Hypersmurf
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Harder to disarm
A common houserule is to make a Heavy Lance a Large weapon, with the speical quality that it can be wielded one-handed while mounted.
-Hyp.
Centaurs & Lances
- Thread starter Arcturus_Rugend
- Start date
Harder to disarm
A common houserule is to make a Heavy Lance a Large weapon, with the speical quality that it can be wielded one-handed while mounted.
-Hyp.
Arcturus_Rugend
First Post
By doing that, aren't you still effectively making the longspear a pointless choice? It then becomes a "lance" that won't do double damage on a charge and can't be used one handed while mounted. The lance seems like it should be an exotic weapon as written. Do you think it would be better to house-rule that a lance simply can't be used unmounted (i.e. that's what a longspear is for)?
gtJormungand
First Post
I know one reason to continue to use a longspear: they can also be set against charges to do double damage. Lances can't do this.
Arcturus_Rugend
First Post
Good call.
) or ridding to charge, you can charge on foot.
Arcturus_Rugend
First Post
This is true, but the lance description specifically says that it "deals double damage when used from the back of a charging mount," not on a regular charge action. Kind of a bummer.
niteshade6
First Post
In my experience, most DMs will not allow one handed lance use, and Skip has said that it an error that the books allow it. However if it really is an error, it's never made any FAQ or errata that I'm aware of. It will be interesting to see what 3.5 brings.
By the exact letter of the rules though, the lance can be used one handed (despite being 14 feet long), and it is superior to most every other reach weapon, given that it can be used one handed and it has a major special ability. You may want to check with your individual DM though before trying to use it this way, or if you are the DM, you'll have to make your own judgement call.
By the exact letter of the rules though, the lance can be used one handed (despite being 14 feet long), and it is superior to most every other reach weapon, given that it can be used one handed and it has a major special ability. You may want to check with your individual DM though before trying to use it this way, or if you are the DM, you'll have to make your own judgement call.
danielinthwolvesden
First Post
Well, for half a century, Greek & macedonian phalanx men used a longspear (and later a pike) with a large shield, so the combo certainly has historical back up. Not to mention they could "set vs charge" pretty darn well. However, do note that a longspear use two handed does more damage, which is also correct.
Many/some DM's allow the use of a buckler & longspear- and two handed damage. Since a glaive is somewhat better, and a buckler isn't as good as a large shield, this seems to be an equalizer. It also has historical backing.
Many/some DM's allow the use of a buckler & longspear- and two handed damage. Since a glaive is somewhat better, and a buckler isn't as good as a large shield, this seems to be an equalizer. It also has historical backing.
niteshade6
First Post
True, but it's worth noting that.....
1) The long spears they used were (at least to the best of my knowledge of the matter) not 11 feet long like D&D long spears.
and
2) They used this as a formation weapon, and it probably would not have worked anywhere nearly as well without 200 of them standing side by side like this.
If you really want to simulate fighting with the spear and shield tactics used by greeks, your probably better off, both in terms of game mechanics and realism, using either half spears or tridents. Both are fairly long spear like weapons that can be used with a shield, and set against a charge.
1) The long spears they used were (at least to the best of my knowledge of the matter) not 11 feet long like D&D long spears.
and
2) They used this as a formation weapon, and it probably would not have worked anywhere nearly as well without 200 of them standing side by side like this.
If you really want to simulate fighting with the spear and shield tactics used by greeks, your probably better off, both in terms of game mechanics and realism, using either half spears or tridents. Both are fairly long spear like weapons that can be used with a shield, and set against a charge.
