May I suggest that instead of a vertical progression tree you opt for horizontal progression? For example, you unlock dodge, then you unlock other defensives that you can "equip" instead of dodge. A point-buy system by definition means that players don't get to play with most of the abilities you've created. (Not many are likely to replay a game over and over.)
Maybe. However one of my design considerations is to make the character perform quite differently depending on your build. A lot of action RPGs don't do that... even if there are some nominal "RPG elements" you always end up as a fighter-mage-thief dodge rolling your way to victory.
A good example of what I'd like to achieve is Gothic, where as your weapon skills increase, the animations actually change to reflect that. Being a low-level goof with no skill doesn't just mean you do shit damage or whatever... your character is actually visibly awkward and inept with the weapon. It's a big moment when you unlock that first set of animations and can actually swing your sword like you halfway know what you are doing, and I love that sense of character progression.
Then again, I'm also trying to cut down on the number of weapons, abilities, etc to reduce the art and animation workload to something that could be completed in a reasonable amount of time by one person + store assets. I think this can be done without sacrificing the quality of the game, but idk.
An easy example I think of in this area is Star Wars. The main fights happen between people using one weapon (swords) and only a small handful of magic abilities (enhanced mobility and acrobatics, telekinesis, and the bad guys can use lightning). And if you've ever played the Force Unleashed games you'll know that format can translate well to a video game.
Not that I want to blatantly rip off Star Wars (although I might
) but it shows that even with a minimal number of inputs, you can still create exciting action. I think as long as it doesn't overstay its welcome (i.e. forcing you to fight hordes of trash mobs) it can be effective.
My goal for the game isn't for it to be super combat-intensive anyway... there will be fighting obviously, but there will also be survival mechanics, exploration, and a strong story hook to (hopefully) keep the Player wanting to press forward.