The weapon that got the shaft

[Gort]

Actually, using the D8 3x critical spear one-handed isn't unbalanced versus battleaxes in my opinion.

The reason being, that piercing is the little bitch of damage types. Virtually everything that has DR versus slashing also has it against piercing.

 

[robberbaron]

Here are my spear house rules:
- Bamboo longspears are Exotic monk weapons which deal 1d6/x3 slashing, and are finessable, but cannot be set against a charge -- bamboo would shatter.

Hmm, don't see where you got this idea. Why should a bamboo spear be a slashing weapon? It doesn't have a blade.

See Kurosawa's Seven Samurai for how bamboo spears worked.
Basically, you take a large bamboo stick (couple of inches in diameter, not the sort for training runner beans!), cut the end off at an angle and voila!

If you stuck it in a charging horse it might break, but only as often as a wooden spear would.

 

[Staffan]

Actually, using the D8 3x critical spear one-handed isn't unbalanced versus battleaxes in my opinion.

IMO, it's slightly unbalanced due to the whole "set versus charge" thing.

The reason being, that piercing is the little bitch of damage types. Virtually everything that has DR versus slashing also has it against piercing.

Except rakshasas.

 

[Dinkeldog]

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.

Not to disagree, but they're easy to use and train people to use. That's more about why they were used. It's why there was such a big deal about crossbows.

 

[S'mon]

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.

The historical advantage of the spear is that it's (1) CHEAP and (2) deadly en masse. It is _not_ a personal combat weapon - although any weapon can become deadly with the right wielder - and frankly is not a typical weapon an adventurer type would carry. A spear should not outclass a battleaxe or longsword in typical skirmish combat.

I do use a 'Hoplite' feat IMC BTW to allow use of any spear + shield.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I'm considering trying out a houserule to the following effect -

Spears (and any other weapons that can be set against charge) are *automatically* considered to be set against charge if you are charged.

i.e. if you charge someone who is wielding a spear they automatically get double damage against you.

It might not work because of the disconnect between when you get charged and when you get your attack (unlike spears readied against a charge), but the problem with the whole readying against a charge thing from my POV is that it never happens I'm willing to try out something to discourage people from charging into spears, and I think this might do the job.

Cheers

 

[Darklone]

Plane, I'm using that houserule since years... it happened only once or twice. People see spearwielders and decide to tumble, hop or pull out bow and sling instead.

 

[Stalker0]

Spears like others have said, were cheap to make, easy to make, and could be trained to fight with pretty easily.

In dnd cost and training aren't really a factor do to the proficiencies, and mounted combat isn't a stable of a dnd, so spears get less use.

I do like the automatically set against charging opponents house rule, but only if the spear has reach.

 

[Darklone]

I do like the automatically set against charging opponents house rule, but only if the spear has reach.

It's not so important, without reach you seldomly get an AoO.

 

[DaveStebbins]

Actually, using the D8 3x critical spear one-handed isn't unbalanced versus battleaxes in my opinion.

In addition to the set versus charge thing, don't forget that spears (except the longspear) can also be used as missile weapons.