Value of the Long Spear?

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 5:41 am

Hey gang,

I have an ambi LU that is not bright enough for everyone's favorite longsword. I have yet to see a fight where someone is using the long spear. I was wondering what all of you thought of it as a weapon? Good choice or closer to the universally panned WF? Is the SS or SH a better choice? How would being ambi alter your weapon choices? Thanks! Gen. Ironcide

ArchMaster Poster Joined: Sep 05, 2005 Posts: 1316

Personally I would use the LO with penalty over the LS, but that is a personal preference. The LS is a decent lunging weapon. IMO you should not be afraid to use it unless against plate.

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 6:40 am

I have used it with several LUs that seemed to hit a wall and quit winning using the LO. I happen to like the weapon as it turned most of them around and have been using it more and more frequently to good success.

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 7:04 am

definitely try it, as JGW said it works well against most armor except plate. I had a PR who had it as a fave (I'm cursed, all my PR's get LS fave it seems) and used to pick plated up scum apart with it still!
It's got great speed/initiative with its long length, not the greatest parrying weapon, and does break, but overall not a bad weapon. Certainly worth a try if your guy's stats match up for it or closely enough, if you haven't nailed down his fave weapon yet.

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 7:20 am

drdaddy wrote:

Hey gang,

I have an ambi LU that is not bright enough for everyone's favorite longsword. I have yet to see a fight where someone is using the long spear. I was wondering what all of you thought of it as a weapon? Good choice or closer to the universally panned WF? Is the SS or SH a better choice? How would being ambi alter your weapon choices? Thanks! Gen. Ironcide

LO is a great weapon. The LS is a decent weapon, some believe enhancing knock-downs. The SS is a fine weapon (just ask all those strikers who use it!) The SH is a solid all-around weapon. (None are in the class of the whiffle.) All have their place. If you can crit lots with one, it becomes a preferred weapon!

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2008 6:47 pm

I've been trying the LS with many different warriors recently, here's my conjecture:

Compared to other weapons...
It seems to help init performance when the warrior has less than an expert in init.
It does not seem to enhance init performance much with warriors who have past an adex in initiative.

It gives up significant parry performance for warriors with less than an expert.
It gives up little parry performance for warriors with and expert or more in parry.

It hits hard when a warrior has good damage or more.
It will hit hard with a normal damage warrior when lunge modifying.

On balance, it may be helpful to:
strikers which have decise but are lacking in init,
plungers, rippers, and some tp's which have plenty of parry, but are lacking in init.

If I were inclined to regularly make lungers, I probably wouldn't use the LS much (except maybe to see if it's a favorite).
They don't need the init boost.

There is another circumstance I've researched where the LS is useful, but that's a trade secret Wink

.

Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 11:56 am

I really don't mind the long spear against plate for that matter.

I mind lungers against plate and lungers are about the only style that ever uses a long spear.

The long spear is underrated. It is an amazing knock down weapon and that can win you fights against scum by itself. I've been known to switch my desperation strat against scummy warriors to legs with a LS hoping for a knock down to buy me a few more attacks.

Its not as good as the long sword, but if you're trying to knock a guy down, its probably the best weapon there is. The short spear is okay, I'm about the only one I know who has used it a lot and not hated it.. its fast for its damage... but it doesn't have the damage of a scimitar or the knock down of a long spear.

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 11:10 am

I used to use Long Spear a TON with my lungers and overall I like it very well. I can't tell you why I stopped using it as much, but I would have no reluctance at all to use it with my lungers except in some special circumstances.