I prefer spec identity over class identity as well. It keeps me interested in my class in a versatile manner as each spec feels thematically different.
With lots of core shared abilities across the class, this lessens. It’s not that I’m the dot spec, it’s simply that my dots deal more damage than the other specs or I can cast 1 or 2 more dots than they can. Same for destro.its just that my DD nukes are bigger and I maybe have a couple of DD nukes they lack. But in this situation all locks dot and DD for dmg. Their spec just changes what % makes up their damage done and a few new abilities.
I much prefer my almost entire toolkit changing when i respec sans the class utility like soulstone, healthstones, portals etc. Keeps thing nice and varied.
I mean currently each specs feels different from the other (within a class), in the old days there was thematically little differences between specs. People argue in the new system that classes themselves don’t feel different from each other, but I just don’t agree. Thematically a warrior and a survival hunter just don’t feel similar at all, despite some shared utility.
I really don’t want unpruning to homogenised specs too much as I am a big fan of nice clear distinct specs. At least bring back core mechanics but with tweaks per spec. Ie all rogues getting poisons back but sub rogues have their poisons deal shadow damage with different visuals for example.