I knew as soon as I asked this question in my mind I would have to post it. Then I also knew that the screams of blaspheme would follow.
One of the things I always like about a non-d20 game I played (Shadowrun) was the way there were no classes only paths you could take in creating and improving your character. You could have creation be a selection of choices Magic/Skills/Feats/Hit Dice/Special Talents where they are put into priority from 1 to 5. Magic would need to be priority 1 or 2 to manifest into powers like casting spells (Magic 1) like normal arcane or divine casters or weaker spell casters (Magic 2) where progress is slower. With Special Talents the PC could buy talents like Uncanny Dodge, Evasion, Trap Finding, Familiar, or Slow fall.
When the PC gains a level they make a choice of improving their choices. It would open up everything and allow players to find a chosen path for their character.
BLASPHEME
Feel better?
Seriously, I have played and enjoyed classless systems. Hero is my favorite in that class. However if I am playing D&D, then I want the classes. Getting rid of them means it isn't D&D anymore. Might as well play a well play-tested, tried and true universal system.
Obviously this would throw compatability right out the window.
So, even supressing cries of righteous indignation, I'd still have to say this is a very bad idea.
A central design goal of the Pathfinder RPG is backward compatibility with v.3.5, so classes are here to stay.
I'm honestly not sure what it is about this project that makes people think Paizo has any interest whatsoever in fundamentally changing the structure of the game.
No man ya cant change the game that much and that my friend is a massive change...and shadowrun is awesome.
OK, I got it. If it ain't got class it ain't DnD.