ASW – Alternative hero leveling.

It seems your opinion hasn't changed, and perhaps you initially misunderstood. I'm not against aligning things based on aesthetics if it's dictated by gameplay, not just aesthetics. And I'm against trying to force everything to fit a certain aesthetic, ignoring all other factors.

Then why repeat the same thing using different words?
I call it "mechanics," you call it "gameplay," for example.
It's an argument about nothing...

It's better to judge something based on specifics.

Added 3 minutes later
I'm still a proponent of alternative upgrade paths. For example, having a choice between upgrading attack or rate of fire, rather than doing both at once. Or choosing between an enchanted ballista or a rapid-fire weapon, etc. But this concept completely harms single-player games, while it's more interesting for multiplayer. It depends on the perspective. There are pros and cons everywhere.
Why be an antagonist to every idea?