I think level requirements could stay. because some skills are a bit too overpowering to get very early.
Besides, another way to balance things is to enable more enemies to use those skills on us.
Elemental arrows that they an use now bring a whole new tactical dimensions to the fights, and seeing mages actually do more then they use to is very good (though first fights in the west have them using only the simplest spells).
Enemy fighters should also use more diverse skills.
