cRPG

cRPG => General Discussion => Topic started by: Japan on June 16, 2011, 05:47:34 pm

Title: Pikes - Are they a special polearm in themselves?
Post by: Japan on June 16, 2011, 05:47:34 pm
Hey guys, I've read various things where people talk about pikes being different to typical polearms

I usually play a 15/24 pike build, but am looking to maybe make a slightly faster build and switch the pike for a long spear

Is there much difference between the two? or will they penetrate armor the same? I know Pike is obviously longer, and slightly weaker, but is that the only difference? I know in M&B WF&S, a Pike can break through armor much easier than other weapons, but is it the same in M&B Warband?
Title: Re: Pikes - Are they a special polearm in themselves?
Post by: krampe on June 16, 2011, 05:52:53 pm
The most important difference is the overhead attack with the long spear imo. Making it better if you have to fight 1on1
Title: Re: Pikes - Are they a special polearm in themselves?
Post by: Japan on June 16, 2011, 05:59:51 pm
So armor values don't make any difference between the two? Like a pike won't pierce them easier? that's the only thing I'm worried about, as I won't be using much PS, as 5 seems fine for a pike
Title: Re: Pikes - Are they a special polearm in themselves?
Post by: okiN on June 16, 2011, 06:00:34 pm
There's definitely nothing special about pike damage, works the same as any piercing polearm.
Title: Re: Pikes - Are they a special polearm in themselves?
Post by: Lord_Panos on June 16, 2011, 06:30:45 pm
my dick is bigger than pike,and it penetrates better.
Title: Re: Pikes - Are they a special polearm in themselves?
Post by: Gheritarish le Loki on June 16, 2011, 06:41:45 pm
Panos are you drunk or just a bad troll?
Title: Re: Pikes - Are they a special polearm in themselves?
Post by: Lord_Panos on June 16, 2011, 06:42:05 pm
RHTSDRDSRHRDHHDHRDHDHD
Title: Re: Pikes - Are they a special polearm in themselves?
Post by: Armpit_Sweat on June 16, 2011, 06:58:18 pm
Quote from: Lord_Panos on June 16, 2011, 06:30:45 pm
my dick is bigger than pike,and it penetrates better.

He is exaggerating of cause, but here is the pike he is talking about:

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Pikes - Are they a special polearm in themselves?
Post by: LordRichrich on June 16, 2011, 07:14:56 pm
Personally I've found high str builds to be better for long and slow polearms. With pure str you can still get to over 100 in polearms and that's more than enough for a pike, I can use them on my 2h with his 0wpf in poles because of his high str
Title: Re: Pikes - Are they a special polearm in themselves?
Post by: Kafein on June 16, 2011, 07:19:13 pm
Hello, my new fellow pikeman, maybe you know my pikeman alt named Pecores_Kofilin.

I use the 3m Pike on that one and have a 15/24 build like you (with more armor though).

There's nothing "special" about the pike and the long spear damage-wise, but they both are very special weapons, in different ways (the 300 reach one really being a total UFO).

Generally, it's possible to fight normally with the long spear. Tricky, but possible. However, (afaik) defending yourself with a 300 reach pike = suicide. You can't attack. Too high reach turns you into a retard-looking backward jumping guy, and in case you can hit, any decent opponent will block, you will be stunned and can't block the next swing. Now if you try to block everything until some ally helps you, it can be very difficult too, even for a decent blocker, because the block speed is extremely slow. No last second blocks like with any decent melee char. So not having a sidearm makes you terribly gimped.

Personally I'll go 18/21 next gen, as I bounce too often with PS 5 (usually when my angle is not good or the timing is a little wrong but those things happen).

I think 15/24 is a pretty solid build for the long spear too, though. The weapon choice depends on how "pure" you want to be.

Quote from: LordRichrich on June 16, 2011, 07:14:56 pm
Personally I've found high str builds to be better for long and slow polearms. With pure str you can still get to over 100 in polearms and that's more than enough for a pike, I can use them on my 2h with his 0wpf in poles because of his high str

It's true you have more than enough wpf with low WM. But agi and athletics are the essence of the "I'm everywhere at the same time" skill, which is really important for pikemen atm because there aren't many (good) of them.
Title: Re: Pikes - Are they a special polearm in themselves?
Post by: ShinySpoons on June 17, 2011, 12:54:38 pm
Ath is pretty neccesary for a pikemen. Alone, you're nearly useless. With a squad or even one dude you're a battle winner. The athletics is neccesary to get away when you're isolated from teamates and to switch to multiple targets at once. Just the reach alone isn't sufficient to cover your buddies.
Title: Re: Pikes - Are they a special polearm in themselves?
Post by: hotcobbler on June 17, 2011, 02:53:07 pm
I would agree about athletics to an extent. The thing that makes pikes so powerful is that there are no other weapons right now that have the close-quarters support ability they do. They basically allow a good squad to poke someone to death in between other strikes.

I would say the thing you need most to be a good pikeman (or longspear, my personal choice) is patience and willingness NOT to get the kill. It's all about teamwork and staying in formation.
Title: Re: Pikes - Are they a special polearm in themselves?
Post by: Laufknoten on June 17, 2011, 04:18:16 pm
The long spear is a very deadly weapon and one of the best polearms in my opinion. I use the long spear cause the pike is a supportive weapon only and you can't duel with it, but with the long spear you can actually go for kills. The thrust and the overhead swing are perfect to headshot and therefore oneshot a lot of people and you have a reach most of the people don't have.

But whatever you use, pike and long spear are most useful if you stay with your teammates. Only really good players can fight against 2 or 3 opponents and be aware of pikemen at the same time. It will get you a lot of kills if you do it the right way. 
Title: Re: Pikes - Are they a special polearm in themselves?
Post by: Kafein on June 17, 2011, 09:39:51 pm
Also, in case your team is surrounded by cav, there's something very important to keep in mind. It's that cav player know they will probably success when they attack right behind one of their allies, because the pikeman that stopped the first cav is occupied trying to get the kill. While this behavior is not bad in itself because it's usually better at least hitting the dehorsed rider once to make sure he doesn't get up and distracts you and your allies, it can lead to pikemen being lanced because they stop watching cavarly for a second. So everytime you dehorse someone, make sure there aren't any other hostile cavalry around.
Title: Re: Pikes - Are they a special polearm in themselves?
Post by: joesmoe on June 17, 2011, 10:11:56 pm
My pike man has 28str 15 agil no athletics and does fine