mace is a subclass of weapon

mace.lua

-----------------------------------------------
-- mace.lua
-- Represents a mace that a player can wield or pick up
-- Created by NimbusBP1729
-----------------------------------------------
local Weapon = require 'nodes/weapon'
local utils = require 'utils'

local Mace = {}
Mace.__index = Mace
Mace.isMace = true

-- Creates a new mace object
-- @return the battle mace object created
function Mace.new(node, collider, plyr, maceItem)
    local mace = {}
    setmetatable(mace, Mace)

    --subclass Weapon methods and set defaults if not populated
    mace = inherits(mace,Weapon)

    --other code

    return mace
end

--overrides Weapon:funcAlpha
function Mace:funcAlpha()
    --doSomething
end

--inherits Weapon:funcBeta because it's omitted

--a function only for the mace
function Mace:funcGamma()
    --do something else
end

return Mace

utils.lua

--child inherits the members of parent if child doesn't
-- have a member by the same name
function inherits(child,parent)
    for k,v in pairs(parent) do
        if not child[k] then
            child[k] = v
        end
    end
    for k,v in pairs(parent["__index"]) do
        if not child[k] then
            child[k] = v
        end
    end
    return child
end

weapon.lua

-----------------------------------------------
-- weapon.lua
-- Represents a generic weapon a player can wield or pick up
-- Created by NimbusBP1729
-----------------------------------------------
--all weapons inherit the following functions 
-- and variables unless they're overridden

local Weapon = {}
Weapon.__index = Weapon
Weapon.isWeapon = true

Weapon.prime = 47

function Weapon:funcAlpha()
    -- i do something
end

function Weapon:funcBeta()
    -- i do something else
end

return Weapon