I would really like to see more items to craft with weird materials, so some funny "training weapons" that do little or no damage, but up your skills quickly, would actually make me happier than nerfing skill loss.

Like a greydwarf trophy on a stick for clubs, drake head on a stick for axes, deathsquito head on a stick for swords.

Or vice versa, greydwarf training dummy that ups skills faster if you stand there and smack it. Needs repairs after every 100 smacks or so.

Upgraded version is a fuling training dummy, you hit it and it spins around to smack you back so you can level block and weapon at the same time.

It'd be fun decor & useful for death streaks / getting new characters up to speed quickly