Sword Moves.

[DarkCloud_PK]

You could be more inventive and make some more sword attacks for the sword. Each would be learned as your sword rank goes up. Each would also have three basic factors:
Power: How much damage is dealt.
Accuracy: How accurate the attack is.
Recovery Time: How long it takes to recover after using. Higher the percentage, faster it takes to recover.
Each would have it's own button combonation, such as hitting D twice fast, holding D for 2 seconds, hitting D and two directional keys at once, stuff like that.
For example:
At level three the player would learn quick stab.
Power: 15%
Accuracy:75%
Recovery Time:95%

then at level 5, Overhead slash:
Power:95%
Accuracy:35%
Recovery Time:10%

The above was just a suggestion, but sword moves could be more depthy and inventive than a slash and a stab.