I agree with the OP. The fact of the matter is STR-based characters get one line (Man-at-Arms) of 16 different active skills. INT-based characters get five spellcasting skill lines for a total of 50+ active skills. That right there tells you spellcasters got much more TLC than melee classes.
MoA skills mostly revolve around dealing direct physical damage, with a bit of status effects, buffs and debuffs thrown in. However all are on long CDs, so most turns are spent whacking a single target. Spellcaster skills run the gambit with multiple forms of direct damage, AOE damage, debuffs, buffs, shields, healing, summons, etc. Not only do they always have various strong CD spells at the ready, they have many good spells on 1-turn CD.
You can argue on the fringes that melee classes with the right build can do a bit more direct damage than spellcasters. But ultimately that is besides the point. What really matters is the variety and depth of options in combat which spellcasters have in spades and melees have comparatively little.
