Do caster out of combat options matter?

[Skrum]

That's the point of the entire genre. If you don't want players and GMs to make adjustments based on dessions from the character's perspective then you are just playing an overly complex boardgame that still takes adjudication to function.

It's intent above all else.

I don't buy this. Abilities used in combat and spells are quite well defined in general. And then there's skills, which are apparently intended to be used in a rules-lite way. It's an awful clash, especially when some classes are heavy on defined powers (like the full spellcasters), and some classes are essentially working in a rules-lite way (rogue).

Which is why I would advocate for the removal of Expertise, bump Proficiency up, and give Rogues and Bards something else in place.

I don't disagree. People keep throwing out these great ideas and I have rethink what I want to do with my new skill system.

Changing things is addictive - I want to keep changing and changing and changing but then I end up with this gigantic mess of rules that appeals to my rules lawyer brain but looks nothing like 5e.