Some radical ideas:
Introduce Hardcore mode. If you finish a map with negative K - D, your char dies permanently. Or some other criteria, but I think the chance of permadeath could be pretty interesting. True heroes would emerge. Imagine the stories how a peasant stabbed the community's favourite high level hero with a pitchfork.
Or maybe take Diablo 2 ladder mode as example and introduce separated cRPG society that is regularly wiped (all 3-6 months?), but has no upkeep and has exclusive access to some items.