Proficiencies

Proficiencies are an abstract way of looking at looking at a character's ability with a specific skill or item. Their levels increase with use, as do their effectiveness, up to a maximum of 9. For weapon proficiencies, experience is gained by using the relevant weapon in each category. Attacking enemies with a sword will level the Blade proficiency, taking hits will level Armor, and so on.

Categories
There are several different types of proficiency:

Blade
Proficiency with Bladed weapons, like swords and knives. Higher levels increase hit chance and weapon damage.

Blunt
Proficiency with Blunt weapons, like clubs. Higher levels increase hit chance and weapon damage.

Polearm
Proficiency with Poled weapons, such as a staff or glaive. Higher levels increase hit chance and weapon damage.

Axe
Proficiency with axe-like weapons. Higher levels increase hit chance and weapon damage.

Firearm
Proficiency with ranged weapons, like guns and bows. Higher levels increase hit chance and weapon damage. Experience earned is dictated by Dexterity.

Throwing
Proficiency with throwing any item, but particularly with items made to be thrown, such as Throwing Knives or Liquid Concoctions. Higher levels increase hit chance and throw distance.

Unarmed
Proficiency with wielding no weapons, or ones that increase viability of punching attacks. Higher levels increase hit chance and weapon damage.

Misc
Proficiency with items that are not made to be weapons, like severed limbs or containers. Higher levels increase hit chance and weapon damage.

Armor
Proficiency with all types of armor. Higher levels increase the chance to negate incoming damage while wearing armor.

Shield
Proficiency with shields. Higher levels increase the chance to negate incoming damage while wielding shields.

Martial Arts
Proficiency with grappling attacks. Higher levels offer more grappling moves, and increase their effectiveness.

Butchery
Proficiency with butchering corpses of fallen enemies. Higher levels yield more limbs, and higher quality cuts.