Does the Wizard Theurge Tradition use Int instead of Wis?

Question

According to the Theurge tradition in Unearthed Arcana, you gain the Channel Divinity and other abilities of the Cleric domain you are mimicking. Several of these specify to use your "cleric level" or your "Wisdom modifier".

However, a wizard taking this tradition would not have a cleric level, and the spellcasting ability for wizards is Intelligence, not Wisdom.

Is this tradition inherently MAD, requiring both Int and Wis, or are references to Wis in the domain features supposed to be replaced with Int?

Answer 1

No Official Answer

Unearthed Arcana is playtest material, so there are bound to be mistakes. The page you linked to, The Faithful, was subsequently updated in Wizard Revised. The next article in the series, A Trio of Subclasses has a link where they were collecting feedback on Wizard Revised, but it is expired.

I didn't see anything in the revised version that answers your question. Getting an official answer to your question will have to wait until it actually becomes part of an officially published product, or they release another revision and ask for feedback again.

Advice

Considering that the latest version explicitly states using your Wizard Spell Save DC where other saves are required, I would also substitute Intelligence for Wisdom and Wizard level for Cleric level in any powers granted through the subclass. Despite a theological background, the character is still a Wizard. In fact, one of the later abilities mentions coming earlier than clerics get it because of the character's method of studying to learn it.

Answer 2

There is no official answer as the Theurgist is still play test, however, my advice:

Two things:

1. Level 1 you start off as a Wizard, and only a wizard. Wizards use Int.
2. You don't become a cleric, you are a wizard able to tap into Divine spells, which other wizards are not able to do.

I would HIGHLY recommend you read some of Elminster by Ed Greenwood, as this is what the Theurgist is based upon.

That being said, it is play test material, one thing my DM and I agreed upon was that at 10th Level we would add Int mod to all cleric spells, since there is a similar skill for Evocation Wizards, and Clerics get to add Wis to their Cantrips at level 8.