Asking questions on behalf the Silkylead, rather than answering them...

I know back when I had a T1i, it could not capture fast-moving objects with a shallow DOF. Dogs running at the camera had blurry faces and sharp tails. The firmware intentionally made the focus system lag, such that the entry level Rebel couldn't be used for fast sports. Does the 70D have any fast-moving AF servo issues? Does Silkylead care about fast action?

Aside from that the 70D should be good. Perhaps it won't focus in the same light levels as the 7D2, 6D, 5D3, or 1Dx, but otherwise it should be a fairly solid camera. Someone here posted high-ISO shots from their 70D which is what convinced me that moving from the 7D to the 7D2 would be a nice upgrade (assuming the 7D2 had the same or better high-ISO as the 70D, which was a reasonable assumption to make).

Most kits have mediocre lenses, so I wouldn't worry about getting a camera+lens kit. The 18-135 IS STM would only be an option if you wanted an STM lens for video, which you said you don't care about. For stills you're already covered for a wide range of focal lengths. The newer 55-250 STM it might be sharper than the 70-300, but only a little, and it would still be a "slow" lens (f/5.6 at the long end). I would get just the body and put the savings towards a "Nice Lens" instead.

"Nice Lens" of course depends on what you shoot... landscapes, portraits, indoor sport, outdoor sport, wildlife, macro, etc.