Birthright: Chimaeron

I don't think that's necessary... paladins and rangers have such intense requirements they're already set apart from fighters. If someone has the ability scores and alignment to qualify for those classes, they probably should, unless they just don't want to obey the ethos restrictions.

Not everyone wants to be a paladin (religious) or ranger (woodsy), some just want to be the best at cutting, maiming, and killing.

Hmm. I guess to me they're all equally good at cutting, maiming, and killing, it's just that two of them have an additional package of perks and drawbacks (which is only available to an elite few).

Maybe there are (or should be) fighter kits, with their own elite requirements, that push it further, but have drawbacks? I remember the Kensai in Baldur's Gate 2 was better at cutting, maiming, and killing than anybody, but couldn't wear armour or use ranged weapons.

Kits are available to single-class. Myrmidon (extra WPs) is often a favorite. Swashbuckler also saw use this game.

Both of those give extra WP - not a coincidence I bet.

Mog was a beast master. I imagined creating lizard riders as my unique tier 4 unit at some point. Beilamog was a myrmidon for the WP to make up for the lower level.

It doesn't feel balanced to have to take a kit, to be competitive. It doesn't feel like roleplaying to have to limit yourself to couple kits for the bonus, then ignore the roleplay components, or stretch justification of its use paper thin.

You are missing the most abusive kit - the Paladin Militarist. You can wholesale swap all* your NWP into WP.

Yeah, bonus NWPs from kits aren't allowed, right? So why should bonus WPs be?

...it does seem fair for the Samurai kit, though. At least to me.

I took the bonus NWPS. I parlayed with Juan for the Beastmaster Kit's reaction penalty to apply an additional -1 culture penalty on domain actions.

Myrmidon for Beilamog has no mechanical penalties aside from having a Patron. I have used this 'non-drawback' to influence roleplay only, to put Mog's legacy or Patrons wishes as a foremost concern for the character.

Can Orogs build without wood like dwarves?