Anyway, enough about the talents, which is really something minor to me
What about the skill suggestion? let me repost this suggestion which is the main topic that I wanted this post to be about but it turned out otherwise...is it because people agrees about this suggestion....:
To me the Skill tree needs to be apart from the Offense and Defense attributes. Level those separately so most likely get 1 point in the skill tree and 1 for the offense/defense when leveling up. Or maybe 1 every 2 lvl for the last group.
Have the skills in those skill tree evolve from lvling up the same skill tree. Make those skill that are already existing weaker if need be. Let's say backstab you can only teleport 2 feet's from target, the more points in Scoundrel, the better the distance until it reach a maximum where you could even go on and say that you can use your skill through a cloud.
This will ensure a distinct advantage of specializing yourself into a skill tree versus versatility of putting 1 point in everyone of them and picking the best skills....
Dividing the skill tree from the offensive/defensive group will ensure that the suggestion of increasing your skill tree for better skills doesn't render obsolete the offensive/defensive group as everybody would feel enforce to put their point somewhere else...
Having 1 point in Offensive/Defensive when leveling up, would allow people to question themselves about increasing damage through specific types of weapon, or use leadership or any other attributes making them an option to think about....
Have you tried playing differently? Have you tried putting points into those other things to see what it's like? I promise you it's not "obsolete", and personally I think if we want to give incentives for more specialization, those should exist as well designed talents that reward the sacrifices of different play styles.
For example, I just finished a solo run (no companions) as a Dual-Wielding Dwarven Polymorph. It was one of the most fun of the eight I've done. Of course, it would have been much harder without the Restoration ring and the Teleportation gloves, but it didn't take me any longer than any of my other runs, which usually take about 6-8 hours (not even frenetically). Even then, with grenades, food and potions, not having Restoration shouldn't be an issue. Furthermore, that was a SOLO run. Solo runs are made possible mainly by the sneak mechanic, or invisibility skills (and shed skin).
Now, imagine a FULL PARTY. Do you really need 4 characters with 1 point into each school? There are many combinations that are not obsolete. A party with a specialist of each kind or maybe with only a couple of hybrids could be even better than a party with 4 hybrids.
Your solution doesn't affect the fundamental problems with the Combat Abilities as they stand. The problems are very particular to the Abilities. This has been discussed plenty in other threads. It is generally thought that the Defence abilities are relatively weak, and abilities that involve critical chance and dodge seem under-powered early game. Giving "more points" doesn't solve that.
