One thing I want to point out from the "Clarifications of Intent on 2.0 changes:" post stickied in this forum:
Finally, where possible, we wanted to encourage more teamwork among players where especially the high-level game has become dominated by "do everything at once" characters.
Please keep in mind that intended balance is *not* for single characters. I would (hesitantly) state that it should never have been about single characters. Alliance is intended for a coherent team of PCs working together. While there are certainly cases where individuals can (and should!) shine, soloing all the time is not one of them.
In 1.3, I'll start pretty categorically that Fighters are the end-all be-all class. Much of this is due to Magic Items in the current system. I can be a 40th level Fighter with a 40th level Scholar in my pocket. I *cannot* be a 40th level Scholar with a 40th level Fighter in my pocket - the Ritual system simply doesn't allow for that. Clearly, opinions differ on how much the skill system contributes to that difference, but suffice it to say that it also plays a part on how useful a character is throughout the entire day.
Part of the stated intent of 2.0 is to support teamwork. This means both in a single fight and throughout the day. It is entirely possible that 2.0 has swung one way or the other too far; I don't think anyone would say that it is 100% perfect as-is. However, I *do* personally believe that 2.0 is far better balanced for a well-tooled team than 1.3 is, which is almost always most optimal at the high end as a team of Fighters (since they can get that lovely high body total, high output consistent damage that doesn't run out, and pockets of scholar-reproducing magic items).
Fighters alone shouldn't be able to succeed or excel in every scenario. Neither should casters (or any other class). Hopefully everyone is on the same page about that. What the Owners want in 2.0 is for every class to feel important and useful - but also to need other classes to succeed.
Please keep that in mind when you're talking about respective balance. In 2.0, a Fighter teamed up with a Scholar should, IMO, be generally more efficient than a two-Scholar team over the course of a day. Classes and characters are absolutely intended to work together, not in a vacuum. That's part of the stated 2.0 intent.
So when you're talking about a single Fighter facing off against a single Scholar, you're definitely talking about a situation that is *not* the focus of 2.0. It's worth talking about and considering, but it's also worth spending some time and brainpower on what that Fighter can do when he's properly supported by a Scholar (and vice versa).
-Bryan