The strong impression I get from the hardcore players (Kiya in particular) is that while the skill system might seem a little strange at first, it is in fact very flexible and will allow me to experiment to my heart's content, and my character's strengths and weaknesses will become more pronounced depending on what I choose.
I can't speak for Kiya, but as for myself (and at least some others): yes, the skill system is potentially quite flexible. No, it is not currently balanced, and rather inflexible, especially in Act I. It also lacks enough skill points to allow the player to experiment properly with different character configurations. I've suggested before that one possible remedy for this is to de-link skill points-per-level from monster hit points, and make them separate options before game start. As skill points are a major concern of the player base, I suspect Larian will look at this. They're certainly receptive to suggestions.
Good luck with getting a copy! The game is playable in its current state, but there remain some bugs (amazingly heavy amulets, no lockpicking, manically over-active pickpocketing, people stuck in the Battlefields) and quite a few balance issues to address. What's selling the product now is the game's vision. Its ability to deliver still lags.
