I 100% respect this.
But, you must admit that you are describing a player problem that you are using rules shackling to manage.
If one doesn't have this player problem, then not adding a shackle is, well, not adding a shackle.
I have several other issues with the PF2E math that create dissonance in the experience. So while not having this shackle on the players is a good thing, it is just on top of avoiding the other problems.
I don't think my opinions should be construed as meaning anything to you. But they are what they are.
I'm not trying to insult anyone either.
But, at the end of the day, it is not your opinion or mine that counts. It is how much does a given system appeal to a wide set of players. And, further, how sustainable is that appeal. I strongly believe that as months continue to go by, the constraints of the PF2E math will wear on some portion of those who are now playing it. Just as the 4E fanbase shrunk, I see PF2E shrinking. There will always be a devoted core who love it. And good for them. Though I think ti would be better for them if they could trade off a bit of the shackles for more of a playerbase.
We shall see.
I think there is a lot of appeal in a game where the players get to play level 1 to 20 and feel challenged. DMs can run an entire adventure path without much modification. That a DM doesn't feel like he has to spend a week or more preparing his enemies only to see them decimated in 10 minutes with a few bad saves or just weak design.
And not just to focus on the negative, I have a lot of fun playing PF2 characters.
1. The goblin alchemist likes that he can modify his bombs. He even came up with names for his bombs. He generally tries to stack persistent damage on creatures. He even came up with a bomb he calls a Hot Sasha that he creates a fire bomb with an even higher amount of persistent damage. He likes being able to make cheetah elixirs and goldenmist elixirs for defense and mobility. He is now testing his disguise elixir with his high Deception skill to engage in infiltration and spying.
The goblin alchemist also likes using his Deception skill to create a diversion and disappear into the fog of battle when he draws aggro. I as a DM find it amusing to find ways which he does that like pretending he disappeared under his cape or hiding behind some other character's leg or yelling giant while looking behind the person, then scampering behind some corner.
2. The Champion enjoys being able to use intimidation and athletics in unique ways. She is a master at athletics with a high strength. She knock back most enemies from doors, drive in while raising her shield to defend herself, and generally physically manhandle enemies she deals with including grabbing flying enemies to hold them in place and jumping up walls to go over enemies to get behind them so they can't run.
She intimidates mooks to make them run to prevent herself from getting flanked or ganged up on when she is engaged with the BBEG.
3. The ranger archer alternates the types of shots he uses depending on the AC of the targets he is facing. It seems to give him the feel of an expert archer. He is able to provide his ranger bonuses to allies to boost their damage. Which gives the ranger some nice support abilities.
4. The bard has all kinds of interesting things to do. He mostly sings and harmonizes blending together effective offense and defense. But sometimes switch to a fearful dirge and unleashes some nasty magic like phantasmal calamity and phantasmal killer. He is a master crafter that can make items and repair shields with extreme alacrity.
5. The rogue is super stealthy, hits hard, can climb faster, move better, and is generally an all around skill badass.
6. The cleric healer is a master medic with a lot of healing magic and get out of death spells. Not much different from previous healer clerics.
So the game is still fun to play. I believe the more people that truly play it will find it far more fun to play than they expected. I know my group did. I've stated it many times, but PF2 plays better than it reads. It gets more interesting as you level and learn to accept that it isn't PF1 or 5E, but something new and unique that is better built for long-term play than past editions of D&D including PF1.
I think the more people that try it will find it an enjoyable game that you can play much longer than other editions of D&D and of course PF1 in a challenging and interesting way. It's not like 4E. It's not like PF1. It's closer to 5E, but still not like that game either.
I think the main thing that will hold back PF2 from growing is the initial fear of the rule book and the boring reading. It's a big rule book with a lot of rules in it. Some of them could be condensed as
Captain Zapp has stated. It will take more time to memorize and fully understand than a game like 5E. It's less complicated than PF1, but definitely a rules heavy game. And much of what you read looks boring compared to 5E or PF1. But when you actually play the game and see how the rules operate together, you find it lends itself very well to story-telling and does provide quite a number of interesting choices and abilities that are more powerful than they seem on paper.
Only time will tell if it succeeds in the market. I can see one reason why Paizo did it. If PF2 succeeds, it makes their APs more valuable. One of the other complaints about APs was them stopping at 12 to 15 or so. Now they can build APs from 1 to 20 and always let the players build a max-level character that let's them experience the high level game. I think quite a few players will enjoy that, while DMs won't have to commit so much time to building high level encounters.