As a trained combatant, I find that if the weapons are too plain then they just bore me...I look at mine all day long in real life, why would I want to look at them all day long in the game. But on the same token I don't like the "twice as big as me, glowing, burning, undead killing sword+99" type weapons as its not feasibly possible to wield the weapon its so big (you can take this into account with armor well).

I like weapons are armor that seem realistic with slight magical flair or with elegant designs (have swords with tassels or engraving on the blades, a crook with an orb of colored magic that faintly glows inside the crooks wrap, a staff that has been carved to look like the wood is wrapping around itself in an intricate manner) those are the kinds of details I want on weapons; I feel its a nice middle ground between too little and over the top. XI was heading in the right direction with the weapons its just too bad that PS2 got in the way.