The weapon that got the shaft

[Staffan]

Throughout history, the most common weapon of war has been the spear. However, the spear is almost never used in D&D - warrior-types have access to better weapons in the martial category, and those who only use simple weapons usually prefer the mace or morningstar which they can use with a shield, rather than the spear with its x3 crit multiplier.

Also, it's been rather common historically to use the spear along with a shield. However, in D&D you can only use the shortspear this way (halfspear in 3.0), because the regular spear is a two-handed weapon. So, here are two feats that might make spears a bit more attractive. I think I've seen the second one in various other versions, but I can't recall seeing the first one.

Hoplite style (General)
You have trained in fighting with spears and shields at the same time.
Prerequisites: Shield proficiency, Spear and/or Longspear proficiency.
Benefit: You can use a spear or a longspear in one hand along with a shield in the other.
Special: A fighter can select this feat as one of his bonus feats.
Note: Under 3.0 rules, that should be "shortspear" instead of "spear".

Shaft strike (General)
You have learned how to fight those who get past the point of your polearm.
Prerequisite: Proficiency in a reach weapon that does not allow striking adjacent opponents.
Benefit: You can use the shaft of your polearm to strike adjacent opponents. This does damage as a quarterstaff (1d6/x2 for Medium size).
Special: A fighter can select this feat as one of his bonus feats.

 

[Kemrain]

I'd say that if you were proficient with all martial weapons, you should be able to use a spear and shield combo without spending a feat. A Martial Spear can be wielded one handed, so says I.

- Kemrain the Martial.

 

[Staffan]

I'd say that if you were proficient with all martial weapons, you should be able to use a spear and shield combo without spending a feat. A Martial Spear can be wielded one handed, so says I.

Hmm. A one-handed spear is just a teensy teensy bit better than a battle-axe (both do 1d8/x3, but the spear can be set vs. charge), so I'm not sure I'd allow that. It wouldn't unbalance the game much, though.

 

[niastri]

Hmm. A one-handed spear is just a teensy teensy bit better than a battle-axe (both do 1d8/x3, but the spear can be set vs. charge), so I'm not sure I'd allow that. It wouldn't unbalance the game much, though.

And a rapier is just a short sword with a better crit range. A lot of weapons are similar, but spears shouldn't be the weak sister of all weapons.

 

[Kemrain]

And a rapier is just a short sword with a better crit range. A lot of weapons are similar, but spears shouldn't be the weak sister of all weapons.

Rapiers may be finessable, but they're not light weapons. Rapiers are more like Longswords, with a smaller damage die exchanged for a bigger threat range.

Spears SHOULD be a good weapon to use, otherwise they wouldn't have been used. This might end up making them more viable, and might actually cause them to see use. Good, I say.

- Kemrain the Finessable.

 

[Darklone]

Don't forget the reach of the longspear. That gives a non warrior usually one extra attack against their opponent, which may easily win him the fight. I've seen quite some sorcerers with longspears since 3.5.

 

[Nifft]

Here are my spear house rules:

- Spears are finessable if used two-handed. (NOT Longspears.)
- You can use 'em one-handed (with a shield) as a Martial weapon, but then the crit range is reduced to x2, and you can't finesse them.

- Waxwood longspears are Exotic monk weapons which deal 1d6/x3 slashing, and are finessable, but cannot be set against a charge. Monks don't automatically get proficency, since it's a reach weapon with a high crit multiplier.

-- N

 

[Tulon]

Well, in my opinion, spears have been used so much just because they're cheap in production: take a wooden stick and attach a small iron tip on it - et vóila.

However, I agree that spears should be usable with one hand.

How about just taking two different stat-sets for the spear, one with one hand, and one for two-handed?
More specific, a two-handed spear would make more damage, while also allowing that shaft-strike (nice idea!), and the one handed version would just make slightly less damage but allows for a shield on the other arm.
That's how I would do it, I think.

Possibly, a two-handed spear should also recieve a better critical-hit range.
Also, the spear could be used as a throwing-weapon, with a slightly larger difficulty when attempting to throw while wielding a shield.

 

[Darklone]

Here are my spear house rules:

- Spears are finessable if used two-handed. (NOT Longspears.)

-- N

Halflings with twohanded Power Attack for more damage than human spearwielders ? Kewl.

"Beware the halfling phalanx!"

 

[Nifft]

Halflings with twohanded Power Attack for more damage than human spearwielders ? Kewl.

"Beware the halfling phalanx!"

A Phalanx was a spear-and-shield formation, right?

Most non-Elite halflings can't have Power Attack, since they take a -2 to Str. Yes, fear the elite halfling shieldless phalanx, though.

-- N