fair warning~ I didn't proof read so grammar and spelling is a mess.
It's been awhile! I always voice an opinion on the talent system, even when it's currently alpha. The reason being is~ I don't want to see the current system stick or built more. The size of it is rather small, making very cookie cutter for builds. The ability to use any talent makes it harder to balance, and lastly there is things that should be given more strength or easier to access but end up being left behind with the current tree (unarmed....)
I do like to use examples of other games like Path of exiles, Diablo2, diablo3, Archage, WoW, boarderlands, ...ext.
but going into great details of pro's and cons would make an incrediablely long post.
No matter what tree, or skill system we use; a player will have to do research and testing with any build. so the excuse to keep the tree small to stop overload of information is not really an excuse, the same problem happens regardless of size; sure one is bigger then the other but end of the day it's still a web of information you need to go thought. The sense of testing and discovery is normally an upside with any community and those that don't find that fun are likely the people who wont like fractured in the first place; this is a bold statement but it's backed up with the very foundation of fractured discovery of skills and testing of builds. There is no point in giving one system everything while neglecting the other.
Talents can be used in many ways then just "+1 str", "+damage to light weapons". Talents could be both simple and complex, "all elemental magic skills are now fire element only" or the reverse "all elemental magic skills are randomized on use between Fire, Lightning, Ice", "All magic skills are increased by 25% in size but cost 50% more mana", "20% of physical damage is converted into fire damage", "Assasin skills give a 0.5 sec of invisibility after use"
Talents can be so much more.
But to balance talents sometimes you don't want to give a class to much resource as another- a card talent system where you pick 2 or 3 cards would be ideal for balance. Each Card would have it's own Talent Tree/web.
The basic cards can simply be pseudo classes "Brawler", "WeaponMaster", "Tank", "Ranger", "Mage", "Spell Weaver" "Spell Weapon", "Enchanter", "Priest", ...ext, again~ each having their own unique talents.
Allowing you to pick 3 cards (IE: WeaponMaster, Tank, Priest) would catered you more towards the path you want. Keeping the similar idea of the current tree were we have INT, CHA, DEX, PERC, STR, CON.
If we add the idea for cards + the current tree. We'd have a full tree catered to a design/class while still keeping some defaults.
If we use the Weapon Master card/class as a example, the tree would not need the unarmed or range skills on the tree. These can be changed to more cater towards the ideals of the class, while we also sprinkle other talents with in the tree that we'd normally not want a mage to have unless they happen to pickup the class.
More balance to the card system would be making talents a legendary talent (using this ruling from MTG) you can not have 2 Legendary talents of the same name. IE if you want to put a talent into 2 or more different classes but don't want the user to use X amount you can simply stop them.
Another balance could simply be talents in this class is penalized by X% while not using X weapon's. IE Brawler class being allows to have higher physical damage or resistances while unarmed.
Cards/class should be given at the start of the game but as well more cards/classes should be added thought out gameplay.
Talents should also have multiply choose talents: when clicking on a multi-choose talent a little popup to pick the choose you want. IE resistance boost "Acid, Poison, Fire, Lightining" choose one +5% resistance.
I still wish to flush out the idea and have limited time work thought the idea. but I have been working on the details in my head for months and have posted the idea before (https://forum.fracturedmmo.com/topic/11834/feedback-talent-tree?_=1643825209641)
Life skills (IE mining, harvesting, woodcutting, ect) is having it's own talent tree system added at somepoint. But with a 3 card system, a card could be a life skill oriented talent tree. The idea behind this is to increase the difficulty of life skills while also giving a bonus reward to those who use the card during gathering. A talent to find gems more often, gain 3 ore instead of one, to be enable mining giant size boldere.