I just ordered and downloaded the PDF. I love the minis but they are just too expensive for my tastes (esp. having just dropped $100 for a mini kickstarter that is gonna net me dozens of minis). The PDF on the other hand feels like a value, given everything included (and it has me psyched for their soon to be kickstartered monster book).
I am not sure the class or even the animal companion thing will come up that often in my games, but I like considering the options and/or cannibalizing the rules for other stuff (which is what I have been doing - very loosely - with Kingdoms & Warfare and Strongholds & Followers).