Now that I’ve made time to have a proper look at this and really mull it over, I honestly don’t think this will have the effect of making more unique characters.
Almost all of the MMO playing experience I have tells me that when people don’t have enough skills to max out a specific goal, the majority of people look to the internet to find ‘the most efficient build for X’ and use that. I don’t believe the new skill system will truly cause people to stop, consider their options and come to their own conclusions. I think you’ll find that everyone just ends up with a tool crafting spec that is the same as the majority of the population’s tool crafting spec, and then they’ll get a spec for the next goal they want to achieve that is also the same as the majority of other players etc etc.
I would suggest that the best way to actually encourage players to create unique builds and be distinct is to give them a handful more points than they need for their goal. But that’s just my opinion, and you’re all probably as tired of hearing it as I am of rehashing it at this point.