I would like to see "affection" assets used in a particular mini game in shb for chocobos. Playing with it, feeding it and grooming it could raise it's affection level and grant you some perks. For example, at "level 5 affection", it will start "picking up" random items from the ground like plant materials or gems. Maybe at a higher level, it can revive you if you die on the field.

Another thing I'd like to see is bardings granting different abilities and/or stats to the chocobo, with each barding granting unique or situational abilities. For example, equipping your chocobo with a full maelstrom set nets you 10% extra wolf marks for participating pvp in a maelstrom team.