I also think it's potentially beneficial for games where only a specific build-type has access to "burst" abilities based on equipment/skills.
get that MMO shit out of here
That's definitely not to say that any build should be able to do anything, but rather to minimize dead-end scenarios. For example, if I'm an armoured tank in AoD wielding a two-handed axe, I'd hate to encounter a scenario where it's practically impossible for me to even touch a high-dodge thrower. Even if it's inherently a bad matchup, I'd like to have the option of not only using my low-AP jab over a high-AP killing blow to maximize the amount of rolls, but to also maximize the amount of "chip-damage" via grazing over my build's typical high-damage focus.
The original concept probably didn't just get watered down in regards to no misses, but also specific combat roles, in Pillars. Rogues and Rangers were supposed to be "strikers". If you wanted to crit something with halfway decent defenses, you would have put the rogue or ranger to the job. In the end Fighters started with just the same accuracy, and even a Priest can have the same accuracy with his god's favored weapon as all 3 of those classes (unmodified).
Generally speaking, the original idea is exactly where this kind of system makes sense. You can have low accuracy tanks or support, who may still get lucky with enough buffs/ debuffs on the enemy. You could also mitigate some of that low accuracy with stats if you so choose, with corresponding trade-offs. You can have medium accuracy off-tanks and support who are decent at dealing damage, but not consistent without getting support to hit enemies in turn. And you can have high accuracy strikers, where you can never go wrong by putting those in attack mode, no matter the defenses of the target. If the target proves too difficult for your strikers to hit/ crit consistently, you know you need to do something about that enemy.
The system allows for a lot of flexibility in char building and tactics by tying accuracy multiplicatively to damage. I never realized the advantages the System offered in the beginning because I thought your DPS need both high accuracy and damage stats; but that's not the case. Contrary to e.g. D&D, where they couldn't help but tie accuracy and damage to the same stat even.
Also you're getting constant feedback on how well your characters are performing in the current situation, rather than waiting to see if a miss-miss-miss-hit-miss-crit sequence based on hard counters and lucky crits turns out appropriately effective for that character in the end.
if you remove the "automatic success" or "automatic fail" crit/hit/graze become only different words for the same exact thing: and so they become pointless overcomplications over a simple system that deal static damage.
what's your argument for an automatic succes/ fail mechanic? And no "I don't like the alternative" isn't an argument.