I want to do tiger claws as my weapon, but find the existing Artifacts lacking. Mera's Coils have Razor Claws attached but are heavy armor so are incompatible with all relevant Martial Arts. Frost Thorn Knuckles are all about Ice, but we're in the southeast so there wouldn't be much ice.
Venegeant is the closest to usable but focuses exclusively on negative ties.

I was picturing Starmetal Razor Claws that focus on defending others as a mechanic, maybe with an Evocation that redirects attacks away from an ally to yourself and another that allows a counterattack on that attack, with a Willpower cost that is waived if you have a positive intimacy towards the original target




Mother Bear's Claws, Starmetal Razor Claws ****
attunement 5m
Light(+5 ACC, +10 DMG, +1 DEF, 3 OVW)
Hearthstone Slots 2
Lethal, Brawl, Concealable, Piercing, Worn

Mother Bear's Claws story is largely unknown, until it appeared in the hands of a powerful Dragonblood family, whose Matriarch used these seemingly delicate claws to wade into battle with her children against impossible odds and bring them out again safely. Her motto was "You'll fight without gloves, when you fight for love."

A character who is not dissonant with Starmetal awakens Shifting Heart Tides at no cost when she attunes to Mother Bear's Claws

Shifting Heart Tides
Reflexive
Cost: 3(m or i, can't decide, help?), 1 wp

You can activate this in response to an attack against another character within Close range, after the attack is rolled but before damage is rolled. You move to intercept the attack and it is made against your applicable Defense +1 instead of against the original target.

Special:If you have a Positive Intimacy towards the original target of the attack, you may waive the Willpower cost


Flaming Emotion Strike
Cost: 4m
Essence: 1
Keywords: Counterattack, Balanced

This Evocation can only be activated in conjunction with Shifting Heart Tides, allowing the user to punish attacks on her allies with a devastating counterattack. Damage technically happens simultaneously, which can prevent a crash.




Out For Love
Permanent
Essence 1

This upgrades Shifting Heart Tides. If the opposing attack is withering and successful, she ignores (Positive Intimacy towards original target+Essence, minimum 2) points of initiative loss. If the attack is Decisive and successful she ignores (Positive Intimacy towards original target, no minimum) levels of Health Damage from the attack

Special Activation Rules: If you are brought to dying or incapacitated by an attack that was meant for a character you have a Defining Intimacy for and recover, you awaken Out For Love at no cost


Intimacy strengths are 1,2,4 btw, not 1, 2, 3, but Defining Intimacies are fairly rare.