Red Mage : Spells only?

As we know it, most Red Mages use only spells. They can use most of the Black Mages strongest spells, so why would, except the extra MP, someone choose the Black Mage over the Red Mage?

Let's put this in other words : Red Mage should get less spells. I can't remember all of them, but I'd propose to restrain the magic use of Red Mages. Let them have Sleep at a higher level, and remove some spells so that Black Mages are more spell exclusive.

In exchange of this withdrawal, I suggest putting, for the Red Mage, some Fighter skills. Not all of them, but having say Cleave, or Double Hit would balance thing.

After all, a Red Mage must be good with spells AND weapons, not just using weapons as a last resort.

Red mages get the useful spells much, much later than white or black mages. They dont get life1 until after lvl 50(?) which requires some insane xp to get to, and most lvl 2 spells they dont get until past lvl 30.

A lot of the arguments that I've seen people have (and have) are that red mages have barely lower HP than fighters (possibly fighter problem), their spells matching a black mage's in power (or nearly), and that they have sleep early on.

My main argument is with sleep. It's a staple spell, and they get it super early. Losing sleep alone would change red mages a ton.

I think the main problem is that spells depend on their level too much. Magic power/attack seems to have an almost unnoticeable effect.

True. Like Gaku already said, about 80 to 90% attack power comes from improving the spell, and 10% is magic power.

I have no idea if this will stay like this, and it's useless to explain the current situation since everybody knows it, but some fixes could be done.

Incase you guys who were on for the 'say gaku' lvlup test thing, at lvl 60, a RW has much less hp/mp than a knight/master or b/ww.

P.s. I'm really not a fan of spell level determining dmg so much, but whatever.