Gear checks on key progression content is vital to keep people motivated to get "stronger", which is the ESSENCE of a RPG: you start level 1 with less than 100HP and 1 spell and end at 50 with over 3K (depending on the class you play) and 3 bars worht of keybind.

Your alternative might sound charming in the sense that if offers greater choice, but it would outright murder the spirit of "power growth"; good luck in keeping people subbed without it.