Hoplite Combat Feat-- Too strong?

[Arkhandus]

I'd suggest for the AC bonus to have it say "If you are standing and use a heavy shield or tower shield, your shield bonus to AC increases by +1 if an ally is standing adjacent to you and using a heavy shield or tower shield. If either of you attack with a shield, you lose this extra AC bonus."

 

[Cassander]

You could simplify the language a bit: "You may treat a spear as a one-handed weapon."

You could even make it a house rule, where spears are similar to bastard swords: "A spear is too large to use in one hand without special training; thus, it is a Martial weapon. A character can use a spear two-handed as a Simple weapon."

Cheers, -- N

Wouldn't this make the spear strictly better than the longsword and the battle-axe though? Same damage, same crit range, but the ability to be thrown 20 feet... who would bother with a longsword anymore? Take away the good crit range, and it'd probably be ok, but you essentially just got a trident that has a range increment of 20 feet instead of 10 feet.

 

[Nifft]

Wouldn't this make the spear strictly better than the longsword and the battle-axe though?

Not strictly; they're easier to sunder and have a worse damage type against Zombies.

But yeah, spears should be a strong mechanical choice. There's probably a reason they're the most popular historical weapon (aside from just price -- clubs are cheap, too).

I wouldn't be opposed to degrading their crit to 20/x2 when they're used one-handed, though that might be too annoyingly complicated.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Quartz]

Spears, being piercing cannot Sunder most other weapons (they can sunder shields just fine). As for being thrown, well yes, but that leaves you without a weapon. Not good in a battle.