Cleric/Mage vs Full Mage or Sorc

[Soft Lockpick]

I'm hoping for an optimization thread. Long story short a full mage hits 32 levels. A cleric/mage gets 25/20 respectively.

Assume it's a "How to build the best mage" situation. Do those 12 caster levels have strong advantages and in what areas? Obvious examples being dispelling, but I'd like to know all the nitpicky stuff.

And on the other end, in what ways do the cleric spells, HP increases, any other bonuses and boosts, and the HLA breakdown benefit you. Does it make up for the 12 lost levels.

Is it worth it and why?

[ÄmJii]

Cleric/Mage is insanely fun to play, you won't even mind missing 12 Mage levels (and let's be honest, when do you actually hit ToB level cap in non-solo playthrough?).
Mages stop gaining extra spell slots after level 28 (around 6.75 mil EXP) and most spells have their damage/duration capped at caster level 20. So no, you're not missing THAT much in a long run.

That said, from what I recall from my previous C/M playthrough I didn't get 9th level Mage spells until very late-ToB. Not that I really missed them, C/M serves butt kicking for goodness like there's no tomorrow.

Due to how Wisdom attribute works, you'll have insane amount of spell slots in no time. This effectively makes up for lagging behind in Mage levels:
- Who needs 3x Skull Traps when you can toss 6x Holy Smites at will?
- Why spend 3rd level Mage spell slots for Hold Person when you can memorize them in 2nd level Priest spell slots?
- Why memorize Flame Arrows when you can stock up on Flame Strikes?
- Why spend Mage spell slots on True Sight when you can put True Seeing in Priest spell slots?
- What about putting invisibility on you, casting Blade Barrier on you and walzing in middle of enemy swarm, just to see them getting sliced up? Funzies!
- Wanna take it up a notch? How about sticking Priest spells in sequencers & contingencies? Super duper fun!

On top of that, being a Cleric permits your character to equip shields & helmets AND Mage robes (VERY handy!). Slap Shield of Reflection in your off-hand and now you won't have to worry about archers disrupting your spellcasting. Put Robe of Vecna on you, and many of your Priest spells fires off instantly.

Priest THACO progression means you'll actually hit a thing or two, good news for Melf's Minute Meteor & Energy Blades fans.


Sure, C/M might not be able to cheese like Sorc (hello Project Image & Planetar spam!), but C/M is helluvalot more fun to play, and gets really close to Sorc on power-scale.
C/M is the definition of Swiss Army Knife Caster, VERY adaptable and always has something to cast during combat.
Pair him/her with pure Mage to make up for slower Mage level progression and treat him like a Caster Cleric, but with 100x more oomph!