You should make something like Offensiv/defensive weapons
as i watched anime (some years ago) some of "mnion" character wore shield and full armor so lets call them "tanks"
and some main characters with only swords, and they'll be our "swordmans" of curse we have some other people with maces, big halabards etc.
So in my eyes there should be something that wielding only swords grant us somethin like "x2 more dmg"
wielding shield give our defence reduce of 50%-60% incoming damage(all getting by skill+Equipment)
Monster should drop "gems/cores/shiny stones"? which some NPC could exchange them for money/items/supplies and sometimes parts of equipment and creature products
Also crafting,blacksmithing should be more important and have more push to game by that, granting basic Equipment with creature products from first floor with progressing by next floor our reciples/ thing which we could be made should be more harder to get, with a lot diffrence in materials.
and an important thing, make first floor more flexi-able or clear for players. Kinda more signs, and food with small tutorial.
dont metioning that there should be a lot of more places in first few floors(explored only 1) with caves, camps, rubbling or some group of diffrent monsters.
Make changes quickly because that kind of server in my eyes have big potenital to be one of best custom server nowdays.
Cheers