If Shadow Dancer would of been left as is, minus the Stat choices, it would of been stronger than what it is as it's current form.
Yes some perks were added, but they could of been added without the take away of it's major strengths.
"Balancing" the tree by taking away it's identity is not beneficial for the class and style of play at all.
GMoF kept it's theme and signature attacks and added some improvements, obviously it took away some nice things but it's identity is somewhat kept.
Shadow Dancer tree brought in an orphan and took away the residents identity by giving the orphan more than it's original occupant and gave the orphan an AOE tier V that the resident can't even use, and gave the neighbor (Shiradi Champion) the keys to the second car(Beguile Charm = Shadow Manipulation) as a lower tier choice that should of stayed as well in Shadow Dancer.


Here's an example of what was and should still have been:

Welcome to the Release Notes for Dungeons & Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited Launch Update (Also known as Module 9). These release notes were posted Monday, August 31st, 2009.


Rogue
Rogue Assassin III
Prerequisites: Rogue level 18, Assassin II, Sneak Attack Accuracy IV, Sneak Attack Training IV
Cost: 2 Action Points
Benefit: Your lethality is unmatched in battle. Grants an additional +2 bonus to damage on critical hits (before multipliers), +2 bonus to Bluff, Hide, and Move Silently skills and Fortitude saves against poison. Also, any sneak attack that also counts as a vorpal strike (natural 20 followed by critical confirmation) that you make will kill most living targets.


Requires: Level 20 Rogue
Rogue Cheat Death: +2 dexterity and a chance of self-resurrection, but this chance drops each time you die and Maruts dislike you.

We also had a choice to build a mechanical dog as a hireling.

We also have vials that could be thrown but don't scale at all like the Alchemists do. (No Rogue Level damage increase/Sneak Die to damage/Assassinate bonus/Melee-Range Power increase to damage)

Shortbow proficiency for nothing.