One Character for Everything or Multiple Characters?

Hi,
I just started playing this game and am loving it. I currently have a Midlander Pugilist. I now think I want a Summoner eventually. My questions are:

1. Can you reset the attributes you obtain as you level up? I have not used them yet on my character.

2. Concerning end-game, is it fine to use one character and level up each job on him? Magic and physical jobs combined? I am trying to figure out if I should keep my midlander for everything or just reroll right now to a more magic oriented race.

I am currently a lvl 15 pugilist.

I really want to be able to run every class on this one character, but don't want to be ineffective for end game groups later on.

Thanks in advance,
Buckwild

Welcome to Eorzea!

1. You can reset your spent attribute points later in the game after you join a Grand Company (which is part of the storyline) - its a consumable item called 'The Keeper's Hymn' which you buy with company seals from it's headquarters. Also each class has it's own set of attribute points you spend on one class will not affect another. :)
2. Stat differences between races and racial clans is pretty much trivial at the start and virtually non-existent by the 'end' of the game, so it comes down to appearance really (you could go as a lalafell PLD and still tank just as well as a roegadyn for instance). Plus with the aesthetician and the Fantasia items which allow you to change your hairstyle/hair colour and race/clan/gender/physical appearence respectively, even that is not 'set in stone'. And with the Armoury System that allows you to change to any class you wish whenever you wish, there is little need to create alts if you're just unsure about what to play as. So feel free to experiment! :D

As for effectiveness at end game, all classes and Jobs have their uses and weaknesses - find one that suits your play style (PGL upgrades to MNK later in the game and is a pure physical dps incidentally).

You'll want cross-class skills anyway, so it's better to level everything on one character. There's no real gameplay benefit to having a different character for different jobs.

This game is designed for people to use one character for everything. You can have multiple characters if you want to, but you don't need more than one.
There is an item you can buy from your Grand Company (after you choose a company, around lv20) that will let you reset your attribute points.
Each class has its own attributes, independent of any other. You can freely switch back and forth between physical and magic jobs without either affecting the other.
To be effective in endgame, you will actually need to level multiple classes. Each job has two secondary classes associated with it from which you can use cross-class abilities. It's not a major concern for leveling up, but for endgame, you will need to have certain of those cross-class skills.
The stat differences between races are minuscule. Choose your race based on the appearance you like.

Each class gets its own set of attribute points. You can go ahead and put all your Pugilist points into strength and still be able to put all your Arcanist points into intelligence for your Summoner. Arcanist is actually the only somewhat tricky one in that regard. Because jobs are specialties of their base class, they use the base class's attribute points. Since ACN can become both Summoner (who wants Intelligence) and Scholar (who wants Mind), you'll have a decision to make there about which to favor if you want to follow both of those jobs, or just switch back and forth.

Lots of people do many or all classes and jobs on the same character. It's perfectly viable and in fact has some advantages in getting cross-class skills and in collecting gear. When people (like me) do multiple characters, it's usually for more casual (fluff?) reasons like wanting different looking characters of different races, or in order to do the story repeatedly.