Racial classes, magic classes, profession classes, but what about weapon specific classes?
Weapons are quite a big thing in a game like JADE or ADOM.
A character should be able to specialize in special abilities in various weapons, even to a point to wielding exclusively a single type of weapon.
For example:
Swordmaster:
Lvl 6: Gain + 6 to hit and damage with sword.
Lvl 12: Gain 1% critical per level afterward for critical hit with sword.
Lvl 18: Living creatures have 20% of bleeding wounds when hit with sword.
Lvl 24: Gain 10% chance of cutting limbs off creatures + .5% chance per level afterward.
Lvl 30: Character can upgrade material of sword at expense of 1000 gold per upgrade.
Lvl 40: Character learns to negate effects of armor. Hits with are armor piercing.
Lvl 50: Character becomes one with sword. + 40 speed when wielding sword;
Spear Master
Lvl 6: Gain defensive bonus for using spears. + 9 DV
Lvl 12: Heavy shields can be wielded with two handed spears.
Lvl 18: Thrown spears are unerring. + 10 character speed.
Lvl 24: Spears are armor piercing and have 10% change of killing outright. Character takes advantage of leverage of weapon for enormous power.
Lvl 30: Character can upgrade material of spear at expense of 1000 gold per upgrade.
Lvl 40: Gain defensive bonus + 20DV while using spear, in addition to mastery DV bonus.
Lvl 50: Character is spear master. All criticals against character are negated and damage halved when wielding spear.
Axe Master:
Lvl 6: Character gains 5% chance + 1% level for knock back when enemy hit with axe.
Lvl 12: Axes gain 10% to smash through shields or armor on impact + %2 per level.
Lvl 18: Axes have 10% chance per level of cutting monster in half + .5% per level.
Lvl 24: Character gains + 15 damage and speed, double the bonus when berserk.
Lvl 30: Axes never rust or break or corrode.
Lvl 40: Character attacks with axe are doubled.
Lvl 50: Axe wielded becomes vampiric with no alignment penalty.
Whip Master:
Lvl 6: Character gains + 5 bonus to dexterity while wielding, + 1 per level afterward.
Lvl 12: Character can hit enemies across the room.
Lvl 18: 20% chance of enemy stunned with pain when hit.
Lvl 24: Character learns to wield whips efficiently in combat. Can hit all enemies on one side of PC.
Lvl 30: Cracking a whip has 10% chance of converting enemies to player's side.
Lvl 40: Whips lethal in the hands of PC. PC gains critical hit bonus + 10 when wielding.
Lvl 50: Character can choke, disarm, strangle, decapitate, and tangle the enemy with whips.
Shield Master (co-wielding with single handed weapon.)
Lvl 6: Character learns efficient use of shield. +7DV/+7PV.
Lvl 12: Shields become unbreakable.
Lvl 18: Character gains hits in combat with shield.
Lvl 24: Shield hits have 25% to stun enemy.
Lvl 30: Take 1/4 damage for missle attacks with shield, 50% chance of block + 2% per PC level afterward.
Lvl 40: Take 1/3 damage for magic attacks with shield, 30% chance of Willpower block + 2% per PC level afterward.
Lvl 50: Character masters use of shield as a defensive barrier. Can wield two-handed weapons with any size shield.