[mcman]

I think I'd agree with Zark about not getting too hung up over the skills. A convincing and fleshed out personality is most important, however I think in both of these respects the animal husbandry seems the most promising. That said, I do think if we're really talking about reinventing characters, a good place to start would be giving them a new name. It may seem like a small change but I believe it could go some ways in ensuring that one doesn't subconsciously slip back into old ways.