I'd like to just see more traits and rather than new abilities, unlock ways to augment existing ones.


There are a couple of possibilities:

1. Learn specific augmentation with branching upgrade paths on abilities.

OR

2. Learn generic augmentation that can be applied/equipped to the ability of your choice for customization.

Example:

Haste: can be attached to a single defensive or support cooldown ability. When the attached ability is used, all other ability cooldowns are reduced by 10%. This effect has an internal cool down of 60 secs before it will activate again.

Blast: can be attached to a single damage ability. Allows AoE abilities to extend to all targets in range at full effect (Holy, Bane, etc).

Corrupt: can be attached to a single damage ability. Adds a DoT effect with 20 Potency for 10 secs to the ability. Cannot be re-applied until the initial effect is expired.

Mighty: can be attached to a single damage ability. When this ability is a critical hit, you gain a 10% damage increase for 8 seconds. Has an internal cooldown of 20 seconds.

Calm: can be attached to a single damage ability. Greatly reduces the hate generated by this ability.

Thirst: can be attached to a single defensive cooldown. Provides a buff that temporarily drains a small amount of health from your target with every strike.

Rage: can be attached to a single damage ability. Greatly increases the hate generated by this ability.

Pure: can be attached to a single healing ability. When this ability is a critical heal, it will remove a single random detrimental effect from the target.

Stalwart: can be attached to a single healing ability. When this ability is a critical heal, it will provide a defensive buff reducing incoming damage on the target by 10% for 8 secs.

It obviously would need balancing and these are just quick ideas I threw together, but it would be nice to have something new rather than just a lump of new abilities that we don't have room on our hotbars for.