Item of Power: Demon Hunter's Sword

[Shiniba]

Statted up an Item of Power as a part of some theorycrafting inspired by an old character and prepping for my first DFRPG campaign. I came up with this... then realized it was essentially a less good version of the Swords of the Cross. The concept behind this sword was loosely inspired by a section of the Zombie Survival Handbook that details the idea that there were groups of people often confused for Ninja who were responsible for keeping Japan free from Zombies. I took that idea and ran with it to the point of making them responsible for hunting down harmful supernatural creatures in general, not just zombies.

As an Item of Power it's a pretty solid piece of equipment, not overpowered while also not being completely unworth the cost. Creatively, it seems boring though. You guys have any ideas for something I can do to spice this Item of Power up a bit?

For reference, members of the Spider Clan referenced here would be statted up as Emissaries of Power. They have spider-themed powers; spider walk, inhuman speed, inhuman strength, Natural Weapon: Web (works like a weaker version of Breath Weapon, only gives an extra 1 shift of power rather than 2). Basically "Spider-Man: Demon Hunter".

Kumo Masamune
The ancient sword of the Spider Clan, wielded by their greatest swordsman for over nearly eight hundred years.

Yawarakai-Te
Forged by the greatest swordsmith ever, Kumo is a sword of utmost purity. It cuts only when needed, and saves all its cutting power for those moments so that it may cut true. This sword was forged and enchanted as to be able to destroy any monster it came against, and as such the wielder can spend one Fate Point to satisfy whatever a creature has a weakness to with the sword.

Hantā no burēdo
The Kumo was forged to slay dangerous beasts and keep the common people safe. If swung with the intention to slay a mortal of any kind, it will pass through the target harmlessly. The sword henceforth cannot be weilded by its master until the wielder has redeemed himself or it finds a new master.

Masutā no tamashī
Kumo has passed from the hand of one master swordsman to another for centuries, and their physical prowess has been imprinted upon it. When facing supernatural enemies, the wielder gains a +1 to attacks made with the sword.

[UmbraLux]

You guys have any ideas for something I can do to spice this Item of Power up a bit?

Are you looking for mechanical differentiation or background/story?

If it's the latter, I recommend giving the weapon three things:
 - A beginning or pivot point.  What turned the sword into a demon hunter?
 - An internal conflict.  What causes the sword to fail or perhaps even change goals?
 - A purpose.  (You've done this already.)

An example might be something like this: 
   The Black Saber of Meriri is crudely forged from a fireplace poker which was used to pin the demon Meriri to the ground while priests completed a banishment ritual.  Afterwards, the poker had taken on some of the power generated by both demon and spell and was given to House Chantraine to protect.  At some point, a Chantraine scion forged it into a blade. 
   Wielders since then have occasionally mentioned a feeling of intense hunger when taking up the blade.  A few complain of hearing inarticulate mutterings and wonder if the demon Meriri is somehow bound to the blade.  One wielder is known to have used the blade to take his own life. 
   For the last few generations, the blade has been held by the Clan and used by their hunters when normal weapons proved insufficient.

[Shiniba]

I was thinking mechanical differentiation, but those are some really good suggestions for a stronger story to the sword. I'll definitely mull those over, as the story I've got now is a bit bland/bare-bones.

[UmbraLux]

I was thinking mechanical differentiation...

Ahh, in that case here's a possibility:
Black Saber of Meriri [-2]
Musts:  Owners of this weapon must be predators.
Skills Affected:  Weapons, others.
Effects: 
   [-0] It's a Sword. 
   [-0] Purpose.  This sword was birthed in ritual death and made to kill supernatural creatures.  The sword itself is amoral, it will kill any supernatural with equal hunger.
   [-2] Wasting Touch.  The blade hungers and feeds off of it's victims.  Any supernatural wounded by the blade gains the "Underfed" aspect and a second wound gives it the "Emaciated" aspect. 
   [-3] Supernatural Predator.  The saber may gain the qualities of a supernatural creature's Catch after touching it once.  Doing so causes it to take an appropriate aspect which may only be cleared by consuming power (see below).  If the sword ever takes on two of these aspects it will force it's wielder to consume (i.e. attack and wound) the nearest supernatural's power at the end of the scene.
   [+1] Consumes Power.  You must wound a victim and leave the blade in the wound for an exchange while it feeds in order to clear Supernatural Predator aspects.  This uses the tag gained by adding the Underfed or Emaciated aspect.

