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One thing that's been missing for a while is a way to size up a potential target. As I recall, appraise used to work on PCs/NPCs, but it was changed, likely with the change to a new combat system, and is now just for appraising items.

I don't think this needs to be made a new skill to learn, but rather could be tied to one's overall combat proficiency. The better one is, the experienced they would be with assessing a threat. Some of the information that could become unlocked could include:

Basic fuzzy assessment based on target's attack/defense and HP compared to character's:

It might as well be a bug to $n.
$n feels $e won't have any trouble.
$n might break a sweat.
$n likes $s chances.
$n is pretty evenly matched.
$n could have some trouble.
$n doesn't like $s chances.
$n might want to bring a friend.
$n might want to bring a few friends.
$n might want to bring an army.

Equipment assessment, based on visible, uncovered armor and weapons that aren't sheathed (either drawn, or always visible like polearms, axes, etc):

head: no armor visible
arms: steel plate armor - excellent
hands: steel plate armor - excellent
torso: steel plate armor - poor
legs: steel plate armor - fair
feet: steel plate armor - good
wielded, right: covered sword
wielded, left: substandard axe - excellent

Health and Fitness (same as messages for hp/mv in prompt or 'group' command):

Health: Scratched
Fitness: Weary

Attack/Defense (same messages as in 'combat'):

Attack: Godly
Defense Average

It could be spat out with 'assess (target)' perhaps.

I appreciate the thought that went into this proposal. I think this bypasses too much storytelling, however (e.g. IC bluffing!) and might run into some issues with coded buffs/debuffs too.

Bluffing could still be very much a thing! But try bluffing against a master, and there will be a chance they can see through it, which I think is fair.
There's also 'effort' which one can use to appear weaker than they actually are, and would show up in the proposed system as such.

re: buffs/debuffs- might, or might not. But this should just give a general idea in any case, based on what your character would be able to outwardly determine.

I actually quite agree with Smithers on this. I like the idea, but don't like it for pcs. Using it to size up npcs, such as animals or demons? That would be interesting, but I'd much rather have such information about player characters be learned through story.

Like also what would this add to the game?

Part of it stems from backstab:

When a character attempts to backstab the other, the character will automatically select the most vulnerable location.

But there's no actual way to determine what vulnerable locations are currently, it just somehow knows when you can't figure it out otherwise.
Plus, the state of equipment on others should be pretty obvious anyway, and could also help when it comes to repairs.

Another part is PvE, yes. It's hard to judge just how strong critters can be compared to your character. Starting out, I got mauled by a bunny. *cue Monty Python and the Holy Grail*
I think they did tone them down a bit since then though.

The rest would be unlocked at very high ranks of combat, I'd say, and I basically included them to have something there. The health/fitness could help for the opportunistic-types. the attack/defense basically tuning in closer to one's actual potential as apposed to the fuzzy guesses from the lower rank, much like higher ranks of appraise gives more accurate information.

Honestly, if it was maintained to "Oh, where is the most vulnerable section to attack" without all the extra stuff, it could make sense... But even then it would get metagaming real quick, as fights would turn into just targeting the same location over and over again.

I may be an outlier, but when spar with people, I like to change up where I am hitting, having it play more into how the fight is going versus the optimal location to attack.