I rather like the system as it is.
But, and I seem to be the only one here, I *LIKE* shortcomings in characters. Persistent succes at everything just bores me.
I also like the idea that I'm playing MY character. Everyone else is there, too, but I do not speak for them. There are instances where they interject, and that's great. That's not to say I can't take Gale to talk to an NPC, but at that point; I'll try my best to say what Gale would say, and not me.