[Shiniba]

Holy crap I love that. Totally gonna use that.

[Tedronai]

That writeup leaves some serious mechanical questions.
What counts as 'wounding' for the purposes of Wasting Touch?
Do the aspects from Supernatural Predator come with tags?
What counts as 'touching' for this purpose?
Does the 2-aspect clause of Supernatural Predator count as a Compel (the closest mechanical representation for forced action short of a Take-Out result)?
What does Consumes Power actually DO?  What happens if the tags have already been used?

[UmbraLux]

That writeup leaves some serious mechanical questions.

I could give answers but they'd be my answers not yours.  Better to let you come up with your own answers should you desire.  Suffice it to say, the three powers are pulled from the book and modified / re-skinned to fit the background text.  Applying them shouldn't be all that difficult. 

[Tedronai]

I am unfamiliar with any powers from the book that resemble 'Consumes Power'.  Mostly because I have no idea what it is intended to DO.
Both Supernatural Predator and Wasting Touch resemble powers from the books only in end result, while employing entirely new paths to get there that are seriously poorly defined.

[Sanctaphrax]

Suffice it to say, the three powers are pulled from the book and modified / re-skinned to fit the background text.

The modifications are significant enough that they create entirely new mechanical questions. Like Tedronai, I'm not sure how you intended this item to work.

I could come up with my own answers, but that would be more effort than just rewriting the item entirely.

[UmbraLux]

The modifications are significant enough that they create entirely new mechanical questions. Like Tedronai, I'm not sure how you intended this item to work.

My intent matters far less than the interpretation of any group using it. 

I could come up with my own answers, but that would be more effort than just rewriting the item entirely.

The OP would probably appreciate that, I believe Shiniba was looking for multiple sword ideas.

@Tedronai:  Consumes Power does nothing except clear the Supernatural Predator aspects so the power can be used again.  It consumes a tag you would otherwise get to do so. 
----
Since it's apparently not obvious, Wasting Touch is Venemous with an extra aspect and Supernatural Predator is All Creatures are Equal with limited uses tied to Consumes Power - a modified Hunger Track (using aspects in place of a track).  None of it is particularly unique, it's simply changing trappings to fit the chosen background.

[Sanctaphrax]

If somebody is using mechanics that you wrote, it's either because they don't want to do the work themself or because they trust your mechanical judgement above their own. Either way, making them decide this stuff for themself defeats the purpose and makes your work less useful.

Also, Wasting Touch is not very similar to Venomous. They really don't have anything in common.

[UmbraLux]

...making them decide this stuff for themself defeats the purpose and makes your work less useful.

This is something we all do with the published material.  Or have the forums broken out in a chorus of unanimous agreement while I wasn't looking?   

Also, Wasting Touch is not very similar to Venomous. They really don't have anything in common.

Shrug.  In the end, both are ways to use a combat skill to apply specific aspects to a victim.

All that said, I'll pass on responding to additional comments here that don't address the OP's concerns.  It's past time to get back on topic.   

[Shiniba]

I didn't have any problems understanding what the sword was intended to do and how it was intended to work, for what it's worth. UmbraLux's sword was pretty cool, but it's still an open thread if anybody has something different.

[Shiniba]

Ended up being able to use this in-game, ended up going with a different mechanic for it though.

Kage Masamune [-1]
-Blood Drinker (Limitation: Only effective against creatures with supernatural blood)
-Cloak of Shadows
-Incite Effect (Manipulate Shadows)

Went with something a bit simpler, while still having a bit of the "draws power from a sealed monster" mechanical flair.