Proposed changes mega-post.
Please debate specific ideas in their respective threads (linked). Debating the changes as a whole or how they may connect and interfere with each other or unmentioned systems is allowed.
The goal of this post is to provide a full picture of proposed changes that have been widely agreed upon (also by me) in various threads and from separate suggestions (some by me) combined with a vision of how they come together to make a coherent whole. I'm putting it in one place because I've been proposing the same changes now in different threads and sometimes under different topics. Because everything is linked in the world of game balance, I feel that tying it all together is a valuable exercise. Thank you to everyone whose ideas have made it into this thread. There are a lot of good suggestions (not made by me) that have been incorporated here.

To start I would make these changes to the stats system. I feel that they are reserved changes that inject meaningful choice and meet proposed goals of a fun intuitive system that provides ability to hybridize and supports a wide variety of builds.
Respective discussion thread: Primary attributes
First: Remove increases to damage/level that are in current system. Then change the stats scaling and benefits provided to a (static value) increasing per point invested for the first 5 points and then half (static value) for the next ten points. For every point invested after 15 (25 in a stat under current math), provide only 1/3 the (static value). Apply to all stats except memory.
Second: Give the player 3 stat points per level but reduce stats found on items to 66% of current. (keeping total stats awarded the same but shifting control towards player choice/level)
Next: Make these individual stat changes.
Strength: Add movement (1X) Where x is a value TBD.
Finesse: Increase movement (0.5X)
Intelligence: Increase % damage gains overall (and above those provided for dex/str to make up for loss of per level damage increase and lack of weapon modifiers). Add spell critical chance (2Z) and remove spell critical talent.
Constitution: Increase carry weight by (0.5Y) Where Y is what is provided by strength. Tie constitution to item requirements on heavy armor.
Memory: 1 point invested = 1 memory point. Change 'slot' costs to memory costs. Adjust costs - more freedom to use 1, 2 costs etc. Some OP skills (bullrush/crippling/hailstrike will cost 3 (1.5X current), most current skills that are fine would be 2 (as current), some cheap skills would be 1 cost (reduction). (see relevant discussions - Memory 1 memory 2 )
Wits: Increase initiative bonus, add all accuracy, give large 'trap disarm' bonus, keep critical change all (1Z)

Itemization and equipment changes:
Adapt chart developed in this thread: Item chart! and loot thread
Change stats provided by items to 66% of current value.
Add magic armor to most shields. Increase total physical/magic armor provided by shields. Add skill on equip - Raise shield: 1 ap, restore 50%(actual value TBD) of shield phys and magical armor.
Add likelihood of magic armor value being found on tier 2 and above heavy armor (1/3 to 1/2 of that found on pure magic armor gear)
Add stat requirements (tier x 2 constitution) for heavy armor and shields.
No stat requirements on weapons/accessories/light or leather armor.
Add stat requirements (tier x 2 Intelligence) for magic focused armor.
durability: removed

Mechanical changes:
Add support for 1h wand and 1 hand melee equip status.
Tweak damage provided by 2h weapons for warfare skills. While I am not currently satisfied by proposed options. I like - including both weapons in a dual wield damage calculation and either changing % weapon damage on skills to (60-80% of current) when dual or 2h equip or adding AP cost (by 1) when dual or 2h equipped. (relevant thread Warfare 2h tweaks )
durability: removed

Changes to CC and status effects: thread ( CC and effects )
CC changes: Remove stun from electric attacks. Change knockdown to now subtract AP from the targets next turn when they stand up. (unless helped up)
Change fear to cause X (likely 2) AP spent on movement as far away from fear provider as possible.
Slow escalation of CC and effects.
Fire attacks first providing 'warm' unless oiled/poisoned or warm.
Water/ice attacks providing wet/chilled before frozen.
Air attacks providing electrocuted/shocked on hit.
Earth attacks create oil/poison surfaces as current.
Current attacks that cause multiple on hit effects instead cause one effect over the AoE after damage is done. Later, higher cost skills may provide multiple on hit status effects.

Earth provides slow on hit - has a petrify condition that causes hard CC and adds some magic armor to those CC'd.
Fire provides warm on hit and can light fires. Condition burning causes periodic DoT and fields cause damage on contact.
Water provides wet/chilled on hit - has a frozen condition that causes hard CC and adds some physical armor to those CC'd.
Air provides shocked/electrocute on hit and upon reapplication refreshes debuff and causes burst damage, fields cause damage through the same mechanism.

Blessed - in addition to removing the CC status effect.
- Blessing a shocked surface gives everyone touching the surface increased movement.
- Blessing a shocked person grants bonus AP to that character.
- Blessing a frozen person grants lots of magic armor. -> Frost armor.
- Blessing a frozen surface grants immunity to CC
- Blessing a petrified person grants lots of physical armor ->Fortify
- Blessing an oiled surface gives haste
- Blessing a burning person -> HoT
- Blessing a burning or wet surface gives heal on contact
- Blessing blood/bleeding grants significant heal and cure all
- Blessing a poisoned person or poisoned surface... ?? .. ?? I don't know yet. Suggestions?

Magic armor/Physical armor - not changed.

Talents: Still to come
Skill points: WIP

If all these changes are made well.. I'm happy at the very least. But if all these areas are addressed, coherently and in tandem, I think even the curmudgeonly forum posters could be made happy. Thanks for reading