. Particularly, I'd suggest a single-classed Witch, as they have a nice mix of traditionally arcane and divine abilities, possibly using the Hedge Witch archetype for spontaneous healing, and play out the crisis of faith through roleplay rather than dubious builds that leave you dysfunctional through significant portions of the game.
Shaman does seem decent, especially with the Arcane Enlightenment hex.
As for the power curve, this is decently high level, for a low-optimization group, as an NPC. I won't even be able to RP it correctly since I'm not even a part of this game, just a friend with a lot of system knowledge.
I'm a strong proponent of KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid). Even in a low-optimization group, Mystic Theurge just makes things more complicated without really bringing much, when compared to something simple and straightforward. And given the variety of full casters available, you can find something with a mix of spells that's to your taste.
Arcanist with theurge exploit might fit thematicaly?
Is in the process of deciding whether or not they truly believe in a higher power
Divine casters get their spells from somewhere. So what exactly would the definition of "higher power" be in this case?
Divine casters get their spells from somewhere. So what exactly would the definition of "higher power" be in this case?
Well, somewhere, but not necessarily someone, nor even necessarily a "higher" power.
Every source of magic comes from somewhere, yes, but it can take an arbitrarily large number of forms. Faith in an abstract concept alone can be enough for a Cleric or Paladin in many settings, even in absence of an actual deity backing the power.
Perhaps an ancestral lorekeeper oracle?