LogFAQs > #908671797

Fatigue might be a decent balancing mechanic for abilities that are powerful - like my thinking is abilities need to be balanced around a 'classical' KO (so an M4 preselected recharge 3-4 single target kill), since it's the most quintessential ability the system has and the most generally desirable one. If a KO costs 1 AP (out of 3 to 5, whatever number is chosen) but fatigues the merc, that opens up weak spots in the ability roster where you still have to face, say, drunkenness or being trapped in a cake but you can actually field your top fighters without multiple layers of ability defense. Fatigue also works to provide a good balancing lever for defensive triggers, since most triggers (usually) need to be 0 AP or close to it to make sense as abilities, but that makes them massively overpowered - but if you can't use them for a bit after they pop, that makes them fair again.

EDIT: Fatigue also interacts nicely as a concept with the idea I was toying with of 'tapping' mercs in peacetime for more AP. If what that does is Fatigue them for a week or two in exchange for a listed amount of AP on their merc page, it provides an interesting tradeoff where you get more ability power NOW at the cost of less power later.
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Shine on, you crazy diamond.