Some Thoughts On The Upcoming Polearms And Hafted Weapons.

[Draeviel]

Based on the last livestream, it's pretty much confirmed that polearms and hafted weapons are in the pipeline for an as-yet unspecified date.

This news excites me, as I've been eagerly awaiting spears, scythes and halberd-style weapons. That said, I think it would be even better if they served a new combat role, as befits their significant difference to the current lineup of weapons.

What I propose, is that they should be designed primarily for skirmishing: attacking in melee, albeit at longer ranges than current weapons can cover, through thrusts, lunges or jabs. In this way, they would be used to keep enemies at away, or at a manageable distance, rather than making them yet another heavy melee weapon used for cleaving wide circles of destruction whilst surrounded by a frenzied mob of enemies.

Don't get me wrong: I love my scindo and gram, and there are few things more relaxing then turning seething masses of infested into burger meat, but I'm hoping polearms will instead have attack patterns that are narrow and frontally-focused, with their multi-hit capacity limited largely to impaling smaller groups via narrow attack avenues.

This will not only set them apart from existing melee weapons, but also allow them to fulfil an important role against enemies like toxic ancients - whose dreaded fart cloud is a menace for anyone trying to close in for melee strikes.

[Lactamid]

...dreaded fart cloud...

+ for this

[Cosmixkey]

I agree, I would love to side thrust attacking weapons! that would be just too epic and would make gameplay a bit more interesting via Melee.

 + 1 for this, love the idea

[OvrTehBottm]

I like your idea and overall concept, except for Scyth's.  By their very nature a Scyth has a long arcing attack.  That said, a strong conal attack from a Polearm (Spear or Halberd) would be exceptional.  All three should be strong against unarmored oponents and weak against armored.  Unless you justify in a lore friendly manner, strong armor piercing properties.  As an aside to their inability to penetrate armor, they could offer strong penetration through multiple enemies. 

 

However polearms are implemented, I look forward to them being implemented.

Edited May 17, 2013 by OvrTehBottm

[Draeviel]

I like your idea and overall concept, except for Scyth's.  By their very nature a Scyth has a long arcing attack.  That said, a strong conal attack from a Polearm (Spear or Halberd) would be exceptional.  All three should be strong against unarmored oponents and weak against armored.  Unless you justify in a lore friendly manner, strong armor piercing properties.  As an aside to their inability to penetrate armor, they could offer strong penetration through multiple enemies. 

 

However polearms are implemented, I look forward to them being implemented.

Well said. Still, I only mentioned Sycthes in passing because we've already seen glimpses of a one-handed specimen. With that in mind, I think it's highly likely that a hafted version will come out at some point in the future, and I have no doubt that it will be of the 'crowd pleaser' pattern that has proved so popular at this time with heavy melee options.

I will say this though, if they end up being yet another swinging weapon, I hope they at least give them a significant range advantage, offset with a deadzone for the pole section.

Edited May 17, 2013 by Draeviel

[ValhaHazred]

All three should be strong against unarmored oponents and weak against armored.  Unless you justify in a lore friendly manner, strong armor piercing properties.  As an aside to their inability to penetrate armor, they could offer strong penetration through multiple enemies. 

 

In real life spears where really good at piercing armor. Other pole arms where somewhat less so.

[noveltyhero]

How about spears being like the glaive. So on normal attack you cannot put in a strong enough force to go through the armor but when you throw it, it goes through and you have to collect it. It would a new perspective to the game.

[Captator]

By its nature a Scythe is a farming tool...

[Niryco]

By its nature a Scythe is a farming tool...

 

But as it weapon it looks wicked too!

[Captator]

But as it weapon it looks wicked too!

Practically it also doesn't work, there is a reason they would get reforged into billhooks when farmers were drafted.

 

edit: or rather, levied, not drafted.

Edited May 18, 2013 by Captator

[Urash]

"Dreaded fart cloud" is slightly more literal on the current rendition of the Golem boss. He literally lets out a green one. There is no other way to describe it.

[ScorpDK]

While their real-world counterpart may not have been good weapons, neither did the real ninjas run along walls or do awesome parkour runs while cutting people down left and right. So we can safely say that the Scythe, with a large-enough attack radius, will be a perfect addition to the slashing-type weaponry. Charge attack being like a spin attack that hits everyone in a 360º angle :P

 

As for other weapons... most polearms were generally very good at piercing through armor or keep enemies out of melee range. I would imagine that the normal attacks are swings, and the charge-attacks are thrusts that can go through several guys at once...or hell, charge becomes a multi-thrust attack, quickly stabbing repeatedly forward in a small forward cone. The slide attack becomes an impalement parade, able to even tear through ancients---I wish :(

[Captator]

While their real-world counterpart may not have been good weapons, neither did the real ninjas run along walls or do awesome parkour runs while cutting people down left and right. So we can safely say that the Scythe, with a large-enough attack radius, will be a perfect addition to the slashing-type weaponry. Charge attack being like a spin attack that hits everyone in a 360º angle :P

 

As for other weapons... most polearms were generally very good at piercing through armor or keep enemies out of melee range. I would imagine that the normal attacks are swings, and the charge-attacks are thrusts that can go through several guys at once...or hell, charge becomes a multi-thrust attack, quickly stabbing repeatedly forward in a small forward cone. The slide attack becomes an impalement parade, able to even tear through ancients---I wish :(

 

Run along walls = Van Der Waals Gecko boots, no problem

Parkour isn't exactly new

Scythe blade orientation means you have to reach past your target and cut back, marvellous for corn, daft for an opponent.

 

Of the 3 I know which 2 are most plausible. (though a rather pointless debate in context I concede :D)

 

There was a good thread around the time the Gorgon got nerfed containing solid suggestions for polearm movesets and differentiation.