Back on topic (if we can get back there). What changes were you thinking of? Though I wouldn't like being non-class, curious about how you see it working in D:OS
I was thinking of equipment requirements working more like spell requirements.
Like giving "some" penalties if not having optional level of stat.
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Alternatively, have more "decent" higher level items with lower stat requirements.
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Currently, there is inflation of stat requirements based on item level. So game mechanic forces you to keep investing in one stat in order to be able to use higher level gear.
There is a bit of items with lower stat requirements, but not enough.
For example, mail armors have lower Str requirement then plate. But, they are highly inferior, instead just being somewhat weaker or different then plate.
Then you have maces or hammers that are pretty much most useless kind of single hand weapon. Poor damage, uncraftable...
And crafting system itself is geared toward high stat items. Pretty much all things that you craft require high stats, with no option to craft something weaker with lower stats (without saving stuff crafted a few levels before). It is really difficult to use crafting to make items for hybrid characters that focus on two main stats, instead of one.
For example, if I want to build a "cleric" type character that uses some water magic and warrior weapons, it is difficult to do balancing of two stats, without gimping yourself in warrior equipment. Here Str stat is superior because it is hard cap on equipment, while Int is soft-cap, because you just get penalties if Int is not good enough.
Many of starting "classes" in the game are not really classes, but hybrids, and are also not viable in the long run, due to way how equipment stat requirements scale in the game.
These "classes" are pretty much traps for beginners which are unable to min-max well character stats to get best of their hybrids, without getting inferior characters.
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To sum up, how I see current system is that there are only 3 "decent" classes:
Strength class
Dexterity class
Intelligence class
With each of them that can be specialized in multiple paths.
Strength class: single with shield or two handed weapons (or both with tenebrium!!!), plate armor (or mail if desperate)
Dexterity class: bow, crossbow or daggers (or ALL with tenebrium!!!), stealth, leather armor
Intelligence class: pick any magic skills you want, staffs for weapons, robes for armor
With each of the classes being able to dip a little in some skills or other classes, but no more then that.
And then, there are "beginner trap" classes:
Battlemage (Str+Int)
Cleric (Str+Int)
Wayfarer (Dex+Int)
Shadowblade (Dex+Int)
Which are pretty much recipe for disaster, if you are not a really skilled player for min-maxing your stats.
