mutually exclusive passive tree skill points?

I got an idea for the passive tree: choice nodes where you can select 1 out of multiple options and that locks you out of the non-chosen option.
I see there multiple benefits to this approach:
-smaller passive tree: 2 tree branches could be merged into a single branch with a choice nodes at the end
-allows for nodes that would be too strong if combined with another node (by making them mutually exclusive)
-easier to achieve a good balance due to less extreme options for the player to build towards defense/offense (less total nodes in each category due to branch merging)
-adds meaningful choice as which of the multiple choice nodes to pick