This phrase is selfcontradictory... How can be a stat + skillset "stronger" than other and not be "unbalanced"?
Basically, I am disagreeing with your assertion that each class should be equally strong in combat.
Can't really reply to all that text ,) I am not saying you are wrong, I am saying that you look at class strength in singular raw numbers fashion, while I look at PARTY strength as a whole in all situations. And I played rogues, mages and everything else in between. Dual Lone wolf and party of 4 (granted, dual lone wolf rogues was.. interesting to say the least)... are mages very strong? Yes sure, and rogues not so much in combat... but rogues are not high damage dealers in DnD either, they are a support class.
But without a rogue class in my party I'd never play this game. No matter how weak or strong that is in detail. It is, after all.. an RPG.. not a competitive death match
And rogues have situational uses that can decide certain situations very much in your favor...
Anyway, I guess they should have more uses, but they should not have the same kill strength/speed as mages nor the survivability of tanks ,)
