Actually no, you could also go the infamous C>Krivis3>Sadhu3>Taoist2 for Rank 9.
That build has actually more DPS than PD C3 (unless you’re filthy rich) because of the magic attack boost of Taoist C2 and the strong multihit skills Zaibas/Creeping Death Charm, heavily benefitting from Sadhus Transmit Prana.
Zaibas level 15 becomes a 9348% damage skill (50% attribute) every ~26 seconds (when your Storm Calling is off CD).
BDS at level 10 has a possible damageoutput of 17000% (50% attribute) every 50 seconds (15 seconds until the first BDS is over +35 seconds CD time).
Level 15 Incineration is ~ 6475% (50% attribute) every 16 seconds, dealing extra damage on BDS and with Agny Necklace (which locks you from getting the new matk-boosting unique accessory set, so you’d obviously not use this anymore).
However, you lose Taoists Creeping Death Charm, meaning 18000% less damage every ~35 seconds. The only real benefit in terms of dealing damage is that Plague Doctor has more targets affected by his Black Death Steam (with or without the help of Pandemic).
Another downside of Plague Doctor is that he ± doesn’t really benefit from having a Chronomancer in the party, since his skills are all DoT and thus only benefit once they are on CD and the effect is already over. Meanwhile Taoist can use his damage skills/rotation again immediately after Pass is used.
You also get Divine Stigma for INT boost/OOB damage boost and Melstis to keep up your Transmit Prana & increase your chapparition card effective time(especially potent if you got one or two Chronos in your party).
The downsides of this Taoist are that until at least Rank 11 you’ll be without a good Safety Zone/Heal and miss Divine Might. If your ET party is built entirely of Wizards and Clerics,that wouldn’t be that much of a problem,though.
You bring Daino,Aukuras and Melstis to the party,so that’s not so bad of a trade-off,though.