I like the suggestions for new nobles. I kinda miss the horde of nobles that used to wander my 2d forts. And even back then I remember talking/thinking about them granting more neat bonuses.
The Bard is a good idea, arriving once a certain value of instruments had been created. Along the lines of throwing and attending parties, Ingish Astrok has organized a concert at the Dolomite Table! and various dwarves would Attend Concert and get happy thoughts about Ingish's sublime performance, etc..
I remember wanting the Philosopher to give lectures in the same manner. And my favorite, the Order of the <weapon> guys, I always wanted them to give drills in the barracks for anyone training in the appropriate weapon.
The shift seems to be away from more nobles though, and more assignable dwarves within your population. But these same concepts could work within that new framework too. If you build $$100,000 worth of instruments, you can assign a Bard. If you forge $$100,000 worth of spears and have 6 or more dwarves classified as speardwarves, you can get a Order of the Spear Instructor.
Priest, Medic, Alchemist, Judge, Beastmaster .. I hope they'll get some attention in the upcoming Arcs, bustling town or the burrows arc maybe.
The armor ideas are really cool, hah, i wonder when things like that will start to get implemented, or when we'll be able to mod them in