An option to uncouple character model/voice from passive tree start/ascendancies?

I've read the debates over the classes being locked to specific genders/models, and I've repeatedly seen a couple reasonings against the inclusion of an option to have multiple options for their characters.

Namely, budget for animation, rigging, voice work, etc., and a specific vision for each class as an individual character as opposed to a template or archetype. It's probably more complicated than that, but with PoE2 arriving soon, I wanted to offer my own thoughts.

Personally, I love magic. I've played off and on throughout the years, but usually wind up doing one of two things, a pet Witch or a Shadow focused on Arc Lightning. Meta doesn't concern me, sometimes I manage to arrive during a patch when those work well, sometimes I don't.

Unfortunately, the Shadow has to do some weird pathing to get even close to what a Witch could output if I'd tried to make the Witch focus on lightning instead. Oh, I know the Hierophant is allegedly a spellcaster male, but... No, he's a priest, not a mage.

I understand the budget issue. Time and money spent on alternate models could instead be put towards new content. I understand each class has their own perspective on the events of the game(s), which comes through in their voice lines.

Still, when I heard about new classes, I was fairly excited, and hurried to the Int section to see Witch and... Sorceress. "Ah. I... see. Still no choice to be a male arcane caster." Whatever archetypes and models you prefer, I doubt I'm the only one whose elation fell.

But I thought about it, and wondered, "why not just let us change where on the board we start, regardless of class?" If you tie the ascendancies to the starting point, as well, it would serve to allow more freedom for players to combine the build they want with the personality and model they want, without duplicating the voice work or needing new models.

You could even tie the uncoupling option to finishing the campaign once, similar to the Scion unlock, if you don't want it as a choice for the players' first run. Just my opinion on the debate.