Overhead stab for spears

[Polobow]

I use a pole/shield all the time. I support this!

[Joelturuz]

My avatar supports this.

[hotcobbler]

Yes, this would be a great feature and would make spear/shield viable. It's more a support class anyway, most 1v1 against any other dueling class you would still lose, but at least this gives you a chance.

As to the pike comment before, I think this should be only for those using a 1h spear w/ shield. If anything you could give pikes/2h spears a "bracing" attack that would rear horses, and the normal attack would not.

[[ptx]]

Joxer, is the guy in your avatar... licking a... dick? 
...

...
Anyhow, i am sort of skeptical making a melee support class (which works damn well when done right!) more powerful. Especially, if the overhead stab has a range similar to the normal stab... Pffft.

[hotcobbler]

That might be a good compromise, make the overhand stab a shorter reach but maybe faster?

In general I see the spear stab animation being way too slow. You don't stab someone with a spear as if you're slowly reaching out to poke them, and then slowly draw it back. It's a quick thrust that darts out and allows you to get your shield back in place. I think a lot of the animations simply seem like we're fighting underwater. I know this is a bigger issue but I think adding some realism in terms of speed would be great for the mod. Overall, the weapons should be pretty leathal. You get stabbed, slashed, or smashed and you should pretty much be down for the count unless you're in heavy armor or block.

[WaltF4]

Solution: Two stab animations, one blocked by up and other is down like normal. Like this

While I would be willing to do unspeakable things for more spear and shield thrusts, what your image is showing is not just two different thrusts but two different grips, like normal grip and half-swording with the two handed swords. The following youtube video shows some basics for holding a spear. Pardon the crazy guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klOc9C-aPr4

See 1:41 for our current thrust and 1:45 for a higher thrust both made from an underhand grip. However, I do not know how visually distinguishable multiple thrusts from the same grip could be made.

[FICO]

i think that animation of hand raising would be enough to determinate that spear is coming from above (you can raise it above head with "underarm"


and if it would be implemented, that would resurrect hoplite-style soldiers which become obsolete by "discover" of down-block. i use shield and spear (or fork) and often people say "lol do u kill anything with it?" "noob" and such things, but surprisingly i do. yes, my k/d is 1/3, but it doesn't matter to me. because i enjoy roleplaying that style

[Stormcrow]

I tried the WWII China mod for warband which is terrible but at the same time had some cool animations with the bayonet which allowed you to overhead stab or do a low stab. Obvioisly it can be done plus overhead stabs look awesome and less gay than an overhead swing from a pike.

[Rasputin]

My first character was polearm+shield, but quickly noticed everyone could just downblock me if they were smart, so I was useless against anyone with a brain, wouldn't mind it being viable again.

[Joxer]

Joxer, is the guy in your avatar... licking a... dick? 

Almost got it right. It's a stick. I can understand how you could mix that up with a dick. Also it has ANTS all over it. ANTS ffs.

While I would be willing to do unspeakable things for more spear and shield thrusts, what your image is showing is not just two different thrusts but two different grips, like normal grip and half-swording with the two handed swords. The following youtube video shows some basics for holding a spear. Pardon the crazy guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klOc9C-aPr4

Holy fucking hell. Lindybeige rocks. He has more common sense in his pinky than you got in your family tree. Not crazy. 

Vikingr Mod has an Overhead Stab with Spear and Shield!

Got any vids of that? I'm not touching that thing.

[Nemeth]

My first character was polearm+shield, but quickly noticed everyone could just downblock me if they were smart, so I was useless against anyone with a brain, wouldn't mind it being viable again.

Then you obviously did it wrong. Hoplite is viable, look at Pully on EU servers, using spear+shield, getting kills and being tremendous help in team fights. Yes, you won't be able to duel (unless you put your shield on your back ofc), but if that's the way you consider class to be usefull, then I pity you.

[[ptx]]

Hoplite build with the right weapon (Fork or war spear) is perfectly viable, have done it myself at times, to good enough effect, positive K:D ratio, and thats with plenty of 1v1 fights (and wins).

[Banok]

This has more implications than just spear and shield spartan wannabies.

No one yet and made the connection that this would make currently pretty OP lance on horseback even more OP, so rebalancing would be needed in that area.

Although you could argue overhead might not be possible with a long lance and balance it that way, its still kind of boring how easy it is to block lance. Lance is currently a OP "sneak attack" weapon, but very lame when fighting an aware infantry opponents. it would be nice to see mounted combat become more like dueling and less like hide and seek is what I am saying.

But the main reason I want it is because as people said overhead swing with longer weapons like pike is just plain daft, although so is blocking with it ;)

Even though it could mean alot of work for the balance department I still think its something the team should push for just because it would make mele combat more interesting and realistic.

PS: pic is from wikipedia which is of course never wrong!

[hotcobbler]

I've always been of the opinion that you shouldn't be able to block a spear coming at you from horseback without a shield, but I'm always looking for realism and that's not always what the devs are aiming for. I'm just saying, I'd like to see you not be able to block a spear coming at you from above shoulder height at 20+ mph. From behind. As you spin in the air.

[Joxer]

It's not like a block. It's more like a deflection or something fantasy based