When RPGs let you put points into stats, warrior classes invariably have to pump STR and CON.

MadassAlex

^^ As predictable as it is of me, I'd propose a solution that follows "reality".

Make fighter abilities less powerful but more cost efficient than magic ones by a good stretch. A magical ability might be good for a singular, short burst of power, but a fighter ought not to run dry like a mage. Ser Dixinmouth mightn't be able to summon a nuke like Facward the Terribly Intimidating, but a weapon technique costs nothing.

I'm tellin' you guys, the concepts that underpin real swordsmanship are a game design goldmine, be they used literally or in abstract.

 

Icalasari

^ You know, that makes perfect sense to me

Magic requires preparation, the right mind set, and seems like it would burn power fast. It seems like a firework that way. Loud, big, flashy, but over way too quickly and takes a ton of time to prepare

Swords meanwhile seem like a controlled fire. It isn't flashy and won't do as much damage as a firework to the knee chest, but it is sustainable

glennmagusharvey

I've never had a problem with Zeromus killing my party with Big Bang.

 

Then again, that was FF II (US).

ClockworkUniverse

You know how I said I was going to make a TES RPG? Cancel that. I'm making a completely homebrew system instead.

All Nines

"And I think there are classes designed to do both"

Yup. A fair number, actually. Hell, there are also theurgic classes, if you simply have to be a sorcerer and a cleric at the same time.