Thaumaturgist

[Servin]

The thaumaturgist is a prestige class for clerics and cleric/mages who are interested in pacts with beings from other planes of existence.

How much of a lore stretch is it for a conjurer wizard to take this class without any cleric levels? I know it isn't restricted to clerics only, but...

[DM Mouse]

The planar ally of a thaumaturgist is utterly devoted to furthering the thaumaturgist’s goals (or the goals of a deity, if the thaumaturgist worships one). Almost all thaumaturgists were once clerics, because the first step on the path of thaumaturgy is making an agreement with a denizen of the Outer Planes by use of the lesser planar ally spell. But many of the class abilities are useful to arcane spellcasters, so multiclasscleric/wizards and the occasional cleric/sorcerer aren’t unheard of.

He does not, how-ever, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (bonus metamagic or item creation feats, bard or assassin abilities, and so on). This essentially means that he adds the level of thaumaturgist to the level of what ever other spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day and caster level accordingly.

Description wise there is possibility for non-clerics which accounts for other priesthood whom aren't necessarily Divine casters. Description wise the statement, "or the goals of a deity, if the thaumaturgist worships one" also provides for non-religious members of the PrC. It needs to be noted however that this line presumes you may be a Cleric in service of an Alignment or Portfolio, as in regular base standard D&D, but in Forgotten Realms this is not a possibility.

Mechanically it absolutely supports any spellcaster, regardless of origin, and does not require divine training or religious connection.

So how much of a stretch? I suppose that depends on your individual PC's ties and beliefs. It wouldn't be a stretch at all if your character is a priest despite not being a Cleric if they could cast the spell via some other means, such as a scroll or a wand, gained from a fellow in their clergy.

That would be an expensive field of study for somebody who can't cast the spell themselves, however, and they may mess with forces that they can't handle.

In pen & paper your planar ally also must be bargained with to entreat their services as the spell is of the Calling Subschool, not Summoning, so you are literally transporting a planar someone to you. If they die, they die. They fight for your goals because they are either being paid a huge amount (by you) or because they believe completely in the cause and are essentially joining it alongside you.