I very much agree with Rent-an_ihrno, coz I think that what makes Spiderweb games so cool is the plot ...
On the other hand in a game like Geneforge the combat is also, for me, never boring, just coz you have a whole lot of creations with numerous abilities (not just spellcasting) that can make the fights really interesting and a lot less (or at least slower to become) repetetive.
Well, I know ... some might say that a fighter can use different swords etc. for different fights, but it's just not the same; and furthermore it costs AP.
And to those to whom special abilities would pose boring searching for that correct tactic and so on ... NOONE SAID YOU MUST!!! USE THEM!!
And to conclude, I'd also like to say that these (and I believe also some others, like riposte, leathal blow, ...) abilities should not be just learned by improving certain other skills, but instead (at least for the first point of it) taught by the teacher. And I don't think they should use mana points, coz fighters don't need inteligence (in a game I mean ), but some other points, that would increase with dexterity (this way also dexterity, which I don't use often and also don't need it too much) would gain popularity.
Also I'd like to add that, this one is for all those RPG fans, that having extra skills'd really give more life to a character, wouldn't it?