Make it some kind of lore-based wizard, possibly where the spells come more slowly, but are more reliable?
For example, maybe they channel like preist's blessings? Cast first, then channel? Allow them to turn one CS per game into two stress rather than draw a miscast?
Emirikol said:
They are inherently desinged to be min-maxed. If you have a player who isn't an outstandingly trustworthy person on not "breaking the game", I would simply shelve them. Make them an advanced career. I'd do the same with the wardancer and ironbreaker. There's no reason why characters couldn't "earn" these careers (give them a 3rd talent slot).
They're just so combat-minded that they tend to take good roleplaying games, and turns them back into D&D.
jh
Without actually having tried to play either sword master, War Dancer or Iron Breaker isnt part of the fix to simply be strict about armour penalties?? ie. dont allow anything heavier than light armour (count Ulthuan armour as light, if he ever finds one ...) when using Sword Master or Ritual Dances and remember to give out extra difficulty dice for athletics, coordination etc. rolls if wearing armour
I would even suggest limiting manoevres if wearing heavy armour ie.:
+1 fatigue cost if taking 2 extra manoevres in medium armour (not that easy to sprint in!)
+1 fatigue if taking any extra manoevres in heavy armour. (not that easy to even run in!)
That would be my fix ....
Oh not to mention wall-shields ....any character using them, just take away their free manoevre - then they become special case shield they are only really usable in sieges etc
combat heavy dungeon crawls are what got me into DnD and tabletop roleplaying. Background character development and social roleplay came later when i discovered i could have a lot of fun that had nothing to do with combat or statistics.
the swordmaster, slayer, ironbreaker, and bright wizard are iconic and i want them even more in the forefront than they already are because they draw the new players and get people interested in warhammer to begin with.stuff like burghers, dilettantes, commoners take a lot of knowledge of the empire, the social tiers and experience playing roles outside of the fighter, cleric, rogue and wizard to pull of well. i consider them advanced "roleplaying" careers.
honestly the most important thing as a GM is keeping your players poor and hungry with no magic items. it doesnt matter if they are swordmasters or rat catchers poor and hungry transcends the races and careers and challenges players to be creative much more both their social and combat encounters.
as for min/maxxing...pretty friggin dangerous thing to do in warhammer. i could see being peeved in a system like pathfinder where stat dumping is kind of how people build characters because it has no mechanical drawbacks but in warhammer there can be game ending consequences for stat dumping so i dont know why this is an issue.
finally..bad ass combatants draw all sorts of the wrong kind of attention warhammer. they draw other warriors looking to duel the best, they draw sycophants and yes men wanting to ride the coat tails (think entourage) and if they are real good at what they do they do make attractive targets for khorne who is always looking for champions. so...yeah go ahead..min maxx that swordmaster to the hilt...i dare you 
Well in case you hadn't been paying attention, I didn't min-max it, and Anierra's continuing adventures have proven to be honestly quite rewarding. With a decent fellowship and intelligence, I've felt confident enough to play the character I want, not to another fighter stereotype. Combat is still the incredibly nasty ordeal it always is, but even still I'm happy with bumping plenty of non-combat skills. But that's mostly thanks to the GM, who has a way of encouraging diversity. (Cheers Dan by the way.)
Remorhaz said:
combat heavy dungeon crawls are what got me into DnD and tabletop roleplaying. Background character development and social roleplay came later when i discovered i could have a lot of fun that had nothing to do with combat or statistics.
the swordmaster, slayer, ironbreaker, and bright wizard are iconic and i want them even more in the forefront than they already are because they draw the new players and get people interested in warhammer to begin with.stuff like burghers, dilettantes, commoners take a lot of knowledge of the empire, the social tiers and experience playing roles outside of the fighter, cleric, rogue and wizard to pull of well. i consider them advanced "roleplaying" careers.
honestly the most important thing as a GM is keeping your players poor and hungry with no magic items. it doesnt matter if they are swordmasters or rat catchers poor and hungry transcends the races and careers and challenges players to be creative much more both their social and combat encounters.
as for min/maxxing...pretty friggin dangerous thing to do in warhammer. i could see being peeved in a system like pathfinder where stat dumping is kind of how people build characters because it has no mechanical drawbacks but in warhammer there can be game ending consequences for stat dumping so i dont know why this is an issue.
finally..bad ass combatants draw all sorts of the wrong kind of attention warhammer. they draw other warriors looking to duel the best, they draw sycophants and yes men wanting to ride the coat tails (think entourage) and if they are real good at what they do they do make attractive targets for khorne who is always looking for champions. so...yeah go ahead..min maxx that swordmaster to the hilt...i dare you
That is a wounderful point. I am stealing your post and I am going to email it to my players. We recently started a new campaign with the following group composition
Dwarf coachman, Dwarf miner, High Elf envoy, High Elf mystic, Gambler, Rat catcher, Roadwarden and a Scout.
Some of them are still asking why there are no mages, priest or warriors in the group.
Let me say nonetheless that the first games have been a full success and a lot of fun;
This is one of the best posts I've seen on these message boards. Well said.
I'd like to back this up since we've sort of moved on to dangerously overpowered careers and super-characters, of which sword masters could be considered a part of...
Last nights session was, for me, absolutely hilarious. Not because I nearly killed the whole group, but because I crippled them with stress and fatigue. The conservative wp5 wizard could not stop failing checks which left him at one stage sitting on a mind-boggling TEN stress. He also picked up the "Unnatural compulsions" insanity, so he had to attack or pass out! Hilarious! Our bounty hunter stepped onto the crazy train and purchased an overnight ticket, and our pain-soaking watchman was left in a state after taking all but two of his wounds and suffering an insanity, which forced him to abandon the previously helpful saga of grungni and allowed me to wail on the rest of party, which I duly proceeded to do with reckless abandon. Undead, it seems, are nasty, provided I remember to make everyone take their blasted fear/terror roles. Fatigue was pounding on everyone, in a very serious, worrying way as well, it's definitely opened my eyes as to making player's lives miserable.