Balanced medium martial spear?

[Wolfspider]

I'd like to create a medium sized martial spear that does 1d8 damage. The halfspear just doesn't cut it--it's not what I imagine Spartans and Greeks and other spear-using peoples using with their shields.

Any ideas on how to make this a balanced weapon according to the models present in the D&D3E rules?

Thanks!

 

[Trine]

Could always make it either 1d8 with 20/x3 crit without the reach of a longspear. It's definitely (in a way) weaker than the longspear is, but anything more than that would likely make it overpowered.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Martial Weapons - Melee

Medium-size

Spear; Cost 3gp; Damage 1d8; Critical x3; Range Increment -; Weight 7 lb.; Type Piercing.

Special: If you use a ready action to set this weapon against a charge, you deal double damage if you score a hit against a charging character.

 

[Tetsubo]

But the spears used by the Greeks and Spartans was the longspear. The Romans used the pilum, a one handed throwing and thrusting spear. Of course it's your campaign and you can do what you want.

 

[med stud]

You can rename the trident, which has combat stats which is somewhat like a one handed combat spear. If you want to be able to set it against charge, exchange the range increment to "double damage vs charge".

 

[Destil]

Whenever I worry about the lack of martial & one handed spears I typicaly do this:

Spears using a simple weapon profiency are treated as one size catagory smaller when used by someone as a martial weapon (similar to a bastard sword, which is a martial Large or Exotic Meidum weapon).

 

[Christian]

I've used Destil's house rule for some time, and it's never been a problem. (It doesn't apply to a longspear, though!)