Glad to hear you're enjoying the characters/story rather than just the lewds! I try to make all of it good, though the game is still a work in progress.
Yes, girls have preset builds, not all of them use their trait/ability points if leveled too high (yet). They do have masteries, also preset, unlocked the same way as you - 20 uses and return to camp, though you don't have to do anything special for them, they just happen.
No worries about long-winded, always happy to hear people enjoyed the game!