It indicates a lot more skill than doing L1 cert on a saucer if you ask me. A big I/small J can easily push you into the transonic region and to the sort of altitudes where electronic 2-stage recovery is mandatory. I see skill there...
You could build a big fat rocket (say 7.5") that won't go especially high and fly it on a K for L2, using motor ejection. Other than the size, it would be built much like an Estes rocket. The required clue as compared to a simple H/I/small J (i.e. 38mm) rocket is not much different.
My L1 rocket could quite happily be my L2 rocket. It's got a 38mm MMT that will take any 38mm solid motor up to a J570, and 2-stage (aka dual-deploy) recovery. It'll do 1500ft on a Pro38 H motor, which is fairly reasonable. A 3" BSD Thor will do about the same.
I actually did my L1 on a hybrid motor, success on the third attempt. Going straight in at the deep end perhaps but flying a simple motor-ejection rocket just didn't appeal. Seeing everything work on my cert flight was even more satisfying, even on the third attempt. FWIW another club member took 3 attempts to cert on a simple 3FNC motor-ejection rocket.
There's no reason not to embrace complexity from the outset. I've learned a lot more than I would with a simple rocket. Sure, the first two flights had slight issues (both simple parachute issues that could have happened on any rocket), but the next three were great.
Why not both? At the end of the day, yes all that matters is the RSO signing off the cert papers, but if you choose, you can learn even more doing it 'the hard way'.
Or go straight in at the deep end, I recommend it highly.
Niall