Imagine if on Fallout New Vegas, they had tried to make someone running with a knife effective as someone with a anti materiel rifle and explosive rounds at a open field, for the sake of balance. Magic on high magical settings are like firearms IRL.
What an absolutely absurd comparison. That is not balance. If you choose a knife in a fight with someone that has an anti material rifle and explosive rounds on an open field...that's stupidity, not a balance issue.
Trying to face someone who can make rain meteors at range with a sword is dumb too.
I mention sword because people often compare casters with fighters with a sword, BUT a fighter with a longbow and poisoned arrows has chances vs a high wizard at range. With throw able javelins, at medium range and so on. Mainly on 2e, the fighter with 4 attacks per round can slay the Wizard before he could cast any spell.
